Bernie Sanders has a problem; Elizabeth Warren has been embracing his policies and stealing his voters. She is essentially portraying herself as a more reasonable, intellectual, and electable version of Sanders. It’s working; he’s stuck in the mud. What can he do?
He has two choices. The first is to make a genuine effort to bring about the “revolution” by moving to the center on social issues and thus strengthening his appeal to reactionary white workers. The second is to move even further to the left, hope that Warren won’t follow him, and argue that Liz is just a lefty-come-lately.
It’s fairly clear that he is choosing Option B. Logically, it makes a certain amount of sense in the short run. In the long run, however, it will alienate moderate voters and put the nomination, let alone victory in a general election, out of reach.