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[FrankBooth]

1. but, but, but...

Some other poster here on DU, who most definitely isn't a troll or bot, told me Bernie's the anti-oligarch candidate????

[Hortensis]

101. That famous contradiction between claims and behaviors/outcomes.

I have to admit this one surprises me. Surely he knows his relationship with Russia is already discussed and that he needs to reassure America there isn't one? The Mueller investigation has affirmed the support he received from Russia. and we all can affirm he never revealed or denounced it. Must THIS blow up in his face also, like mistreatment of women in his campaign, before he understands he has a problem?

[MaryMagdaline]

197. If he does not see the dire emergency of shutting down the

Russian oligarchy, who push their laundered money, stolen from the Russian people, into other countries where they corrupt the banks and political systems, there may be no hope for him as a candidate.

Raising the minimum wage is a drop in the bucket when you are fighting worldwide tsunami level corruption.

[Blue_true]

136. More buts.

But, but, but Wall Street Bankers, millionaires and billionaires, and OLIGARCHS, my land, OLIGARCHS!!!!

[LakeArenal]

139. Yes... Now that you mention it.

Believe I even had a bit of exchange wth someone on that exact topic.
Also, wasn’t there a lot of Russian money put into his primary support?
Then, since I’m a conspiracy theorist, chaos in the Democratic Party by someone not in the Party.
I don’t know if I feel enlightened or dumb.

[we can do it]

2. Good gawd.....

[shanny]

3. So where is he?

[Kurt V.]

4. I'm not a bernie guy

but to say , outright, he does not work for the American people, is not true.

[lark]

6. This was a super critical vote for our national security and he couldn't be bothered.

Unless he or a family member were near death at a hospital, there is no excuse for missing this vote. It's just outrageous and makes you wonder why Russia liked him so much, maybe there's a reason???

[Kurt V.]

11. i agree with everything you say. and stand by what i say

[WeekiWater]

14. I'm pretty sure he is in DC.

I think he was questioning EPA Administrator nominee Andrew Wheeler at a confirmation hearing today. Not using that as a reason for him missing the vote. Using it to show he was in DC.

https://abcnews.go.com/beta-story-container/Politics/chaos-government-shutdown-trumps-nominee-replace-pruitt-epa/story?id=60400921

[scheming daemons]

15. Others were questioning Wheeler as well.... but they managed to vote.

[WeekiWater]

19. Bingo.

Next up. He gave a press conference on the $15 minimum wage today.

Just looking for excuses. Trying to help the guy out.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

124. Here:

The only one to miss the vote was Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. He was meeting with women who had accused his 2016 presidential campaign of sexual misconduct, his spokesman, Josh Miller-Lewis, told CNBC.

[WeekiWater]

173. I knew it was somewhere! NT

[ehrnst]

190. Oh, yes. That meeting.

Minutes away.

Because those people who dedicated their time and talents to get him elected president would not have understood at ALL that he had an important vote.

https://medium.com/sarahslamen/a-future-to-believe-in-95208e8ce792

[ehrnst]

251. To be fair, judging from his voting record, we could predict what it would be...

2012 - Maginsky Act - Nay
2014 - Russia Sanctions - Nay
2017 - Russia Sanctions - Nay (twice)

2019 - Sanctions on Russian Oligharch (Busy with stopping by a day long meeting for one hour during noontime, despite 12:00 noon being the start of the legislative business for the day.)

I'm sure, that much like HRC and her Iraq Resolution vote, there is context and complexity to the decision to vote, and therefore certainly can't be painted with a wide stroke.

Yesterday, however, was a vote to sanction an oligharch, and Senator Sanders frequently rails international oligharchs being among the biggest obstacles to economic injustice. And rightfully so:

In the latest, alarming, sign of Russia’s influence over not just President Trump but the GOP more broadly, Senate Republicans went to bat Wednesday for sanctioned oligarch Oleg Deripaska, aka “Putin’s favourite industrialist,” who had loaned $10 million to Trump’s now-jailed former campaign manager Paul Manafort.

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/republican-sanctions-russia-780221/

About that meeting:

On Monday, Mr. Sanders’s office told them it would be arranging travel for them to arrive in Washington by Wednesday. But the women said the office did not send them formal invitations or any details about what would be discussed.

Some of them scrambled to rearrange their schedules, but several women said they did not hear back from Mr. Sanders’s office after being asked for travel details. One of the women was Sarah Slamen, who was the state coordinator in Louisiana in 2016 and who told The Times that she quit Our Revolution, Mr. Sanders’s progressive organization, because of gender discrimination.

Ms. Slamen said she was eventually given a midnight flight back to Texas on Wednesday after the meeting. She declined, she said, because she is six and a half months pregnant. Though she said she would not attend and did not book a flight, she later received a confirmation email for a hotel in Washington.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/16/us/politics/bernie-sanders-discrimination-sexism.html

[George II]

32. Yes. He was at that hearing with other Democratic Senators and republican Senators....

....all of whom voted (the vote was 57-42, 99 total votes)

He also had time to hold a press conference early this afternoon, too.

[NastyRiffraff]

37. He ALWAYS has time for a press conference

He'd skip a family member's funeral rather than skip an opportunity to get before cameras.

[EffieBlack]

21. Committees recess when a vote is called so the members can go vote

Questioning a witness is NEVER an excuse for not voting.

[WeekiWater]

26. I'm trying hard here.

Really hard. I just know there is a reason other than he didn't want his intentions on the record.

[EffieBlack]

28. Gotcha

[uponit7771]

51. +1

[Perseus]

61. It is not that Russia liked him a lot

Russia doesn't like him but during the elections he was a good subject for them to take away votes from Hillary, same as Jill Stein. Russians could not care less for Stein, but had Bernie been the Democratic candidate they would have used Hillary voters to work against him. The goal was to get the orange buffoon in the white house.

[ehrnst]

87. Perhaps you missed this:

Indictment: Russians also tried to help Bernie Sanders, Jill Stein presidential campaigns

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/02/17/indictment-russians-also-tried-help-bernie-sanders-jill-stein-presidential-campaigns/348051002/

[Eliot Rosewater]

112. Ahh, facts, love those.

[roody]

41. Thanks.

[uponit7771]

50. The supposition is bad enough !!!

[awesomerwb1]

5. I'm sure he was too busy saving the....universwe

Somehow. Somewhere.

[rogue emissary]

7. This is a joke right?

[scheming daemons]

8. No.... Bernie missing the vote is NOT a joke

[shanny]

182. did it change the outcome?

was the whip count known? Pukes frequently get surprised by the whip count but we don't.

[ehrnst]

185. Is that the excuse for missing a vote now?

Or just for some?

I understand that some senators are praised for their futile but "ethical" vote, and that makes them different from "corporate Dems" who didn't turn in a protest vote.

See also, Iraq War Resolution.

Look up "Sierra Blanca" while you're at it.

[YessirAtsaFact]

39. I don't particularly like Bernie Sanders but this surprises me

This vote was critical

[rogue emissary]

60. Same here,

Of course stupid bleep like not voting against a criminal Russian oligarch is why I can't stand him.

Now people are saying the meeting that supposedly prevented him from voting. Was hastily schedule so he wouldn't have to be on the record.

Still trying to find out why he didn't vote, but this is awful.

[Gothmog]

130. Yes that was a very important vote

[TCJ70]

164. So it failed by one vote, huh? N/t

[ehrnst]

186. You mean like the Iraq War Resolution? (nt)

[TCJ70]

191. Hmmm...that's weird.

That doesn’t answer the question at all. It’s almost as if you’re trying to change the subject.

I don’t mind him prioritizing assault victims over non-outcome changing votes.

