Bernie Sanders on Julian Assange Prosecution

[TomCADem]

It is odd that Bernie Sanders is refusing to take a stand on Julian Assange when many of his supporters and Tulsi Gabbard's supporters have argued that Bernie should strongly support him.

Conversely, Bernie has had no problem stating that Snowden broke the law and should be prosecuted. Why is Bernie trying to play it both ways when Assange willingly acted like a fence for Russia?

[ritapria]

1. He's a Soviet - Styled Communist

First , it's MFA ...Then tuition free college …. Then comes the crackdown on dissidents …… Then Bernie declares himself a Commie dictator ……….He loves Russia

[BeckyDem]

2. lol +1

[LesterT]

4. Heh.

Stopped that narrative right out of the gate. Well done

[Hassin Bin Sober]

6. Lol.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

7. The "why don't you say something nice" crowd will be along shortly to admonish the op. I'm sure.

[Hortensis]

9. Communism is a stronger form of socialism than Sanders advocates.

There, that's nice, at least for those who don't like communism. Of course, let's mention that no one calls Sanders a communist because he isn't. In fact, few people, even most of his own supporters, know communism is socialism, so it hasn't crossed their minds. (It can be thought of as socialism-heavy and democratic socialism as socialism-lite.)

If people wonder about Sanders and Russia, it is because some of his positions that would benefit Russia don't seem to have an understandable basis; at best the intellectual argument is always far weaker than the Democratic position he's unusually deviating from.

Like the OP's subject. Or when he calls for creating a new NATO that will include Russia, with a purpose no longer of containment of Russian aggression toward Europe (even as Putin promises to restore the Soviet Union borders and Russia armies have invaded Ukraine and Georgia) to containment of ISIS. This one's actually a huge WTF question mark for obvious reasons. Putin's invaded Ukraine before, say, the Baltic states or Romania, specifically because they're in NATO and Ukraine is not.

And historically, in congress, while Sanders very seldom goes "indie" to deviate from the Democratic line, a number of those times have been when the Democratic position would hinder or even hurt Russia or its allies/assets/agents, like Assange. Such as when he didn't vote for reimposing the sanctions on Russia that Trump had vetoed. He scheduled an office meeting for when the vote, expected to be extremely close, was to take place, and before on another bill he had actually voted against sanctions on Russia.

So, yes, in this strange and dangerous era when supporting Russian aggression never makes sense, people do wonder. And imo people should include you. Not everything is all about partisanism and who gets our nomination.

In fact, absolutely nothing is.

[LanternWaste]

11. reductio ad absurdum fallacy straight out of the gate.

And who says a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...beside Emerson of course, and what did did he know?

[Me.]

5. What Is It With This Guy?

[Scurrilous]

8. The questions were stupid.

How can a Senator from Vermont pardon or commute the sentence of a guy being detained in Britain?


I don't blame Bernie for brushing him off.

[TomCADem]

13. Bernie Was Benefitted By The Hacked Emails. This is Easy.

All Bernie has to say is that he would not interfere with let alone pardon Julian Assange if elected President.

Is it that hard? Bernie has no problem publicly reciting Trump talking points against open borders in response to questions, but why play coy on Julian Assange? It is sort of like Bernie voting against Russian Election sanctions and the Magnitsky Act.

[BuffaloJackalope]

10. Assange knowingly helped Putin get Trump installed in the WH. 'nuff said.

[LanternWaste]

12. Small potatoes in the back forty of actual issues.