Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumBarack Obama supporters outraged by Bernie Sanders' 'deplorable' attack on Democratic Party
Bernie can't help but attack Democrats. He helped write the platform in 2016. A lot of Democrats have long pushed progressive views similar to his. Before Bernie, Al Gore was sounding the alarm on global warming. Yet, despite the fact that the party has moved left, Bernie has repeatedly attacked the party he hopes to lead. As noted in 2018, he patronizingly dismissed President Obama on MLK day. Even in 2020, with a Democratic party that has moved left, Bernie still repeatedly attacks the so-called "Democratic establishment" as part of his standard stump speech.
P.S. Many Bernie supporters continue to deny that Bernie has bashed the Democratic party notwithstanding repeated examples of him doing so.
This is why you can't trust Bernie. He repeatedly and consistently attacks his would be allies such as the 2018 example below.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/bernie-sanders-obama-anger-martin-luther-king-death-assassination-jackson-mississippi-a8289456.html
The senator for Vermont appeared to criticise the first black US President as he branded the Democratic Party a "failure".
* * *
"The business model, if you like, of the Democratic Party for the last 15 years or so has been a failure,' said the Vermont Senator.
"People sometimes don't see that because there was a charismatic individual named Barack Obama. He was obviously an extraordinary candidate, brilliant guy. But beyond that reality..."
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Cha
(297,196 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
evertonfc
(1,713 posts)of this primary already. Our frontrunners are old, white Washington insiders that, to be fair, are not particularly inspiring. I have a feeling of a divided party going into 2020. I hope Im wrong
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Scotch-Irish
(464 posts)Count on it.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Hekate
(90,674 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,122 posts)Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
MrsCoffee
(5,801 posts)Because he wont be the nominee. Ever.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
fleabiscuit
(4,542 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,122 posts)will decide the outcome... as it should be!!
Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Thekaspervote
(32,764 posts)He comes barreling in, uses the party for his own needs, then leaves! What friend, what relative would you be willing to accept that kind of behavior from??
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Hekate
(90,674 posts)Never a criticism of the GOP. Always ready with one for the Dems.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
DanieRains
(4,619 posts)Too many people aren't convinced we are on their side.
Trump fooled a lot of Obama voters.
He had the billionaire owned media attacking Hillary for decades and ignoring his obvious crimes, but still.
Us Dems need to fight for struggling Americans as hard as Republiscum fight for billionaires.
Bernie is far from perfect but he tries.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Lexee
(377 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
jrthin
(4,835 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Champion Jack
(5,378 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)Everyone tries... but many Sanders supporters believe that He is the metric of perfection concerning progressive ideals.
And Sanders himself often implies that anyone who doesn't agree lockstep with him is "corrupt."
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,122 posts)Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Cha
(297,196 posts)Democratic Party..
Nancy Pelosi, "Establishment Democrat," was elected the same year as Bernie & is the same age
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1287&pid=390604
I get a little bit tired of Democrats who defend a cruel, dysfunctional health care..
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1287&pid=314341
Link to tweet
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
cwydro
(51,308 posts)Seems all wrong.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Hekate
(90,674 posts)Last edited Sun Dec 29, 2019, 06:15 PM - Edit history (1)
Remember that very old and very sexist thing -- "Why buy a cow when milk is free?" Why should Bernie "marry" the Democratic Party, when he gets all the benefits of membership for free?
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
thesquanderer
(11,986 posts)As your own link shows further down, that interpretation was in the eye of the beholder. The article shows another reaction, "Bernie Sanders is literally saying Obama was so good, you all missed the Democratic Party's failures right under our nose." IOW, this is Sanders talking about the failure of the party *despite* not *because* of Obama's presidency. It is not an attack on Obama by any means. And if you want to know what he means by the failure of the party, you have to read the full quote in context:
It's easy to make things sound like something other than what they are when you take them out of context.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
George II
(67,782 posts)In fact, it was only 910 seats. And what gets ignored, be it inadvertently or intentionally, is that last year Democrats gained back about 350, 40% of those seats IN ONE YEAR!