[ehrnst]

192. Oh, so he is "too busy" because he's "priortizing assault victims" now.

That's an interesting spin. As if these very staffers who endured the ongoing harassment from his senior staffers (now moving on up the political ladder unlike the whistleblowers who have been shunned) even after repeated reports, who STILL worked their fingers to the bone to make him POTUS would never have tolerated or understood him leaving for a few minutes to vote on national security, even if it "really didn't make a difference," especially when it was a rebuke to a hostile power that was shown by Mueller to have interfered in the election supported him? They would not have understood the moral imperative and optics of him doing that? That doesn't show much regard for those victims of assualt's political accumen, does it?

Perhaps this might clarify things about how one of those "assault victims" who tolerated ongoing, systemic harassment from his campaign staffers even after reporting them, experienced concerning this meeting they had requested back in December after seeing one of the worst offenders taking selfies with Jane Sanders at the Gathering:

Thirteen hours ago, I got an email from a former scheduler on the 2016 campaign asking for my information to arrange travel for a meeting in two days that many of us have known about for awhile. A lot of people like me who reported to the press after being ignored for years had been excluded from the initial planning of this meeting but after some demands from others, I guess we got added to a list.

Myself and another reporter of harassment and wage disparity got no information about our flights or follow up information by late this evening. There was no agenda or participant information about the meeting made available to me. I wrote to the senior staff who had ostensibly asked that I be contacted and said the following:

“As a followup, 11 hours ago I responded to [scheduler’s] morning email asking for my phone number to arrange travel for a meeting. Since then, I have received no information or calls and I know other people are experiencing the same. The attempt to bully and exclude here is as insulting and transparent as the Senator’s original response to Anderson Cooper. I know that the Senator’s office has given confirmation about the meeting to Buzzfeed but no actual confirmation if he will attend and what role he would play. I said my piece to the NYT about my awful and degrading experience with Our Revolution and wanted to [be] done but I’ll have to publicly detail how disorganized, unprofessional and purposefully awful this process has been.

To be clear, I got an email from [scheduler] requesting my phone number this morning to attend a meeting with no other information (like who would attend, the purpose, etc.). I never asked to attend a meeting because I expected this kind of treatment.

https://medium.com/sarahslamen/a-future-to-believe-in-95208e8ce792

Now they are being presented as the reason why he was "too busy" to vote, after he stated he was so "busy" that he couldn't have been expected know about the ongoing harassment by his senior field and outreach staff. Priceless.

That's weird. It's almost as if you're saying that simply accepting a request from harrassed women and others from his own staff to meet with him about for the first time it to even acknowledge them, just two years after being informed of it is heroic advocacy of women, and therefore missing this vote was necessary due to utterly noble attributes.


And no, HRC was excoriated here for not putting in a protest vote against the Iraq War Resolution even when it woud not have made a difference, so yeah, there's that double standard. Wierd, huh?

[sheshe2]

203. Outstanding rebuttal.

Thank you for the facts, ehrnst.

[ehrnst]

204. I expect crickets, because that's

way less embarassing than trying to defend one's own defense of the very inconvenient and disturbing facts.

It's hard when one is shown behind the curtain.

[sheshe2]

211. Crickets? Most likely.

This makes me sad.

To be clear, I got an email from [scheduler] requesting my phone number this morning to attend a meeting with no other information (like who would attend, the purpose, etc.). I never asked to attend a meeting because I expected this kind of treatment.

Such an important meeting and the attendees got nada information. Nothing and sadly didn't expect anything more.

[TCJ70]

207. I don't know how they would have felt if he left...

...And I’m definitely not going to ascribe or assume any of their feelings. If I were in their position I would have wanted undivided attention, personally, but that’s just me.

The rest of your post is just more “NOT GOOD ENOUGH, BERNIE!” and really displays how no matter what he did, there would have been something here for people to complain about.

Can’t please everyone. I’m glad he’s addressing his campaigns past issues.

[ehrnst]

220. He dropped by the all day meeting for 1hr. And if he was worried about "how they felt"

Last edited Thu Jan 17, 2019, 12:09 PM - Edit history (1)

why did he wait two years after being told about the abuses and economic discrimination to say a single word to the victims of his campaign staffers, or reach out to them to express sympathy, or apologize directly to them, and only after these incidents were made public? And after one of the worst abusers was welcomed to "The Gathering"

h


The offenders are going on to bigger and better political careers, even though the high level staff on the campaign KNEW about their abuses (as did Sanders at least since early 2017) and apparently didn't think it merited anything but a great reference for them.

Arturo Carmona just worked on the new Mexican president’s campaign. Bill Velasquez is chief of staff for Rep. Chuy Garcia. Rich is heading up the new Organizing for Bernie. And where are the women who spoke out? The two who worked for Our Revolution have since been fired. The one who was a board member was pushed out. I’ve lost jobs because when people google my name they see the story about Arturo. So-called feminist allies badmouth me to clients once they find out I’ve been hired, even though they’ve never actually worked with me before. You know who you are. The job offers instantly dried up and the friendship line went silent.

https://medium.com/mashamendieta/be-your-own-hero-because-bernie-is-not-it-c4add2e08029


Oh, and that the meeting with Bernie was requested by these people in December. Not by Sanders, and not until after a second apology after the first was offensive to the women he was apologizing to.

And then Sanders finally decided that a meeting was needed and told the press that he "was flying them from all over the country."

Sara Slamen:

Myself and another reporter of harassment and wage disparity got no information about our flights or follow up information by late this evening. There was no agenda or participant information about the meeting made available to me. I wrote to the senior staff who had ostensibly asked that I be contacted and said the following:

“As a followup, 11 hours ago I responded to [scheduler’s] morning email asking for my phone number to arrange travel for a meeting. Since then, I have received no information or calls and I know other people are experiencing the same. I know that the Senator’s office has given confirmation about the meeting to Buzzfeed but no actual confirmation if he will attend and what role he would play. I said my piece to the NYT about my awful and degrading experience with Our Revolution and wanted to [be] done but I’ll have to publicly detail how disorganized, unprofessional and purposefully awful this process has been.

To be clear, I got an email from [scheduler] requesting my phone number this morning to attend a meeting with no other information (like who would attend, the purpose, etc.). I never asked to attend a meeting because I expected this kind of treatment.

https://medium.com/sarahslamen/a-future-to-believe-in-95208e8ce792

That's really "addressing" those issues, isn't it?

But he'll get yet another pass - as your dismissal of all this shows - that NO other politician would ever get, and the whistleblowers will still be targeted by the "progressive" allies and surrogates of Senator Sanders, in defense of the abusers.

Even then, I knew it wasn’t an exception on the campaign, because it wasn’t just Arturo. It was also Bill Velasquez who helped him cover up the sexual harassment report, who tried to force me to sleep in a room on the floor with three other strange men. It was Rich Pelletier who repeatedly feigned ignorance each time this sexist behavior was reported to him, who promoted them and covered for them and endorsed them later on. It was the myriad men on national and state staff who were reported (and sued) for sexual harassment and discrimination, but who not only escaped punishment, but consistently got promoted. We got the message loud and clear at all levels: the predators fail up, the women get a scarlet letter. Ask us again why we don’t report?.

This isn't smearing Sanders - it's simply holding him accountable in the same way that everyone should be held accountable these kinds of things in their staff, but these women speaking out about what they experienced is being smeared and dismissed as "slander" because it involves Senator Sanders's staffers. If you can't see that, then the vetting that's coming down the road should he run again will be very, very difficult for you.

