Tulsi Gabbard with Bernie Sanders.
Gabbard, an Iraq War veteran, spoke out against the DNC debate schedule (which marginalized attention for Bernie), and was summarily uninvited from attending the second debate. Shortly thereafter, she resigned her position as second-in-command at the DNC (below Debbie Wasserman Schultz) to campaign for Sanders.
Here’s the way the game is played.
The stories Trump and Clinton (it’s always Trump and Clinton) throw at each other provide a distracting backdrop, against which their real crimes can go unremarked among the faithful. Each performs actions their opponent’s supporters find deplorable, like calling them “deplorables” (who can’t take a joke, now, pal?) Whenever they get criticized for truly significant stuff, they can just point to the sideshow, and say “Republicans/Democrats, amirite?” Or maybe “Russians, knowwhutimean?” For their loyalists, that's enough to shut it down; and there's enough of them, on each side, that it keeps them on top.
A conspiracy theorist is someone who’s figured this kind of thing out, but who (perhaps among other foibles) probably doesn't quite grasp what it means for a reason to be necessary, but not sufficient.
The rest of us are even more pissed off (though they might be the first to disagree).
Thing is, Bernie, you don’t get to ride off into the sunset quite so easy.
I know you are looking forward to spending time with your grandkids, which, believe me, fills me with joy to hear. But you started this whole thing; and we still need you. Your country calls.
I know you would have been miserable as President; no matter how differently you’ve always lived your life from everyone to occupy the office since Lincoln, the press (and hence the public) would have treated you just like every other narcissistic powermonger we’ve ever had to put up with. To say nothing of having to deal with the Secret Service after you’d leave office.
You'd have a ball being Vice-President, though; and, unlike some veeps, who are just comic relief - when you, with your hair and all, are in fact so much more - or others, who have been the iron hand shoved up the throne, you'd be there to do the most good. Rallying the people; kicking ass, and shaking names.
VPing from Vermont. Casting that tie-breaking vote in the Senate. Harangueing them all from here to habanero and back. I've no doubt that people will say, “My model for Vice President is Bernie Sanders.” You’d be the anti-Cheney; and dammit, that’s just what we need right now.