Whos Afraid of Bernie Sanders?

(New Republic) In the wake of Bernie Sanderss loss to Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic primary some people argued that as Vanity Fair put it he won in the end" because his race had a profound and lasting effect on his party." This was not a fanciful idea. The Vermont senators revolution" had succeeded beyond progressives wildest expectations pushing the party leftward on health care climate change economic redistribution and foreign policy. Since Barack Obamas ascendance no other politician has had such a deep influence on the direction of the Democratic Partyexcept perhaps the sitting president. And yet as Sanders takes steps toward a second run for the Democratic nomination many think that he has lost his political momentum. I dont see a lot of lasting energy for Bernie" Markos Moulitsas the founder and publisher of Daily Kos told The Boston Globe. Its different from last time when he was the alternative to an unfortunately flawed front-runner and there were just two of them. Right now the mantle of progressive can be carried by any number of candidates and potential candidates." Sanders this line of thinking goes is a victim of his own success": Yes he moved the Democratic leftward but hes been neutered by younger more broadly appealing candidates who are aping the ideas he popularized. So Sanders allegedly cant count on his army of supporters to turn out in droves a second time or even necessarily his staff. The reluctance of former aides to embrace another campaign reflects whats expected to be a sprawling field of Democrats stampeding left