"At the beginning of the gala, there were visibly more Sanders people present. Five minutes after he left the stage, the numbers became just about even, and the people remaining on the Sanders side were mainly older, diehard democrats who will vote for the party no matter what final choice it makes…
"The Democratic affiliation doesn't mean much to a large number of Sanders backers: Like him, they are somewhat reluctant fellow travelers. The party is not their home. By so openly declaring their allegiance to Clinton…the Democratic Party’s leaders are pushing away the people who could have been its future.”
Well, maybe. These half-hearted Democrats would be prime material for the formation of a viable third party as the economic crisis drives them to the left. But the much greater threat they perceive to their historic gains and present welfare from the Republicans will more likely keep them voting Democratic even if the party establishment forces a Clinton nomination down their collective throat.
http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2016-02-06/democratic-party-is-pushing-away-its-future