June 2, 2016

The General Election Won't Start Until the Democratic Party decides who to run for President.

The GE doesn't begin until the Democratic Party decides who it wants to run for President and Vice-President.

That's up in the air since neither Hillary nor Bernie can win the 2,383 pledged delegates they need to secure the nomination before the convention.

It will be a contested convention.

Any nonsense about a "presumed" Democratic nominee in the mass corporate media is pure bull shit and need not be repeated here.

Pledged delegate counts are facts and the facts prove Hillary Clinton will not become the nominee before the convention.

She might be elected the nominee at the convention and so might Bernie, but not before it!

CASE CLOSED.

June 2, 2016

Bernie Sanders offers the best chance for defeating Trump and his destructive politics

http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/06/02/campaign-not-over-polls-show-dead-heat-california

Why Bernie Must (and Can) Win
by Christopher D. Cook
June 2, 2016

On Tuesday June 7, voters in California, New Jersey, and four other states can sway the Democratic nomination toward Bernie Sanders – the candidate who all polls show gives Democrats the greatest chance of defeating Donald Trump.

Ignoring this factual reality, mainstream media and pundits, even California’s own Gov. Jerry Brown and Senator Dianne Feinstein, have decided for voters that the Democratic race is over – mirroring a Clinton inevitability narrative launched the day the campaign began. Party and Clinton campaign officials (close relatives to say the least) are simultaneously irate and nervous as heck that Sen. Sanders keeps winning, and has the audacity to run to the end. But if the goal is getting a Democrat in the White House, they ought to reconsider.

All empirical evidence shows that Bernie Sanders consistently polls significantly better than Clinton against the dreaded Trump – every single time. (Check it out for yourself at www.realclearpolitics.com.) More recently, national and key swing state polls – including Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania – show Clinton slipping and Sanders maintaining an advantage over Trump. Nationally, Sanders leads Trump by 15%, while Clinton clings to a negligible 3% margin. Clinton’s unfavorable ratings persistently equal, and in some surveys eclipse those of Trump, while Sanders sports favorable ratings that are unheard of in politics.

Earth to the mainstream media and Democratic Party superdelegates – are you listening? All differences between Sanders and Clinton aside, it is highly risky to run a nominee who consistently matches up worse against the opposition, who has soaring unfavorable ratings, and, quite potentially, a burgeoning and very real email scandal. By contrast, Sanders offers a surging candidacy that energizes the base while attracting significant independent crossover voter support.

It is also worth considering these comparative campaign optics: Hillary Clinton symbolizes everything about the political establishment that Trump has so successfully lambasted and lampooned; meanwhile, Trump represents everything about radical inequality and greed that Bernie Sanders has so successfully campaigned against. Which of these dynamics do you think will work best in the Democrats’ favor?

If you’re a Democrat or an independent voter (“No Party Preference” in California), and you want a Democrat in the White House who has a long consistent history of fighting for economic fairness, corporate accountability, human and civil rights, and against war and military aggression – Bernie Sanders offers the best chance for defeating Trump and his destructive politics of hate-mongering and greed.

http://www.commondreams.org/views/2016/06/02/why-bernie-must-and-can-win

June 2, 2016

Sanders: "I Just saw Hillary and Bill Racing To California. Maybe they think campaign isn't over"

'This Campaign Is Not Over': Polls Show Dead Heat in California
New poll also finds Sanders ahead of Clinton among 'potential Democratic electorate'
by Nika Knight, staff writer
June 2, 2016

The Field poll (pdf), released Thursday, found Clinton leading Sanders by a mere two points—within the survey's margin of error. Clinton had the support of 45 percent of the Democratic voters polled, and Sanders had 43 percent. Clinton's lead in the state has shrunk from a whopping 50 points to today's statistical tie with Sanders, as previous polls also captured.

Meanwhile, a NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll published Wednesday found Sanders beating Clinton by one point when the potential Democratic electorate was surveyed, instead of only voters registered as Democrats:



Sanders has been attracting enormous crowds at rallies throughout California in the lead-up to Tuesday's primary, sending Clinton scrambling to try to regain her once-formidable lead in the delegate-rich state.

"I read the newspapers, and they all said the campaign is over. But suddenly I just saw Hillary Clinton racing to California, Bill Clinton racing to California," Sanders said in Palo Alto on Wednesday. "Maybe they think this campaign is not over. And I agree with them. We are going to win here in California, we are going to win many of the other states up on June 7, we are going to leave California with enormous momentum going into the convention, and I believe we've got a real shot to come out of that convention with the Democratic nomination for president of the United States."

Sanders has noted the tremendous amount of support his campaign has received from young people, telling the Palo Alto crowd that he hopes they feel "enormously gratified [that] our message in this campaign, of creating a nation and a vision based on social justice, economic justice, racial justice, and environmental justice, that whether Donald Trump likes it or not, whether Hillary Clinton likes it or not—that is the future vision of this country."



