BREAKING: Bernie backs up Gabbard (This, to me, completely disqualifies Bernie)

[scheming daemons]

Link to tweet

Bernie is someone who got a lot of support from Russians in 2016.... not of his doing, but he DID get their support.

After first denying it, he finally acknowledged it.


Now... they are supporting Gabbard. She has not disavowed their support.

Anyone who defends Gabbard is no Democrat. Bernie needs to walk this back.

[LakeArenal]

1. So much this.

Bernie is as bad about Hillary as trump is about Hillary.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

33. Riiiiiiiigghhht!! LMAO!! Good one... comparing Bernie to tRumpy!!

Last edited Mon Oct 21, 2019, 08:26 PM - Edit history (1)

Bernie is absolutely right, AS USUAL, in saying:

"Tulsi Gabbard has put her life on the line to defend this country. People can disagree on issues, but it is outrageous for anyone to suggest that Tulsi is a foreign asset."

Unless, of course, Hillary has proof that Tulsi is a Russian asset.... and if Hillary DOES have proof - as I suspect she does, based on her comments - Hillary should present it, as it's a matter of national security.



Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[George II]

40. That's not a laughing matter.

[Tiggeroshii]

116. Villifying bernie for defending tulsi

When beto booker and mayor pete have all done the same is absolutely a laughing matter.

[George II]

119. That's not the point, but whatever.

[Tiggeroshii]

123. Its all quite hilarious

Whatever your point was, this whole thing is absolutely a laughing matter. Because the accusations are all about BS here.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

134. It cracked me up!! Such outrage!!

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[jimlup]

50. agreed

can't say more

[lapucelle]

55. Who suggested that Tulsi is a foreign asset?

Is BS aware of what Secretary Clinton actually said?

"I'm not making any predictions, but I think they've got their eye on somebody who is currently in the Democratic primary and are grooming her to be the third-party candidate."

The BS team should do a better job of ensuring that he is working with facts rather than manufactured story lines.

We wouldn't want this to happen a second time.

https://www.vpr.org/post/mueller-indictment-says-russians-allegedly-supported-sanders-campaign?_ga=2.260474701.1342847435.1571703212-1981513718.1571703212#stream/0

[George II]

109. He was busy getting the message out.

[Tiggeroshii]

118. +10,000

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

131. Thanks T!! Once again, only Bernie deserves to be trashed by some...

with comparisons to Dolt45... apparently, that's fair game under the "Bernie Standard," to which no other Democrat is held.


Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[Cha]

130. Being in the military is a not an immunization from advancing positions that are not in the best..

Last edited Mon Oct 21, 2019, 11:38 PM - Edit history (1)

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Gracias, LakeArenal.. Como estas?

[LakeArenal]

132. Muy bien mi amiga❣️

[Cha]

133. Excellente! I messed up in my previous

post and had two tweets the same.. I've corrected that and added this one at the end instead..

Link to tweet

Lo siento, mi amiga!❣️

[monmouth4]

2. He was never on my radar so I hope this is it for him and he just goes away..n/t

[NurseJackie]

3. Agreed.

He's only defending her because she "hates" the Democratic party as much as he "hates" it.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I only support loyal Democrats.

[Eliot Rosewater]

34. Stay tuned, will get way worse

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. I totally, completely agree. n/t

[hlthe2b]

5. Not exactly unpredictable given the lingering animosity between Sanders and Clinton...

But foolish, IMO, just the same.

[melman]

6. Good for him

That's the right thing to do.

[scheming daemons]

12. It is not. She has been trying to subvert the Democratic party from the start.

And while she may not be a willing asset of the Russians..... she is certainly an unwilling one.

They like her. For a reason.

[melman]

23. Yes it is

She's been unfairly attacked. Decent people don't stay silent when that happens.

[W_HAMILTON]

41. They certainly stayed silent when Trump and the Republicans were lobbing insults Hillary's way.

[StarfishSaver]

43. IKR?

I don't recall Tulsi saying a word in defense of Hillary. Ever.

So there's that

[melman]

46. Did you have a problem with Beto's statement?

Link to tweet

[Cha]

94. Because of course they did.

[mcar]

106. Like when the Republicans were unfairly attacking Hillary?

Sure, I remember how Sen Sanders and his supporters leapt to her defense...

Not!

[BlueWI]

170. Remember the line in the first debate?

The American people are sick of hearing about your damn emails?

If Clinton had planned an equally strong line defending herself, history may have turned out differently.

[mcar]

171. One line

IIRC, he was planning to use it to criticize her, but had to pull back when everyone applauded the first sentence.