So much for the "business model of the Democratic Party" being a failure.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
thesquanderer
(11,986 posts)And 910 is not so far from "about a thousand." It's 91% of the way there.
Anyway, the point was, he was not in any way disrespecting Obama.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
George II
(67,782 posts)....almost half the losses over the previous ten years were wiped out. We should look forward, not backward.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
thesquanderer
(11,986 posts)1030...
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4063898/As-Obama-accomplished-policy-goals-party-floundered.html
1042...
(11 Senate, 62 House, 12 governorships, and 958 seats in state legislatures)
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/1/10/14211994/obama-democrats-downballot
Maybe it depends on exactly which years you look at, or which offices. But the point remains the same. When Sanders was giving that speech, the Dems, despite Obama, had lost a lot of clout at lower levels. Arguing whether it's closer to 900 or over a thousand is kind of missing the forest for the trees.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
dansolo
(5,376 posts)First off, the losses started in 2010. What led up to that? The passing of the ACA. I blame two major factors for those losses - the DNC for abandoning the 50-state strategy, and the progressive wing for contributing to the negative propoganda about it. Then we had the census and redistricting. With the gains in state legislatures, Republicans were able to gerrymander their districts and impose voting restrictions. That caused even further losses. Then you have to consider the constant barrage of negative media about the Democratic Party coming from the right and the left (and Russia)
Anyone who claims that the losses in the past decade have been due to policy is intentionally ignoring the other things going on.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
betsuni
(25,501 posts)He was president for eight years, not a "candidate." Leader of the Democratic Party. He didn't just read speeches on the teleprompter at rallies and be charismatic. Responsible for the "business model" of "failure." Bernie doesn't seem to know that there was a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate for only four months and ten days when Democrats had that two year slight majority and unprecedented Republican obstruction the full eight years. The Republican Patty is organized crime/radically right-wing insane -- there is no "both sides."
As if Democrats could do anything they wanted but didn't, and as we know from the thousands of times he's said it, he thinks it's because of corruption: "The point that I make over and over ... is the ideas that I talk about are the ideas that the American people want. They don't get it because you've got a Congress indebted to wealthy campaign contributors."
So how was President Obama corrupt, Bernie? As Hillary Clinton pointed out: "President Obama took more money from Wall Street in 2008 than anybody ever had. And when it came time to stand up to Wall Street, he passed and signed the toughest regulations since the Great Depression, with the Dodd-Frank regulations."
And no, the ACA was not (as I've so often seen) some sort of proof of being in the pocket of Big Pharma and insurance. The bill with a public option passed Congress, couldn't get through the Senate because of a handful of moderates (obviously no Republican votes). Bernie knew how hard it was, that single payer was out of the question (2010): "I would say that in the Senate, there are at most 10 votes for a single payer plan. In the House I have no idea, but it's a small minority. It's absurd to say, 'Mr. President, go forward and make your bill single payer' when you've got 10% of the Congress supports you."
If he thinks Democrats are corrupt and failures, he should give examples. If he knows of elected officials taking bribes, why doesn't he expose them? It's baffling!
And the idea that Americans are carefully examining the Democratic and Republican platforms and rejecting the Democrats because it's not progressive enough so they'd rather go with Republicans is:
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,122 posts)Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Cha
(297,196 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
PatSeg
(47,423 posts)and then the presidency, where will he find the allies to help make his agenda reality? Among the many Democrats he maligns and disparages throughout the primary? Does he believe that one man can do all this alone? Many of his ideas have merit, but his perception of what a democratic president can do is surprisingly flawed for a man of his experience.
Meanwhile, his language is divisive at a time when voters are looking for unity.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
George II
(67,782 posts)But we don't have to worry about that, he probably won't even finish second once all the primaries are over.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
PatSeg
(47,423 posts)He's been in politics long enough to know better, but I think he was overwhelmed by the support he received in 2016 and hasn't come back down to earth yet.