When one seeks the spotlight, one shouldn't be surprised when the light shines into the dark corners. No POTUS candidate gets a pass from that, no matter how protective you may be towards him. This hypersensitive defense doesn't speak well for your confidence that Senator Sanders is without fault here.

But I'll bite - how do you explain that the Candidate "didn't know" about two staffers filing federal discrimination complaints against a senior staffer, which resulted in 30k settlement from the campaign.

Bernie Sanders, who is known for very hands on management of his campaigns - especially financially - was not "aware" of such a huge matter in his own campaign. What reason could there be for keeping it secret from him?

I'm sure you have a perfectly understandable explanation why that isn't curious at all and neither cloudy recollection, nor an attempt by senior staff, legal counsel and the accountant to "cover the quarterback." I'd really like to hear it. And a whole lot more people are wondering about this as well.

[sheshe2]

206. Prioritizing assault victim two years later?

Hmmm.

[lapucelle]

230. Couldn't BS have met with the campaign assault victims at some other time?

They've waited so long. I wonder if the victims had any open time last week, or in 2018, 2017, or 2016.

Waiting 2+ years to address a virulent problem isn't "prioritizing".

[TCJ70]

233. Lets play that out...

Headline: Sanders reschedules with sexual assault victims

A certain group of DUers: OH MY GOD BERNIE BLEW THEM OFF!

Either way, it makes no difference. The sanctions still wouldn’t be in place. This is a silly thing to be upset about.

[lapucelle]

240. "This is a silly thing to be upset about"...

For many, the avoidance of having one's vote publicly recorded on an issue that goes to the heart of the Trump administration's abuse of power in the service of a foreign adversary is a question of character, courage, and motive.

The failure to take a public stand is not a "silly thing", especially when it might seem to some to be a slick and venal exercise in self service.

[Cha]

235. BS had time to do both if he wanted to..

Senate Democrats' effort to block Trump move on Russia sanctions fails

The sanctions resolution from Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, which required 60 votes to proceed, was defeated in a 57-42 vote. Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders missed the vote.

But the result still represented a symbolic rebuke of the Treasury Department's decision in December to lift the sanctions on the companies tied to Deripaska, a Kremlin ally. Eleven Republicans joined with Democrats to support Schumer's resolution, arguing that the Trump administration erred in deciding to lift sanctions on Rusal, the world's second-largest aluminum producer, as well as EN+ Group and JSC EuroSibEnergo.

Wednesday's vote came one day after Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin went to Capitol Hill in an effort to ease Republican senators' concerns about the sanctions plan. He failed to convince those 11 Republicans who broke with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell later Tuesday to vote with Democrats on Schumer's resolution.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/16/politics/senate-democrats-sanctions-russia/index.html

The only one to miss the vote was Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. He was meeting with women who had accused his 2016 presidential campaign of sexual misconduct, his spokesman, Josh Miller-Lewis, told CNBC.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/16/senate-democrats-vote-to-block-trump-from-lifting-russia-sanctions-fails.html

Link to tweet

[lapucelle]

243. The meetings "stretched for a full day" and BS met his campaign's victims for one hour,

and it just happened to be at the same time as the vote on the Russia sanctions?

Really?

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/16/politics/bernie-sanders-sexual-harassment-campaign-meeting-2020/index.html

[Cha]

244. Yes, so he had no excuse not

vote a "symbolic rebuke" against Russia. Also, BS had no idea how close the vote would be, and we know for a fact that EVERY VOTE COUNTS

[betsuni]

210. Now that we know votes aren't important, glad we won't be hearing about anyone's Iraq vote again!

[ehrnst]

213. Indeed - because one more Dem vote against it would have "made no difference."

[Cha]

234. Those who did bother to vote were

there for the "symbolic rebuke" since it failed.

Senate Democrats' effort to block Trump move on Russia sanctions fails

The sanctions resolution from Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, which required 60 votes to proceed, was defeated in a 57-42 vote. Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders missed the vote.

But the result still represented a symbolic rebuke of the Treasury Department's decision in December to lift the sanctions on the companies tied to Deripaska, a Kremlin ally. Eleven Republicans joined with Democrats to support Schumer's resolution, arguing that the Trump administration erred in deciding to lift sanctions on Rusal, the world's second-largest aluminum producer, as well as EN+ Group and JSC EuroSibEnergo.

Wednesday's vote came one day after Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin went to Capitol Hill in an effort to ease Republican senators' concerns about the sanctions plan. He failed to convince those 11 Republicans who broke with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell later Tuesday to vote with Democrats on Schumer's resolution.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/16/politics/senate-democrats-sanctions-russia/index.html

The only one to miss the vote was Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. He was meeting with women who had accused his 2016 presidential campaign of sexual misconduct, his spokesman, Josh Miller-Lewis, told CNBC.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/16/senate-democrats-vote-to-block-trump-from-lifting-russia-sanctions-fails.html

Link to tweet

[Tom Rinaldo]

9. It may well be he was at the meeting being held to confront issues from his 2016 campaign

I think that was scheduled for today. People were flown in from around the nation to attend it so that they could speak directly to Sanders about their concerns. It could not be easily rescheduled at this point.

Sanders should address the question you raise, it is a fair one. If, and this is speculation only,he was in contact with Senate Whips and available to to show up to vote if his vote would have changed the outcome, he has a defense related to the importance of him being at the other meeting

[scheming daemons]

12. His #1 responsibility is to vote... especially on national security matters like this.

His meeting could've waited a few minutes for him to vote.

[Eliot Rosewater]

114. The twisting to make excuses for him pisses me off.

[ehrnst]

25. This meeting? Where people were flown in from around the nation?

Myself and another reporter of harassment and wage disparity got no information about our flights or follow up information by late this evening. There was no agenda or participant information about the meeting made available to me. I wrote to the senior staff who had ostensibly asked that I be contacted and said the following:

“As a followup, 11 hours ago I responded to [scheduler’s] morning email asking for my phone number to arrange travel for a meeting. Since then, I have received no information or calls and I know other people are experiencing the same. The attempt to bully and exclude here is as insulting and transparent as the Senator’s original response to Anderson Cooper. I know that the Senator’s office has given confirmation about the meeting to Buzzfeed but no actual confirmation if he will attend and what role he would play. I said my piece to the NYT about my awful and degrading experience with Our Revolution and wanted to [be] done but I’ll have to publicly detail how disorganized, unprofessional and purposefully awful this process has been.

To be clear, I got an email from [scheduler] requesting my phone number this morning to attend a meeting with no other information (like who would attend, the purpose, etc.). I never asked to attend a meeting because I expected this kind of treatment.

https://medium.com/sarahslamen/a-future-to-believe-in-95208e8ce792

You really think that former staffers who worked to get him elected would not understand if he stepped out to vote on a major national security issue for a few moments?

[George II]

35. The meeting began after the Senate vote. He still found time to hold a press conference at 2 PM.

[NurseJackie]

69. Disappointing, but not surprising.

And that's all I'll say about that for obvious reasons. My feelings on that particular subject are very well known.

[George II]

127. Reporters said that he entered the meeting shortly before 1:00 PM, the vote was taking place....

....at least a half hour earlier - not sure if Senate.gov has the start or completion time, which was 12:32 - either way it was well before the meeting.

[NurseJackie]

132. Considering the previous votes on Russian sanctions, others are wondering aloud...

... what his vote would have actually been. All I'm saying is that it seems reasonable to me that people would be looking to history provides a better and more plausible explanation regarding what did (or didn't) occur today. These are reasonable observations and perfectly natural questions that deserve to be answered.

[George II]

222. Seems like it. So, let me review a few things:

We didn't release the tax returns because "we were busy".
We didn't know that there was a predatory culture (term used in the letter) in his campaign because "we were busy".
He wasn't able to vote today because "he was busy", addressing the aforementioned predatory culture.