Name anything after that.

[BlueWI]

172. Nah.

Do your own research if you want to or send me a retainer if you want to hire me.

Sanders campaigned for the ticket after the convention. There's plenty of public record for open minded researchers.

[mcar]

173. Aww, isn't that sweet?

I won't go into how long it took for Sanders to campaign after the convention, nor how long it took for him to concede.

There's plenty of public record for open-minded researchers (you forgot the hyphen).

[BlueWI]

174. All good, grammar policing internet stranger.

Hopefully the time spent trolling Sanders wins elections. From your efforts alone, we should be golden.

[obamanut2012]

146. she has never been unfairtly attacked, ever

Now, she has unfairly attacked Dems, including HRC and Obama.

[Blue_Tires]

166. LOL all she's gone on to do since is 100% prove Hillary's point!

But please, keep digging by all means...

[msongs]

7. bernie/tulsi 2020? nt

[progree]

35. Yup - it's been that way at our "sister site" for at least a year --

https://jackpineradicals.com/

(which was started by many ex-DUers back around June 2016 who were PPR'd or refused to agree to the new terms and conditions, e.g. no bashing Democratic public figures, support Democrats, don't defend voting 3rd party, yada).

Another interesting characteristic of that site is a virtually unanimous view that Russiagate is a hoax (from my occasional reading of the site, I have seen not one exception).

Oh, they talk about DU all the time, except they don't say "DU" or "DemocraticUnderground", because they have a rule against talking about DU (because in the beginning, they talked obsessively about DU, and it wasn't fondly). So they code name us "S.V.", short for Site Voldemort, after Lord Voldemort, the Harry Potter fictional character who must not be named. So we're the site that must not be named.

[reACTIONary]

48. +10 ... "sister site"....

... LOL

[progree]

56. I think next time I'll say "sibling site" so it doesn't sound like I'm equating women with the

risible nonsense that goes on over there.

[Jirel]

68. Oh lord.

Really, if you’re an “occasional reader,” don’t bash JPR. I’m on there. I sure as hell don’t think Russiagate is a hoax. Nor do plenty of others.

[Cha]

85. We don't need anyone to tell us what jpr

is like.. we've seen posts from there that were disgusting.

[mcar]

108. Many of us are very familiar with the founders

and many of the denizens of that site. It was created for the express purpose of being able to call HRC a c#@t.

I'll bash JPR as often as I can, thanks just the same.

[progree]

128. Well feel free to weigh in on this thread and tell them how you feel

Last edited Tue Oct 22, 2019, 09:45 AM - Edit history (1)

and set joentokyo straight too while you're at it.

https://jackpineradicals.com/boards/topic/we-need-to-check-this-right-here-who-on-jpr-is-still-supporting-russiagate-after-this-and-why/

OP: We need to check this right here. Who on JPR is STILL supporting Russiagate after this….and why?

joentokyo #192066 - I have never seen a post at JPR in support of Russiagate. Have there been any?

And show me a single post in that thread or anywhere at that site that argues that the Russians influenced the election enough to change the outcome.

I've been an "occasional reader" for 3 years, enough to read at the very least a few thousand posts, and many opinions about Russiagate, ranging from it's total bullshit, to, yes, they did some things, but it was the hated corrupt warmonger queen that lost her own election etc. etc. So yes, there's quite a range of opinion over there

Oh, I have no doubt that there are a few stray posts amongst the hundreds of thousands on that site where somebody did argue that Russian efforts were enough to make a difference, and that's why I gave myself a little wiggle room by saying "virtually unanimous"

[obamanut2012]

147. hahhahahahhaahha yeah, no, not stopping bashing JPR

[betsuni]

148. They think Hillary Clinton murdered Seth Rich.

[revmclaren]

152. The purge of past posts on JPR was done to hide

the vile rantings of Russian trolls and assets attacking true Democrats. Unfortunately for the past JPR posters, a huge archive of these posts can be found at archive.org.

Admitting you post there is not a good look in IMHO and of many more here.



ONLY!!! 2019 and beyond.

[Scurrilous]

95. "...unaminous view that Russiagate is a hoax..."

JPR = Jack Pine Russiafine!

[MineralMan]

162. More like our "red-headed stepsister" site, I think.

[Otto Lidenbrock]

8. Michael Flynn served in uniform

[Scurrilous]

9. ...

[Tiggeroshii]

10. Another day another thread bashing bernie

...

[scheming daemons]

14. Maybe he shouldn't be siding with those trying to subvert the Democratic party

...like Gabbard.

[Tiggeroshii]

17. Maybe people should provide actual evidence when accusing Democratic figures of subverting

The party.

