Sanders expected to push for major Democratic Party shakeup in meeting with Harry Reid

[midnight]

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is heading to Washington Thursday for back-to-back meetings with President Obama and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid. A Senate aide familiar with the planning of the latter meeting said the expectation is that Sanders will push for leadership changes at the Democratic National Committee when the pair sit down. This could include a call for the removal of the party’s chairwoman, Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

Sanders’ planned meetings come as he is facing mounting pressure to end his presidential campaign. His rival in the Democratic primary, Hillary Clinton, secured enough delegates to become the party’s presumptive nominee on Monday. In spite of Clinton’s victories in Tuesday’s primary contests, Sanders indicated he plans to stay in the race and contest the Democratic convention next month.

The Senate aide noted that Fox News’ Chad Pergram reported that Sanders could ask for the removal of Wasserman Schultz in his meetings with both Obama and Reid. In a series of tweets, Pergram said “some Dem sources believe the key to getting unity” with Sanders after a tough primary campaign is “booting Wasserman Schultz.” Sanders’ campaign has also called for the removal of the co-chairs of the DNC’s standing committee on rules, Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy and former Rep. Barney Frank. The Senate aide expected that Sanders will present Reid with plans that would help him join a post-primary effort to unify the party.

“We’ve been in listening mode for the most part. He’s going to be hearing what Bernie’s ideas are for bringing the party together and hoping he comes with some ideas,” the aide said of Reid. “And hopefully there are some good ones they can work on together.”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/8801-224121168.html


I'm sure is going to say enough is enough……American workers deserve more.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Dumping DWS would be a good start.

[notadmblnd]

2. I think that'll be first on the list.

Not to worry though- Hillary will take her under her wing in some manner. Cabinet position or foundation position, she'll never go without a meal.

[larkrake]

11. yes, she owes deb big time

[FighttheFuture]

44. If Hillary is smart she will public ask for DWS's resignation. This will help boost her standing

with the Bernie supporters and Bernie himself.

[midnight]

3. Sanders could ask Harry Reid for removal of Debbie Wasserman Schultz as DNC chair: report

http://www.rawstory.com/2016/06/sanders-could-ask-harry-reid-for-removal-of-debbie-wasserman-schultz-as-dnc-chair-report/

[leftofcool]

54. Only Obama has that power.

[midnight]

56. It was the title of link I was posting.

However, Harry might play a pivotal role in this matter requardless of who's decsion it might be.

[RobertEarl]

4. Just the first of many demands

If they want unity, Obama and Reid best get chopping. Otherwise they will split the party and make us raise hell in Philly.

The party heads have proven to be a failure at getting Democrats elected. Time to go!!

[msongs]

7. umm its the guy making demands that is doing the splitting. Nobody is going to make you raise hell

except yourself.

[Cal33]

50. In short, you think the status quo (allowing democracy to die a slow death) is the better

path to follow.

[upaloopa]

28. What do you mean Us. You are just you

Just stop the black mail already ok?

Time to end the ego trips. Your guy lost. You get to make no demands on us,

[JimDandy]

29. But WE do, and WE will, now and as far into the future as you can imagine

WE progressives will demand change from others when they are in power and implement change when WE progressives are in power.

[Mopar151]

34. Are you for real?

US? Are you talking for the mice in your pockets? Or are you one of those sad sports fans who talks like they're on the team payroll?

[FighttheFuture]

48. Sounds like you are saying Hillary does not need Bernie's voters... is that what you are saying?

Not too smart of you.

[madamesilverspurs]

5. Sanders would be well advised

to keep in mind that Harry Reid is a boxer. He's not likely to be thrilled with the most recent entry to the party trying to dictate to him. Really.

[midnight]

8. Some how I think Bernnie is a bit more savy than to enter into fistacups.

But there is a lot we don't know about so tomarrow is a big day...

[madamesilverspurs]

13. Hah!

Thanks for the LOLs, your laughable assumptions are the most hysterical thing I've read all day. By all means, keep 'em coming!

[Surya Gayatri]

25. You "radical feminist", you! [sarc] You're "embarrassing yourself

with your caustic rhetoric" suggesting that Harry Reid might not accept being dictated to by the primary loser.

You sound a lot like Trump, and that's a fact!

_________________________________

Bwaahaaaaa! I had fun composing that, madamesilverspurs. Hope you catch the tongue-in-cheek.

[Maven]

17. "radical feminists"?