Bernie Sanders Rally in Palo Alto, California



Bernie Sanders Davis California Rally

http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/06/02/campaign-not-over-polls-show-dead-heat-california

June 2, 2016

"Some Democratic leaders are privately scouting around for someone to replace Hillary Clinton ...."

Waiting for California and the FBI
Exclusive: Some Democratic leaders are privately scouting around for someone to replace Hillary Clinton if she stumbles again in California and/or the FBI detects a crime in her email scandal, reports Robert Parry.
By Robert Parry
June 1, 2016


For months now, poll after poll have registered the judgment of the American people that they want neither Hillary Clinton nor Donald Trump as the next President, but the two major parties seem unable to steer away from this looming pileup, forcing voters to choose between two widely disdained politicians.

The Republicans are locked in after Trump’s hostile takeover of the party’s selection process, but the Democrats have one final chance to steer clear, on June 7 when they hold several primaries and caucuses including New Jersey and California. If Bernie Sanders can upset Clinton in California – and/or if Clinton’s legal problems over her emails worsen – there remains a long-shot chance that the Democratic convention might nominate someone else.

As far-fetched as this might seem, some senior Democrats, including reportedly White House officials, are giving serious thought to how the party can grab the wheel at the last moment and avoid the collision of two historically unpopular political figures, a smash-up where Trump might be the one walking away, damaged but victorious.

Two Washington insiders – Democratic pollster and political adviser Douglas E. Schoen and famed Watergate investigative reporter Carl Bernstein – have described panicky meetings of top Democrats worried over Clinton’s troubled campaign, with Schoen also describing private talks about possible last-minute alternatives.

I’ve heard similar tales of hushed discussions – with the fill-in options including Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry or Sen. Sanders – but I still believe these fretful leaders are frozen by indecision and don’t have the nerve to pull Hillary Clinton’s hands off the steering wheel even to avoid disaster.

.... it has now dawned on some savvy Democrats that Clinton’s campaign vehicle may be damaged beyond repair, especially if more harm is inflicted by the FBI’s findings about her sloppy handling of government secrets. The Democrats see themselves stuck with a status-quo, legacy candidate at a moment when the public is disgusted with government dysfunction and demanding change.

Yet, whether the Democrats have the guts to go through the pain of denying Clinton the nomination may depend on what happens in California and inside the FBI

https://consortiumnews.com/2016/06/01/waiting-for-california-and-the-fbi/

June 2, 2016

"There is now more than a theoretical chance that Hillary Clinton may not be the Democratic nominee"

Wall Street Journal
Clinton Might Not Be the Nominee
A Sanders win in California would turbocharge the mounting Democratic unease about her viability.
By Douglas E. Schoen
Democratic pollster and political adviser Douglas E. Schoen served as a political aide to President Bill Clinton in the 1990s
May 31, 2016


There is now more than a theoretical chance that Hillary Clinton may not be the Democratic nominee for president.

The inevitability behind Mrs. Clinton’s nomination will be in large measure eviscerated if she loses the June 7 California primary to Bernie Sanders. That could well happen. …. A Sanders win in California would powerfully underscore Mrs. Clinton’s weakness as a candidate in the general election.

Democratic superdelegates — chosen by the party establishment and overwhelmingly backing Mrs. Clinton, 543-44 — would seriously question whether they should continue to stand behind her candidacy. …

Mrs. Clinton also faces growing legal problems. The State Department inspector general’s recent report on Mrs. Clinton’s use of a private email server while she was secretary of state made it abundantly clear that she broke rules and has been far from forthright in her public statements. The damning findings buttressed concerns within the party that Mrs. Clinton and her aides may not get through the government’s investigation without a finding of culpability somewhere.

With Mrs. Clinton reportedly soon to be interviewed by the FBI, suggesting that the investigation is winding up, a definitive ruling by the attorney general could be issued before the July 25 Democratic convention in Philadelphia. Given the inspector general’s report, a clean bill of health from the Justice Department is unlikely.

Finally, with Mrs. Clinton’s negative rating nearly as high as Donald Trump’s, and with voters not trusting her by a ratio of 4 to 1, Democrats face an unnerving possibility.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/clinton-might-not-be-the-nominee-1464733898

June 2, 2016

California Democratic Primary June 2 POLL: Clinton 45% Sanders 43% Clinton +2

June 2, 2016

California Democratic Presidential Primary Field Clinton 45, Sanders 43 Clinton +2

June 1, 2016

California Democratic Presidential Primary NBC/WSJ/Marist Clinton 49, Sanders 47 Clinton +2

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/

June 2, 2016

The Independent: Why Hillary Clinton could lose the Democratic nomination to Bernie Sanders

Why Hillary Clinton could lose the Democratic nomination to Bernie Sanders
A big win in the 7 June California primary could hand Mr Sanders hundreds more delegates, which would call into question Ms Clinton's candidacy
by Mal Siret
June 2, 2016

Hillary Clinton could lose the race for Democratic nominee as the focus shifts to California, where an influx of voter registrations threatens to derail her lead over Bernie Sanders.

