The turning point in Bernie's campaign arrived this morning (it's not SC results or polls or votes)

[kstewart33]

Many if not most of Hillary's supporters don't support Bernie because 1) his platform won't pass Congress; and 2) if Bernie gets the nomination, he will be destroyed by the Republicans which will spill over to Democratic losses in down ballot races that will set the liberal cause back many years.

I believe that Bernie is not electable because of information in his biography that the Republicans will use in a scorched earth assault against Bernie. That's why Republican super PACs are funding anti-Hillary TV ads throughout the ST states and beyond. They can't wait to get their slimy, rabid hands on Bernie in the general campaign.

BUT there's not been a peep from the mainstream media about Bernie's biography so it's certainly not been a campaign issue. Hillary's not mentioned a word about it. And the media has been quiet as a kitten about this.

Until this morning.

The Daily Beast, one of the top-rated mainstream media news and features sites on the web, published an article on Bernie's foreign policy positions while the mayor of Burlington. Here are a few excerpts.

"Hidden on spools of microfilm, buried in muffled and grainy videos of press conferences and public appearances, Mayor Sanders enumerated detailed—and radical—foreign-policy positions and explained his brand of socialism. (If you find foreign-policy debates tedious, feel free to ask Sanders if he still believes that “the basic truth of politics is primarily class struggle”; that “democracy means public ownership of the major means of production”; or that “both the Democratic and Republican parties represent the ruling class.”)

In the 1980s, any Bernie Sanders event or interview inevitably wended toward a denunciation of Washington’s Central America policy, typically punctuated with a full-throated defense of the dictatorship in Nicaragua. As one sympathetic biographer wrote in 1991, Sanders “probably has done more than any other elected politician in the country to actively support the Sandinistas and their revolution.” Reflecting on a Potemkin tour of revolutionary Nicaragua he took in 1985, Sanders marveled that he was, “believe it or not, the highest ranking American official” to attend a parade celebrating the Sandinista seizure of power.

It’s quite easy to believe, actually, when one wonders what elected American official would knowingly join a group of largely unelected officials of various “fraternal” Soviet dictatorships while, just a few feet away, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega bellows into a microphone that the United States is governed by a criminal band of terrorists.

But despite its aversion to elections, brutal suppression of dissent, hideous mistreatment of indigenous Nicaraguans, and rejection of basic democratic norms, Sanders thought Managua’s Marxist-Leninist clique had much to teach Burlington: “Vermont could set an example to the rest of the nation similar to the type of example Nicaragua is setting for the rest of Latin America.”

Link: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/28/when-bernie-sanders-thought-castro-and-the-sandinistas-could-teach-america-a-lesson.html

Hillary won't touch Bernie's biography because she does not need to at this point. However, I'd wager that if Bernie does better than expected on Super Tuesday, the media will. And that move will put Bernie on the defensive in a time when he needs all the votes he can get.

[SidDithers]

1. DU rec. Bernie's had pretty much a free ride so far...

Thanks for posting.

Sid

[polly7]

16. How so?

He's been accused of everything possible and has had every dirty trick used against him. What else exactly do you think there is to attack him on?

[840high]

86. Sid rec's everything anti-Bernie.

[morningfog]

89. And he won't even vote for Hillary. All anti.

[riversedge]

28. and let the vetting begin.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

81. lol Bernie has been hands off with Hillary. Haven't you been reading this forum? Look at what the Rs

will do to her. We're doing our best to warn her supporters of the tsunami that's coming.

Obama proved that America will elect, then re-elect a black, socialist, Kenyan, Muslim, with a Reverend talking crazy. Labels work on Fox viewers and old people. It's been proven. People falling into this trap are either Fox viewers or old.

Now, Hillary is a different story. Over 20 years in the public eye and she still doesn't know who she is or what she stands for. That's what will leave a lasting impression. Americans thinking she's a liar and disingenuous will stick. No one needs to make up shit about Hillary. She's been her own worst enemy for more than 2 decades. By contrast, the Rs will have to demonize Bernie like they did with Obama. People don't care about that shit, today. They see through it. And moreover, socialist polls favorably today.

It's going to be an ugly GE if Hillary is the nominee. She should be ahead of any R by double digits.

[Betty Karlson]

107. I'll have an ounce of whatever taints your glasses pink.

Must be great, to have such a worldview where brutal smears are perceived as a free ride.