WTF

[Surya Gayatri]

24. What a give-away, retrograde expression, huh? He/She might as well

have used that favorite Limbaugh insult, "FEMINAZIS". Both are equally offensive.

[seabeckind]

36. Where did I hear that before?

Oh yeah, 2006 when McConnell was shoving him all over the Senate. Better watch out Mitch... you don't want to see Harry mad.

So then Harry made all kinds of sweeping changes to the Senate rules that rolled back the gerrymandering and election BS that allowed the GOP and the 1% to dominate politics from the local to the national level. Then, paired with Nancy in the HOR, they gave Obama the legislation we needed to make sure that our elections couldn't be bought thru special interests.

Then he went after Wall Street.

And then in this reality.....

Harry, like a worthless watchdog, rolled over and let the bad guys rub his belly.

Harry only stood up to we the people who have no power and influence.

On the bright side for the status quo people, he did give the opportunity to shift the blame for the losses later to those same we the people.

[Cal33]

55. Just look at his voting record, Sanders has always been more of a genuine Democrat than

most of the politicians in the Senate. The only reason he did not officially join the Democratic
Party was his way of protesting against the corrupting power the Corporate people were
having in the Democratic Party, which began some 40+ years ago. He is still fighting against
the Big Bankers and Wall St. now.

And he joined the Dem. Party when he decided to run for the presidency, because he knew
that if he had done so as an Independent, he'd have split the Dem. Party. This he avoided
doing.

Why not give the man his due?

[msongs]

6. yeah bernie the 10 month democrat is gonna try to bully reid vermont-style nt

[brush]

10. 10 months and the loser, and demanding. No wonder he had not fellow senators backing him.

[midnight]

12. I think Bernie's eloquence is probably more powerful and affective.

Plus…. Bernie's powerful and supportive voting record with the Democrates makes him easily to welcome gladly into our ranks.

[longship]

30. Jesus! Give it a fucking rest!

Bernie Sanders has always caucused with the Democratic Party, for over 40 fucking years!

Stop. Just fucking STOP!!!!

[Igel]

37. I'd like to see the proof for that.

Apparently as of 1997 Sanders still wasn't caucusing with House Democrats. That was 19 years ago, short of "over 40 years" by just a gnat's wing. A very, very large gnat. It's unclear to me what he was doing in 1998 and 1999, to be honest.

He joined the Senate caucus when he was elected to the Senate, but had conditions. Since his vote gave the (D) a majority that year, his demands were met. This was a matter of national news for a while because without Sanders, no majority, and it was unclear to the media what his demands were or how far the Democratic Caucus would go. Nobody billed him as such, but it was clear he was not so much a (D) for hire, but a reluctant (D) who had to be bribed with power to implement his goals.

[Bluenorthwest]

45. Directly after being elected to the House, Bernie co-founded the Progressive Caucus along with

Peter DeFazio, Maxine Waters, Ron Dellums and others. Bernie was elected first Chair of that caucus which is now these many years later the largest Democratic Caucus within the US Congress. He continues to be a member of that caucus and is the only Senate member.

[SunSeeker]

38. Sanders has been bashing the Democratic Party his entire adult life.

[deadchicken7]

46. Then why did they allow him to caucus with them at all?

The man is a democratic socialist so he sure as hell has issues with the party as many registered Democrats do.

In general I really like this site (way better than DailyKos which I have unsubscribed from because of the Sanders hate), but FFS, let's stop with the recriminations maybe? Clinton will almost certainly be the nominee but Sanders has every right to continue to push his platform until the convention. Let's stop with the hyperbolic comments on both sides.

[midnight]

14. American workers need to be included in this countries winnings.

[stopbush]

19. Yep. Sanders has become a political cancer that the Ds would be wise

to excise from their body politic.

[Surya Gayatri]

26. ^^^This!^^^

The lesson of this election is don't let outsiders use our party to advance their own interests unless they prove they are loyal.

[Maven]

16. Sounds like spite and score-settling

If he takes this path, he will squander his remaining leverage just to get some personal vindication, which is a betrayal of his supporters' trust. And, at the end of the day I believe Obama and Reid will tell him he is overplaying his hand and to take a hike.

[stopbush]

18. Since when does a loser who got his ass handed to him

dictate terms?

Sanders is delusional.

[concreteblue]

20. "Ass handed to him"..ROFLMAO

Since he holds sway ove approximately 40+% of the Dems who voted in the primaries and Hillary cannot win without them? That's who.