Mr Sanders will be looking to the state to boost his campaign with news of a further 1.5 million people registering to vote since January this year.

The latest statistics from the Institute of California will be encouraging to Mr Sanders as a big win in the 7 June California primary, where the candidates are currently virtually deadlocked, could hand him hundreds more delegates. Mr Sanders currently has 1,501 pledged delegates to Ms Clinton's 1,769.

The influx of additional registrants – a 218 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2012 – is likely to include large numbers of young voters and could make this scenario a reality.

If Mr Sanders were to win in California it would seriously call into question Ms Clinton's candidacy in the general election and could result in a number of superdelegates, including distinguished party leaders and elected officials who are free to support any candidate for the presidential nomination, withdrawing their support.

Mr Sanders said although Ms Clinton has received "a whole lot more" superdelegate support than he has to date, "they don’t vote until they're on the floor of the Democratic convention". He said that his job was now to convince them of his electability against Donald Trump.

He is considered the stronger contender against Mr Trump nationally, with recent surveys putting him ahead by about 10 points.

Mr Trump and Ms Clinton, currently subject to a damning report on misuse of a private email server while she was secretary of state, are possibly the most disliked nominees in decades, while Mr Sanders is the candidate more liked than disliked in favourability ratings.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-elections/us-elections-hillary-clinton-could-lose-democratic-nomination-to-bernie-sanders-a7059076.html

June 2, 2016

Common Sense on the Democratic Presidential Race A race isn’t over until someone wins.

Common Sense on the Democratic Presidential Race
by Robert Borosage
June 1, 2016
Robert L. Borosage is the founder and president of the Institute for America’s Future and co-director of its sister organization, the Campaign for America’s Future.

Clinton surrogates and operatives are pounding on Bernie Sanders to get out of the race, claiming they want to unify the party even as they excoriate Sanders and scorn his supporters. Perhaps it is time for a little common sense about the campaign.

● A race isn’t over until someone wins.

This isn’t complicated. When the primary season ends, neither Sanders nor Clinton will have won the majority of pledged delegates needed to win the nomination. Clinton is likely to end with more pledged delegates and more total votes; Sanders, particularly if he astounds in California, will have shown increasing momentum and popularity. Superdelegates – who make their own decisions on whom to support – will decide the nomination. They can change their minds until they vote at the convention.

● Sanders is playing by the rules.

For all the animus directed at Sanders, he’s playing by the rules set up by the party. He’s competing in primaries and caucuses, including the Byzantine ways state conventions sort out delegates long after the primary is over. He’s intent on making an appeal to the Superdelegates who will decide the nomination. A vast number of them committed to Clinton before the race even began. They are free to change their minds; Sanders and his supporters are free to try to convince them to do so. Those are the rules of the race.

● Sanders has a strong case to make.

He is the only remaining candidate viewed favorably by most Americans. Clinton’s weakness is a mirror to these strengths. After a quarter century in Washington, she is part of an establishment that is widely seen as failing most Americans. She’s viewed unfavorably by most Americans, with record negatives exceeded only by those of Donald Trump. Americans doubt her trustworthiness and honesty. She’s made herself the candidate of continuity at a time when the country is demanding change. Her big money fundraising has turned into an embarrassment, not an asset.

Not surprisingly, Sanders runs better against Trump than Clinton does in early polls.

Particularly if he wins California, Sanders has a strong case to make to Superdelegates that he is the stronger candidate – and that is before we know what the FBI inquiry on Clinton’s handling of classified information will produce.

● Sanders is mobilizing interest and voters.

Even with the media declaring the race over, Sanders continues to draw stunning crowds. Young people continue to rally to his call. Democratic registration is soaring in California, as the Sanders campaign works to attract new voters.

And this isn’t due to Sanders good looks. His bold ideas inspire – and meet real needs: Medicare for all, Tuition free college, $15.00 minimum wage and a union, enhance Social Security benefits, act on climate change, rebuild the country, end our ruinous trade policies, progressive tax reform and big money out of politics.

● Sanders has already committed to beating Trump.

Much of the establishment hand wringing features fears that Sanders will not endorse Clinton if he loses the nomination to her, and/or will not work to unify the party to take on Trump. But Sanders has already – repeatedly – announced his commitment to make certain Donald Trump does not become president of the United States. He’s already promised to show workers why they can’t afford to support a billionaire who promises massive tax breaks for the rich. He’ll work hard to ensure that the young people he has inspired come out to vote.