[scheming daemons]

20. Lots of evidence has been presented...

....you just are choosing to ignore it.

[Tiggeroshii]

22. Because it doesnt exist.

[sheshe2]

28. Google is your friend, NT

[Tiggeroshii]

83. Google tells me nothing about tulsi being a russian assett.

And when an accusation is made, you follow it with evidence not "google is your friend."

[sheshe2]

86. It tells you a lot about her history.

Eye-opening.

Try again.

[Tiggeroshii]

96. Try making an accusation with evidence as part of the accusation.

Doing anything else is just barking nonesense to create division in an already divided landscape.

[lapucelle]

125. First of all, nobody called Tulsi a Russian asset.

"I'm not making any predictions, but I think they've got their eye on somebody who is currently in the Democratic primary and are grooming her to be the third-party candidate."

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hillary-clinton-suggests-russians-are-grooming-a-2020-democratic-candidate/

[lapucelle]

126. Second of all...

What, Exactly, Is Tulsi Gabbard Up To?

As she injects chaos into the 2020 Democratic primary by accusing her own party of “rigging” the election, an array of alt-right internet stars, white nationalists and Russians have praised her.

By Lisa Lerer
Published Oct. 12, 2019

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/12/us/politics/tulsi-gabbard.html

******************************************************************************************

Russia's propaganda machine discovers 2020 Democratic candidate Tulsi Gabbard

Experts who track websites and social media linked to Russia have seen stirrings of a possible campaign of support for Hawaii Democrat Tulsi Gabbard.

Feb. 2, 2019, 7:03 AM EST
By Robert Windrem and Ben Popken

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/russia-s-propaganda-machine-discovers-2020-democratic-candidate-tulsi-gabbard-n964261

******************************************************************************************

Tulsi Gabbard: White nationalists and Russian propaganda machine throw support behind 2020 candidate

The Hawaii Democrat is facing a growing pool of controversies surrounding her 2020 presidential candidacy

Chris Riotta
Thursday 7 February 2019

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-election/tulsi-gabbard-russia-david-duke-policies-2020-campaign-white-nationalist-hawaii-propaganda-a8768056.html

******************************************************************************************

Tulsi Gabbard Hires Russian Agent to Keep Hawaii Media in Check

by Andrew Walden, www.HawaiiFreePress.com, January 5, 2018

Russia has lots of experience in media censorship. So perhaps it is logical that Rep Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI-2) hires an agent of the Russian government as a ‘consultant’ to keep Hawaii media under control.

http://www.hawaiifreepress.com/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/ID/20879/Tulsi-Gabbard-Hires-Russian-Agent-to-Keep-Hawaii-Media-in-Check.aspx

******************************************************************************************

Link to tweet

******************************************************************************************

I'm not a Russian asset!

Tulsi Gabbard makes bizarre boast during 2020 debate as she accuses U.S. of trying to fight 'regime change wars' in the Middle East

Katelyn Caralle
16 October 2019

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7578035/Im-not-Russian-asset-Tulsi-Gabbard-makes-bizarre-boast-2020-debate.html

******************************************************************************************

The Russians Are Coming For Kamala Harris. Why?

William Spivey
Aug 3, 2019

After the second debate during which Kamala Harris was criticized onstage by Rep. Tulsi Gabbard on her history as the Attorney General of California. Russian bots went all-in on the Internet in declaring Harris’s candidacy all but over. Like clockwork, Fox News reiterated everything said on the Internet. Make no mistake, Kamala Harris’s record on any issue is fair game to be discussed and debated which is true of any of the candidates. A campaign to misrepresent that record by Russians supporting Trump is another thing entirely.

https://medium.com/discourse/the-russians-are-coming-for-kamala-harris-why-b7c2c73c7523i

[DanTex]

72. Besides repeatedly going on Tucker Carlson to bash Democrats?

[LongtimeAZDem]

154. This +1

[lapucelle]

74. Are you referring to the October 12, 2019 New York Times story

or one of the other stories?

What, Exactly, Is Tulsi Gabbard Up To?

As she injects chaos into the 2020 Democratic primary by accusing her own party of “rigging” the election, an array of alt-right internet stars, white nationalists and Russians have praised her.

By Lisa Lerer
Published Oct. 12, 2019

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/12/us/politics/tulsi-gabbard.html

******************************************************************************************

Russia's propaganda machine discovers 2020 Democratic candidate Tulsi Gabbard

Experts who track websites and social media linked to Russia have seen stirrings of a possible campaign of support for Hawaii Democrat Tulsi Gabbard.

