Bernie is a mensch. He kept his word.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

A man is never better than his word and his word was golden.

[geek tragedy]

1. yeah, people need to STOP criticizing him.

he's an ally, and a strong one.

and it makes exactly zero difference to anything that matters that he's calling himself an Independent in the Senate. That's how he was elected.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

3. Bernie has been great!!!

Some of his followers haven't been. We shouldn't conflate the two !!!

[NurseJackie]

5. Yep ... that's how he was elected.

And, it appears that's how he'll be running again.

[geek tragedy]

8. and I'm fine with that.

when the chips are down, he's with us

[workinclasszero]

10. I'm fine with it too

Democrats in the senate should include him in everything they do as far as I'm concerned.

He is a strong voice and a leader.

[axollot]

11. He's always caucused with other Senate Dems n/t

[workinclasszero]

13. True and it needs

to continue.

[merrily]

14. Exactly. He told America he would not run as a spoiler. He kept his word, ran as a Democrat

Last edited Thu Jul 28, 2016, 03:54 PM - Edit history (1)

and got tons of crap for it. He said if he lost the nom, he would do all he could to defeat Trump. He's been doing that and will continue to do whatever he's asked through November. People said he lied to raise money. I receieved his emails. As his path to victory narriowed, his emails said the path was narrow. When he had no path, he no longer said he had a narrow path. He said he wanted to go into the convention as strong as possible. I don't know what people think they gain by lying about his emails.

No sooner did he finish his convention speech than he got crap in advance here because he was supposed not going to throw his delegates to Hillary, or stop the count as she had. Yadda, yadda. Clearly, however, he was there to do exactly what the Hillary campaign wanted him to do. If she wanted him to stop the count, he was going to stop it. If she didn't want that, he would have let it go on. Next, he will do whatever campaigning her campaign wants.

Meanwhile, however, the people of Vermont elected him as an independent and he is not going to break trust with them either. If he had been elected President as a Democrat, he would have served as a Democrat. The article on DU I saw this morning suggesting he might have served as indie if he had been elected President had to have been written by one of the most clueless political commentators around.

BTW, serving as an indie means only the (I) after his name. Before he ran, Schumer, Dean, and other prominent Democrats praised him to the skies and the DSCC will not even support a Democrat who runs against him. But, I'm sure some 25 year old political commentators and some anonymous DUers who have never been inside the Democratic caucus know better than Schumer.

[geek tragedy]

17. I get people who are on the wrong end of a contest being sore etc

I do not understand people who (a) win and then (b) still attack the other candidate after he joins their ranks as a supporter of the winning candidate

They're literally attacking a fellow supporter and ally.

Nucking futs.

[Warren DeMontague]

30. I don't get it, either.

The only thing I can come up with is, either some people are deliberately trying to foment strife and division among us, OR they enjoyed the clusterfuck that was primary season fighting on DU.

[geek tragedy]

32. usually it's (c)--emotions make people do and say stupid shit nt

[Warren DeMontague]

33. I would apply that logic to any idiots still heckling, too.

but the overwhelming impression I've had- of course, I've been tuning in to the thing directly, avoiding the filter of "interpretation" of cable news heads whenever possible - is that we have had a fucking EXCELLENT week, the party is incredibly unified, and we've seen some truly spectacular pieces of oration explaining why our ticket deserves the support of the American people.

[geek tragedy]

34. yeah, turning off MSRNC is the best approach.

that, and not going on DU while watching speeches.

because the cycle usually goes:

1) 1-10 angry assholes rant;

2) MSRNC breathlessly covers it;

3) people at DU start a thread about it

short-circuit the chain and they go ignored

[BlueCaliDem]

18. "Meanwhile, however, the people of Vermont elected him as a Democrat" I think you need to correct

that. He was elected as an Independent.

Otherwise, I completely concur with your post.