● The Sanders revolution will be disruptive or it will fail.

Sanders has unequivocally denounced violence or threats of violence. But the movement Sanders is building will by definition be disruptive. It will challenge the party’s rules. It will drive its agenda – even in opposition to a sitting Democratic President, as Obama has discovered with his TPP trade deal. It will go after politicians who stand in the way. It will expose big money corruptions.

The establishment’s Washington consensus has failed all but the very few. It is buttressed by politics as usual in Washington, by the corruptions of big money in politics, by entrenched special interest lobbies and crony capitalism. The movement that Sanders is helping to build will seek to disrupt that order to clear the way for fundamental reform. Sanders has helped build that effort, and if his campaign is successful, it has only just begun.

Read the full article at:
http://www.commondreams.org/views/2016/06/01/common-sense-democratic-presidential-race

June 2, 2016

Sanders: Democratic party DNC won't allow union representatives on platform drafting committee!

WASHINGTON POST
Sanders: DNC vetoed union leader pick for platform committee
By David Weigel
June 1, 2016


SPRECKELS, Calif. — When the Democratic National Committee announced that Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont would get to pick five of the 15 people who'll write the party platform, it was seen as a small coup. But at a news conference today, Sanders revealed that the DNC had actually vetoed his nomination of a key labor ally, and said he was told not to pick anyone else from the labor movement.

“What we heard from the DNC was that they did not want representatives of labor unions on the platform-drafting committee,” he said. “That’s correct.”


Yesterday, Wall Street Journal reporter Peter Nicholas was the first to report that Sanders had included RoseAnn DeMoro, executive director of National Nurses United, on his list of preferred platform committee members. "He told me that he really wanted me on the committee to advocate for Medicare for All, especially," DeMoro told The Washington Post today.

According to Sanders and DeMoro, the DNC nixed her, resulting in a Sanders delegation of four men, one woman (Native American activist Deborah Parker), and no one from organized labor. While many progressive commentators cheered Sanders's picks, which include the environmental writer and activist Bill McKibben and the academic iconoclast Cornel West, the gender and work balance opened him up to criticism.

"I think it was a set-up," said DeMoro. "It fed into the 'Bernie bro' narrative and meme -- oh, Bernie picked one woman, he's a sexist. As soon as the list was out, there were articles about how he chose two 'anti-Israel' people. The truth of the matter is that they were choices the DNC had signed off on."

In an interview Wednesday, DNC platform committee spokeswoman Dana Vickers Shelley confirmed that the DNC had not wanted labor leaders on the platform drafting committee, limiting labor's presence to Paul Booth of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees union.

“Because union leadership was represented on the full platform committee, a decision was made no union leadership would be represented on the platform drafting committee,” said Vickers Shelley. “That was communicated to the campaigns, and they understood our rationale.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/06/01/sanders-dnc-vetoed-union-leader-pick-for-platform-committee/

June 1, 2016

Clinton and Media Outlets Are Still Counting Superdelegates in Voter Tallies, Despite Pleas from DNC

Clinton and Media Outlets Are Still Counting Superdelegates in Voter Tallies, Despite Pleas from DNC Exec
by Shaun King
June 1, 2016

On April 28, Luis Miranda, communications director for the Democratic National Committee, did an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper to formally clarify the official position of the Democratic Party on when superdelegates are, and are not, supposed to actually count in public vote tallies.

What he said shocked the hell out of me and should shock the hell out of you — in part because not a single media outlet or the Hillary Clinton campaign has paid one bit of attention to it before or since. Since election season began, networks, newspapers and pundits have included superdelegates in their tallies, but the DNC emphatically said that was wrong over a month ago.

Not on a hot mic or during a commercial break, but live on the air, Luis Miranda, in no uncertain terms, told Jake Tapper that the media should not be including them. Miranda said, "One of the problems is the way the media reports them. Any night that you have a primary or caucus, and the media lumps the superdelegates in, that they basically polled by calling them up and saying who are you supporting, they don't vote until the convention, and so they shouldn't be included in any count."

Tapper, seemingly shocked by the candid honesty of Miranda, then asked, "But when we do our totals, do you think it's OK to include them?"

Miranda then doubled down — and completely blew my mind. "Not yet," he said. "Because they're not actually voting (until the convention in late July) and they are likely to change their mind. Look at 2008 and what happened then was there was all this assumption about what superdelegates were going to do and many of them did change their mind before the convention and it shifted the results in the end."

Tapper, clearly befuddled, then concluded the interview with this summary, which again was shocking: "Very interesting. The DNC itself is saying don't include superdelegates in the totals to cable networks like our own."


?

Statistical sleight-of-hand has made the Democratic nod appear out of reach for Bernie Sanders.

http://www.commondreams.org/views/2016/06/01/clinton-and-media-outlets-are-still-counting-superdelegates-voter-tallies-despite