Seriously, these are not my words, these are his or his campaign's own words.

[ehrnst]

250. He makes time, however to take his family to Rome.

And travel to the South get in front of crowds with candidates that didn't want to be associated with him.

https://apnews.com/99afaea472f8482fa71ef025b764867f

And have a "Gathering" but no time to reach out or even send an email to the victims of gender pay inequity and sexual harassment when he had been told about the systemic problems with his male staffers in early 2017.

Busy.

[yardwork]

44. That kind of meeting can be scheduled at any time. This vote was critical.

Last edited Wed Jan 16, 2019, 06:41 PM - Edit history (1)

[NurseJackie]

76. One extra vote would have put us at 58. Might have helped to sway two more votes.

Or, being absent and being the CRUCIAL 60th vote would have been tragic. People are making all sorts of judgements on this and I haven't heard anything at all that could be considered flattering or mitigating.

All I'm saying is... when we're at an ALL HANDS ON DECK moment... that literally means ALL HANDS ON DECK! No excuses.

[ehrnst]

199. And apparently the meeting started after the vote, despite what the spokesperson said.

Makes you wonder.

But I hear that when he's busy, he doesn't know about a lot of things going on with his staff. Like when he had no idea whatsoever that one of his staffers was the target of a federal discrimination lawsuit filed against the campaign by two other staffers, and his campaign cut a $30k check to settle it, even though being well known for micromanaging his campaign, especially finances. So I imagine the time he's scheduled to be on the floor to vote to rebuke Russia might slip through the cracks.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/bernie-sanders-apologizes-says-he-didnt-know-about-30000-settlement-of-2016-campaign-staffer-accused-of-sexual-harassment/2019/01/10/db2c061e-14fc-11e9-90a8-136fa44b80ba_story.html

[DRoseDARs]

57. Give it up, nothing will ever appease them until his death.

If he'd skipped the meeting for the vote, they'd still be screaming their heads off. If he'd rescheduled, they'd lambast him for not taking the victims' claims seriously. Missing the vote, "Oh of COURSE he supports Russia!" or someshit (yes, people have actually claimed he's in cahoots with Russia). There was no way he was getting out of today without being criticized for anything and everything he did or didn't do.

[BannonsLiver]

63. So much woe

[dbackjon]

77. No. He could have taken the 15 minutes to vote

And still did everything else.

[dalton99a]

232. +1.

[George II]

80. "them"?

[Eliot Rosewater]

116. Seems as if NO INFORMATION will matter, NONE.

[NurseJackie]

83. What part of "All Hands On Deck" was misunderstood? How hard can it be?

If he'd skipped the meeting for the vote, they'd still be screaming their heads off.

Why would anyone do that? There's NO question in any rational person's mind which was more important.

There was no way he was getting out of today without being criticized for anything and everything he did or didn't do.

Yes there was. It was easy. ALL HANDS ON DECK! Show up for the vote... simple.

But, something else was "more important", eh?

[DRoseDARs]

195. To be clear, I voted for him in the primary and Clinton in the general. I don't want either in '20.

Like Clinton, he's a lightning rod for division on the left. There will never be parity or peace or meaningful rational discourse. We need to stop the bickering and in-fighting. Neither candidate won, and neither would have won given Russia's involvement. Trump was *always* going to win. To be a fly on the wall in the windowless rooms of the US and allied Intelligence Community when they realized what was happening... and realized they couldn't stop it. I mean, there *were* ways of stopping it, but catch-22 would the cure be worse than the disease? This is the dark world of international and domestic spycraft we're talking about, and it doesn't jive well with common understanding of law or exposure to scrutiny in daylight. All they could reasonably do was say, "Uh, Mr. President? We have some, er... concerns about candidate Trump and Russia..."



Anyway, Bernie's time has passed and Hillary deserves a break from decades of abuse. The visceral hatred directed at both is astounding.

Although it's very early in the 2020 Presidential Goat Race, I'm starting as Team Kamala.

[ehrnst]

202. Clearly any mention of inconsistencies or not measuring up to the standards that he and his

supporters demand in others is just "jealousy" or "animosity," plain and simple.

I mean, didn't he agree to this meeting they requested with him last December, a mere two plus years after he had been told about the harassment, having never once reached out in concern or sympathy because he was SO BUSY with selfless progressive work on behalf of us?

Didn't he then fly them to DC to meet with him after the news broke that they had asked to meet with him, even missing a vote that was before the meeting with them in his concern?

What MORE DO THEY WANT FROM BERNIE????

[RAB910]

10. Mark this as the day the GOP openly sided with Russian interests over America's

[scheming daemons]

13. The GOP + Bernie Sanders.

[rogue emissary]

22. Exactly!

I didn't agree with his decision to vote against the original legislation. As it also had unnecessary items that concerned Iran sanctions.

Understood his reason, but this vote only dealt with one specific Russian oligarch.

Like to hear his excuse for not voting or is this his way of saying he's running in 2020. I.e. "can't do my job as I'm on the campaign trail" bs

[trueblue2007]

24. traitors. they want the USA to be nice to russia.

[NurseJackie]

84. Yep.

That's a fair and accurate description.

[Eliot Rosewater]

119. That is a fact per the record. Not per me, per the record.

[CentralMass]

16. His vote wouldn't have made the difference and he was meeting with the

Last edited Wed Jan 16, 2019, 05:50 PM - Edit history (1)

women from his Presidential campaign who made sxyal harrasment claims.

[scheming daemons]

17. A) His vote is a statement on where he stands B) He could take 5 minutes away from meeting to vote

This is about national security.


People already think (with cause) that the Russians were helping Bernie during the 2016 primaries. This does nothing to get rid of that perception.

[NurseJackie]

111. Considering someone's voting history on Russian sanctions...

... I have some doubts about point a) and my doubts are reinforced by point b). Yes, it's about national security. It's unclear to me why anyone wouldn't see this as an ALL HANDS ON DECK moment.

[sheshe2]

208. From what I read up thread the meeting happened after the vote.

Also up thread it said he gave a news conference.

[ehrnst]

18. Yes, I heard about that meeting.

https://medium.com/sarahslamen/a-future-to-believe-in-95208e8ce792

Myself and another reporter of harassment and wage disparity got no information about our flights or follow up information by late this evening. There was no agenda or participant information about the meeting made available to me. I wrote to the senior staff who had ostensibly asked that I be contacted and said the following:

“As a followup, 11 hours ago I responded to [scheduler’s] morning email asking for my phone number to arrange travel for a meeting. Since then, I have received no information or calls and I know other people are experiencing the same. The attempt to bully and exclude here is as insulting and transparent as the Senator’s original response to Anderson Cooper. I know that the Senator’s office has given confirmation about the meeting to Buzzfeed but no actual confirmation if he will attend and what role he would play. I said my piece to the NYT about my awful and degrading experience with Our Revolution and wanted to [be] done but I’ll have to publicly detail how disorganized, unprofessional and purposefully awful this process has been.

To be clear, I got an email from [scheduler] requesting my phone number this morning to attend a meeting with no other information (like who would attend, the purpose, etc.). I never asked to attend a meeting because I expected this kind of treatment.

I also recall that HRC was held accountable for legislation that was passed when she was FLOTUS.

Funny how that works differently for different candidates.

[EffieBlack]

23. Missing a vote because he was handling a problem with his campaign is NOT acceptable

Even if his vote wouldn't have made the difference.

He ducked this vote, plain and simple. Not cool.