[virtualobserver]

2. Great news.....That is exactly the conversation that the country needs to have.

[Blue State Bandit]

27. I hear that. Sandinistas overthrew the puppet "Banana War" era Somoza's

that lead to Reagan selling arms to Iran to support the Contras behind Congress' back. The Unintended consequences of waging wars for corporate interests.

Let's have at it.

[TheBlackAdder]

37. How stupid would the Democrats and Republicans be to have this fight. Once beyond 'name-calling'?

.



This will bring up issues that dent Saint Reagan and also highlight how the US overthrows governments, many times for corporate gains.



.

[whathehell]

103. Somoza was a fascist dictator in need of overthrowing.

[HERVEPA]

3. The daily Beast is a Hillary publication, not anything independent or top-rated. Good try though.

[FourScore]

4. Seriously? This is what ya got? Nicaragua?? n/t

[kstewart33]

13. That's all the Republicans need. nt

[Qutzupalotl]

21. ...to remind everyone how Reagan armed the Contras.

[kstewart33]

38. Reagan's not running for president. Bernie is. nt

[Qutzupalotl]

40. But would they harm Saint Reagan to hurt Bernie?

[VulgarPoet]

26. Meanwhile,

Clinton has Iraq, Syria, Libya, Colombia, and her shady donations from the progenitors of Wahhabi Islam, i.e. Saudi Arabia to answer for. I'll take one over five.

[kstewart33]

41. Mainstream voters don't care about that.

At least not as much as they will care about having a US president with personal relationships and support of Communist and Marxist regimes.

[VulgarPoet]

43. Right, because endless wars and secret coups are clearly the playbook for American Exceptionalism

Joseph McCarthy wants his red-baiting back.

[JackRiddler]

75. What is your idea of mainstream, Sen. McCarthy?

Yeah, mainstream voters are thrilled about the three trillion dollars pulverized in the aggressive destruction of the Iraqi nation in a war based on lies. This is all anyone talks about: hooray for the Iraq war!

Even goddamned Trump knows to go after this issue - against the war! - and it benefits him. And you as a supposed Democrat think it's a problem that Sanders opposed wars of U.S. imperialist aggression that most will view as ancient history? Nicaragua? Bring it on!!!

[Mike__M]

82. Yeah, all my neighbors

ever talk about is what happened in Nicaragua in the eighties. They won't stop worrying it.

[FlatBaroque]

5. Only if you can get Lanny Davis to confirm it.

Correct The Record is slightly more neutral.

[noretreatnosurrender]

6. Thanks for the laugh

[AgerolanAmerican]

7. In hindsight the charge was quite credible

Ortega calling the US government (under Reagan) a "criminal band of terrorists" is strongly backed by what we later learned of the activities of the School of the Americas as well as the revelations of the Iran-Contra scandal.

[think]

8. Welcome to DU. The sordid history of the Somoza family dictatorship in Nicaragua also gets ignored

Unfortunately the American people know very little about US policy in Latin America and probably never will...

[SusanCalvin]

11. Well, I just did a little research/memory refreshing.

"Although the Carter Administration had attempted to work with FSLN in 1979 and 1980, the more right-wing Reagan Administration supported a strong anti-communist strategy for dealing with Latin America, and so it attempted to isolate the Sandinista regime.[30] As early as 1981 (some sources say 1980)[citation needed] an anti-Sandinista movement, the Contrarrevolución (Counter-revolution) or just Contras, was forming along the border with Honduras. Many of the initial Contras were former members of the Somoza regime's National Guard unit and many were still loyal to Somoza who was living in exile in Honduras.[30]"

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaraguan_Revolution

Therefore my response to the OP is, "so?"

[Lizzie Poppet]

9. Hillary isn't holding off on this point because she doesn't need it.

She's holding off because screeching about a possible past indiscretion* is a really, really bad idea for a Goldwater Girl.


*which isn't an indiscretion at all, of course, but a principled position, something Hillary doesn't grok at any sort of fundamental level

[BlueMTexpat]

10. Actually, I personally believe

that the Sandanistas in the 1980s who overthrew Somoza had a MUCH better HR rights than the Salvadorans and Contras ever did. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandinista_National_Liberation_Front I distinguish that movement from the horror that Daniel Ortega has become since, however.

Whatever its political and other abuses, Castro's Cuba managed to provide education and health care, among other things, that benefited its population and represented a 180-degree turn from the Batista dictatorship in many ways. http://thecubaneconomy.com/articles/2010/10/cuba%E2%80%99s-achievements-under-the-presidency-of-fidel-castro-the-top-ten/

While I am a Hillary Clinton supporter, I myself do not condemn Bernie's POVs on Nicaragua and Cuba. In fact, I shared them in many ways.

But I am not a typical American voter. Many WOULD hold those views against him.

[SusanCalvin]

12. "Many WOULD hold those views against him."

Quite possibly right. Sigh. Those who do not remember history....

[BlueMTexpat]

15. Too true ...

Hi Susan!

I know that we prefer different candidates. But you are like the Bernie supporters whom I know personally - and admire. Hang in there!

[SusanCalvin]

18. .

[polly7]

14. I don't know why anyone would hold those views against him.

He was right.

[Armstead]

20. The same people will hold it against him that will hold Benghazi against Clinton

There is a segment of the population that will NEVER vote for Bernie because he is a Communist and a Socialist who will not defend us against terrorism.

BUT that same segment of the population will NEVER vote for Clinton because he is a Communist and a Socialist who will not defend us against terrorism.

Obama defused the Cuba thing when he opened up relations with them. Just in a superficial way, that takes a lot of the sting out of Sanders long-ago remarks among moderates.

Nicaragua...Well it's more complex. But thosw who remember will also remember how much opposition among mainstream Democrats against Reagan's support of the facist Contras, and the whole Iran Cointra Arms Deal.

[Justice]

48. Not sure I understand your point.

[Armstead]

59. The GOP has ammo against Sanders and Clinton.

And the people it is most likely to be effective with are the ones that would not support either candidate in the general.

[bettyellen]

116. I think I see this here.

[kstewart33]

23. BlueTex, your point is the point of my post.

It doesn't matter what anyone thinks about this part of Bernie's biography.

All that matters is what the Republicans will do with it. They'll create and sell their own portrait of Bernie: a Communist and Marxist lover of Ortega and Fidel Castro. That's all they'll have to do to win. And they know it.

[SusanCalvin]

30. Well, maybe enough of the American people are smarter than that.

One can hope. One has to - beats the alternative.

[kstewart33]

94. SC, wouldn't you love to read what Molly thinks about all this?

What would she write about Trump? Bernie and Hillary? Cruz?

She is incredibly missed.

[SusanCalvin]

96. Oh my yes. Don't think we've got anyone left who compares. nt

[BlueMTexpat]

31. You are right.

They are absolute masters of deceit. That is possible when they are never constrained by truth.

They've managed so well in smearing Hillary that self-styled Dem DUers repeat their TPs 24/7 here. And get no shut-down whatsoever for doing so.

[SusanCalvin]

35. "That is possible when they are never constrained by truth."

Bingo. I'm not sure I've ever seen this level of flat, almost unchallenged lying.

[BlueMTexpat]

44. What literally disgusted me was

seeing Donald Trump's speech last week given free rein on cable networks - such lies, such racism, such bigotry overall - and NARY a meaningful challenge or fact correction from any anchor.

GOPers have no fear whatsoever of having their personal bubbles of belief burst.

[SusanCalvin]

45. We have almost no journalism anymore. nt

[kstewart33]

50. Agree.

I am old enough to remember when objective reporting ruled the media. Not so much anymore.

[Armstead]

60. They already have painted a portrait of Clinton as a Commie

Same shit -- just change the names and a few hot bottons. Substitute Nicaragua with Benghazi. Substitute his comments about Cuba with her embrace of Obama who is normalizing relations with Cuba.

And before the GOP says a word, many of those voters have already made up their minds against both candidates.

[snagglepuss]

17. Bwahahahaha. The Daily Beast is a Clinton mouthpiece, for example, three days

after dozens of Black Lives Matter activists in Vermont met and endorsed Sanders, the Daily Beast ran a story about three Black leaders they dug up who said they were invisible to Sanders. They ran that drek but completely IGNORED the fact that BLM Vermont just endorsed Bernie. That's just one example of how the DB is nothing but a rag.

And a big whoop-de-do that Sanders used the term "class struggle", in fact that was damned prescient given that since the 80s America has indeed devolved into the ultra-haves and the ever diminishing middle-class. America today is nothing like the America of the 1980s and no one needs needs to be a Marxist to see that stark reality.

[SusanCalvin]

25. Thanks for the info about DB. nt

[kstewart33]

47. Snagglepuss, it's not the messenger, it's the message.

Beat up the DB all you want. It doesn't matter. Facts are facts. I've done some research on Bernie's past. It's all out there. All you have to do is a bit of digging. For example, check out the video on youtube with Bernie praising Castro.

You can't nullify facts by shooting the messenger. I'd wager that Bernie's biography will, before the convention, be reported all over by the media. Will they all then be Clinton-owned conspirators, too?

[VulgarPoet]

65. And we're supposed to be outraged against right wing bias.

[dinkytron]

63. This is just more desperate voodoo.

[Tom Rinaldo]

19. No. And here's why...

If Bernie wins the nomination against Hillary it will only confirm that the nation is in a strongly anti-establishment mood. Trump's opponents erred in thinking that he would implode when conservative voters found out that Trump very recently espoused very liberal views on a number of issues. Fatal error and fundamental misjudging of the public mood.

In Sander's case those were views he held thirty to forty years ago, many of which he can still defend but mostly that's beside the point. He has a long record of service at the national political level since he was a local mayor - that is his record. And voters aren't looking at the past - they are looking at character and message - and preferably not the same old same old when it comes to the latter.

[kstewart33]

34. Once the Republicans effectively brand Bernie as a Communist/Marxist, he's done.

Many, many millions of voters will be repelled at the notion of electing a president who openly supported Communists and Marxists. It doesn't matter how many years ago it happened. The quotes are there, the videos are there. The Republicans will destroy him with it.

The 'it happened many years ago so it's not relevant' view will not wash. The links are too toxic. Many here have posted about Clinton's 'Goldwater Girl' status 40-50 years ago. It's not the timing of when it happened - it's the message.

[nolabels]

66. So when will the republicans stop going to bed with China?

Yea, watch out for the big red monster, they are coming to get us

Russia is on it's back and China has turned into a plutocracy , just like the one we are living in the ole US of A

If people would start holding people responsible and get over the categorization and name calling of everybody then a lot more worthwhile things could done.

[kstewart33]

68. Agee with you completely.

But that's politics. That's the truth that everyone who runs for office must deal with. It's the reality today, and nobody is better at painting a devastating portrait of an opponent and making it stick.

Nobody is better at doing this than the Republicans. It's what they did to Kerry and Dukakis and others. They are rabid at this.

[SusanCalvin]

22. Anybody remember a little thing called Iran/Contra?

"Under the Boland Amendment, further funding of the Contras by the government had been prohibited by Congress." (Contras = Reagan's side.)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran%E2%80%93Contra_affair

[DirkGently]

24. Sure, let's talk about Latin America.

Let's talk about Hillary Clinton's personal, going-on-vacation-every-year together relationship with Henry Kissinger, a literal wanted war criminal. Let's discuss his advice to her that Iraq needed to be "humiliated," and its impact on her support of the single worst foreign policy decision in American history, for which we are still paying dearly today.

Let's talk about Kissinger's involvement with right-wing death squads and the disappearance of dissidents. Let's discuss the Khmer Rouge and Operation Condor.

Let's have a nice long talk about all of that, and whose thinking about America's role in the world comes with stories about soccer arenas full of murdered citizens.

Let's dig right into that and see where it leads.

[BlueMTexpat]

36. Nice deflection of the OP's point.

But you knew that.

[DirkGently]

51. Latin American politics was not the point?

I thought the notion was that Bernie Sanders is terribly vulnerable to attacks based on his thoughts on socialism vs. fascism in South America. Commies vs dictators and all that?

And I'll continue to think, if that's okay with you, that we won't be hearing too much from Clinton on that because she is standing on a rather narrow precipice regarding her ties to the failed, blood-drenched policies of American intervention on behalf of rightwing murderers in that region that somewhat overshadows the horrors of "socialism."

[SusanCalvin]

42. The trouble is

that a level of nuance and prior knowledge is needed to "get" the above, not just reacting to a one-word attempted smear. I just hope enough people have enough information, thoughtfulness, and resistance to knee-jerk reactions. I have no opinion as to whether enough of these people exist.

