Hillary Clinton
Related: About this forumI am so terribly disappointed in Bernie.
Last edited Wed May 18, 2016, 06:18 PM - Edit history (1)
I started off this cycle leaning towards Hillary on sheer electability, but excited for how Sanders might be able to carry the mantle of Elizabeth Warren, which is what I expected him to do. For a while, it seemed like he was doing just that. Saying things that needed to be said, nudging the party in the right direction, and providing a valuable voice in a race that would have otherwise have been no real race at all. I wanted him to make Hillary an even better candidate.
After a few debates, it became clear that Sanders had good talking points, but not much else, while Hillary showed an impressive grasp on pretty much anything that you could throw at her. Sanders fumbled on foreign policy, and it was then that I firmly decided he could not win a general election. Still, I thought he was a positive influence on the race.
From there, it started to get ugly. I never imagined it would get this ugly.
I'm a 35 year-old male, and most of my peers became Bernie zealots pretty quickly. What I've seen on my social media has been a descent into madness. People who I thought knew better are now spouting anti-Democratic Party rhetoric, buying into the worst of Bernie and the GOP's narratives, and turning against not just Hillary but the party itself. The same party that gave us Barack Obama, whom I believed they universally loved.
But no, under the bus he went, along with anyone else who dared suggest Hillary might be more qualified or electable. And now they are angry and seeking vengeance against a "rigged" system.
Bernie has tainted the legitimacy of the Democratic Party. He has prayed on people's anger while feeding them fantasies that sound nice but are completely unrealistic. Now, he refuses to flatly condemn their aggressive behavior. He has created a monster and shows no signs of a willingness or desire to reign it in. He has gone from a man I respected to a man I detest for what he has done to my party, and the way he has manipulated people into a mindset for which the republicans will raise toasts in his name for years to come.
I pray we survive Bernie, so that we may survive Trump. I fully expect Hillary to win in November, but her path to victory could have been so much more exciting and hopeful. Had Bernie set his ego aside and done what was actually good for the country we could be headed into the general from a point of strength and unity that would have been impossible to defeat. Moreover, it would have brought new people into the process and the revolution he spoke of could have been a real thing. We could be setting up to secure the court for a generation, take back the House and Senate, and put our boot firmly on the throats of our near-beaten enemy: the Republican Party.
We could have done all of these things, while looking inward to reform the party where it needed real reform and create a newly invigorated Democratic Party that could start to get some real fucking work done.
But no. Instead, we have this.
Goddamnit Bernie, you fucking blew it, and I will never forgive you for it.
wysi
(1,512 posts)Great post. I expect this sums up how a lot of reasonable people are feeling right now.
MirrorAshes
(1,262 posts)It's been difficult to articulate my feelings over the last few months. The last couple of weeks have really crystallized some things though, and my goodness, how disappointing it is. Such an opportunity lost.
SunSeeker
(51,378 posts)Alas, that has not happened.
Very well stated post, MirrorAshes.
ismnotwasm
(41,921 posts)Sanders had the opportunity to be truly effective, a real change agent, but that's not going to happen now. Best case scenario, is the people he energized really do get involved in the political process and start electing effective progressives at the local and state levels. I'm thinking that's not gonna happen though.
sheshe2
(83,356 posts)Thank you.
MirrorAshes
(1,262 posts)I really needed to get that out.
sheshe2
(83,356 posts)Progressive dog
(6,863 posts)stonecutter357
(12,682 posts)Fla Dem
(23,354 posts)Democratic Party, that we were better than the Republicans. He has cast such a blanket of negativity over the party, it's hard to see how we will shake it off before the general election.
I just hope, once the convention is over and Hillary is the nominee, when all the Dems go out and campaign for her, Barack AND Michelle Obama, Biden, Warren, Sherrod Brown, Barbara Boxer, Julian Castro etc, we can once more be the party of Hope and Change.
Bernie Sanders has been a total and complete disaster for the Democratic Party and by extension the American people because of Trump wins, we all lose and it'll be all on Bernie Sanders.
