Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumBernie Sanders Rally By Queensbridge Houses Blindsides Residents
Residents of the country's largest public housing complex say they weren't told about the Bernie Sanders rally in their own backyard.
By Maya Kaufman, Patch Staff Oct 21, 2019 2:38 pm ET | Updated Oct 21, 2019 11:15 pm ET
LONG ISLAND CITY, QUEENS As Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and his supporters flocked to Queensbridge Park for a campaign rally Saturday, residents who live across the street in Queensbridge Houses the nation's largest public housing project were in their monthly tenant association meeting.
No one had told them about the Sanders rally, they said.
April Simpson, president of the Queensbridge Tenants Association, said she got a call from the Sanders campaign only the day before to inform her about the rally and ask if she was attending. She told the campaign staffer about the scheduling conflict.
"These people were coming from near, far but they weren't from Queensbridge," Simpson told Patch in an interview. "That rally wasn't for us."
https://patch.com/new-york/astoria-long-island-city/queensbridge-residents-say-they-didnt-know-sanders-rally
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Docreed2003
(16,861 posts)Using a community as a backdrop without actually engaging with the members of that very community is a slap in the face to those individuals and makes any claims you might make during that rally ring hollow.
Would it really have been too much work to actually reach out to the community well in advance and engage with them? Or was it more important to have a "bounce back rally" for Sanders?
I don't think the Sanders camp has learned anything from 2016. This type of action mirrors what happened on the ground in South Carolina in '16 when seasoned SC politicians and civil rights activists reached out to the Sanders campaign to offer help and they were told, essentially, "Nah, we're good..."
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
George II
(67,782 posts)...in North America, yet they totally ignored the people there. They were only an advertising gimmick and a backdrop.
There are close to 7,000 people in that development - about 4,200 African Americans and 6,700 non-whites. Why not invite them to the rally for which you're "using" them as a promotional prop?
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)Well, his hard-core supporters may... or maybe it doesn't matter to them at all. But insincere gimmicks like this will not impress the voters that he struggles the most with.
Honestly, that suits me fine. It just goes to prove what I've believed to be true all along.
Our party's nominee will be someone who can perform well in the South. That won't be BS.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)and only smiled at their holding this rally in already over-rallied, high-density NYC to maximize crowd size. Not exactly Queen City, Oklahoma.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)It's very insulting.
It's obvious that the BS campaign is fully aware that they have a problem with AA and POC voters. So why is it that the campaign is only engaged in superficial things like backdrops and set-dressing?
It really says a lot about a campaign that can't (or doesn't want to) make more of an effort.
Sad.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
betsuni
(25,534 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
mcar
(42,334 posts)They were, after all, using their homes as backdrop.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)gotten the residents to help with the event, had Bernie visit and meet with residents before the rally, and put residents in a VIP section (right in the camera shot, of course) at the event.
Instead, they got great pictures of thousands of white people and lots of bad post-event publicity that feeds into a narrative they don't need.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
mcar
(42,334 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)It also means coordinating with any other locally planned events, of which we know at least one big one.
But, some people just don't work well with others.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
TidalWave46
(2,061 posts)"These people were coming from near, far but they weren't from Queensbridge," Simpson
Wonder what makes her think that?
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
EffieBlack
(14,249 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Cha
(297,273 posts)Thank you for this, George
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
oasis
(49,388 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
lapucelle
(18,265 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
George II
(67,782 posts)And it's not in the 14th District.
I'm sure Democratic Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney was thrilled with the campaign against that development by her colleague.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Cha
(297,273 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Cha
(297,273 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden