Hillary’s primary success is a sham: Bernie Sanders will remain the true Democratic front-runner...

[silvershadow]

Hillary’s primary success is a sham: Bernie Sanders will remain the true Democratic front-runner until the FBI finishes its Investigation

It's not over until the FBI clears Hillary Clinton— which it absolutely shouldn't

H.A. GOODMAN

Bernie Sanders is the only Democratic candidate for president not linked to an FBI investigation. This used to mean something in American politics, but those days are gone. Today, I’m viewed as delusional, by the same people who think smart politics and qualifications entail endless scandals, poor decision-making on everything from major foreign policy decisions to Wall Street speeches, and ongoing FBI investigations. In truth, the only delusion is believing that a candidate at risk of DOJ indictments, and facing political repercussions even without these indictments, would make a great president.

Nonetheless, this election season has been a bizarre case study in group think and competing narratives. At first, Bernie couldn’t win and Hillary was inevitable. Now, Bernie almost won, but apparently lost because of New York, and the FBI is simply a minor speed bump on the road to the White House. Tomorrow, Clinton will claim victory is just around the corner, even without knowledge of the FBI’s verdict.

At the end of the day, Americans everywhere will realize that the rule of law applies to Hillary Clinton, and that honesty and integrity will propel Bernie Sanders to the presidency. The FBI’s reputation is at stake, both globally and at home, and I explain why in this YouTube segment. James Comey and the agents who’ve devoted endless hours to Clinton’s email investigation will soon disclose their findings to the American people; to think nothing will result from this year-long probe is naive. Remember, the FBI doesn’t give parking tickets.

There will indeed be political repercussions for Clinton, especially if the FBI recommends indictment, and Democrats will need Bernie Sanders. The DNC will need Bernie Sanders. The country will need Bernie Sanders.

more: http://www.salon.com/2016/04/21/hillarys_primary_success_is_a_sham_bernie_sanders_will_remain_the_true_democratic_front_runner_until_the_fbi_finishes_its_investigation/

[GreydeeThos]

1. 1446 - 1205 = 241 is not a sham

Bernie is losing by 241 delegates.

Hillary is not going to be indicted. Salon is just repeating the right wing meme about legal action. There is no evidence that can convict Hillary, and they know it. It is the Republicans stalling the FBI report because they want to get a little more mileage out of their fabricated witch hunt before the election.

[silvershadow]

2. did you read it? Hillary is losing by one investigation

[GreydeeThos]

3. Hillary is losing on YOUR presumtion of guilt?

As far as I know there has been no charges; there has been no trial.

When nothing happens, what are you going to do?

[silvershadow]

4. I don't care if she's guilty or not she's under investigation

you surely are not that obtuse. She cannot do this to the party

[GreydeeThos]

5. A right wing witch hunt turn you against a Democratic candidate

The fabricated Republican investigation into Benghazi and emails has achieved the intended results.

[silvershadow]

6. your opinion versus reality

[djean111]

8. No. Listen up -

Hillary's love of war and fracking and the TPP and crushing student debt and cluster bombs and Third Way slashing at Social Security and regime change and Wall Street coziness and outright lying has turned people away from Hillary.

Those are Republican VALUES that she has - the fabrication is that she is actually a Democrat.

No matter how many times that ridiculous "Benghazi and emails" thing is shrieked about. Kind of out-of-date, innit, bringing up Benghazi? And everything I mentioned as real issues can be seen on the internet. The GOP had nothing to do with that.

And I do believe Hillary is proud of the things I abhor.

[Demsrule86]

21. A big who cares

for some faux right wing bullshit investigation...what does it say your guy lost anyway?

[silvershadow]

23. What does it say that she is under a cloud of suspicion...yet again? nt

[Peace Patriot]

7. Well, those are your opinions but you give me no reason to believe them.

"Hillary is not going to be indicted."

How do you know that?

"Salon is just repeating the right wing meme about legal action."

Is there or is there not an FBI investigation?

Doesn't an FBI investigation mean that there could be a recommendation of indictment against the person at the center of their investigation--Clinton, the Sec of State who ordered up a private email server, instructed an aide to strip the header off a classified document and email it on the private server to someone who had no security clearance, and who evaded a number of laws by having a private and insecure server in the first place, by conducting government business on the private, insecure server, and by claiming that documents that she deleted were only personal in nature, when this was not true?

These things are not "right wing memes." They are part of what the FBI is investigating, and, until we know otherwise, we cannot presume that the FBI is politically motivated to serve the right wing, or the opposite, is politically motivated to protect Clinton. And they may just be doing their job. There is evidence warranting an investigation; they are investigating.

"There is no evidence that can convict Hillary..."

How do you know this?