Feb. 2, 2019, 7:03 AM EST
By Robert Windrem and Ben Popken

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/russia-s-propaganda-machine-discovers-2020-democratic-candidate-tulsi-gabbard-n964261

******************************************************************************************

Tulsi Gabbard: White nationalists and Russian propaganda machine throw support behind 2020 candidate

The Hawaii Democrat is facing a growing pool of controversies surrounding her 2020 presidential candidacy

Chris Riotta
Thursday 7 February 2019

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-election/tulsi-gabbard-russia-david-duke-policies-2020-campaign-white-nationalist-hawaii-propaganda-a8768056.html

******************************************************************************************

Tulsi Gabbard Hires Russian Agent to Keep Hawaii Media in Check

by Andrew Walden, www.HawaiiFreePress.com, January 5, 2018

Russia has lots of experience in media censorship. So perhaps it is logical that Rep Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI-2) hires an agent of the Russian government as a ‘consultant’ to keep Hawaii media under control.

http://www.hawaiifreepress.com/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/ID/20879/Tulsi-Gabbard-Hires-Russian-Agent-to-Keep-Hawaii-Media-in-Check.aspx

******************************************************************************************

Link to tweet

******************************************************************************************

I'm not a Russian asset!

Tulsi Gabbard makes bizarre boast during 2020 debate as she accuses U.S. of trying to fight 'regime change wars' in the Middle East

Katelyn Caralle
16 October 2019

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7578035/Im-not-Russian-asset-Tulsi-Gabbard-makes-bizarre-boast-2020-debate.html

******************************************************************************************

The Russians Are Coming For Kamala Harris. Why?

William Spivey
Aug 3, 2019

After the second debate during which Kamala Harris was criticized onstage by Rep. Tulsi Gabbard on her history as the Attorney General of California. Russian bots went all-in on the Internet in declaring Harris’s candidacy all but over. Like clockwork, Fox News reiterated everything said on the Internet. Make no mistake, Kamala Harris’s record on any issue is fair game to be discussed and debated which is true of any of the candidates. A campaign to misrepresent that record by Russians supporting Trump is another thing entirely.

https://medium.com/discourse/the-russians-are-coming-for-kamala-harris-why-b7c2c73c7523

[betsuni]

76. +1

[Cha]

89. Thank you, lapucelle! Perfect place to post

your "research"!

[Maven]

127. Thread winner. nt

[Quixote1818]

59. Gabbard isn't the only one who has subverted the Democratic process

https://www.cnn.com/2017/11/02/politics/elizabeth-warren-dnc-rigged/index.html

Let's be consistent here.

[betsuni]

66. As you knew, a week later she said it wasn't rigged. The DNC rigging the election is a debunked CT.

"I agree with what Donna Brazile has said over the last few days, that while there was some bias at the DNC, the overall 2016 primary was fair and Hilary made history."

[Cha]

92. Thanks for that.. I thought I remembered

Last edited Mon Oct 21, 2019, 10:21 PM - Edit history (1)

a correction to "rigged" claim!

[betsuni]

122. A shame we still have to talk about that stupid rigging crap. On DU!

Disinformation about the Democratic Party shouldn't be here.

[Cha]

124. Exactly.. we don't have time to

be correcting damn disinformation everyday.

[revmclaren]

156. The same crowd that cried 'rigged' before

now starts crowing this debunked claim again and I'm sure are ready to scream it loud and long when their favorite doesn't get the nomination.

Like clockwork.



ONLY!!! 2019 and beyond.

[totodeinhere]

63. Well obviously Bernie does not agree with your characterization.

If he did agree he would not have said what he said. Also, the excerpt from that article doesn't mention several other prominent Democrats including Beto who have come to Tulsi's defense.

[ritapria]

25. How true Tiggeroshi

No evidence has been produced that Gabbard is a Russian spy/ asset ……. ….Produce the evidence to back up the allegation … We are open-minded on the issue but an accusation without proof is a smear … If there is no evidence, an apology is in order … .. If there is evidence , it should be produced forthwith …….

[Tiggeroshii]

104. I myself am not a tulsi fan. But attacking a democratic congressperson

Not too far from the most serious election cycle we may ever have, is just poor form. And then bashing somebody for defending said congressperson is simply ridiculous.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

135. I agree... Hillary must have good reasons for withholding that evidence.

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[trueblue2007]

101. He deserves it.

[still_one]

11. Defending her country has NOTHING to do with where she stands on the issues, or if she knowingly or

unknowingly is being used to create division among Democrats by outside influences.