[Firebrand Gary]

21. Laughable.

If Hillary tried to dictate those terms to then Senator Obama she would have been laughed out of the party. Bernie gets nothing! He lost and lost by approaching 4 MILLION VOTES!

[SouthernDemLinda]

22. You can stop laughing!

She did have a meeting with Obama to negotiate because she had alot of supporters Obama needed, just like Bernie does right now. She needs Bernie's supporters to win and all the Democrats know that.

Also, note that most of Obama's campaign promises never materialized. No universal healthcare but he bailed out the banks. And then we got Hillary care. Yes, indeed I think Bernie might have some bargaining power.

[upaloopa]

32. Bernie does not control the votes of people in November nor did Hillary in 2008.

Most Bernie supporters will vote in November either against Trump or for Hillary. About 20% may stay home or write in a name.

Bernie does not pull their strings.

[elljay]

23. How do you think she became SOS?

Because that was her part of her terms for ending her losing campaign. It is not as if Obama actually liked her, as he made quite clear. She is extremely unpopular and cannot win the election with only 60% of Democrats (who are only 30% of the population). If she wants Independents and Progressives to support her, she had better compromise her conservative positions. Otherwise, many will vote for Jill Stein and many will just stay home. It is what a good politician does and she would be foolish to believe that people who very strongly disagree with her positions will suddenly abandon their principles and vote for her just because she wants them to ignore this reality.

[upaloopa]

31. More made up reality. The reason you all lost is because you believe you can manufacture reality.

You believe in your make believe world so much you can't make decisions based on reality. The biggest examples were your on line polls after the debates.

[Surya Gayatri]

27. No, the large majority of registered, historically loyal Dems voted

for Sec. Clinton. And, millions more of them (including millions of Bernie voters), plus millions of moderate independents, will vote Clinton into office in Nov.

An enormous segment of Bern's fans came from the libertarian, anarchist, revolutionary socialist, and disaffected independent ranks, and a good share of them will vote for Trump in Nov.

[Bluenorthwest]

49. Not in this State nor in 19 other States. Our Primary is closed. Bernie won by a double digit margin

So you are full of unsubstantiated stuffing of undetermined origins.

Your smearing of entire States and regions is not helpful to the Party's nominee who has a new election to win and voters to turnout. It's a good thing bullshit like this will no longer be welcomed on DU soon.

[upaloopa]

33. He doesn't hold sway over anyone. Maybe you if anyone.

At some point you all will have to stop the make believe.

[SouthernDemLinda]

43. perfect symbolic ending to the Democratic Party primary:

Excerpts from:

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-06-07/symbolic-end-farcical-democratic-primary-anonymous-super-delegates-declare-winner-thHow

How Hillary Clinton "Clinched "The Nomination On A Day Nobody Voted

by Tyler Durden - Jun 7, 2016 7:45 PM

This is the perfect symbolic ending to the Democratic Party primary: The nomination is consecrated by a media organization, on a day when nobody voted, based on secret discussions with anonymous establishment insiders and donors whose identities the media organization – incredibly – conceals.
The decisive edifice of superdelegates is itself anti-democratic and inherently corrupt: designed to prevent actual voters from making choices that the party establishment dislikes. But for a party run by insiders and funded by corporate interests, it’s only fitting that their nomination process ends with such an ignominious, awkward and undemocratic sputter.

– Glenn Greenwald, writing at The Intercept

Last night, the American public witnessed the most egregious example of mainstream media malpractice of my lifetime. By declaring Hillary Clinton the Democratic nominee based on the pledges of superdelegates who have not voted, and will not vote until the convention on July 25th, the Associated Press performed a huge disservice to American democracy on the eve of a major primary day, in which voters from the most populous state in the union (amongst others) head to the polls. If you are a U.S. citizen and you aren’t outraged by this, there’s something seriously wrong with you.

In this post, I have three objectives. First, I will set the stage by explaining how incredibly sleazy the move by the AP was. Second, I will outline the preposterous and unjustifiable nature of having superdelegates in the first place. Third, I will attempt to convince all true Bernie Sanders supporters to commit themselves to never supporting Hillary Clinton. Let’s get started.

[stopbush]

51. Hillary can win without the Sanders voters who are BoB. 85% of Sanders voters will vote for her.

Get over your sense of self importance. It's a chimera.

[stopbush]

53. You mean like the basketball team that loses 120 to 80?

I guess they get to dictate terms to the winner as well.