[merrily]

24. Thanks. That's what I get for posting while focusing on something else.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

20. It seems some of his supporters are upset with him for keeping his word.

I have seen him called a sell out or worse on other boards and I am not making an oblique reference to just one. I have seen it on several boards.

Some Clinton supporters were afraid he wouldn't keep his word and now some of his supporters are upset with him for keeping it.

Any way, he is a big time mensch.

[merrily]

21. Maybe they didn't "take him at his word" to begin with? If not, that's on them.

Did he say flat out he would endorse Hillary? No. Did I understand that anyway? Yes.

Thing is, were you in it for Bernie Sanders? If so, you are okay with him now.

Or, were you in it for a certain set of principles, goals, etc. that you expected him to pursue until November outside the Democratic Party? If not, you are not okay with him now.

[axollot]

23. Love love love your straight talk about Bernie

I live in Florida, where in 2014 the Democratic Party pushed for Crist - who was our last GOP governor before Scott. Everyone who supported Crist over Nan Rich (progressive senator term limited out; she is well thought of tho) told me "but he is a Democrat now and part of the Democratic Party and will get on the Establishment platform" OK.

HE LOST. Big. Scott is still our governor. Crist wasn't a bad governor either but blue-no-matter-who doesn't fly for everyone.

We have city managers who set police protocol; who are blue in Miami and Los Angeles but we are still seeing people killed and beaten 'by protocol' the buck stops with the voter. City managers and Mayors or governors we elect set what protocol is OK. Once one beating is considered protocol they all are.
Voting Blue matters, *WHO* matters too.

This year so many told me that Sanders should be allowed on the Democratic Party ballots because he is an independent; even tho he is an indie who caucused with and voted with Democrats and was NEVER GOP. He didn't run independent cause he would have split the vote.

Too many have told me "Sanders isn't a Democrat he should have run as an independent" Me: "Whaaaaaaaaaa?!"

[merrily]

25. Thank you.

[tblue37]

29. + a brazillion! nt

[NurseJackie]

2. I look forward to having the Independent (I) Senator from Vermont...

... work with our party to elect Hillary as the next Democratic (D) president of the United States by defeating Trump, the Republican (R) nominee.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. He did keep his word. His integrity is unmatched by anyone. n/t

[NurseJackie]

6. I hope he's able to help raise a lot of money for Hillary's campaign. It will take a lot ...

... to be able to compete with the well-funded (and well-oiled) GOP smear-machine.

[democrattotheend]

12. I would rather see him use his fundraising efforts downballot

Not because I don't want Hillary to win but because I think that is where Bernie and his donors can be most effective. I don't see a ton of Bernie supporters giving to Hillary the way they gave to him even if he asks them to. It would be an easier sell to get them to donate to progressive downballot candidates, and the money could probably make a bigger difference in those races.

Hillary has plenty of support both from large donors and I would imagine a base of small donors of her own. I am one of the more pro-Hillary Bernie supporters, but I have been hesitant to donate to her because I don't have a ton of money to donate and I feel like it would be a drop in the bucket compared to the $100,000 per plate some people gave at the Clooney dinner. If I had enough money to max out to multiple candidates I would give to Hillary, but I feel like my $27 could make a bigger difference in a Congressional race where the total cost is in the single-millions instead of the billions.

I think the best thing Bernie can do for Hillary is campaign for her and keep working to convince his supporters to vote for her even if they are not enthusiastic about it.

[merrily]

15. Good point.

[NurseJackie]

19. Who decides which downballot candidates receive the money?

Back in the day, there was a shortsighted strategy of only raising money for downballot candidates who'd endorsed Bernie (presumably, even if they weren't competitive at all, and were destined to lose, through gerrymandering, no matter how much money was poured into their campaign).

There really needs to be a central "clearing-house" (if you will) that can effectively and actively analyze which downballot candidates are actually competitive, and which ones could win with additional funding and support. Or, conversely: by analyzing which GOP candidates are weakest and could be defeated (even if the Democratic candidate doesn't meet all purity tests... it's still one LESS Republican in office.)