As for Sanders "needing to walk this back", with his appointments of Nina Turner, David Sirota, Briahna Joy Gray, and Cenk Yager and the justice democrats, speaks for themselves.

[Tiggeroshii]

13. Regardless nobody has provided any actual evidence in their atackson her.

This divisive fight needs to stop or we are fu ked in 2020.

[scheming daemons]

18. Lots of evidence has been presented....

... the Russian IRA has directly used thousands of bots to support her online.


RT (Russia Today) and Sputnik.... two Russian media outfits... have supported her.


When given a chance to disavow this Russian support, she declined.


She's Jill Stein 2.0.


And shame on Bernie for defending her.

[sheshe2]

30. So we get hides?

Try google.

[Jake Stern]

49. "Try google"

That's what folks do when they can't or won't back up their claims.

Make the claim, provide the proof. Anything else is pure intellectual laziness.

[sheshe2]

54. Sorry.

The links I have found are devastating. I won't risk a hide. Do some research on your own. Trust me, if you want the truth it is not that hard to find it.

[Tiggeroshii]

99. If the links would risk a hide. They are likely not reliable.

"Try google" is not evidence. More like deflecting. Because you have no credible evidence.

[sheshe2]

107. You funny.

Fact is the truth gets hidden around here. Lots of info out there. You only have to seek the truth grasshopper.

[Tiggeroshii]

113. It is ridiculous to villify bernie for defending tulsi

As booker, beto, pete and some others have also defended her. It is only fair to attack them in the same way or not attack any of them at all.

[sheshe2]

117. I am not talking about Bernie.

I am talking about Tulsi. But you knew that.

[Tiggeroshii]

136. My confusion. The OP is about Bernie.

[obamanut2012]

149. Yup, my one and only hide EVER here was answering a reply like that

I showed objective proof, and POOF. Hidden.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

15. Oh this is what did it for you?

[Kurt V.]

32. ikr. ha!

[Devil Child]

88. I got a hearty chuckle at that assertion Hassin Bin Sober!

[ismnotwasm]

16. Holy Shit.

This is bad. So bad.

[Tiggeroshii]

140. I hope you see it just as bad when Mayor Pete, Beto O Rourke and Booker also gave strong defenses of

her. Otherwise this would happen to simply be contrived nonesense.

[mcar]

19. Not a good move on Sen Sanders' partpart

[TidalWave46]

21. Sanders top campaign staff will be working for Gabbard in a couple of months. NT

[AkFemDem]

24. I don't care for Bernie or Tulsi but he's right.

[Taraman]

26. This isn't a me-too moment

I think Malcolm Nance's "useful idiot" analogy is pretty apt when applied to her.

[redqueen]

27. Bad call.

Why would he say this now?

smh

[Maven]

29. One spoiler defends another. nt

[W_HAMILTON]

47. He doesn't want to lose his share of those voters to her, heh.

[delisen]

31. Lieutenant General Michael Flynn served his country too.

[beastie boy]

36. This is not about Gabbard. Like Trump, he still can't get over Hillary.

If it was AOC stating the obvious about Gabbard, I doubt we would have heard from Bernie.

[Enoki33]

37. It's a little puzzling why Bernie found it necessary to support a competitor

with Gabbard’s history of disruptive announcements. She may not be a full fledged Russian asset, but she has conveniently positioned herself to be useful to Putin, and has refused to deny it.

[LAS14]

69. She doesn't have to be complicitous to be an asset.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287319139

[W_HAMILTON]

38. I wouldn't expect anything less from him.

He has to hug Gabbard to death. If he didn't and ended up losing a couple of percentage points of the disruptor/"""anti-Democratic""" vote to Gabbard, he'd basically be below the 15% needed to actually win delegates when we start voting, while doing absolutely nothing for Gabbard's chances. He can't let Gabbard steal his anti-Democratic spotlight.

[delisen]

39. Wh0 said "asset?" nt

[delisen]

42. Clinton & Pelosi: sharpshooters without guns.

[Aaron Pereira]

44. None of the parties involved in this incident will be the nominee.

The best plan for unity in the general election might be cutting off their oxygen supply. Ignore them.

[lapucelle]

45. The only people who are suggesting that Tulsi is a foreign asset

are the pundits who are inaccurately reporting what HRC actually said.

"I'm not making any predictions, but I think they've got their eye on somebody who is currently in the Democratic primary and are grooming her to be the third-party candidate."

Don't facts matter anymore?

