If that is the case, it'll be an unplanned, fallback strategy. And I still think it would make them very leery of running someone as radical as Bernie in 2024.
Possibly.
Socialist morality has gotten as popular as it has because of the universities, and because of the push from the mainstream media and social media. Not that the mainstream media is openly socialist -- just that they've been using the socialistic argument to support things like student loan forgiveness and single payer health care.
And see that's why I think it will be easier for them to run on that and call it mainstream in 2024. The excuse as to why it failed will be "because some old white guy was pitching it".
You get a younger POC...a Julian Castro or Kamala Harris type candidate and it will work.
That's also why you see AOC and the Justice Democrats raising money against incumbent Democrats in more and more districts. It's also too IMHO why you see her refusing to pay her fund raising dues to the DNC. The younger more radical types that are buying up Bernie's message but not the messenger per se are trying to distance themselves from the old crusty establishment and present themselves as the progressive alternative that will make stuff happen in DC.
The GOP has to be ready for this in 2024 and not get caught flat footed.
I think Bernie and some of his stupid statements getting clobbered in 2020 would actually hurt their agenda -- kind of like McGovern's loss in 1972 led to a more moderate Jimmy Carter in 1976. They'd be gun shy about having it happen all over again. Also, I think having socialist ideals debated openly, and being openly opposed rather than slithering through unopposed as they do in universities - will make those ideals less popular. Sure, the true radicals will be thrilled that one of their own won the Democratic nomination, but I think a lot of young people for whom socialism is just a romantic idea right now could really do with an open discussion of what it truly means.
Yeah the crap Bernie spewed back in the day is coming back to bite him...to a point. The media at this point is barely giving it notice and when they do the firefighters come out to defend him and the pundits explain it away or justify it. The younger generation wont care what it means...again IMHO...as long as their getting their free stuff.
I hope the socialist ideals are debated openly...not holding out much hope since none of the moderators I've seen so far even know what the concept of a follow up question is when any of the candidates on stage start talking about all their free stuff.
And in the general election you know it's going to be nothing but attack Trump and no real substantive debate about the issues will occur.