So, I watched the infamous video of Bernie and his wife on stage. My first reaction

[Luminous Animal]

was that he was trying to tell her something for a purpose. When I watched it several times over that purpose was clear.

#1) When he said to her, "Don't stand there," she was confused. Why? Because she could always stand there. Next to him.

#2) Noticing her confusion, he pointed down and she looked down and then gave a nervous and somewhat embarrassed laugh and backed off though still in confusion. She did not know where to go. Why? Because boundaries were set by the Secret Service and clearly, she had no place, according to Secret Service boundaries, within them.

Now, I don't know this for sure but I spent several hours yesterday researching the Secret Service and their coverage and rules when guarding candidates and WOW they are a tight lipped bunch when it comes to their protocols and procedures.

What I did ascertain is that sight lines are extremely important for those agents who are facing towards the candidate and that it is important that those sight lines remain unobscured.

So, how would a candidate and anyone on stage with the candidate know where to stand to follow Secret Service protocol? Of course, markings on the floor. Likely tape.

Jane, previously, had rushed to the podium to tell Bernie he was likely to win Washington and that move probably put the Secret Service on hyper alert and, in turn, alerted Bernie to not allow their sight lines to be compromised without prior notification.

Neither Jane nor Bernie are accustomed to Secret Service protection and thus, neither of them are accustomed to protocol.

They have stood by each other's side for decades. This is new to them. I have no doubt that Bernie is receiving death threats.

And, knowing Bernie, he is not taking these death threats seriously. But that is not his job. The Secret Service takes death threats profoundly.

[GeorgiaPeanuts]

1. It is very disgusting that this was even an issue...

Par for the course when you have a campaign that parlays with the likes of David Brock...

He needs to be excommunicated from the Democratic party permanently. He does more to turn off progressives than almost anything.

[Joe the Revelator]

9. He's not the only one needing to be 'eccommunicated' nt

[riderinthestorm]

2. Someone with event planning experience said she was probably very close to the taped mic cords

on the floor.

Your explanation works well too.

Its clear she looks down at something.

[Jennylynn]

3. Oops nope.

THIS was the event where she ran back onstage to tell him he won WA. After the pointing to the floor.

[Luminous Animal]

4. Really. So he made his announcement that he had won Washington prior to her

telling him.

[Jennylynn]

6. No no....

After he told her, don't stand there, she left the stage. And I would say within 5-10 minutes , she came back up, ran up to him, and talked in his ear while people were cheering. After they got done cheering he announced what she had just told him. Breaking new ladies and gentlemen, we have won Wa.....

[ebayfool]

10. When she told him @ WA, she was on the opposite side of the original mark. n/t

[Jennylynn]

21. Yes. She was.

[bobbobbins01]

5. I saw it and didn't know what the big deal was.

Then I read up on it, and holy fuck...this is the definition of grasping at straws. I couldn't really tell what was being said, but assuming he did say don't stand there...I still see no problem...and he definitely wasn't rude at all. Smear job plain and simple.

[haikugal]

8. They're grasping at straws. I'd feel sorry for them if they were'nt so foul.

[Recursion]

23. Yeah, this is a really disappointing moment for me

I knew this primary would get bad, but this one really took me by surprise.

[shadowandblossom]

7. I saw it and I didn't think anything of it.

I wouldn't know about all of that, think he just wanted her to move while he did his speech. Didn't matter to me.

[kgnu_fan]

11. I am worried about that.... death threat....

[fun n serious]

12. What death threats? Link? nt

[Luminous Animal]

14. They all get death threats.

[shenmue]

17. Proof, smoof

[snowy owl]

13. I noticed but let it go. Who cares? It got solved.

He was focused on his speech and Jane made the best of it. What's the big deal?

[hedda_foil]

15. The whole point of the smear is to piss off women who apparently are moving from her to Bernie.

It's an entirely innocuous clip that Brock has interpreted to mean Bernie mistreated his wife, despite the fact that it's really not possible to see much of anything in the video itself. They're betting it will drive women away from Bernie while screaming in horror.

It's so ridiculous as to be laughable. Surely one of Brock's lesser efforts.

[renate]

16. Blue Nation Review's headline still says that he says "Don't stand next to me"

BULLSHIT.

In the article they say "NOTE: Some hear Bernie saying “don’t stand there,” others hear “don’t stand next to me.” " BULLSHIT. It's unmistakable if they'd done any research and looked at any other videos. There was NO ambiguity when I heard it live (and rewound it to check). Plus, their little "NOTE" isn't in the headline, which presents it as fact.

I keep telling myself that Hillary's more, um, enthusiastic/amoral supporters are not Hillary herself, but this kind of thing is just so repellent.

[Cheese Sandwich]

18. Thank you for this explanation. I had no idea what all the hubbub was about

But it nuts for Clintonites to be poking at whatever is going on in other candidates marriages.

[Betty Karlson]

19. K&R for the voice of reason.

[Onlooker]

20. Wow, a Bernie supporter explains away Bernie's bad behavior

Imagine if it was a Hillary video!

[Recursion]

22. This whole episode has been slimier than I thought we would go

And I figured we'd go pretty low. And we still have two months left. Oy.