[ehrnst]

29. It wouldn't be acceptable for any Democrat to miss that vote, especially any who are planning a 2020

run, by many Sanders supporters.

They would be calling it proof of something that disqualified them from running.

Even if it was missed due to a POTUS campaign, for which Bernie was recently criticized by Burlington newspaper editorial board, and was subsequently defended as "common" when Senators run for POTUS.

[LuvLoogie]

52. Bernie is not a Democrat.

So there's that.

[ehrnst]

64. Gillibrand made it to vote, even with a POTUS campaign event in upstate NY today.(nt)

[Eliot Rosewater]

120. I would bet MY LIFE on what you just said.

[Scruffy1]

36. I supported him in the primary.

If he doesn't think it important to be on record he can go to hell.

[George II]

38. Yes all the other Democratic Senator and Senator King were able to vote. There is no excuse....

....he could have recessed the meeting for 10-15 minutes, voted, and resumed the meeting, although the meeting apparently began after the vote - the vote was at 12:30 this afternoon, his meeting began at 1:00, and apparently it was a short one or he stepped out for a few minutes since he was at a press conference at 2:00.

[Eliot Rosewater]

134. Two reasons ONLY to miss this - Two, not three, not one, not four ... ---2

Just like there are 2 parties, not 3, 2.

You do NOT have 3 choices EVER.

1. he deemed it not important enough, which if true, WOW

2. he didnt want to be on record

What I am doing is called critical thinking.

[uponit7771]

48. How did he know this?!

[George II]

95. It was a tight vote, undecided until the last minute and it failed by only two (plus his) votes.

[AlexSFCA]

20. this is his second time

the first time he and rand paul were the only senators to vote against russia sanctions.

[dalton99a]

27. Gotta be patient. It takes time to fight the oligarchs

[yardwork]

47. That's a pattern.

[FakeNoose]

30. Did Bernie take some Russian money from the NRA?

I seem to recall that he did. Not saying it's reason why he didn't vote.

[uponit7771]

45. +1, this is it ... I wouldn't be shocked or surprised if he did and didn't know it and now doesn't

... want to say anything about it.

The big issue with CU is all the hidden companies that can give to a campaign or a PAC

[yardwork]

49. Bernie's tax returns might answer that question. Wait.

[Eliot Rosewater]

122. Yeah, wait is right.

[PubliusEnigma]

31. He might not work for Trump, but he does help him.

Bernie had better not try to fuck us in 2020.

[saljr1]

33. On MSNBC they said it was Gillibrand who missed the vote

She was at another meeting but maybe they were wrong

[FrankBooth]

34. She missed yesterday's vote

But was supposed to be there today.

[saljr1]

43. Sorry lol just woke up and didn't no they voted today

[George II]

40. Yes, she missed the vote on a motion to proceed, which required a simple majority....

....and passed easily.

[uponit7771]

42. WOW !! Didn't Sanders vote against implementing sanctions at one time !?!?

[George II]

54. Yes...

He voted against the Magnitsky Act, the vote was 92-4.
He voted against the Russia Sanctions, the vote was 97-2.

Only one Senator voted against both of them.

Now today, only one Senator missed the vote.

[uponit7771]

56. Jus wow ... seems like everyone against HRC in 16 was working for the Russians in some way. 3 Times

... he either didn't show his intentions or were to vote against punishing the Russians.

I got rather neutral on dude before but now ... fuck it

[NurseJackie]

143. I wonder how he would have voted.

Sad, huh.

[peggysue2]

189. Thank you for posting the history on this because . . .

it's not a pretty picture and said voting pattern and missed vote today on the matter would have been held against any other politician.

Instead, we get the thoroughly expected excuse machine for Senator Sanders from supporters because . . .

That has a history, too.

Do we get it now????

[NurseJackie]

140. More than one time, I believe.

[murielm99]

46. K&R

[MFGsunny]

53. It WAS Sanders who did not vote ... see link below

https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=116&session=1&vote=00006

[SunSeeker]

55. K & R for exposure.

[Magoo48]

58. Hyperbolize there much?

I would be a proud citizen indeed if I managed to do one tenth as much for progressive causes as Bernie has in his career. Whatever, keep grinding that old ax if it makes ya feel better.

[ehrnst]

78. Can you list those accomplishments?

That would be great.

[mcar]

161. I'd like to see that list

Particularly progressive legislation Sen Sanders sponsored.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

107. Gosh...I feel the same way about DEMOCRATS. Especially the lady who won.

HRC.

[Eliot Rosewater]

141. Now you are being too controversial, how DARE You show support for Hillary

and remind people of her AMAZING Accomplishments.

You must be one of those crazy leeeeeeebruls

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

150. Heh heh.

[Magoo48]

242. Because one appreciates the contributions of Bernie Sanders,

it does not necessarily follow that Hillary is in some way demeaned.

[Magoo48]

241. That's wonderful.

[Eliot Rosewater]

125. Could you list the laws enacted that he authored other than

H.R.3230 - Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014


and naming post offices, etc.

[ehrnst]

187. Not familiar with that list. Can you share?(nt)

[Magoo48]

245. I have no lists Mr. ehrnst.

I believe that Bernie’s strong, outspoken stance on inequality, corporate corruption and greed, and single payer healthcare have cemented these issues more firmly in the Democratic Party’s dialogue with Republicans. This is my belief, and I’ll not defend it further.

[ehrnst]

248. He has stances on progressive ideas and greed, & that is "doing things for" progressive causes.

Last edited Thu Jan 17, 2019, 09:57 AM - Edit history (3)

And the Democratic party didn't have those progressive ides "cemented" as firmly "in the Party's dialogue with the GOP."

Indeed, that is a 'belief.'

My activist friends and I have stances and talk about inequality, corporate corruption, greed, and universal health care. I expect more from a legislator. Don't you?

I'll take results over angry speeches in measuring progressive achievements.

CHIP and the ACA, along with funding Planned Parenthood are Democratic Party progressive "results" in healthcare access. The Democratic Party Lilly Ledbetter Equal Pay Act is a "result" of progressive legislating against inequality. Dodd Frank is an achievement in reigning in Wall Street - by two who took donations from Wall Street. McCain Feingold is an acheivement in campaign finance reform. Hillary Clinton got first responders health care coverage

John Lewis has delivered progressive results, before and during his political career. Hillary Clinton has delivered results in progressive results, before, during and after her political career. Barney Frank, Ted Kennedy, Paul Wellstone - they are examples of effective progressive legislators that did far, far more than take stances, or go on talk shows.

That is what I am talking about in terms of "accomplishing" things for progressive causes, and they are all Democrats. Democrats have been cementing progressive accomplishments and dialogue since before Sanders had a political career.

Not sure how these actual votes are progressive:

2012 - Maginsky Act - Nay
2014 - Russia Sanctions - Nay
2017 - Russia Sanctions - Nay (twice)
2019 - Russia Sanctions - "Busy" at a meeting that he scheduled for the time of the vote.


Or this:

Mattes’ claims, made in two phone interviews with POLITICO, came after Sanders and staffers offered numerous and conflicting answers in the span of a few hours on Wednesday about what he did about Russian meddling.

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/24/bernie-sanders-russian-trolls-false-story-423413

[betsuni]

59. K&R

[pdsimdars]

62. Get off his case

Gillabrand didn't show up for the vote the other day. Sounds like one of those Fox news attacks. Making a huge issue out of anything you can find. Would his vote have mattered? No. But Fox news mentality wants to blow it all out of proportion.

[ehrnst]

70. Gillibrand made it to the vote, even with a campaign event in upstate NY today.

You really think that the staffers who worked for him on his POTUS campaign would not have understood him stepping out for a few minutes to vote on an issue of national security?