I agree that he probably won't win the nomination, but I hope he doesn't divide the party like he did last time.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
trueblue2007
(17,217 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Capt. America
(2,477 posts)You don't need to yell about everything like Trump does.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
yardwork
(61,604 posts)He has not demonstrated the ability to build coalitions needed to pass legislation.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
PatSeg
(47,423 posts)If he couldn't build coalitions in congress, what makes him think he could do so from the White House? Meanwhile, he has burned a lot of people.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
yardwork
(61,604 posts)"We'll do it because I said so and I know best" seems to be the message.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
PatSeg
(47,423 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
George II
(67,782 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)importance is listening.
He is not the best person to lead us into the future.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,122 posts)Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Fresh_Start
(11,330 posts)so if he wins the nomination kiss then next 4 years goodbye in terms of progress on any important front other then post office naming
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
PatSeg
(47,423 posts)Its not like he is a newcomer to DC. Change takes compromise and relationship building. Only a dictator or king could bring about change alone.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Fresh_Start
(11,330 posts)and his followers are too naive to anticipate the consequences
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
PatSeg
(47,423 posts)I think he started out with good intentions, but all the attention and the huge following may have clouded his vision. Now it often seems like vanity and ego obscure the message.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,683 posts)I did in 2016 but he lost me when he was such a bad sport after Clinton secured the nomination and his supporters tried to disrupt the convention. He showed himself to be a my-way-or-the-highway sort of guy, and made it worse more recently by hiring the likes of Nina Turner, Brihanna Gray and David Sirota, and he continues to bash the Democratic Party, of which he is a member only when it's useful for him. He would be an ineffective president because all presidents need the support of their party in order to get their policies through Congress. Especially since it's clear that the GOP will continue to obstruct as they did during the Obama administration, a Democratic president will need Democrats' support more than ever. If Bernie keeps kicking other Democrats in the nuts at every opportunity, does he really think they'd have his back if he gets to be president?
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
PatSeg
(47,423 posts)but I did have a high regard for him. When I saw how he behaved when Clinton won the nomination, I was terribly disappointed. It feels like he has just gotten worse and now I barely recognize the man. He is coming across as a bitter, angry man, who never got over his loss in 2016. I really wish he hadn't run again.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Cha
(297,196 posts)Link to tweet
chris evans
@notcapnamerica
: Barack Obama won 10% of the white vote in Mississippi. That speaks to very bad work done by Democrats there. 90% of white people in Mississippi are not racist.
7:55 AM · Jan 18, 2020
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)To put it mildly, they don't hold up to rational inspection, and his various attempts of later decades (every day these days!) to hide what socialism is reveal a lot more that people need to know about him.
Thinking of his "Tweedledum/Tweedledee claims about Democrats and Pubs, I wince when I think of my earnest teenaged attempts to explain to conservatives around me that eliminating ALL welfare programs would cause children to go homeless and hungry, that we at least have to protect their wellbeing. No wonder they got angry; I just didn't believe they wouldn't agree once they were informed.
The contempt of conservative acquaintances for what in those days was called my bleeding-heart naivety was just as profound as today's, though less nastily expressed.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
StrictlyRockers
(3,855 posts)I read what Bernie said in a different light. He also happens to be right. He's usually right. Open-minded people can easily see that.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
yardwork
(61,604 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Fresh_Start
(11,330 posts)ignoring reality
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
TomCADem
(17,387 posts)...dismissing him as a "charismatic individual." President Obama was President for two terms in the face of tremendous right wing opposition. Bernie's trivialization of President Obama on MLK Day sounds like, "He speaks well for an African American." It was tone deaf, particularly when his comments are read together with his overall attack on the Democratic party.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
thesquanderer
(11,986 posts)Please see my reply about this in post #8.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Cha
(297,196 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
The Valley Below
(1,701 posts)Who's left?
I'm not sure this is the way to win a nomination.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,122 posts)is ALWAYS in the right place.
Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Autumn
(45,072 posts)You post no OPs about any other candidate that I have seen, although to be fair I may have missed one. You must like one of them or at least want to know about them.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
yardwork
(61,604 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Autumn
(45,072 posts)all the candidates and research them. Wouldn't you?
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
yardwork
(61,604 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Autumn
(45,072 posts)I don't owe you an answer since my response was to the OP.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
NNadir
(33,516 posts)...I think most people have a general feeling about the pool of candidates that is prioritized.
I never came close, when I was undecided - and I probably will need to switch eventually because my candidate will not win the nomination - to thinking that Bernie Sanders was even close to being an acceptable candidate to me.
He always ranked somewhere close to Gabbard and the other non-Democratic or "barely Democratic" or "nominally Democratic" candidates, which is at the very bottom of the list, effectively in the garbage pile.
The commentator does not need to identify a preferred candidate to assume that some people on the list are garbage, who would only would be worth a vote were they up against Trump.
There is voting for the "lesser of two evils" and voting for a candidate who can save the country. If I am forced to vote for Sanders against Trump - perish the thought - I would do so, but do it weeping for the future of my country, since its on going destruction would be assured.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
George II
(67,782 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Autumn
(45,072 posts)If I am forced to vote for them against Trump I would do so, but do it weeping for the destruction of my planet
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
NNadir
(33,516 posts)...you would do well to change candidates.
Senator Sanders doesn't know any science, and is almost Trumpian in his unfamiliarity with science, and his stated policies and actions as a Senator are making things worse, not better.
I note, with disgust, that the common views on climate change, with which Senator Sanders agrees, have been actively embraced worldwide with the result that coal was the fastest growing source of energy on this planet in the 21st century, and that the rate of accumulation of the dangerous fossil fuel waste carbon dioxide has reached the unprecedented rate of 2.4 ppm per year.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Autumn
(45,072 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
NNadir
(33,516 posts)...their positions.
I would note that the candidate I support, who will not, regrettably win, has an excellent understanding of technology, science, and its consequences. In fact, it informs his entire candidacy.
If you think that "none of the candidates know science" you may not be in a position to know what science is. I do.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,122 posts)Or Bill Clinton... after all, it's just what they said. But, heads here would explode!! That's actually why I'm NOT advocating doing that, as it would only serve to divide us at a time we should be UNITING!!!
I'm thinking positive though... that Bernie WILL unite us once he wins the nomination.
Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
jcmaine72
(1,773 posts)Hopefully the OP will give you the courtesy of an answer.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
LakeArenal
(28,817 posts)He may not be part of the Democratic Establishment but hes part of the political establishment.
He doesnt like millionaires, tho he is one.
He runs as a Democrat tho he isnt one.
Hes been made part of the DNC as an outreach or some shit, but the Democrats
are persons non- grata.
Hes caustic and ranting.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Cha
(297,196 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(145,191 posts)I am a proud member of the Democratic Party and I am not happy with sanders or his attacks. I will support the nominee of the party but I doubt that sanders will be the nominee. sanders needs some support from Obama supporters to be the nominee and that is NOT going to happen. I seriously doubt that sanders will get any support from Clinton supporters. Sanders support has really declined and I do not see a path for sanders getting the nomination.
Link to tweet
Link to tweet
?s=20
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
betsuni
(25,501 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Cha
(297,196 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
aikoaiko
(34,169 posts)This incident/article is over 1.5 years ago and Bernie is still here with a decent amount of support.
Ha.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Cha
(297,196 posts)he "thought it was a good idea to primary President Obama in 2012".. and it's gone down hill since.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(145,191 posts)I really doubt that the nominee will be someone who attacked President Obama. There are are a large number of real Democrats with good memories who will not forgive or forget
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Cha
(297,196 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
TomCADem
(17,387 posts)Another classic BS move.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Act_of_Reparation
(9,116 posts)...and not choice.
Bernie Sanders recognizes that and is, for better or worse, exploiting it.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(145,191 posts)I do not like sanders attacking the party and I agree with the other Obama supporters in this
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden