2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumWho, exactly, are the ‘Berniebros?’
ICYMI.
Source: Washington Post by Philip Bump
This was a pointed reference to the group of supporters of Bernie Sanders commonly known as "Berniebros," in the evocative formulation coined by the Atlantic's Rob Meyer. "Berniebros," as a concept, refers to presumably young, presumably white and most-definitely male backers of Sanders who launch the sorts of attacks to which Bill Clinton was referring and the sorts of attacks that have become part of the everyday life of women online: harassing, offensive, vituperative.
On CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday, Sanders disavowed such behavior.
"Have you heard about this phenomenon, the Berniebro?" CNN's Jake Tapper asked.
"Yes, I have heard about it. It's disgusting," Sanders replied. "Look, we don't want that crap. We can and we will do everything we can, and I think we have tried. Look, anybody who is supporting me, is doing sexist things is we don't want them. I don't want them. That is not what this campaign is about."
Read it all at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/02/08/are-the-berniebros-a-problem-of-politics-or-one-of-internet-culture/
cantbeserious
(13,039 posts)eom
CoffeeCat
(24,411 posts)Robert Kagan, the founder of the neocon movement, endorsed Hillary. That's right. He took a look at all of the candidates, including Republicans, and decided that Hillary was his favorite.
Never, ever thought I'd see the day when the cancer that is the neocons would metastasize itself inside the Democratic party. But here it is. And here we are.
Just in case anyone wants to downplay Kagan's letter of recommendation for Hillary--it's important to note that Hillary hand picked Kagan to be one of her foreign-policy advisers while she was Sec of State.
I mean, this guy is hard core. He hatched the entire neocon plan with Bill Kristol. It's actually a business plan that should be titled, "How to make your corporate pals rich and all you have to do is murder millions of people and decimate a few Middle East countries!"
One of the countries on the neocon hit list is Libya. And Hillary sure handed them Libya on a silver platter. Libya is now a failed state with no government and untold numbers fleeing into Europe. But of course she gave them Libya. Kagan was advising Hillary along the way.
Read "Rebuilding America's Defenses", the neocon manifesto, if you are interested in their war plan. The plan was hatched in 1996. It's fucking frightening. Iran is next.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/pdf/RebuildingAmericasDefenses.pdf
We don't have to accept this hell. Vote for Bernie.
cantbeserious
(13,039 posts)eom
CoffeeCat
(24,411 posts)I lobby that warmongering always be discussed as a standalone topic--because of how incredibly sick and dastardly the whole neocon plan is.
Murdering millions of innocent people, causing untold suffering, starvation and homelessness while hollowing out entire countries--all for profit--deserves its own special category.
I remember when the neocons were just getting started. They gained their foothold in Iraq. I read their entire plan and saw that Syria, Libya and Iran were also on their hit list. I was so proud of my fellow DUers. This was the one place on the Internet where Democrats could do to grieve and express disgust for the neocons and their warmongering.
And look at us now! Our front-runner is a neocon cheerleader who surrounds herself with neocons. Why would Hillary have hand picked Robert Kagan--the founder of the neocon movement--to be one of her foreign-policy advisers while she was Secretary of State? He's worse than Cheney. He originated the entire war plan! He's like the Tony Soprano of the neocons--but without the feckless charm.
I don't get how anyone justifies such atrocities. Then again, history has shown us that people are more than willing to look the other way and rationalize when atrocities are happening.
cantbeserious
(13,039 posts)Of product quality.
In the end, the Corporate Profiteers and Their Political Minions chuckle all the way to the bank as they have duped the dead and 99% yet again.
The Second Stone
(2,900 posts)He's just a man, and one that is losing and will lose at that. This obsession with the charisma of one man, rather than working for changes in institutions is just childish. What you are basically saying is that after this mere mortal is gone from this earth, there is no hope for any of us.
Government isn't a charisma cult. It's hard work and compromising.
snowy owl
(2,145 posts)Leaders are important and they come along rarely or haven't you noticed that this country is falling apart even though many of us have been working for change since the nineties?
The Second Stone
(2,900 posts)Yes, leaders are important, but there are usually others who can take up the mantle when the leader retires. Who are the people who are the next generation of Bro leaders?
LexVegas
(6,050 posts)Fawke Em
(11,366 posts)What's disgusting is that we have so many media types that are so biased.
Electric Monk
(13,869 posts)anotherproletariat
(1,446 posts)Obama campaign strategies had nothing to do with them.
pinebox
(5,761 posts)That's cute.
Sorry but many of us supporting Bernie have our own kids who are old enough to vote.
anotherproletariat
(1,446 posts)in matters involving politics. I assume the Berniebros would be young and 'invincible'.
frylock
(34,825 posts)snowy owl
(2,145 posts)There is a contingent of Hillary supports that have a lot of attention via media and they use it to support one candidate over another. They should expect some blowback when they do that. About the only two women I can think of with any national exposure that are pro-Bernie are Katrina Vanderheuval and Nina Turner. What do you expect when all of media is providing free advertising for Hillary? Joan Baez - anybody remember her? - is for Sanders. When people don't feel like they have a voice, some fight back in less-than-civil ways. They shouldn't but I understand it.
And many Clinton supporters seem to think that pointing out Clinton's policy issues is attacking Clinton. Hard to have a conversation when you do that. And hard to have a conversation when one candidate can't be heard and has limited presence in media. Think about it.
vintx
(1,748 posts)of the VRWC (anyone care to rename this for her since she's all in now?)
yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)FlatBaroque
(3,160 posts)She is quite well aware of the Clinton ratfucking empire.
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)snowy owl
(2,145 posts)stevenleser
(32,886 posts)workinclasszero
(28,270 posts)on her Facebook page because she failed to endorse Bernie.
quickesst
(6,280 posts)... for the Bernie Bros "phenomenon" being made up by the Clinton campaign or anyone else. They're real and they're nasty.
workinclasszero
(28,270 posts)They have done serious damage to Bernie's campaign.
I'm surprised his supporters try to defend them or try to pretend they don't exist.
quickesst
(6,280 posts)One of the biggest problems Bernie's sincere supporters continue to ignore, and the risk of anyone doubting that sincerity is something they're not willing to chance,
CoffeeCat
(24,411 posts)You insist on calling names, like some kind of middle-schooler--while suggesting that Bernie supporters are such horrifying people. "Nasty" people, to use your words.
I've been to many Bernie campaign events, worked with many Bernie supporters and met and worked with thousands of volunteers. All of the women in my book club are Bernie supporters. All ten of us. We all have teenage kids and many of them support Bernie. I've had fund raisers for Bernie in my home and hosted Bernie supporters from the West Coast.
I've never met anyone who fits your cartoon-like, made-up slur.
Your stereotyping is nothing but manufactured baloney. Just as the "Obama Boyz" was manufactured baloney from 2008. They didn't exist. Your slur doesn't exist and it doesn't represent Bernie supporters.
But what do you care? Name calling is so fun. So classy.
sibelian
(7,804 posts)Despite the fact that the only people who pay any real attention to it or take it even vaguely seriously are the other people already in their own camp.
quickesst
(6,280 posts)"You insist on calling names, like some kind of middle-schooler--while suggesting that Bernie supporters are such horrifying people. "Nasty" people, to use your words."
I never said all Bernie's supporters as you infer. If you wish to include yourself in my description, that's your problem. If you wish to ignore some of the things Hillary Clinton and her supporters have been called, that's your prerogative. It would have to be some kind of record for cherry picking. Comparatively, "nasty" is a compliment.
highprincipleswork
(3,111 posts)Cleverly used to nullify valid criticisms and commentary through a broad-sweep swiftboating of the Sanders campaign.
I'm not saying it's not "clever". I'm not saying it's effective. I'm saying it's extremely disingenuous (every campaign has its extremists, but it has been revealed that some of the alleged perpetrators are neither male at all nor Bernie supporters), inauthentic, and a blatant political ploy.
LexVegas
(6,050 posts)workinclasszero
(28,270 posts)Fawke Em
(11,366 posts)I checked every single Twitter account linked in stories about "Bernie Bros" attacking John Lewis and found TWO who were or might be supporters (ironically, both of those supporters were also AAs). All the others were either right-wingers or people who showed no political affiliation to any candidate on their feeds.
Sorry, you're wrong about this. Why do Hillarians believe the media so much when they know of the biases?
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)noretreatnosurrender
(1,890 posts)A figment of imagination in the mind of David Brock.
yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)noretreatnosurrender
(1,890 posts)What did you expect him to say? Did you really expect him to say they are a Hillary campaign tactic ? Come on, be real.
merrily
(45,251 posts)At least not only Brock.
Response to merrily (Reply #19)
FlatBaroque This message was self-deleted by its author.
Andy823
(11,495 posts)Check out all the names that rec'd this, and those who defend him in the thread.
merrily
(45,251 posts)Gotta tell ya, when you kept posting to ask him where he was going to be on a particular day, that creeped me out, as I posted to you at the time. And now, you post to me about Manny, months after he's been banned, when I ask if Brock worked in Hillary's 2008 campaign. Yikes.
Andy823
(11,495 posts)If he was going to be there protesting like he was encouraging others to do at a Clinton event. I would think if he was promoting it he might be there, nothing creepy about asking him that question since we all know he was promoting others to do his work for him.
As for you saying it might be Brock that made this up, I was showing you that Manny was using it before it ever became an issue with Bernie's campaign. I think him calling all of his loyal followers Bernie bros pretty much shows these people DO exist, and they were here on DU back in November.
I have no interest in Manny. I was glad he showed his true colors and was banned.
merrily
(45,251 posts)Autumn
(45,042 posts)Hoyt
(54,770 posts)that is?
merrily
(45,251 posts)about the behavior of Hillary supporters.
Wish I could say the same for Hillary's two primary campaigns.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)merrily
(45,251 posts)And he said what HEARD about was disgusting. His saying behavior is disgusting is NOT the same thing as saying his campaign attracted it. That's totes your spin.
He has millions of supporters. Believe it or not, in any groups of millions of people, some behaved badly, even before Bernie was born, let alone had a campaign. Nothing in the OP says bad behavior is the fault of his campaign.
Read the OP and my post for actual comprehension and then have the basic decency to characterize both honestly. Thanks.
sibelian
(7,804 posts)It's like talking to a wall.
merrily
(45,251 posts)Hoyt
(54,770 posts)I'd say he is disgusted with the behavior of those supporters who his campaign has attracted.
How ever you wish to parse/spin it, Sanders is speaking out again a significant number of his supporters who are acting disgustingly. Accept it.
MaggieD
(7,393 posts)Sanders is a guy who will sue Wiki for using his campaign logo, but has no problem with his supporters and their "Bern the witch" and "Fuck her" memes.
Honest to dog, I don't think I have ever seen nastier people in politics on the Dem side until this campaign by Bernie. And I hate to break it to you, but I know dozens of actual adults who feel the same way.
There are many reasons he will not win the nomination, but this is certainly one of them.
merrily
(45,251 posts)Shocker!
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)"Yes, I have heard about it. It's disgusting," Sanders replied. "Look, we don't want that crap. . . . . ."
Again, it's obvious he is repulsed by their behavior, enough to say it on CNN. Wish folks who do that "crap" were as disgusted with it.
merrily
(45,251 posts)this behavior, nor does it contradict any of my posts on this this thread. Nothing you quoted does either of those things. Please stop flailing pointlessly. Thanks.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)Similarly Trump's campaign has attracted people who exhibit "disgusting" behavior, only he loves them.
merrily
(45,251 posts)You're the only one making the claim that Bernie's campaign attracted bad behavior.. You tell me what Bernie's campaign did to attract bad behavior on the part of some of the millions of BErnie supporters. The I will tell you what the Hillary campaign has been doing to attract ugly behavior on the part of Hillary's supporters, in both 2008 and in 2016. Deal?
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)merrily
(45,251 posts)As I said three or four posts ago, that's only your spin. You keep falsely claiming he said his campaign attracts bad behavior. Hoever, you haven't backed up a single claim you made. And, no, quoting something that does not say what you claim it says is not backing up your claim. But you just keep repeating it anyway. That's an awful waste of your time and mine, something else I said about four posts ago.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)merrily
(45,251 posts)It's not a good look. And, since it seems to be all you've got, I wish you a pleasant day. The last word that you seem so desperate to get, no matter how meaninglessly, will be yours, if you only repeat yourself again. Go for it!
yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)Sanders and the campaign attracted them because he is male!
Running against a woman!
Sanders acknowledged they are a problem!
You are correct as usual, Hoyt!
MelissaB
(16,420 posts)Be respectful that you're at a site to support Democrats. Take it somewhere else."
Kind of applies here, eh?
hellofromreddit
(1,182 posts)Last edited Sun Mar 20, 2016, 04:08 PM - Edit history (1)
Ratajkowski got severe blowback from people who are obviously not aligned with Sanders when she endorsed him.What we ask of leaders is that they call out that behavior and work to stop it.
Sanders has called it out, and his staff and many of the supporters work to shut down the vile comments. But people seem to pretend that it doesn't matter. What more is expected?
The berniebro problem is mostly fabricated as a political weapon. It is real, but nowhere near the scale people pretend. The abuse of women on-line has been a massive problem since the BBS days, and it can be seen in all campaigns. It's only that the Clinton campaign right now that is trying to pretend Sanders created it by naming it after him.
edit to add: Another thread has a good example of disgusting behavior.
merrily
(45,251 posts)that is positive to Bernie, I've gotten ad homs immediately and a-plenty from Hillary supporters. And I've seen them on this board and at hillarysupporters. com That's why I am not buying into the self righteous holier than thou.
The main difference between Hillary supporters and Bernie supporters is that her campaign maligns his supporters and coordinates that with Clintonites like Krugman and his campaign does not do the same to her supporters.
griffi94
(3,733 posts)I'm not going to blame him for the behavior of Clinton haters.
I'd guess the really nasty ones aren't even pro Bernie they just really hate Hillary.
Of course a lot of people have been conditioned to hate the Clintons since the 90s.
Some of them are also just zealots much like sports fans and
just can't stand the thought of their "Team" losing. Some are political purists
who like that Bernie is also pure. Of course it's easy to be pure when you're not actually responsible
for results and your main function seems to be offering critiques and commentary as to why both parties suck.
Bernies done a lot of good this political cycle by raising questions and bringing some focus to his issues.
I think I'll focus on the positive things that have come out of his campaign and on the majority
of his supporters who are good people and not the Berniebros, the perpetually disgruntled, the misogynists, or the "If I can't have my way right now then burn it all down".
The primary will be over soon and the raw feelings will fade.
sibelian
(7,804 posts)Anybody posting online in favour of independence was a "cybernat". Rapidly the idea that the Internet was infested with nasty cybernats spread.
Do you get it? "Nationalists" = nat and "Internet" = "cyber". Hence - cybernats! Kind of trips off the tongue, too.
Cybernats! Under the bed! Crawling up through the floorboards! Sleeping with your wife! Stealing your jobs and beating all your high scores on your favourite video games!
It was a PHENOMENON, truly, apparently.
It was not a new experience for me as I've been a "faggot", "shirtlifter", "fudgepacker", "friend of Dorothy" (can't stand Judy Garland, Dinah Washington for me, thanks), "chutney ferret" and so on for a VERY long time, but I think some of my internet compatriots were genuinely taken aback as nothing like that had ever happened to them before.
FlatBaroque
(3,160 posts)FreakinDJ
(17,644 posts)yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)where Senator Sanders (I-VT)* called them "disgusting?"
Why would a candidate disavow a "Mythical Beast?"
FreakinDJ
(17,644 posts)Remember the Obama Boys ....
It is so classical Rovian I wonder if she hired some one
Kip Humphrey
(4,753 posts)In other words, another invention of the Hillary campaign.
try again.
yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)"Look, anybody who is supporting me, is doing sexist things is we don't want them. I don't want them. That is not what this campaign is about."
He never hesitates to call out the Clinton campaign or Hillary.
Why does he acknowledge Berniebros if Hillary is the source?
Kip Humphrey
(4,753 posts)Grow up, yallerdawg. You know where this all originated as well as I do. Get a life.
yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)The Berniebro really isnt that bad, though. I mean, you maybe support many of Bernies policies, and youre glad hes pressing Hillary. But why oh why are the Berniebros posts always at the top of your Facebook timeline? And why is he writing in that tone? Is the Berniebro talking to his friends or is he declaiming in the Roman forum?
The Berniebro, now that you think about it, was the kind of person whod show up to a college party in a toga. You remember it maybe being the Berniebros profile picture once. (Today, the Berniebro is wearing a blazer in his profile picture, or an open-necked gingham shirt. Or both.)
The Berniebro, though steadfastly a Berniebro now, will not always be such. You can sense this. Soon, maybe already, the Berniebro will become a Schoolboardbro. Or a Municipalparkingbro. Or, heaven help us, a Localhistoricaldistrictzoningrestrictionsbro.
Yet today the Berniebro is still a Berniebro. The Berniebro is #FeelingtheBern. And until Sanders drops out of the race, the Berniebro wants you to #FeeltheBern, too.
I don't want to grow up.
"Toga, toga, toga!"
Fawke Em
(11,366 posts)Then you'll see what mocking gets you.
mythology
(9,527 posts)That attack people, particularly women, online who happen to also be Sanders supporters. They aren't representative of Sanders supporters overall or the Sanders campaign as a whole.
It should be a non-issue. People can be assholes on the internet because they don't have to look the person in the eyes or risk getting punched in the face for it.
Please let this nonsense die.
Billsmile
(404 posts)Clinton's remarks reminded me of this line from Animal House.
MaggieD
(7,393 posts)... so many of his supporters weren't nasty, and hadn't exhibited all the traits that real progressives find disgusting. I don't think he would have won, but so many of his supporters are just such a turn off that many people can't even imagine throwing in with folks like that.
I have never been a Sanders supporter because I have known his MO for over a decade. But I do know many people that have crossed him off their list in large part because of the nastiness of his supporters, which reflects on the culture his campaign has set. It all blurs together at some point.
Trust Buster
(7,299 posts)Tom Rinaldo
(22,912 posts)yallerdawg
(16,104 posts)Welcome to "The World of Hillary Clinton!"
Gothmog
(145,079 posts)This is from Joan Walsh's article http://www.thenation.com/article/why-im-supporting-hillary-clinton-with-joy-and-without-apologies/
Watching people trash your daughter on social media isnt fun. It got worse when Hillary Clintons Twitter account retweeted her, and worse again when she tweeted about Planned Parenthoods Cecile Richards, a woman she admires, in the wake of the groups controversial decision to endorse Clinton. It turns out Richardss daughter works for Clinton as well, and that began a new round of insults to both our daughters. Either they were beneficiaries of our nepotism, or they somehow used their influence to corrupt their dimwit mothers into ignoring Sanderss obviously superior feminist qualifications. It is interesting to me that none of the ladiesnot Clinton, not me nor my daughter, not Richards nor her daughterare credited with competence or integrity when the Berniebot keyboard warriors break it all down.
The bernie bros are real and their attacks on Walsh's and Richard's daughters were sad
jillan
(39,451 posts)CalvinballPro
(1,019 posts)And that's where the "BernieBro" phenomenon originates. I mean, think about it, we're not hearing much different than what we heard when women in the gaming and tech industries began speaking out for equality.
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)Berniebrostein?
kcr
(15,315 posts)The sexist and racist ones in particular. They now just hide behind a Bernie avatar so they can titter and play the Who, meee? game because there's no such thing as a Bernie Bro! Look, a giant gif! When the primaries are over, they'll still be who they are, thinking they're just as clever, moving on to something else. Someone somewhere mentioned Gamer Gate. That was another popular movement that attracted a lot of these types. No, not all Bernie supporters or even most, but the ones who are get a lot of attention. They know exactly how to push buttons because they're trolls.
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)Le Rinse. Le Repeat.
kcr
(15,315 posts)Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)I'm sorry you don't like it, but you know, everyone's a critic.
ZX86
(1,428 posts)I had just made a deposit at an ATM and a young White guy jumps out of the bushes and starts yelling at me that I'm just a tool of corporate bankers. Then he starts checking me out and says, "You should come down to campaign headquarters. That's where all the hot chicks go that want a little action, if you know what I'm saying". I told him no. I'm not that kind of girl, I'm not going to hell. That made him really mad. He began ranting like a lunatic about Medicare for all and free college. I started to run away but he grabbed my arm and whipped out a knife and said, "Well if you don't want to join us then you'll just have to wear the mark of the Bernie Bros anyway!" and he punched me, cut my face, pushed me down on the ground and ran off.
I swear it's all true and I have a pic to prove it!
/revision/latest?cb=20081025235030
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)Engine knock and the heartbreak of psoraisis. DAMN YOU BERNIE BROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOS
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)Lazy Daisy
(928 posts)I'm a racist, sexist POS who's vote isn't wanted or needed. But please do continue with these posts, just in case others didn't get the memo.
Response to yallerdawg (Original post)
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