It wouldn't make good strategic sense to simply throw money at only those downballot candidates that Bernie personally likes, or that meet all purity requirements.

These things should be handled with cold and calculating strategy for winning, rather than the warm satisfaction that one may get with an emotional and impulsive donation.

[democrattotheend]

22. In the general election, you are right

I think he should focus on progressives with a decent chance of winning.

However, I would not be opposed to him fundraising for progressive primary challengers in future cycles.

[workinclasszero]

7. He kept his word to support Hillary and to the DNC

Now many of his followers have abandoned him sadly.

But he kept his word. Thank you Bernie!

[democrattotheend]

28. Most of his supporters still love him

Even among those who refuse to vote for Hillary, most still love Bernie and feel that he is either doing what he has to do (as if someone is holding a gun to his head) or think he's secretly winking at them to support Jill Stein.

Of course, I don't think either is true. I think he is supporting Hillary because as the son of Holocaust survivors, he more than anyone can recognize how dangerous Trump is.

[Orsino]

9. And we are all stronger for it.

So far, our nominee is impressing the hell out of me with the room made for the official adoption of dissidents.

She's got this.

[TransitJohn]

16. Of course he did, as he always has.

I don't even get why this was ever in doubt? The Party really wrongfully ascribed ill intent to the man and his campaign.

[sofa king]

26. I never doubted him.

What I love about Bernie Sanders, have loved about him for 20 years, is his total commitment to saying what he thinks and to doing the right thing. I knew he would make peace and I knew he'd do it all the way, because he's a great person.

[democrattotheend]

27. It breaks my heart to see some of his so-called supporters call him a sellout

Some of them think he is a fraud at worst and at best just a typical politician who sold out. Then there are some on the far left who still like Bernie and think he is just paying lip service because supposedly Chuck Schumer threatened to kick him out of the caucus and take away his committee assignments.

I don't see why none of them seems to grasp the obvious: Bernie's parents were Holocaust survivors. He better than anyone can see how dangerous Trump is. He may not agree with Hillary on everything - he even said so in his speech. He might even consider himself more ideologically aligned with the Greens - he pretty much admitted that too. But unlike many of the petulant delegates in Philly who claim to represent him, Bernie understands that Jill Stein has no chance of winning (not to mention being completely unqualified), and that a vote for her is a vote for Trump.

The truth is, Bernie has no reason to "sell out." He has around an 80% approval rating in Vermont. Senate Democrats need him more than he needs them if they are hoping to become the majority. Any attempts to primary him or run a Democrat against him would likely be futile because his constituents love him (except the two in my boyfriend's family who are Trump supporters, but even they don't deny that he's a good man).

In other words, if Bernie didn't want to endorse Hillary or encourage his supporters to vote for her, there's little anyone could do to force him to do so. So I don't think he would be doing this if he didn't genuinely believe that we are better off having Hillary as president than Trump. It makes me really sad to see some people who claimed to support him call him a sellout, when he's obviously doing what he thinks is best for this country.

[Warren DeMontague]

31. They don't understand what a "primary" is, I think. Still, I believe most everyone is on board.

It's been a good and unifying week.

[democrattotheend]

35. It just sucks that the few who are not are getting so much attention

And they are making him look bad and undermining his calls for more open primaries and letting regular people participate.

I sold 25 "Bernie Has My Heart, Hillary Has My Vote" products on Zazzle yesterday alone, and close to 100 this week. Obviously there are a lot of Bernie supporters who are on board with Hillary, but we are getting drowned out by the crazies.

[Warren DeMontague]

36. Hey- Good for you!

I sold a lot of stuff on Zazzle back in the Bush era, but eventually got burned out on it.

Only other thing I would say about the 'attention' factor is, I think much of it is being driven by cable news orgs looking for a story of conflict or division. I've been watching the convention stream basically unfiltered and while there have been a few instances where the heckling, etc. was apparent, particularly on Monday, overall it hasn't seemed like it at all.