[hobbit709]

29. Jesus Christ on a Trailer Hitch. Red baiting again.

[BillZBubb]

32. That's pretty weak stuff even coming from a Hillary fanatic.

Of course the mean old republicans will pull things from Bernie's past. And they'll pull things from Hillary's past too which are much more damning than a few quotes from the 1980's.

[BlueMTexpat]

33. But Hillary's past has

been the most discovered and discussed of ANY candidate EVER.

She's still standing tall.

[Beowulf]

53. And yet there's still so much serious stuff she continues to hide.

The nature of her relationship withe Goldman Sachs.

Her handling or mishandling of classified documents.

The relationship between large donations to the Clinton Foundation and decisions Hillary made as SoS concerning Russian acquisition of the uranium supply, arm sales -including cluster bombs- to Saudi Arabia, and an extreme reduction in the number of requests made to USB for information on people suspected of tax evasion.

A substantial portion of her own party is asking about the first. The FBI is asking about the other two.

[grasswire]

97. you forgot the sarcasm tag nt

[BlueMTexpat]

100. It is not necessary for

a sarcasm tag when something is true.

Hillary has perhaps been the most undeservingly vilified Democratic politician ever, with the possible exception of President Obama himself. She is singlehandedly held accountable for everything bad that has happened since at least 1991, whether she held office at the time or not or whether she even had the authority to make the decision. Every one of her impressive qualifications and accomplishments is belittled and only mentioned to demonstrate what her detractors call opportunism. Every one of her words is twisted and repeated ad nauseam in the worst context possible. Every one of her actions is scrutinized and given the worst interpretation possible. Her decades of public service, especially of service to the most vulnerable, are dismissed in favor of ANYONE else.

We know exactly why President Obama is treated the way he is. Many of us, especially those of us who are women, have a very good idea what is behind the incessant mud-slinging against Hillary Clinton. And more and more women are rallying to the cause as a result. See the latest results out of South Carolina. See the breakdowns in the most recent polls of Super Tuesday states. Those are not flukes. They are a trend.

Bernie, like most white men, gets the benefit of EVERY doubt. Hillary gets the benefit of none. No, there is absolutely NO sarcasm. That is the truth.

[kstewart33]

49. 'Do you want a Communist/Marxist as your president?'

That will be the theme of the Republican's attack campaign against Bernie.

There is nothing in Hillary's past that can compete with that.

[2banon]

39. O.M.G.

I thought you had unearthed something completely antithetical to my understanding of Bernie's foreign policy positions! But what you've "uncovered" is EXACTLY MY position at the time, only to be validated through out the years since as more and more HR rights violations were revealed, but that M$M never ever has reported on to my knowledge anyway.

Presumably you think this is "bad" foreign policy positions back in the day (or currently).. couldn't disagree with you more.

I think it's high time for Americans to get know this history and more. I hope this does get more exposure. A LOT more exposure.

Thanks!

[Bread and Circus]

46. When Hillary and her supporters are supporting the past 30+ years of US Foreign policy....

which is a pile of abysmal horror....then you guys have some soul searching to do.

[arcane1]

87. At this point I sincerely believe they will adopt ANY position if it can score some points for a day

[840high]

88. ..+1

[LondonReign2]

113. Yeah, "Vote for Hillary because Bernie disagreed with Reagan" is bizarre

even by Hillary supporters' standards.

[cantbeserious]

52. Predictably Spreading Establishment FUD - Meme Number 79

eom

[lsewpershad]

54. What about Hillary war in Iraq

and Libya and strong support against Iran, pro Saudis etc.

[Vinca]

55. I suppose it's too much to ask that we reflect on what the residents of Burlington thought.

They loved Bernie! He was the most popular mayor in modern history. Not unlike the level of popularity he has had in the state as a whole as a Congressman and then a Senator. There's no doubt that, thanks to Bernie and other liberal politicians, Vermont might be the best state of all to live in. Heaven forbid the rest of the country should enjoy such results.

[Live and Learn]

56. Utterly ridiculous! nt

[drray23]

57. reading the entire article is worth it.

It goes far beyond the excerpt the OP quoted. For example, Bernie openly supported the censorship of the newspaper 'la prenza' arguing that anti democratic measures were sometimes needed when fighting the opposition.. This and other facts make me really uneasy. Those are traits you find in south american dictators. No place for that in american politics.

