{"id":93224,"date":"2015-10-26T12:29:57","date_gmt":"2015-10-26T18:29:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmpolitics.net\/index\/?p=93224"},"modified":"2015-10-26T12:30:18","modified_gmt":"2015-10-26T18:30:18","slug":"why-joe-trippi-thinks-bernie-sanders-wont-win-in-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2015\/10\/why-joe-trippi-thinks-bernie-sanders-wont-win-in-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Joe Trippi thinks Bernie Sanders won\u2019t win in 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Democratic political consultant Joe Trippi may be best known for serving as Howard Dean\u2019s campaign manager in 2004 when the former Vermont governor <a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-dyn\/articles\/A60457-2004Jan6.html\" target=\"_blank\">broke fundraising records<\/a> during his failed presidential bid.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_54908\"  class=\"wp-caption module image alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 336px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/pictures-of-money\/17123251389\/in\/photolist-s6895e-chEwR9-bH1iX8-bt4mNt-42PQoC-a2YSa6-62QVKf-bta55K-dB7F8e-dK2oa7-aFDjPB-aYWk56-aFATbM-aFAaK6-aFAQEv-snzAJp-QxcaH-s4fksR-cMnty-bZvUDS-bta3kH-brd1K2-62LFqP-dTUAhR-5p8w8o-7jm7SP-8F5t1j-dSZe91-dUSc9a-a5SwX-dSK3tm-biaRHp-68vjKV-68zxeQ-9C9vCS-aFAPtx-9ZA9J6-cXNz15-9kJxyv-b6MUJK-68zxij-aFDkRt-aFDet2-bDwJ11-5DfGXv-bmm93i-55FLSR-aFDcrg-bf3Nge-nQZguc\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-54908\" src=\"http:\/\/www.nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Money-336x216.jpg\" alt=\"Joe Trippi, like Bernie Sanders, believes a revolution is coming to American elections: The only question is when. (photo cc info)\" width=\"336\" height=\"216\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Money-336x216.jpg 336w, https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Money-768x494.jpg 768w, https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Money-771x495.jpg 771w, https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Money-1170x752.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Money-780x500.jpg 780w, https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Money.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 336px) 100vw, 336px\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Pictures of Money \/ Creative Commons<\/p><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Joe Trippi, like Bernie Sanders, believes a revolution is coming to American elections: The only question is when. (<a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\" target=\"_blank\">photo cc info<\/a>)<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Dean\u2019s ability to attract modest, yet numerous, online donations drove his financial \u2014 if not political \u2014 success.<\/p>\n<p>Trippi \u2014 who has worked in politics for decades, including roles on the presidential campaigns of Democrats Ted Kennedy, Walter Mondale and John Edwards, among others \u2014 recently talked with the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">Center for Public Integrity<\/a>\u00a0about the role <a href=\"http:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/2015\/10\/16\/18636\/small-dollar-donors-power-insurgent-candidates-both-parties\" target=\"_blank\">small-dollar donors<\/a> are playing in the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/2015\/10\/16\/18631\/see-how-much-2016-presidential-candidates-have-raised-so-far\" target=\"_blank\">2016 presidential race<\/a>. He also detailed changes he wants lawmakers to make to the nation\u2019s campaign finance system.<\/p>\n<p>On one hand, Trippi offers a dire forecast on the electoral fate of Democratic presidential candidate <a href=\"http:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/2015\/04\/30\/17261\/12-things-know-about-bernie-sanders\" target=\"_blank\">Bernie Sanders<\/a>, who has emerged as the most serious challenger to Democratic Party front-runner <a href=\"http:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/2015\/04\/12\/17107\/12-things-know-about-hillary-clinton\" target=\"_blank\">Hillary Clinton<\/a>. Like Dean, Sanders has unexpectedly generated <a href=\"http:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/2015\/10\/16\/18636\/small-dollar-donors-power-insurgent-candidates-both-parties\" target=\"_blank\">most of the $41.5 million<\/a> he\u2019s already raised from grassroots givers \u2014 although Trippi doesn\u2019t believe it will be enough to propel Sanders to the Democratic nomination.<\/p>\n<p>But Trippi, like Sanders, nevertheless believes a revolution is coming to American elections: The only question is when.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"module align-left half type-aside\">\n<h3>About this article<\/h3>\n<p>This story is part of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/politics\/buying-president-2016?utm_campaign=syndication&amp;utm_source=yahoo-news&amp;utm_medium=taxonomy-link\" target=\"_blank\">Buying of the President 2016<\/a>\u00a0from\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">The Center for Public Integrity<\/a>, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative media organization in Washington, D.C. We&#8217;re tracking the candidates, political committees and nonprofits that are making this presidential election the most expensive in history. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/politics\/buying-president-2016?utm_campaign=syndication&amp;utm_source=yahoo-news&amp;utm_medium=taxonomy-link\" target=\"_blank\">Click here<\/a> to read more stories in this investigation.<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Center for Public Integrity:<\/strong> What does it mean for the country when politicians are raising so much money from wealthy supporters rather than the grassroots?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Trippi:<\/strong> It\u2019s a bad trend for the country.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Center for Public Integrity:<\/strong> What makes it a bad trend?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Trippi:<\/strong> All the things that turn people off and make them step back and throw their hands up are just spurred on by super PACs and big money. Democracy should be about the more people participating, the better.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Center for Public Integrity:<\/strong> What would you do instead?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Trippi:<\/strong> If you banned everything but $100 contributions to a candidate, I think we\u2019d have a much stronger democracy. That\u2019s what I would do. Unfortunately, with freedom of speech, you can\u2019t.