[Some of] his opponents dropped out when it was clear they had no chance of winning; it’s actually very normal behavior notwithstanding the precedents of Hillary 2008 and Bernie 2016. https://twitter.com/RespectableLaw/status/1247027589279080459

Anti-Bernie counter mobilization was real and significant, though.

That’s exactly why I think it was so counterproductive of Bernie to double-down on anti-party rhetoric post-Nevada rather than try to soften and win.

If you think Pete & Amy dropping out to endorse Biden was significant (I agree) it would be interesting to know what overtures the Sanders team made to their camps.

But I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the answer was that there was no outreach.

Might’ve been a good time to hint around that Bernie would be looking for a VP from the moderate wing of the party, probably a woman from the midwest.

But everyone went in for “bend the knee” time.

At any rate, yes, Sanders’ missteps are a sign that I was probably also overrating his acumen as a potential nominee.

But I still wish Democrats hadn’t gone with a deficit hawk who voted for the Iraq War. This is a bad outcome, and progressives should try to do better.

If your plan to overthrow the party establishment can’t survive an ex-president possibly making some phone calls on behalf of his own VP pick, you have a bad plan.