[Armstead]

61. If you want to go into the weeds read about the behavior of dictators we have supported

[TheDormouse]

58. Turning point? Maybe u didn't notice that the media & Clinton supporters have been pointing out

that Sanders is a socialist since he first announced his candidacy?*

Maybe you didn't notice that, for example, MSNBC's Chris Matthews mentions that Sanders is a socialist every time he mentions Sanders on his show?

*Notwithstanding the fact that Sanders actually calls himself a democratic socialist and has never shirked from that at in any time in the campaign, including in the debates and town hall forums.

lol

[kstewart33]

73. Democratic socialism is not the issue.

The point is Communism and Marxism.

Much of the public can deal with Bernie's Democratic Socialism, but they will not handle his relationships and in some cases, his support for Communists and Marxists.

I'd wager that many voters will be repelled by it as portrayed by the Republicans.

There is nothing fair or upstanding about how the Republicans will do this. It's ugly, nasty, and no good. But it will work. They've shown what they can do and how it has worked in the past. No one is better at character assassination than the Republicans.

[TheDormouse]

77. People u speak of don't know the difference

As far as the average voter is concerned, "socialist," "Communist," and "Marxist" are the same thing.

But people aren't voting based on that.

They are listening to what Sanders actually says in his speeches and debates and interviews. They are looking at how he conducts himself today, and how he has for his almost quarter-century in Congress--during which time, you may or may not have noticed, he never tried to overthrow the US government by violent Revolution.

[mike_c]

62. you say that like it's a bad thing....

Seriously, Sander's 1980s foreign policy ideas align pretty closely with my 1980s foreign policy thinking. That's one reason I support him.

[Samantha]

64. Do they have anything from the 21st Century to hound him about?

People evolve. But if the Clintons think they can open this can of worms that far back, do they not think their critics will feel justified in going back decades and digging up offensive Clinton material? If I had the stuff in my background Bill and Hillary have in theirs, I would not risk an all out public relations war of a mean-spirited, hostile nature.

People are tired of this stuff. The majority just want to discuss the issues.

Sam

[kstewart33]

72. Whoa.

Who's been pushing the 'Goldwater Girl' meme on this forum, something that happened some 40-50 years ago?

But that's not the point.

In our democracy, in the present toxic political environment, and with the mainstream political electorate as it exists today, what would be more devastating to a presidential candidate than being portrayed as a Communist or Marxist?

I can't imagine a more devastating meme that the Republicans can create for Clinton than the 'Can you vote for a Communist for president?' brand that the Republicans will create and push hard, very hard about Bernie in the general election campaign, if Bernie wins the nomination.

Imagine. The ads, Rush, Fox, the talking heads demanding that Bernie completely explain his Communist and Marxist ties. The presidential debates - the questions and Bernie's opponent, pushing at every opportunity, that 'Bernie is a Communist!' ad nauseum.

Can you imagine what Trump would do with this?

As for Clinton publicizing this aspect of Bernie's past, she won't do it. And it would be terrible for the Democratic Party if she did it and she knows that. But she doesn't need to do it. The Republicans will. What they will do is ugly and reprehensible but they will do it.

[Samantha]

74. It is not going to work -- we have been around this bend before

I am not going to lose any sleep over anyone calling Bernie a Communist or a Marxist because many, many people have supported him for decades and know his reputation. They and others will stand up and protect him. Count on it.

Sam

[kstewart33]

78. The public does not know Bernie Sanders.

He is a little-known Democrat from a very small New England state. As more than a few African Americans asked on MSNBC coverage, "Who is Bernie Sanders? I don't know anything about him" which was a large part of Bernie's problem in South Carolina.

Those who know a lot about Bernie already support him. As we're seeing, there haven't been enough Democratic supporters for Bernie to win in Nevada and South Carolina. Super Tuesday does not bode well for a large number of Democrats who know and support Bernie.

The rest have yet to really get to know Bernie beyond the broad themes of his campaign. If he wins the nomination, the Republicans will develop their own portrait which they will relentlessly push on the public using a few hundred million $$$ war chest.

The word 'Communist' is kryptonite to a presidential candidate.

[Samantha]

80. There are many people who do not know Bernie Sanders, yes

and it is because of the media blackout from the beginning on him (and O'Malley) and the way he chose to put this campaign together. He only had enough money to finance a campaign in the order these contests were scheduled. As time moves on, he too moves on into introducing himself to the rest of the Country. When people hear his message, they respond to it. That is why his number of supporters continues to grow and why he moved ahead of Clinton in the national numbers.