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Center for Public Integrity:<\/strong> Why do you like that idea?<\/em><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><strong>Trippi:<\/strong> If you\u2019ve got to put a bunch of $100 contributions together, candidates would be talking to a lot more people and having a lot less dinners with billionaires and millionaires. And only the ones who could connect to do that would be getting anywhere.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Center for Public Integrity:<\/strong> In the era of super PACs, what role do small-dollar donors play for campaigns?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Trippi:<\/strong> Look, all the established, front-runner, been-around-forever people have no problem in the current super PAC\/let\u2019s-go-speed-date-billionaires game that\u2019s going on. But for anybody who is out there and is at zero and no one knows their name, it\u2019s the only way to have any chance. Whatever chance we had in 2004 was because of that.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Center for Public Integrity:<\/strong> What stars have to align for a candidate to harness a big small-dollar donor network?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Trippi:<\/strong> You\u2019ve got to have a message that is going to connect to a lot of people. You\u2019re not trying to find one billionaire to fund you. You\u2019re trying to find millions of people.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Center for Public Integrity:<\/strong> Why does the establishment like super PACs?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Trippi:<\/strong> None of these candidates want to go out and have to get 10 million people to give them $100. It\u2019s easier to get one billionaire to write a $100 million check. That\u2019s why these super PACs are important.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Center for Public Integrity:<\/strong> Where do you think this is all heading?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Trippi:<\/strong> The system we have cannot stand. All the billionaires out there should start doing some math. We\u2019re a country of, like, 330 million people. There\u2019s going to be a day when 20 million people connect with a candidate \u2014 and totally change America\u2019s politics.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Center for Public Integrity:<\/strong> What was it like raising money from small-dollar donors in 1984 when you worked for Democrat Walter Mondale\u2019s campaign?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Trippi:<\/strong> Because there was nothing called the Internet, people had to write these things called checks, stick them in these things called envelopes, lick these things called stamps, put them on the envelopes and mail them, which took days. And then the banks would put one-week holds on all the out-of-state checks. Candidates would not be able to access all that money for weeks.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Center for Public Integrity:<\/strong> And now?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Trippi:<\/strong> Now, candidates can raise millions of dollars \u2014 literally millions \u2014 within hours online.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Center for Public Integrity:<\/strong> How did the party establishment react when the Dean campaign raised so much money from small-dollar donors online in 2004?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Trippi:<\/strong> We scared the daylights out of the establishment, but that was about all we were able to do. Both party establishments are pretty good at making sure that a candidate who isn\u2019t of the establishment doesn\u2019t make it.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Center for Public Integrity:<\/strong> What about Barack Obama?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Trippi:<\/strong> You could argue that Obama beat the establishment in 2008, or was able to co-opt enough of them after he got enough small-dollar donations online. But \u2014 if you count him \u2014 he\u2019s the rare exception.<\/p>\n<p>In 2008, it\u2019s three million people giving Barack Obama half a billion dollars and he wins. But after that, the Republicans did not run out and say, \u2018Wow, we\u2019ve got to create a network of three million people to compete with that $500 million machine.\u2019 Instead, they make the super PAC thing happen.<\/p>\n<p>And in 2012, the Democrats cave and say, \u2018Yeah, us too,\u2019 to super PACs. Barack Obama, who had been against super PACs and saying you can do this with people \u2014 he finally breaks down and says I was wrong, that to fight super PACs, you need to give to super PACs.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Center for Public Integrity:<\/strong> Why doesn\u2019t a popular groundswell from small-dollar donors have the ability to carry more weight?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Trippi:<\/strong> It\u2019s not just the money. A lot of the rules and things are set up to stop insurgent candidates.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Center for Public Integrity:<\/strong> What do you think would happen if Bernie Sanders beats Hillary Clinton in Iowa?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Trippi:<\/strong> The entire Democratic establishment would come out of the woodwork to stop Bernie Sanders from being the nominee. The establishment fervently believes that a socialist cannot be president of the United States.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The former campaign manager for Howard Dean says small-dollar donors can&#8217;t beat big money \u2014 yet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":54908,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[708,705,226,116],"class_list":["post-93224","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-and-analysis","tag-2016-election","tag-money-in-politics","tag-presidential-race","tag-washington"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93224","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=93224"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93224\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54908"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=93224"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=93224"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=93224"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}