Why Nina Turner's shift from Hillary Clinton to Bernie Sanders matters: Ohio Politics Roundup

[think]

Why Nina Turner's shift from Hillary Clinton to Bernie Sanders matters: Ohio Politics Roundup

By Henry J Gomez - November 13, 2015 at 7:27 AM

Nina Turner is feeling the Bern. Read on in Ohio Politics Roundup.

Turn and Bern: Former State Sen. Nina Turner, a top Ohio Democrat with a national profile, made a stunning move Thursday, endorsing Bernie Sanders for the Democratic presidential nomination after months of supportive nods toward Hillary Clinton. Turner said she appreciates his outspokenness on voting rights and wage issues.

Turner is taking leave from her high-level Ohio Democratic Party post to campaign for Sanders. She will be at Saturday night's debate in Iowa to cheer on the Vermont senator and will introduce him Monday at his rally at Cleveland State University.

My full story on the surprise endorsement.

Why it's a big deal, at least in the short term: Though she said her decision had everything to with Sanders and nothing to with Clinton, Turner's shifting loyalty comes as Sanders looks for new momentum as Clinton's strongest challenger.

Turner is a prominent black leader in a key state. She is a terrific public speaker and no stranger to MSNBC's prime-time lineup. When she talks, people – particularly progressive Democrats – listen. She can be a very effective surrogate. Her endorsement drew attention from Politico and other national news organizations...

Full article:
http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2015/11/why_nina_turners_shift_from_hi.html

[mmonk]

1. Thanks for the details.

[think]

2. My pleasure. Looking forward to Nina Turner helping out on the Sanders' campaign.

[Snotcicles]

21. Nina Turner, thats a big plus for Bernie. She has always been a person I very much respect. nt

[firebrand80]

3. I guess this depends on

How you define "national profile."

[brooklynite]

4. "When she talks, people – particularly progressive Democrats – listen"

...and yet, whenever Hillary Clinton gets an endorsement, we're told that political endorsements are "meaningless".

(nb - I know Nina and have no issue with her endorsing anyone she wants)

[think]

5. I don't think Clinton's endorsements are meaningless at all. Especially Rep. John Lewis's &

Senator Sherrod Brown's endorsements.

Still Clinton is a very established politician with deep entrenched ties so the many establishment endorsements aren't overly surprising. That does not in anyway make them meaningless IMO...

[VanillaRhapsody]

26. How is 25 yrs in the Senate not a "very established politician"?

[JonLeibowitz]

30. Because he has still not sold out to monied special interests. Can't say the same about HRC.

[sabrina 1]

33. He never sold out to the 'establishment' or took corporate money, that he managed to

continue to be elected despite those factors makes him a unique politician who survived, when so many others who tried, did not.

And that is why he is generating so much enthusiasm as more and more people get to know him.

And scaring the establishment out of their minds.

[Cheese Sandwich]

24. Bernie's endorsements matter a lot more because he doesn't have many

Supporting Hillary is pretty much the default position for well known politicians and groups.

So it makes her endorsements much less interesting.

[artislife]

25. H's like the pre-entered number on your new garage door opener

You have to really want to change the settings to do so. Lots of people just leave it.

[Ken Burch]

40. Or like Internet Explorer on your old PC. n/t.

[Surya Gayatri]

6. Oh, I expect to see a few more before this meme has been exhausted...

[think]

7. Trash the thread and/or don't read it. That is certainly your option. A discussion of the importance

of Turner's endorsement isn't just a meme to some of us.

[Surya Gayatri]

9. Beg pardon? I sort of feel obliged to follow this thread, as I'm the one

who started it.

ETA: Meant the other thread, i.e. this one:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251801980

[think]

11. OK

[NorthCarolina]

8. How is this news a "meme"? Please explain.

A meme (/ˈmiːm/ meem) is "an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture".

A fact is something that has really occurred or is actually the case. The usual test for a statement of fact is verifiability.

[Surya Gayatri]

10. The "Nina Turner" piece, by my humble definition, turns into

a boring meme when it's repeated and recc'ed ad nauseum and ad absurdum.

[NorthCarolina]

12. Well no, actually that doesn't turn the story into a "meme".

However, I wouldn't be surprised if her endorsement reversal turned into a "pattern" though. In fact, I expect it. Especially now.