[scheming daemons]

89. His vote mattered because of what it means

Stand united against Russian attacks on our democracy.

This is now *THREE* times that Bernie has either voted with Russia or not voted. That's suspicious.


There is a reason Russia was helping him in the 2016 primaries.

[pdsimdars]

135. This is why the left LOSES, because they can't resist attacking each other. Duh!

[MrsCoffee]

212. You mean like Bernie and his "revolution" attacking the Democratic Party every opportunity they get?

Are you beginning to understand what a losing strategy that is?

[George II]

147. The vote that she missed was a motion to proceed, which advanced the bill to today's....

....cloture vote. The fate of the motion to proceed was never in doubt, it passed easily by 7 votes. The cloture motion required 60 voted, it failed by only three (only two if he voted for it today) The outcome was uncertain throughout.

[uponit7771]

172. Good try but fail

[Magoo48]

72. Same old ax X 4.

[Eliot Rosewater]

146. My concern is 2020. What will happen when the relentless attack of WHOEVER

our candidate starts.

[BannonsLiver]

201. Hopefully fight back?

But that’s easier when Dems are unified. True unity across a broad scope will never happen. The party is too big a tent for that. But one would hope we would offer some kind of credible and at least mostly unified response to the attacks.

[Joe941]

66. Not a big deal. He is a busy guy.

Its just a symbol vote - doesn't mean anything until you get to 2/3 votes.

[PSPS]

79. It is a big deal if it addresses concerns of your supposed constituents. The question is who are his

[ehrnst]

155. Good question. Vermont newspaper editorial boards have also inquired on that subject.

https://www.timesargus.com/opinion/perspective/don-t-run/article_290102b1-d007-5ef3-8342-8c132265f27d.html

[dbackjon]

82. Oh bullshit. They were two votes away from passing.

[11 Bravo]

165. Ummm, they were already AT a 2 or 3 vote threshold.

Anything else?

[Tarc]

67. If it was certain to pass, sometimes Senators don't make emergency trips to vote

if something else was already planned.

I was opposed to Bernie in the primaries as much as any in Camp Clinton, but c'mon now, it's really time to move on from this sorta pettiness.

[ehrnst]

74. Voting records are now "pettiness?"

[NurseJackie]

96. That's not true.

If it was certain to pass,

That's not true. Nothing is guaranteed. His 58th vote, or his presence may have helped to sway two more votes.

it's really time to move on from this sorta pettiness.

This was hardly a petty matter. It's an all-hands-on-deck situation. All I'm saying is that we deserve representatives who take these matters seriously and who can make an effort when so much is on the line.

But, I guess it's good to know exactly where our representatives stand, and what their priorities are, when so much is on the line... and when one vote could make all the difference in the world.

[Tarc]

198. I think votes are pretty much guaranteed

McCain's thumbs-down on the ACA repeal was probably the lone exception, otherwise TurtleMitch doesn't bring votes to the floor unless the outcome is certain. This was a little different, in that Mitch couldn't block its introduction, nut the chatter leading up to it was that this Russian thug was someone they couldn't let off the hook and see funded again.

I'm just tired of doing the Bernie-targeting. 2016 is over, we put a lot of time and energy in there...I know you did too, you were a Hillary forum regular as well. And it was well-spent.

Then.

But now, this is just a diversion, and not all that important relative to what's going on with the shutdown and the short-fingered vulgarian.

[NurseJackie]

200. Considering his previous votes against Russian sanctions...

... I believe this goes much deeper than many are willing to admit. It's a fair and legitimate question that people are asking with regard to whether he would have continued his established historical pattern and vote against Russian sanctions for a fourth time. It's reasonable to assume that his positions haven't changed from the previous three votes. All I'm saying is that the absence would make sense if he felt uncomfortable voting for something he was opposed to, and if he felt uncomfortable in voting for something that Trump and the GOP want so much. We deserve honesty and answers to these questions. It's not too much to ask.

[Cha]

236. BS could have been there for the "Symbolic Rebuke"

Senate Democrats' effort to block Trump move on Russia sanctions fails

The sanctions resolution from Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, which required 60 votes to proceed, was defeated in a 57-42 vote. Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders missed the vote.

But the result still represented a symbolic rebuke of the Treasury Department's decision in December to lift the sanctions on the companies tied to Deripaska, a Kremlin ally. Eleven Republicans joined with Democrats to support Schumer's resolution, arguing that the Trump administration erred in deciding to lift sanctions on Rusal, the world's second-largest aluminum producer, as well as EN+ Group and JSC EuroSibEnergo.

Wednesday's vote came one day after Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin went to Capitol Hill in an effort to ease Republican senators' concerns about the sanctions plan. He failed to convince those 11 Republicans who broke with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell later Tuesday to vote with Democrats on Schumer's resolution.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/16/politics/senate-democrats-sanctions-russia/index.html

The only one to miss the vote was Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. He was meeting with women who had accused his 2016 presidential campaign of sexual misconduct, his spokesman, Josh Miller-Lewis, told CNBC.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/16/senate-democrats-vote-to-block-trump-from-lifting-russia-sanctions-fails.html

Link to tweet

The meetings, which stretched for almost a full day, began near Capitol Hill on Tuesday evening and picked up after the full group convened for breakfast on Wednesday morning.

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2019/01/16/politics/bernie-sanders-sexual-harassment-campaign-meeting-2020/

SunSeeker https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=11682589

He could have voted if he wanted to..

No excuses. Zip, Zero, Nada..

[tiredtoo]

68. Why do we have to fight amongst ourselves?

I thought trump and his cult were our enemy.

[ehrnst]

73. How does pointing out voting records weaken us against Trump and Russia?(nt)

[tiredtoo]

75. How does fighting amongst ourselves help us against anyone? (nt)

[ehrnst]

81. You equate pointing out actual votes with "fighting amongst ourselves?"

Really?

How does ignoring or dismissing voting records of Senators benefit us against anyone?

[tiredtoo]

88. Really, why do you suppose the op was posted?

To belittle one senator. Do we post all votes here on a daily basis? Every senator has at one time in their career voted or chose not to vote on a bill that I disagreed with. Pointing this out only has one reason.

[ehrnst]

94. What "reason" is that?

Are some Senators exempt from missing votes? Especially ones that are a direct rebuke to a hostile state that has been shown to have interfered in our last presidential election?

What's the criteria for excusing a Senator from that kind of vote?

[tiredtoo]

102. You know the reason.

Not sure about senators being exempt from missing votes, but am sure they have all missed votes. My point here is rather than pointing out things about Democratic politicians that we don't like why don't we all point out good things about Democratic politicians?

[ehrnst]

113. So that's supposed to excuse any absence of a Senator on a vote? "All of them have missed votes?"

Or just select Senators?

Especially a vote that rebukes a hostile nation that interfered with our POTUS election in 2016? One would think that a Senator so intimately involved in said election would take a few minutes out of a meeting to go vote.

Are you also saying that no one should point out anything but "good things" about our "Democratic Politicians?"

What is your definition of "Democratic politicians?"

[Eliot Rosewater]

148. I cant believe the exchange I just read.

Infuriating.

[ehrnst]

205. The reason being saying that they were busy in a meeting that didn't start until after the vote?

Would you have tolerated that kind of answer from an "establishment Democrat?

Tell me another.

[scheming daemons]

91. Bernie isn't part of "ourselves".

[tiredtoo]

108. Divide and conquer best republican plan ever.

Bernie ran for president on the Democratic ticket last election. He caucus's with the Democrats in the Senate. Do your best to exclude him and you will be excluding his supporters, good plan. Worked so well last time.