[Bluenorthwest]

47. You talk like Trump tweets. Is that a good thing?

nt

[stopbush]

52. Unfortunately, Sanders' intransigence has gotten to the point where

straight talk may be all that he'll listen to.

No more kid gloves. He needs to stop. Now.

And he still hasn't endorsed Hillary.

[Chan790]

59. Did you really ask that?

well...since you asked. 2008, at the most recent.

Hillary dictated terms to join Obama on the campaign trail and to call off Bill who was still attacking Obama, even after he was the presumptive nominee. She allegedly asked for and received her choice of Cabinet seats and to have strong weight given to her recommendations for other non-elected Executive Branch positions. It's how we ended up with Summers, Emanuel, Geithner and how she got Sec. of State.

How Clintonites have such short memories is beyond me.

[geek tragedy]

35. collecting the scalps of DWS, Malloy and Frank is spite, not reform

I have a feeling the President and Reid will decline his request for a vendetta.

[SunSeeker]

39. ^^^THIS^^^

[midnight]

40. I will just address the DWS removal based on her pay day loan support,

her support of Wall street, private prisons and inability to keep democrates in office as reasons for removal and not a vendetta request.

She has left the DNC in debt.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2014/02/21/rnc-outraises-dnc-as-dnc-debt-increases/

[geek tragedy]

41. sure, she deserves to be fired because she sucks, but firing a chump isn't a reform nt

[midnight]

42. Every little bit helps.

[Ruby the Liberal]

57. It would go a LONG way in healing the rift in the party

The losses we endured under her, the way she handled the primaries/debates - there is a lot of angst about her 'leadership'.

It would be a win-win for everyone.

[Chan790]

60. Two of the three would be a good start for a purge from the party entirely.

Malloy is my governor...he's a terrible governor, not much of a Democrat, as much of a union-buster as Scott Walker and has ties to the Koch brothers. He's really fond of handing out tax-incentives to major corporations funded by social service cuts and without any actual enforceable concessions in return...it would be difficult at best...looking beyond his gun-control, capital punishment and marriage equality positions...to argue that Dannel P. Malloy is a Democrat at-all.

DWS is inept, terrible at her job and has consistently refused to support Democrats in her own home-state running to unseat Republican members of Congress. Asking for her to be fired is not enough...Sanders should push for a concession that Hillary be forebeared from considering her for any position in her administration.


The only one I'd argue Sanders is wrong on is Barney Frank...and even he's took questionable positions on economic policy during his time in Congress. He's a good egg though and opposing him does seem more spite than anything. Everybody needs an attack dog and he's a great one.

[bobthedrummer]

66. What an array of "imagery" and neurolinguistics you employ old friend. Authoritarian, not democracy

[Bill USA]

58. Surprise, surprise!! True Believers not opposed to burning down the barn if they don't get their way

[Chan790]

61. We've openly admitted this for months.

A burning barn that forces the Democratic party to move to be in-line with the American public is better than the status-quo where the Democratic party only listens to the establishment of the Democratic party.

[Bill USA]

62. primary votes: Clinton: 15,729,913, Sanders: 12,009,562. 15.7 million > 12 million

[Chan790]

63. You've just made my point.

Clinton gets more primary votes...but Sanders still tops her everywhere independents are given a say and in polling between the two.

Translation: Clinton is way more popular inside the Democratic party than she is with the American public.

Yes, reiterating...we'd burn down the tent to force the Democratic party to move closer to the American public and stop listening to an establishment that is so out of touch with reality that it thinks Clinton is a better GE candidate than Sanders.

[Bill USA]

64. Sanders Isn’t Doing Well With True Independents

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/sanders-isnt-doing-well-with-true-independents/

Sanders did slightly better with Democratic-leaning independents (71 percent favorable) than he did with plain-old Democrats (68 percent favorable), but that appeal does not seem to extend to true independents — those who are most likely to change party allegiances between elections and whose split between the Republican and Democratic candidates nearly matched the split in the nation overall in the last two elections, according to the ANES. In the Gallup poll, Sanders had a 35 percent favorable rating among independents who don’t lean toward either party. Clinton’s favorable rating with that group was 34 percent. Trump’s was a ridiculously low 16 percent.

[Bill USA]

65. Republicans will never stop trying to set up their preferred candidate, bernie, for the kill..LOL

Rep Sen. on Face the Nation says Bernie's policies are the same as the Soviet Union, N. Korea, Cuba

I know you guys will never stop trying to get Bernie set up for the kill! LOL!