[reACTIONary]

52. +10 nt

[ritapria]

58. The Russians are "grooming" her

What does that mean in specific terms ?….The Russians are touting her candidacy ...Is there any evidence that Tulsi and the Russians are colluding ?.... It appears the Russians , on their own, decided to stir up some trouble in the Party by taking up her cause ……...We knew they were going to do that ...If Tulsi had not run for President , they would have chosen another candidate to boost ………...They Boosted Bernie's Presidential Run in 2016 because they hated Hillary's guts …..Is Bernie a Russian spy / asset ? ...Did he collude with them, ? …. .....I think not ……..

[lapucelle]

80. It certainly doesn't mean "Tulsi Gabbard is a Russian asset".

What it does mean is:

"I'm not making any predictions,

but I think they've got their eye on somebody who is currently in the Democratic primary

and are grooming her

to be the third-party candidate."

[Cha]

100. IOW.. Hillary never said TG

was an "asset"?!! Because I've read that before.. do you have a link for that, lapucelle?

[lapucelle]

112. Here's the direct quote.

"I'm not making any predictions, but I think they've got their eye on somebody who is currently in the Democratic primary and are grooming her to be the third-party candidate."

Here's some context:

"They're also going to do third party again. And I'm not making any predictions, but I think they've got their eye on somebody who's currently in the Democratic primary. And they're grooming her to be the third party candidate," Clinton said presumably about Gabbard, referring to Russian efforts to support third party candidate Jill Stein in 2016.

"She's the favorite of the Russians, they have a bunch of sites and bots and other ways of supporting her so far, and - that's assuming Jill Stein will give it up, which she might not, because she is also a Russian asset — yeah, she's a Russian asset! I mean totally!" Clinton continued. Clinton supporters have alleged that Stein served as a spoiler in the 2016 election.

"They know they can't win without a third-party candidate. And so, I don't know who it's gonna be, but I can guarantee they'll have a vigorous third party challenge in the key states that they most need it," Clinton said about the Russians.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hillary-clinton-suggests-russians-are-grooming-a-2020-democratic-candidate/

[Cha]

121. Thank you for the link! This caught my eye..

Clinton supporters have alleged that Stein served as a spoiler in the 2016 election

There's no "alleging about it.. the proof is out there..

Link to tweet

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/jill-stein-democratic-spoiler-or-scapegoat/

Stein was a spoiler.. Damn 3rd party gas lighting RF.. which keeps getting denied by those for whom it is an inconvenient TRUTH.

[pintobean]

51. Thank you Bernie.

[tishaLA]

53. Well, he did go on VT Public Radio and blame Sec Clinton

instead of, you know, the Russians, for Russia interfering on his behalf in 2016, so this isn't too unexpected

[Joe941]

57. This is Bernie leading. Thank you for standing up to the ridiculous...

Allegations.

[Maven]

60. LOL. I have a feeling that this tweet won't age very well.

Much like this one, one day before the 2016 election.

Link to tweet

?lang=en

[pintobean]

65. He was right then

and he's right now.

[Maven]

70. Nah.

He was self-serving and wrong then, and he's self-serving and wrong now.

In both cases, he would have been better just saying nothing.

But he can't seem to help enabling those who want to do the Democratic Party harm. Now why is that?

[pbmus]

75. Bingo...Bernie is not a Democrat...

We allow him in the debates because he and his followers raise holy hell if we didn’t..we take libertarians, Green Party, and others...which I believe causes us to lose our message...which repukes use against us again and again...we will see Bernies face all over anti democratic ads calling all democrats socialist supporters...

Bernie is a walking talking advertisement for repuke elections...he drags down our team with his giveaway talk...his rallies are more like Price is Right , Come on Down Joe Schmoe... .

[Joe941]

142. Or is he a Russian asset?

[LanternWaste]

144. Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this son of Vermont...

[Turin_C3PO]

71. Have you seen Trump's rallies?

You’re telling me that the majority of those knuckle-draggers aren’t racist or sexist? Give me a break.

[Mike Nelson]

61. What is an asset?

A person useful to someone/something. Trump is a Russian asset. He works with the Russians - there is a back-n-forth. I never thought Bernie cooperated, but he was deemed useful to the Russians. Tulsi is also useful - Hillary never said Tulsi was cooperating - a la Trump - but the media implies this... it was never stated.

[Celerity]

82. Assets are persons within organisations or countries being spied upon who provide information

for an outside spy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asset_(intelligence)

There are different categories of assets, including people who:

Willingly work for a foreign government for ideological reasons such as being against their government, but live in a country that doesn't allow political opposition. They may elect to work with a foreign power to change their own country because there are few other ways available.

Work for monetary gain. Intelligence services often pay good wages to people in important positions that are willing to betray secrets.