[scheming daemons]

110. "He caucus's with the Democrats in the Senate".

Except when they're voting to hold Russia to task.

Three times now he has voted either against sanctions on Russia, or not voted to uphold them (today).


I suspect he's a Russian asset.... which is why Russia worked so hard for him during the 2016 primaries.

But he can prove me wrong by releasing his tax returns.... something he refuses to do.

[NurseJackie]

138. It's reasonable to look at someone's voting history with regard to Russian sanctions...

... that's the kind of information that helps to paint a complete picture, or bring things into focus, or which provides the missing puzzle piece (Note: Yes, metaphors mixed intentionally.)

[ehrnst]

149. Especially when it was discovered that Russia was promoting him as a candidate?

The Russians “engaged in operations primarily intended to communicate derogatory information about Hillary Clinton, to denigrate other candidates such as Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, and to support Bernie Sanders and then-candidate Donald Trump,” according to the indictment, which was issued Friday.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/02/17/indictment-russians-also-tried-help-bernie-sanders-jill-stein-presidential-campaigns/348051002/

[ehrnst]

115. What "worked so well last time?"

Russian support of particular candidates?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/02/17/indictment-russians-also-tried-help-bernie-sanders-jill-stein-presidential-campaigns/348051002/

And how is not showing up to rebuke Russia, who interfered to defeat the Democratic candidate "supporting Democrats?

Can you clarify?

[tiredtoo]

118. Alienating the Bernie supportors (NT)

[ehrnst]

121. Pointing out his voting record is "alienating Bernie supporters?"

How so?

[tiredtoo]

123. Why was it pointed out?

[ehrnst]

128. Because that's what Senators are supposed to do?

The reason that his spokesperson said that he couldn't walk to another part of the building to vote is pretty relevant as well:

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/425532-sanders-to-meet-with-staffers-as-he-does-damage-control

If someone doesn't want to have the spotlight aimed at all the corners of their career, then running for POTUS isn't going to be a pleasant experience.

[tiredtoo]

133. I have already told you all politicians miss votes occasionally

Why was this miss pointed out?
How bout you just tell the real reason it was pointed out here and we can both get to something important? Like criticizing trump for shutting down the government or McConnell for refusing to allow a vote in the senate.

[ehrnst]

142. So Sander's missing a vote to rebuke Russia when he was mere minutes away

when the Mueller report showed Russia favored him as a candidate doesn't create some problematic optics?

The Russians “engaged in operations primarily intended to communicate derogatory information about Hillary Clinton, to denigrate other candidates such as Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, and to support Bernie Sanders and then-candidate Donald Trump,” according to the indictment, which was issued Friday.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/02/17/indictment-russians-also-tried-help-bernie-sanders-jill-stein-presidential-campaigns/348051002/

Especially since he's done everything but announce a run for 2020?

Gillibrand made it back from an event in upstate NY to vote.

[NurseJackie]

152. I wonder what his vote would have been.

Isn't that sad?

[ehrnst]

229. It's entirely possible for him to announce that. Nothing is stopping him.

But I sense an "I'm not going to speculate on that" coming in response to any questions about it.

[tiredtoo]

153. Gillibrand pulled the rug out from under Al Franken

but she did cast a non consequential vote. So i guess she's ok.

[ehrnst]

156. Ooh, nice pivot.

When you can't defend your own position, go on the attack. Deflect. Nice.

Whataboutism (also known as whataboutery) is a variant of the tu quoque logical fallacy that attempts to discredit an opponent's position by charging them with hypocrisy without directly refuting or disproving their argument,[1][2][3] which in the United States is particularly associated with Soviet and Russian propaganda.[4][5][6] When criticisms were leveled at the Soviet Union during the Cold War, the Soviet response would often be "What about..." followed by an event in the Western world.[7][8][9]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism

Can you explain how missing this vote doesn't support a pattern of votes blocking rebukes on Russia?

And how the optics of doing this doesn't raise questions, after Mueller's revelations?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/02/17/indictment-russians-also-tried-help-bernie-sanders-jill-stein-presidential-campaigns/348051002/

Are you going to attack the credibility of Mueller now?

[tiredtoo]

158. you brought up gillibrand not me.

The pivot is all yours. And you still refuse to admit why the op was originally posted or why you are defending it.

[ehrnst]

160. Desperate attempt to deflect #2!

You clearly don't think that Senator Sanders can endure scrutiny of his voting record.

Why is that?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/02/17/indictment-russians-also-tried-help-bernie-sanders-jill-stein-presidential-campaigns/348051002/

[tiredtoo]

166. I have no problem with anyone scrutinizing someone's voting record.

But to be fair we should look at all candidates voting record. If i were to mention another candidates record at this time you would accuse me of "whataboutism" so i will just leave it there. But you may want to check some other records.

[ehrnst]

226. We know all their records: all of the Democrats voted no - along with some GOP.

Bernie skipped it.

Is that clearer?

Other votes, either his or others, are indeed not today's vote, no matter how painful this is for apologists of Senator Sanders.

But if you want to talk about his other votes in a pattern of voting favorably for Russian interests, we can.

[mcar]

167. Whataboutism

[ehrnst]

170. And now we're deflecting to Al Franken!

BINGO!

When you have nothing left to rebut the questions that you are asked.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/02/17/indictment-russians-also-tried-help-bernie-sanders-jill-stein-presidential-campaigns/348051002/

[tiredtoo]

176. I give up, you carry on bashing Democrats. I will continue my efforts at bashing republicans. (EOM)

[ehrnst]

177. You brought up #metoo and then run away when it's brought up concerning your

favorite politician.

No surprise.

[ehrnst]

178. But since you brought up Franken, here's Sen Sanders' own statement on Franken:

"Sen. Franken has said that he will be making an announcement about his political future tomorrow. The right thing is for him to resign. We are now at a crossroads in American culture. And it is an important one. The way we treat women in our country has been abysmal in almost every way. We are finally addressing the issue of sexual harassment, and we need to get it right. But the conversation we are having now is only the tip of the iceberg. It needs to be an ongoing movement of women and men that includes a national discussion about sexism, sexual harassment, objectification, inequality and abuse of power."

https://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sanders-statement-on-franken

Interesting in light of recent revelations, yes?

Now what was that you were trashing Gillibrand for again? Bashing Democrats?



But do go on.

[Tarheel_Dem]

223. Bernie: "The right thing is for him to resign". I wonder if you'll get a response? n/t

[ehrnst]

225. I know, it's no fair...

The idea that a slam one made against Gillibrand concerning Franken, in an effort to make Sanders look better for missing a vote coulc actually be applied to Sanders is probably blowing someone's mind...

[dansolo]

246. Bernie isn't a Democrat nt

[Cha]

237. Like BS when he "alienates"

the Dems when he calls them the "party of the elite"?

"I think that there needs to be a profound change in the way the Democratic Party does business," Sanders said. "It is not good enough to have a liberal elite. I come from the white working class, and I am deeply humiliated that the Democratic Party cannot talk to where I came from."

Bernie Sanders says he will work with Donald Trump

https://www.cnn.com/2016/11/14/politics/bernie-sanders-humiliated-democrats-loss-working-class-voters/index.html

Sanders: Trump Won Because Democrats Focused Too Much On Wealthy "Liberal Elite"

Sen. Bernie Sanders says the Democrats lost the 2016 election because they ignored working class and low-income voters in favor of wealthy "liberal elites."

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2016/11/13/sanders_trump_won_because_democrats_focused_too_much_on_wealthy_liberal_elite.html

[betsuni]

238. Well, that's easy to do. Quote him or mention his voting record.

[mac56]

98. Yeah, I get it. Every single opportunity to drag Bernie through the mud

must be pounced upon.