"It is the Republicans stalling the FBI report..."

How do you know this?

&quot Republicans) want to get a little more mileage out of their fabricated witch hunt before the election."

Are you saying that the FBI is conducting a fabricated witch hunt?

This is certainly a complex matter, politically. But nothing you've said contributes in any way to our understanding of the situation. You are merely expressing partisan feelings, with no content. You don't want Clinton to be indicted. You want to believe that this is all just a right wing witch hunt. There is fervor in your beliefs but nothing at all concrete or convincing. I advise you to become a little more objective, because if the worst happens to your candidate, it will drive you into a frenzy.

[randome]

14. This OP contributes nothing to understanding, either.

Clinton is not under investigation. No matter how much mental energy you expend on wishing differently, you won't make it true. Until something changes, what is the point of posting an endless cavalcade of "What if..." scenarios? No point that I can see other than that you wish to damage our leading candidate to the best of your ability.

It's sad.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]A ton of bricks, a ton of feathers, it's still gonna hurt.[/center][/font][hr]

[Peace Patriot]

20. I don't agree with everything in the OP...

...for instance, that Hillary Clinton is not "above the law." Bush, Cheney & Rumsfeld were certainly above the law, as are many rich and powerful people. It has yet to be demonstrated that Clinton's status as a member of the rich and powerful does not protect her from the legal consequences of her actions, if she committed crimes. But precedent certainly points to "we must look forward not backward" on the crimes of the rich and powerful.

But I do think that the OP contributes to our understanding of the situation: That our frontrunner in the presidential primary is under FBI investigation and could be recommended for indictment.

You say: "Clinton is not under investigation."

This is just patently untrue. The man who set up her private server has been given immunity by the FBI. The FBI has been pouring over tens of thousands of her emails, some of which she deleted from the server but which they retrieved from a backup that she didn't know about. She has said those emails were all personal. That was not true. Some were work emails containing classified information. The spy agencies were called in to verify this, and to redact sensitive material from FOIA requests. She also is known to have told an aide to strip the header from a classified document and copy & paste it into her private, insecure server.

The State Department was consulting with the FBI in the investigation but withdrew from that role (or was asked to withdraw). The DOJ is now involved.

To assert that "Clinton is not under investigation" is truly "ponies and unicorns." It is wishful thinking. And it is simply not true.

What will come of this, we don't know. But the OP reminds us that it is on-going and has potential for impacting the primary and the GE. What WILL the Democratic Party do if the FBI reports Clinton national security or FOIA violations, or other lawbreaking or malfeasance to the DOJ for possible grand jury consideration this summer, before or after the convention, or in the fall before the GE?

The OP is saying Sanders should NOT drop out, even if he doesn't reach the magic number of delegates. We may well need him, either to be the candidate or to help select a new candidate.

My guess is that this won't happen. Clinton won't be indicted even if she did commit crimes. Her aides may fall on their swords. The FBI may shy away from the charge of political interference. She is a member of a class that has in-built immunity even from the crimes of unprovoked mass slaughter, torture of prisoners and grand theft, as we saw with the Bushites.

Personally, I think her arms deal with the Saudis, while the Saudis contributed millions of dollars to the Clinton Foundation, alone disqualifies her from the presidency. That is exceedingly corrupt. I don't know if it's a crime. People inside the Beltway probably consider it routine. And there were many other similar deals, many of them with dictatorial regimes that, to say the least, are cruel to women. How clever. How feminist. The hypocrisy is awesome.

I find this (and also Honduras) much more troubling than the existence of her private server in and of itself. That just seems like incompetence--from every point of view, including her own. What she was using that server for is another question. But her actions that impacted innocent PEOPLE in very horrible ways are the most important thing to me.

Anyway, back to the problems of our party: Our party leadership and Clinton supporters would be foolish to stick their heads in the sand about the FBI investigation. They may face some very difficult decisions about this. They and the rest of us need to learn everything we can about it, to be prepared for those decisions.

What if, for instance, the FBI report comes out and essentially says Clinton is guilty of malfeasance but not specific crimes, and they are not going to recommend indictment? Is that sufficient for Clinton to continue as the Dem candidate if she has already been nominated? What are the risks to the GE? A report of crimes and rec for indictment will throw the party into even more disarray. And no report at all over the next 4 to 5 months creates problems as well, but lesser ones. (How will the Republicans use it? How will they oppose a candidate under such a cloud?)

It IS an argument for voting for Sanders, as things stand. He has no such cloud over him. He's clean as a whistle. The OP points this out as well. That is a useful thing to know if you are an undecided voter or a soft Clinton voter. (Sanders' national poll numbers on trustworthiness and likeability are also awesome, as are his matchups with Republicans. He would beat any Republican by a landslide.)

I can understand why hard Clinton supporters want discussion of the FBI investigation shut down. But, as I said, I think it's foolish to do so. I've been a member of the Democratic Party for over 50 years. I think I have some perspective on things. I've seen quite a number of tragedies and crises in our nation's political life and within our party as well. I'm a Sanders supporter AND a loyal Democrat and a loyal American. I am not trying to harm anyone by saying all of this. I'm urging all of us to adhere to truth and reality, in order to make the best decisions we can for our country and for future generations.

[silvershadow]

24. It is foolish to put the entire party on the line and roll the dice. I can't have that kind

of taint on me, personally. I will publicly disavow her if it comes to it, because I want no part of it. None.

[GreydeeThos]

18. Now you are catching on

This speculation about an FBI investigation and projections of it delivering a kill shot to the Clinton campaign are opinion.

The endless predictions of the FBI ending Hillary's bid to become President, giving a victory to the Republicans and somehow benefitting Bernie Sanders are not worth the time it takes to read them.

[chervilant]

47. Oh, good lord...

You've gone immediately to my IL. I cannot understand how our party has devolved into "it doesn't matter that a Democratic candidate is under investigation by the FBI"!!!

SMDH...

[firebrand80]

9. If HA Goodman thinks an indictment will happen

Hillary has nothing to worry about

[Agschmid]

10. Even the OP admitted... "I don't care if she is guilty or not"

Kinda telling if you ask me.

[grossproffit]

12. How very undemocratic of them.

[Stuckinthebush]

11. Delusion

It keeps hope alive

[Tarc]

13. HA Goodman screeds are comedy gold

[LexVegas]

15. ...

[OilemFirchen]

16. "Today, I’m viewed as delusional"

No. Six months ago, Goodman was viewed as delusional. Now he's simply pitiful.

[Betty Karlson]

17. K&R for the uncomfortable truth.

[amborin]

19. K&R

[seabeyond]

22. Clinton has kicked Sanders ass..... Winner, loser.

[silvershadow]

27. You've just described the Hillary 2016 elections if she wins...it will come down Winner, Loser. nt

[seabeyond]

32. Correct. The manner of a race. A winner. Clinton. And a loser. Sanders. You are right on.

[silvershadow]

35. She might win the primary, and if so she will go on to lose the general. Worst. Candidate. Ever.

[seabeyond]

36. Lol Lol.

[seabeyond]

37. Btw. What does that say about your candidate that lost to Clinton?

[silvershadow]

38. It says with all the irregularities, not as much about him as her. nt

[seabeyond]

40. Everyone elses fault Sanders lost. Gotcha.

[silvershadow]

41. No just her and her "irregularities" at virtually every turn. nt

[seabeyond]

42. Fabricated. Purely Fabricated. Old and tired.

[silvershadow]

43. Evidence? Links? nt

[seabeyond]

45. Silvershadow, I gotta wonder about posters like you.

[silvershadow]

46. 50 year Democrat being hosed again by the Third Way? What's to wonder? nt

[rbrnmw]

25. HAHAHA Goodman

[apcalc]

26. This thread is

Total trash, imo.

[griffi94]

28. Can it really be called a sham

when she's far ahead in the delegate count and the popular vote.

See I don't think that's a sham.
I think Bernie is getting buried.
Tuesday should put the last shovel full of dirt on his campaign.

Wishful thinking isn't going to change reality.

[silvershadow]

30. You wish. California. nt

[griffi94]

33. Hillary will win California

It'll be over long before then tho.

[Dem2]

29. HA!

Goodman

[silvershadow]

34. Because every voter is so discriminating? Hardly. Point is, it is out there, everywhere and

she will get slaughtered.

[mcar]

31. HA

[Loudestlib]

39. Actual Chicago Election Board Meeting 2016-04-05 Showing It should be 56.7% for Bernie 18.4% Swing

In one example noted during video, 21 Bernie votes were erased and 49 Hillary votes added to audit tally in order to match machine count. In this one precinct, this change from the actual results accounted for nearly 20% of overall votes cast. The actual tally was 56.7% in Bernie's favor. After count was manipulated by machine he lost with 47.5% of vote. A whopping 18.4% swing.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/4/21/1518627/-Actual-Chicago-Election-Board-Meeting-2016-04-05-Showes-It-should-be-56-7-for-Bernie-18-4-Swing

[Dem2]

44. Besides being irrelevant to this thread

It's been posted no less than 4 times in the past 24 hours. The most talked about 70 votes in US history

[chervilant]

48. Yeah,

but Hi11ary's supporters just don't want to look at these fraudulent practices. And, I can't help but wonder HOW anyone who claims to be a Democrat can ignore such undemocratic behavior!