There are Republicans who like his message, a majority of Independents who support him and that only adds to his chances.

Who cares what lies Republicans push? The Republican party has zero credibility now. People are not as susceptible to Republican lies as they used to be -- they have come to accept this and keep on trucking. Additionally, they are limited in their plays. I have watched them for years and recognize the same old same old. And I am not alone.

Calling Bernie Sanders a communist is laughable on its face, and I doubt many people will believe it. But why don't we agree you go to your political church and I will continue to go to mine, and we will see where the chips fall. When the time comes, a chorus of Bernie supporters will stand up and push back hard -- count on that.

Regards,

Sam

[kstewart33]

83. Sam, I hope you're right.

Let's agree to disagree and see what happens.

Thanks for the conversation (!).

[JackRiddler]

76. It's time to introduce Marx to a new generation.

Since the fossils who give a shit about this bullshit from your kind of jingoistic pro-imperialist murder perspective are ALREADY either listening to Limbaugh/Coulter and voting Republican, or dead.

Sadly in this age of Kardashian the response of 90% of people under 40 to the invocation of Karl Marx will be, "Who?"

If your efforts can get some kids to read the Communist Manifesto I'm all for it!

[kstewart33]

79. Have we met?

I never realized that I have a 'jingoistic pro-imperalist murder perspective.'

Young voters don't have to know much about Karl Marx or Fidel Castro or Manuel Ortega.

The Republicans will explain it to them in the general campaign.

[JackRiddler]

91. Let them try.

All I know of you is that you are accepting the imperialist ideology as hegemonic. It no longer is. Its institutions are still murdering around the planet, but the faith has been broken - starting with Vietnam, and continuing with the Reagan genocides in Central America, and of course now with the Bush war of aggression and the Clinton-Obama (that is the right order) series of wars. Let them come after Sanders with bullshit about him being communist - we've been hearing all this bullshit for the entire Obama time already. The young are immunized, the old are as mobilized as they'll ever be. The calculus of this rhetoric is no longer hegemonic. Even with the "terror" boost. Not enough people take this shit seriously anymore.

[JackRiddler]

67. Oh, please, bring it on!

You found the Commie past! Good work!

Sanders spoke out against the CIA war-crimes in Nicaragua and throughout Central America!

This is TOTALLY A GAMECHANGER!!!

What we need is more coups in Honduras, more jihadis in Libya, and no deals with Iran! More bombs, more!!!

I want this debate! Do you promise? Can you arrange it?

[peggysue2]

69. Hope It Doesn't Come to This

I'm an unapologetic Hillary Clinton supporter. I think there are plenty of critiques of Sanders' campaign promises without waging a war of total character assassination. I say this as a Democrat. Hillary has stayed away from Bernie's less than stellar personal history though his own brother said that Bernie has always believed in the politics of class struggle. Bernie was, in fact, quoted how he hated JFK because of what he did to Fidel Castro, the hero who had transformed Cuba. That's the sort of 'transformation' most Americans would reject.

That was then, this is now.

But that history will be used as a bludgeon by the Republicans in the unlikely case of Bernie Sanders' nomination. It isn't fair. It isn't even decent but we've all seen how the GOP manipulates the facts and smears all opponents. They play not only to win but to annihilate their competition.

When HRC supporters say that Bernie hasn't truly been vetted, this is what they mean. The man would be raked over the coals, sliced and diced in a thousand ways. Bernie's favorables are good now; he'd be lucky to get a cup of coffee once the GOP really went at him. And they're dying for the chance because it's all they've got.

Hillary on the other hand has been put through the meat grinder for over 2 decades. The Republicans have not been able to take her down which infuriates them, drives them crazy. She's still standing and will be standing after the dust settles.

Bernie? Not so much. Hillary can win on qualifications, experience and doable policy. Making America whole again. That's what we really need to concentrate on.

Btw, Hillary Clinton will clean up on Super Tuesday. With another 100 delegates, it's over from a mathematical stand point. It's over but for the weeping.

[grasswire]

99. tone deaf

Are you not observing what's going on in this country?