Have been blackmailed and are forced into their role.

Do not even know they are being used (so called " useful idiots " ). Assets can be loyal to their country, but may still provide a foreign agent with information through failures in information safety, such as using insecure computers or not following proper OPSEC procedures during day-to-day chatting.

[pbmus]

62. Bernie has just stepped in a pile of crap...

As Malcolm and Hillary and many thousands of others have come to the conclusion that Gabbard

Link to tweet

[Blue_true]

64. Queue surprise. nt

[LAS14]

67. Apparently Bernie doesn't understand what an asset is any better...

... than bunches of DUers and other Dem candidates.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287319139

[betsuni]

78. First thing I thought.

[Devil Child]

103. Russian assets here, Russian assets there, Russian assets everywhere!

Sooooo you don't need to have any formal relationship with the Russian government to be a Russian asset. You don't have to know you're a Russian asset to be a Russian asset. The Russians don't even need to know you're a Russian asset for you to be a Russian asset. All that has to happen for Russian asset truthers is to believe you're a Russian asset. Lovely, how does one even counter a cherished belief? You can't and anyone who disagrees is a Russian asset.

[LAS14]

150. That is correct. Please read the link I included in the post you're answering. nt

[roody]

73. Bernie, he is such a f...ing commie.

[Devil Child]

90. OMG Soviet asset!!!!

[chillfactor]

77. not surpised.....

i have never supported Bernie.....we have so many other candidates who can garnish more votes in the general election then he can and his health is on very shaky grounds.

[empedocles]

79. BS history is repeating itself again

[kcr]

81. That is one weak defense.

It showed he didn't have much of an argument but felt compelled to defend her anyway, and that was the best he could come up with. He was much better off saying nothing.

[Devil Child]

87. Good for Sen. Sanders!

[JoeOtterbein]

91. Bernie is correct. I would add that extraordinary claims need at least a little proof.

Where's the beef?

[pbmus]

93. I trust people who know what they are talking about...Bernie doesn't

Link to tweet

[JoeOtterbein]

102. Maybe a condiment. Say Mayo, but no lettuce, tomato or onion let alone...

...Beef!

[pbmus]

105. Are you a Wendy's commercial...?

[JoeOtterbein]

115. Nah, just reusing/stealing an another old Dem guy's line.

[tiredtoo]

97. For the record

Bernie is not the only candidate who has supported Gabbard. Mayor Pete and Booker are two that come to mind. there are others but my brain don't work real good sometimes.

[Tiggeroshii]

110. Beto too

[Voltaire2]

157. That's different because reasons.

[betsuni]

98. First comment: "Mike Flynn says, 'Hold my Russian flag, Bernie.'"

[Cha]

167. lol!

[EveHammond13]

111. fully agree. I'm done with him.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

114. I'm sorry but JUST being a vet is no guarantee of a sterling character.

Just being a vet is no inoculation against corruption, and what I’ve seen about gabbard doesn’t look good.

[eilen]

120. Actually he never was a Democrat

and once the Democratic Party stops being useful to him he will shed it like he did after Vermont's primaries.

Trump used the Republican Party in the same way. He never believed in its ideals (other than lower taxes). But smaller government (his is only smaller because a. he is lazy and b. people keep quitting on him)-- he wants to expand it -- The Space Force?

So I don't see Bernie as a Democrat. I see him as a person who needs a party to run for President. I see him as a political celebrity and that he has a lot of fans. Unfortunately, when you criticize a celebrity, their fans descend upon you and make very hostile accusations, call you names and encourage others to do the same.

It is really hard to get off that celebrity train and that is why, I suspect that he did not retire his campaign right after Super Tuesday in 2016.

I like the guy. I think he has interesting ideas and is passionate for the working man. However he is not the candidate for me. My vote is going to someone who is not a populist.

[Cha]

129. Being in the military is a not an immunization from advancing positions that are not in the best..

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[Anders8]

137. Yeah, this is it, the thing that costs Sanders DU's unflinching support!!!

If only he'd kept his mouth shut on this one issue!!

[Tiggeroshii]

141. ..

[Tarheel_Dem]

138. Rachel was right, it's 2016 all over again.

[OldRed2450]

139. It's interesting that only the men defend her.

[scheming daemons]

153. Marriane Williamson did too.

[LexVegas]

143. Birds of a feather.

[myohmy2]

145. Bernie...

...is not disloyal, he did what he had to do...

...I would have liked better if he had taken a more neutral higher road by claiming this spat is unfortunate and this is no time for Party division or disunity...

