If Bernie had achieved sufficient momentum to win the primary despite the ratfuckery and despite the superdelegate bullshit, the Dems would have sabotaged his campaign in the general election, just like they did to Sinclair's gubernatorial campaign in the 1930s and like the 1972 McGovern campaign, and similar to the Blairite ratfuckery against Corbyn. Winning the primary wasn't the last hoop Bernie would have had to clear.
the Dems would have sabotaged his campaign in the general election, just like they did to Sinclair’s gubernatorial campaign in the 1930s and like the 1972 McGovern campaign, and similar to the Blairite ratfuckery against Corbyn
I don't think any of those other scenarios involved years of "vote blue no matter who" indoctrination of the relevant political base.
You absolutely right about other hurdles -- there really is no last hoop to clear, at least not for decades in the rosiest possible future -- but it's dangerous to read history as if it's a reflection of some divine, unchangeable laws. We have to walk the line between learning from our mistakes and ignoring a relatively easy way to build power because something arguably similar failed in an arguably similar situation generations ago (or across the globe in an entirely different political context).
If Bernie had achieved sufficient momentum to win the primary despite the ratfuckery and despite the superdelegate bullshit, the Dems would have sabotaged his campaign in the general election, just like they did to Sinclair's gubernatorial campaign in the 1930s and like the 1972 McGovern campaign, and similar to the Blairite ratfuckery against Corbyn. Winning the primary wasn't the last hoop Bernie would have had to clear.
I don't think any of those other scenarios involved years of "vote blue no matter who" indoctrination of the relevant political base.
You absolutely right about other hurdles -- there really is no last hoop to clear, at least not for decades in the rosiest possible future -- but it's dangerous to read history as if it's a reflection of some divine, unchangeable laws. We have to walk the line between learning from our mistakes and ignoring a relatively easy way to build power because something arguably similar failed in an arguably similar situation generations ago (or across the globe in an entirely different political context).