A majority of Democrats describe themselves as socialists. The concept of "class warfare" is no longer a taboo term. We are living it. The notion that "most Americans" reject what has happened to Cuba is too silly to note.

Look around. Look at the demographics. The only people who care about the things you mention are older Hillary supporters.

And if you think that Hillary has been vetted, you are in for a sad surprise. If elected, she will face impeachment immediately. And she may very well not get that far, because of a little thing called a criminal referral from the FBI.

I fear that your weeping has not yet even begun.

[AZ Progressive]

70. Anderson Cooper in the first debate went after Bernie on this

At 17:35

The MSM hasn't been going easy on Bernie.

[karynnj]

71. actually HRC won't go there in the primaries because she and Bill were for the Contras

The US policy in Central America was indefensible. Sanders was oposing a terrible US policy against the elected Sandanistas. We backed right wing thugs, who killed thousands, including Jesuit priests.


It was courageous to reject the Reagan policy then which was popular. Sanders was not alone. Two young Senators who opposed it in the mid 1990s were Kerry and Harkin. The US policy was the root of our bad relations with all of Latin America.

Interesting that Daniel Ortega is back in power now and last December, one last obstacle to the Paris Climate Change was eliminated by last minute calla from Castro and Kerry to Ortega. Wonder if the first term secretary could have succeeded with that call.

[Eric J in MN]

84. Daniel Ortega wasn't a dictator

...unless the Reagan administration disliking a leader makes him a dictator.

[yourpaljoey]

85. pffft... you are just too sad

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

90. The glorious return of Red Baiting in American politics and on DU.

USA!! USA!!

[moondust]

93. Daily Beast

Chelsea Clinton is the Director of the parent company.

http://iac.com/about/leadership/board-directors/chelsea-clinton

http://iac.com/brand/daily-beast



Credit to UglyGreed for digging this up.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

95. Iran Contra and the ghost of Reagan

[nadinbrzezinski]

98. hmm some of those, in fact all of them have been known

and not in archives either.

I knew of his positions on Central America in the 1980s, and his conversation on the NEWS over this was mayor even went there. Rachel Maddow even ran that video MONTHS AGO

[kstewart33]

106. Known to you and MSNBC viewers who watched that night.

But not yet known to the mainstream voting public. And known in a version fashioned by the Republican hit squad who are so skilled at character assassination. They masterfully demolished John Kerry and Michael Dukakis. They'll do it to Bernie, and they have much more to work with - videos, speeches, etc.

Thanks for posting the video. Good to know.

[nadinbrzezinski]

108. As I said, I knew about his positions in the 1980s

[countmyvote4real]

101. I have no problem with bernie's biography.

HRC's bio/record is much more distasteful to me.

[kstewart33]

105. That's not the point of my post.

My point is that many mainstream voters, when presented with a very skillfully designed attack on Bernie by the Republicans, will care and they will care very much. The voters won't dig into details about Bernie's past because voters never do that. But they will remember the Republican theme: 'Bernie is a Communist.' That's what they'll remember. And added to the other facets of the Republican attack, they'll turn away from him.

It's not fair. The attack will be despicable. But for the mainstream voter, it will work.

[quaker bill]

102. Liking Bernie better all the time

I did not recall that he did this. Thanks.

[yardwork]

104. Yes.

[Robbins]

109. keep it up

you will continue to turn off more and more bernie supporters for ge.

[kstewart33]

110. If you decide to not vote, that's your responsibility, not anyone else's.

Your response is reminiscent of the Naderites who chose to vote for Nader in the 2000 election which handed the presidency to George W. Bush. And we all know how well that turned out.

If you and other Bernie supporters choose to stay home, fine. But if you and other Bernie supporters in effect hand this election to Donald Trump, that's on your record sir/madam, not on mine.

How pompous and arrogant of you and others to wave your vote aloft, and essentially say, 'be nice to us or we won't vote.'

I never knew that votes could come and go so cheaply.

[LondonReign2]

111. The number 1 reason you listed for not supporting Sanders is

1) his platform won't pass Congress

OK. What part of Clinton's platform is going to pass Congress?

[kstewart33]

112. London, that's a very good question.

I've been too busy to post a thread (at work today), but I will answer your question. Look for a thread tomorrow.

[LondonReign2]

114. Thank you, that would be much appreciated.

[pdsimdars]

115. That's silly

Talk about grasping at straws. What a drama queen title for your post.