NanceGreggs
(27,813 posts)I've been hearing these same thoughts from a lot of people who started out as staunch Bernie fans.
He started his campaign as the affable, sincere guy whose only interest was "running a positive campaign" and discussing the issues. But then the mask dropped - and his true nature started coming through, much to the disappointment of many.
We'll never know, but I wonder how many people who voted for him early on would not vote for him now, given his behaviour over the past few months.
Bernie has proven that he has no trouble yelling about what's wrong, but no solutions as to how to right those wrongs. The "champion of the People" has turned out to be just another politician driven by ego, clinging to the limelight.
livetohike
(22,084 posts)workinclasszero
(28,270 posts)I just pray to God it doesn't lead to a Trump presidency.
One mans ego could destroy a generation.
Damn.
Koinos
(2,792 posts)grossproffit
(5,591 posts)betsuni
(25,141 posts)Tarheel_Dem
(31,211 posts)shenmue
(38,503 posts)mcar
(42,210 posts)I liked him and his message. Until this campaign.
chieftain
(3,222 posts)yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)without meaning to be ageist - if Bernie was Ted Cruz's age or young like other candidates, he'd be much more inclined to bow out and try another day.
At 74 - this is it - no real tomorrow - so his behavior is going to be outside the norm.
We have no idea what Bernie will do.
Lord Magus
(1,999 posts)...it really is all about him. It's not about pushing a progressive agenda, it's about "I want to be president!"
PeaceNikki
(27,985 posts)now they just want him to go away.
SharonClark
(10,005 posts)how Sanders speaks about the importance of unions. He's a little sad about how Sanders' campaign has turned so anti-Democratic Party. He shook his head and said some Sanders supporters have become Trumpian.
Tumbulu
(6,267 posts)So many people on DU are just crazed about him and filled with negativity about Hillary as well, and so I avoid DU as a result.
Thank you.
puffy socks
(1,473 posts)Iliyah
(25,111 posts)brush
(53,475 posts)Coming to DU is now a chore with all the Hillary and Democratic Party hatred dominating the site.
Sanders has proven to be a Trojan Horse. We let him in and he's set out to destroy us from within.
MirrorAshes
(1,262 posts)It has been so disheartening of late, and I don't think it was until his non-statement re: Nevada that my feelings turned to genuine anger. It's been difficult to sort through exactly how and why I feel the way I do. The thought of what could have been vs the insane reality we find ourselves in is just so disappointing.
It'll be over soon, keep your head up!
lunamagica
(9,967 posts)Cha
(295,929 posts)experience with the devolution of Bernie Sanders.
BS thinks he's all that.. but it's he who's going to be sorry.. not us. He's his own worst enemy..
We will keep the White House without him.. thanks to Hillary, President Obama and all the Democratic Leaders.
DemonGoddess
(4,640 posts)Haveadream
(1,630 posts)It really describes the journey so many Democrats have been on with Bernie's campaign. Most generally liked Bernie, even had fondness, at the start of the race. He has proven that our positive regard is not mutual. It is hard to understand how he could think insulting Democrats and all of us by extension would be a winning strategy. That is the reason that his base has never been more than young people who have never had an allegiance to the party, the disaffected and independents. At this point, I don't even want him in the party; he is that toxic.
MirrorAshes
(1,262 posts)with a degree of shame over the next few years. I really don't think he started off intending to go down this path, but the spotlight got the best of him.
I don't know why I'm still trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I really do think all the attention (and cult-like worship) got into his head. It's a damn shame.
liberal N proud
(60,302 posts)He is an anarchist.
Politicub
(12,163 posts)Being a true progressive means you don't work to erase the gains we've made in civil rights.
Sanders is nothing more than Trump's puppet at this point. Either that, or he's a narcissist that is so enamoured by his own presence that he has pulled the wool over his own eyes.
He and his followers whine about him being targeted by DWS. I don't believe that's the case. But what I do know is that he is targeting the progressive movement by dividing the party.
eastwestdem
(1,220 posts)Particularly since he lost many weeks ago.