...if I understand the spat correctly, Hillary never named Tulsi directly and was in general giving the Party a heads-up warning on Russian involvement and a 3rd party candidacy...

...is Hillary's heart pure, I don't know, but what I do know is Hillary is a private citizen and an icon of the Democratic Party and her words have weight and should command respect...

...Tulsi is a sitting Congress person running to be our Democratic nominee for President in an election where Party unity is crucial...

...I feel Tulsi's response to Hillary was too harsh for someone that had Party unity in the back of their mind...Tulsi's response also gave us a clear indication of her leadership style and skills...

...think 2020...

[LAS14]

151. Once again, "asset" does not mean the person is explicitly cooperating.

If relatively educated people on DU (as regards politics) make this mistake, including Bernie and Beto, think how the rest of the country is reading it.

Hillary should have avoided the word "asset," even though it was probably the most accurate word available. It's too sophisticated for most of her audience to understand that an "asset" doesn't have to be a spy or a traitor. We shouldn't be wasting time attacking Gabbard's intentions, just her policies and the threat of a 3rd party candidate. An asset is just very useful for whatever reasons. The link below is very helpful.

Following its established playbook, Russia has increasingly interfered in the politics of traditional opponents throughout the West in the hopes of undermining democracy and stability from within. Donald Trump was a political novice with a longstanding public admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin and a penchant for advancing conspiracy theories. He espoused isolationist policies and had potentially compromising financial relationships with Kremlin-aligned oligarchs. He also had few apparent scruples and was running against a woman Putin considers among his main adversaries. Trump was simply an ideal candidate for the Kremlin to back. There is also reason to suspect that Russia began cultivating Trump as an asset long before his campaign for president, a common tactic the Kremlin pursues with people it suspects may be useful in the future.

https://themoscowproject.org/collusion-chapter/chapter-3/

Edit: And here is another place to see the definition of "asset."

Russia's success in attacking our democracy is not tied to their ability to recruit Gabbard (or anyone else) to parrot Russian talking points. Rather, their success comes with their ability to influence and manipulate, through amplification, certain messages and candidates that create division. As we saw in 2016, Russia was able to aid Donald Trump by using tailored and manipulated social media campaigns, without even the knowledge or direction of the Trump campaign itself. After all, Russia's goal in 2016 was the delegitimization of our elections; they did not need to coordinate with Trump to make that happen. That's the disturbing parallel with Gabbard: Russia can seek to support her, without her knowledge.

https://www.newsweek.com/tulsi-gabbard-being-used-russians-former-us-double-agent-evidence-clear-opinion-1466750

[mopinko]

155. this is where bernie shows he is not the leader we need.

that he didnt handle it in 16 is one thing. that it is starting up again, and he still doesnt know how to handle it, is disqualifying.

he was never on my list, but it is a sad ending to an otherwise great career.

[Voltaire2]

158. Lulzd.

Oh and steaming pile of crap. Yum. If it was somebodies intention to create a circular firing squad among Democrats, somebody has accomplished that.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

159. So you think she is a foreign asset?

Like she is actively working with the Russians (because that's what asset means)? Like you think that a military veteran is committing treason?

[Act_of_Reparation]

160. Oh, for fuck's sake.

Not every idiot, DINO, or asshole is on Putin's payroll. You guys need to settle down.

[MineralMan]

161. Bernie appears to be getting more irrelevant daily,

in terms of his viability in the primaries. He could easily slip below the 15% threshold in most primary states.

So, I'm paying less and less attention to him, really in this primary cycle.

[MineralMan]

163. A "tool" can be considered to be an "asset" by the person

whose livelihood depends on that tool. For example, an auto mechanic without a torque wrench is missing an important asset in doing his/her job.

While the two words are not interchangeable, they are somewhat related.

[Blue_Tires]

164. Hasn't been a good couple of days for the campaign, has it?

Link to tweet

[Blue_Tires]

165. Agreed... There's no gray area with Tulsi

and there is a very wide and well-defined battle line that her defenders have crossed...

The sad part is I'm sure most of them already know Tulsi's well-documented history of homophobia and whoring out for despots is indefensible; St. Bern just saw an opportunity to pile onto Hillary Clinton, who he has always hated.

I guaran-fucking-tee y'all that if AOC said this instead of Hillary, his whole campaign would have fallen in line.

[Cha]

168. Exactly!

[BlueWI]

169. This whole topic is a pointless distraction from winning an election.

Gabbard is not going to win the nomination. Sanders is right that she served her country honorably. Let the voters take it from there. Otherwise, the infighting plays right into the opposition's hands. No need to facilitate that process.

[Gothmog]

175. K&R