[ehrnst]

117. Pointing out voting records is "dragging through the mud?"

You don't think that Bernie can handle people pointing out his voting record?

[Eliot Rosewater]

151. And yet example after example of real problems with the guy and the same people

ignore it all.

That pisses me off.

[mac56]

157. Do you post the voting record of each and every Senator and Representative?

[ehrnst]

162. What relevance does that have to this vote?

Do you think that Senator Sanders can't endure scrutiny of missing this vote rebuking Russia when he was minutes away? Or a pattern concerning votes to rebuke Russia?

[mac56]

163. So..... no.

[ehrnst]

168. Avoiding answering?

I can't imagine why.

Optics really do matter when one is running for national office.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/02/17/indictment-russians-also-tried-help-bernie-sanders-jill-stein-presidential-campaigns/348051002/

And the reason that his spokesperson gave for him being unable to walk a few minutes to rebuke a hostile power that supported his run:

https://medium.com/@sarahslamen/a-future-to-believe-in-95208e8ce792

As if the people who worked to get him elected POTUS wouldn't understand him stepping away from finally meeting with them to do what they thought was his qualification to run for POTUS.

Please.

[mac56]

175. No need for me to answer.

Clearly you have all the answers.

[ehrnst]

183. Well, that's certainly not avoiding answering, is it?

[dbackjon]

209. Any Dem that didn't vote yes on this would have been a target

[scheming daemons]

92. Nope... I am against ANY Senator that votes to help Russian Oligarchs (or doesn't vote to stop them)

[uponit7771]

218. Hell no, Taking action or no action to help Russian oligarchs by any means is screwed up

[seta1950]

86. I'm mad

Gilibrand didn’t vote either

[scheming daemons]

93. Yes she did. There were 99 votes... and one absentee, Bernie.

[ehrnst]

100. She voted today. What are you talking about? (nt)

[asiliveandbreathe]

109. Um, yup..Gillibrand vote..to continue sanctions...

https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=116&session=1&vote=00006

[Cha]

239. Thank you for that, asiliveandbreathe!

[onenote]

169. Care to delete or correct your post

Or is this how you want to be known?

[uponit7771]

181. This is false, Gillibrand did vote

[ehrnst]

188. She did. Why are you saying that she didn't?(nt)

[Tarheel_Dem]

224. Wrong! I hope you'll be big enough to apologize to Sen. Gillibrand, but I won't hold my breath.

[Vinca]

90. Where was he? There must be a reason he didn't vote.

[TSheehan]

216. Prove it.

[ehrnst]

99. His spokesperson said it was because he was meeting with the victims of his campaign

staffers who sexually harassed them, and nothing was done after they reported it.

You can read more about that meeting here:

https://medium.com/sarahslamen/a-future-to-believe-in-95208e8ce792

I'm surprised he thought his former staffers would not understand leaving the meeting for a few minutes to vote on something that rebukes Russia Sanctions.

[NurseJackie]

104. Much can be revealed by looking at one's previous voting record on Russian sanctions.

It's not very flattering.

[skylucy]

145. +1000 Agree. It isn't just this one vote. There is a pattern.

[dlk]

103. To Paraphrase: When Someone Shows You Who They Are, Believe Them

[NurseJackie]

106. Looking at the previous voting record on Russian sanctions was a big clue too.

I'm beyond disgusted. This was an all-hands-on-deck moment, and someone's absence really reveals a lot about their priorities.

[ehrnst]

144. Indeed. (nt)

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

105. Is Bern dog being fussy? Awwwwww.

Wouldn't have passed it but, it sure would've been a big statement had he brought in a few R senators and they voted yes too. Would kinda show he really could change peoples minds, and that he was a capable uniter.

[Gothmog]

126. I would like to know also

[sarcasmo]

131. Bernie Deripaska.

[Gothmog]

137. @SenGillibrand changed her campaign kickoff schedule to return to DC for a cloture vote

Link to tweet

[Eliot Rosewater]

154. We CANT make another mistake, we do NOT have that luxury.

[democratisphere]

159. We need the names of the Russian sympathizers and traitors to America.

[The Wizard]

171. What effect did Bernie's non vote

have on the legislation?

[Stinky The Clown]

174. Maybe he was "busy making the case" . . . . like he was when his female staffers needed his help.

[JAD]

179. The repugs just voted today to make sure russian spies still get paid

The repugs just voted today to make sure russian spies still get paid. Thank goodness the Kremlin is still in business.

[honest.abe]

184. Was he the only Senator that didnt vote??

Good grief.. what a great example to the nation.

[progressoid]

193. Louise Mensch was right!!11!

[Nevermypresident]

194. Why do some replies to this thread sound like trumpers?!? You know,

excuses and more excuses.

BTW, I have seen Congress members in Televised Open Committee Hearings take a recess in order to go cast their vote...on more than one occasion.

Pleeaaassee.

[ehrnst]

228. "Trumpers?" Because someone pointed out some interesting patterns in the voting of

a particular Senator that has not impeded some things that Russians want, in terms of sanctions?

I've heard often hear on DU that Senator Sanders appealed to Trump voters on "economic issues" hence his potential as a 2020 candidate who could get some of those Trumpers to cross over.

So in light of that, the OP doesn't sound like a "Trumper."

[Nevermypresident]

231. You misunderstood my post. I said "why do some REPLIES to this

post sound like trumpers?" (not the OP)

Further, the excuse given in some replies (my opinion) that Sanders was in a meeting which prevented him from casting a vote is weak sauce. I worded it this way:
"BTW, I have seen Congress members in Televised Open Committee Hearings take a recess in order to go cast their vote...on more than one occasion.

Pleeaaassee."


So, in case any DUers other than yourself misunderstood my position in my initial post, I'll be totally direct. The excuses made for Bernie not voting sounded like trumpers, IMO.

[ehrnst]

249. Mea Culpa. Thanks for the clarification!

[TSheehan]

215. "Who is Bernie working for?" Not the oligarchs, regardless of which party they donate to.

[uponit7771]

219. Then why did he take positive actions towards them and their money so many times? tia

[JHan]

217. from my posting history you can read I Am not a Sanders fan.

his no show today disqualifies him in my eyes not because he may be an asset (Something I don't believe but because his ideological bent , that is he's taking a traditional left position that sanctions are bad and yes they can be however sanctions such as these target individuals. An oligarch who can't access his american assets or finds he and his family can't freely travel to the U.S. will feel pressure. in this case I suspect sanders' lefty leanings seem to trump national security concerns someone desiring to be POTUS SHOULD have.Similar to his dismissiveness about how Kremlin operatives supported his primary campaign or his 'all this talk about russia is a distraction talk. The odd thing is I vaguely recall a hyped up Sanders foreign policy speech where he touched on global action against oligarchs.... well it's votes like this one which help keep them in check> yet he was MIA

given what the Kremlin accomplished.. there have been wars started for much less. Sanctions are a very tempered response to Russia's intent and actions.

[Hotler]

221. ......

[Scurrilous]

227. K&R

[ecstatic]

247. He needs to explain this and his other pro Russia / NRA votes

I want an explanation regardless of if he runs again. It's not enough for him to slink back into the woodwork as if nothing happened.

[disillusioned73]

252. Who is Bernie working for???

I won't bother going any further, the obvious disingenuous poutrage all things Bernie is transparent.. everyone knows where he was.. everyone knows the reasons for votes and the nuances of the various votes.. but the simplification to feed the uninformed and the echo chamber shall go unimpeded..

BTW... this is not working - Social media has changed from 10 years ago.. websites don't carry the cache they once did.. good luck