Drip, drip, drip.

[Surya Gayatri]

16. "By my humble definition", I believe is how I phrased it.

Literary license....

[sabrina 1]

34. Well, you're entitled to your opinion, and others are entitled to not agree with you.

Is it a 'meme' when you keep telling people how much you object to something, or is it okay because it's important to you?

I have NO objection to YOU objecting as often as you like, just for the record.

[treestar]

15. Bernie finally got an endorsement!

And it's from Nina - therefore Nina is a Very Important Personage Indeed.

Now if it were from Tina Turner, it would make her a Very Important Political Personage too. Not just a singer!

Wrong Tina! We Need Bernie! He's Our Hero!

[Surya Gayatri]

17. Who knew of Nina's unsung VIP status? LOL!

[VanillaRhapsody]

27. Its a game changer all right!

[AlbertCat]

22. "Finally"?

You mean this one or the United Postal Workers one?


All those rank and file Senatorial endorsements for Clinton are expected....since those Senators have no spine.(something we've heard on here long before any primaries.... for years now!)

[sabrina 1]

35. So you dismiss Grijalva's endorsement? Any reason why?

How about Ellison? It's interesting that Bernie's endorsements so far are from representatives of minority communities.

Maybe that's why they are being dismissed? I think eg, that it's significant that Bernie has the endorsement of the only Muslim member of Congress.

Bernie is doing great and as more and more people learn about him, as Turner did, there will be more who will switch. She isn't the only one to learn about Bernie and switch from Hillary to Bernie btw.

[NorthCarolina]

13. One thing I can almost guarantee is you won't be seeing her on MSNBC as much

now...if at all.

[hopemountain]

38. following tonight's debate

ms turner was on steve kornacki's discussion of the debate program on msnbc. she spoke for about 5 minutes about why she switched to hillary. it was powerful.

[Kalidurga]

14. It matters because she just might end up as our next Vice President.

[tecelote]

18. +1

What a ticket!

[Kalidurga]

19. Yes

I found an article on her that I will not link it is from a very rabid rw source. It was about some outrageous things she said and I fell in love. She sounds a lot like my political soul mate too. Her and Bernie could be a very good team. And she looks very very energetic.

[99th_Monkey]

20. Hhmmm. Now that would be quite a ticket. -nt-

[VanillaRhapsody]

28. wish there was an emoticon

with one eyebrow raised in disbelief!

[sabrina 1]

36. And she could then become the first woman president after Bernie's two terms are over.

My other choice was Barbara Lee who like Bernie, had the courage to vote against the Iraq War AND The Patriot Act plus they have worked together on so many important issues.

But if she isn't interested, this would be a great choice.

[immoderate]

31. Gets my vote. I like Nina!

--imm

[libodem]

23. Conga line of Woo Hoo's

Sofa King Cool: woohoo:

[Stainless]

29. I've always appreciated Nina Turner when she appeared on MSGOP

I haven't seen her much since I quit watching after they became pathetic corporatist shills.

Happy that she is endorsing Bernie instead of Hillary.

[appalachiablue]

32. Appreciate the info. I've always enjoyed seeing Nina Turner in the media, impressive.

And Ohio is a great state, always!

[NurseJackie]

37. I think its biggest value is from the novelty of it.

Interest in this endorsement will fade and in the long run, the actual difference it makes in the campaign will probably not match the hype and excitement initially generated by Sanders' followers. No offense to her, but she's a "D-List" political celebrity that not many people have heard of. She's an honorable and respectable woman, I'm sure ... but her endorsement doesn't carry the clout or stature of someone whose better know and more notable, someone like Senator Brown for example.

I'm not suggesting that Sanders' followers don't have any reason to be pleased about the endorsement pick-up ... of course they do. (Congratulations!) I don't begrudge them the understandable excitement about the fact that it was a switched endorsement. That's not very common and definitely worth talking about.

It would be incorrect for me to say it's completely "un-important". But, considering all that's yet to come, it's just that all that important.

[hopemountain]

39. Nina Turner is a poweful speaker and

she's just getting started campaigning for bernie. she spoke tonight on msnbc with steve kornacki following the debate.

[reallygosh]

41. Nina has made the best choice.