Inside the bitter last days of Bernie's revolution

[Surya Gayatri]

For better and for worse, Sanders made all the big decisions.

There’s no strategist pulling the strings, and no collection of burn-it-all-down aides egging him on. At the heart of the rage against Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party, the campaign aides closest to him say, is Bernie Sanders.

It was the Vermont senator who personally rewrote his campaign manager’s shorter statement after the chaos at the Nevada state party convention and blamed the political establishment for inciting the violence.

He was the one who made the choice to go after Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz after his wife read him a transcript of her blasting him on television.

He chose the knife fight over calling Clinton unqualified, which aides blame for pulling the bottom out of any hopes they had of winning in New York and their last real chance of turning a losing primary run around.

And when Jimmy Kimmel’s producers asked Sanders’ campaign for a question to ask Donald Trump, Sanders himself wrote the one challenging the Republican nominee to a debate.
...

But more than any of them, Sanders is himself filled with resentment, on edge, feeling like he gets no respect -- all while holding on in his head to the enticing but remote chance that Clinton may be indicted before the convention.

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/bernie-sanders-campaign-last-days-224041

________________________________

Excellent read on backstage at Camp Sanders.

[Agnosticsherbet]

1. It opened my eyes.

[SunSeeker]

2. These revelations are certainly in keeping with Bernie's history.

[Surya Gayatri]

4. That's exactly the vibe that was coming out of his ill-fated campaign.

And, now the real story is emerging.

His basic character flaws prevented him from succeeding.

Classic narrative of vaunting ambition bringing down the "hero".

[MattP]

3. This is devastating and really bad for him

He could have bowed out gracefully and got so much more and retained his respect now he will be known as a bitter delusional narcissistic loon

[Surya Gayatri]

5. "Bitter, delusional, narcissistic loon", indeed. Sad end.

[stopbush]

6. Saw this coming Monday:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1107158029

[Surya Gayatri]

7. You were prescient! LOL! He's going to implode before our eyes.

[Cha]

13. That's right! you were so correct!

[Her Sister]

19. wow! Yep! you got it and you said it!

[Agnosticsherbet]

8. I now tend to think this article is accurate.

[Surya Gayatri]

9. Take it to the bank! Especially, after seeing his shameful performance tonight.

[Gothmog]

10. Sanders sounds like a bitter old man who is mad at everyone

The fact that Sanders is still mad at Barney Frank is very telling to me

[Surya Gayatri]

11. He's got some major anger issues. Just plain nasty and vengeful.

Barney Frank said some unpleasant truths about him and he can't get over it.

He appears to be as thin-skinned as the Talking Yam.

[BlueCaliDem]

16. Talking Yam?? Hahahahaha! eom

[Surya Gayatri]

17. It's SO appropriate, huh? I can't take credit, though. Found it somewhere else.

[BlueCaliDem]

18. Well, you're the first one I've seen use it and YES, it's so appropriate! Thank you for my first

laugh of the morning, Surya!

[Surya Gayatri]

21. Welcome, I'm sure! We all need to decompress after the last few

pressure cooker days and weeks.

[deurbano]

39. Charles Pierce at Esquire calls hims the "vulgar, talking yam"

Perfect.

[ExtraGriz]

31. Barney Frank is the last person

you want to be pissed at you. He is brutally honest...Bernie made a huge mistake getting on his bad side.

[brer cat]

12. Good read!

What a bitter man!

[sufrommich]

14. He's driven by ego and revenge,a lot like Trump.

We dodged a bullet. Good riddance,Bernie.

[Surya Gayatri]

15. Although of opposite political persuasions, he and the Talking Yam

have disturbingly similar characters.

[Her Sister]

20. No no no NO TULSI GABBARD for DNC Chair!

Please no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Surya Gayatri]

22. I don't want that turncoat anywhere near a position of national power. Deliver us!

[Evergreen Emerald]

23. This has been my impression of him from day one.

And he proved it time and again. Remember in Rome when he walked by the woman who stood up to shake his hand because he did not like what she had said about him? And, he did the same thing to Debbie Waserman after a debate. And now he wants to exact revenge on Barney Frank.

He became extremely negative against Hillary because of a slight? And he wants to stay in the race in case she is indicted!?

True colors.

[Surya Gayatri]

24. True colors, shining darkly through. As they say, character determines destiny.

He and the Talking Yam have disturbingly similar character flaws--and both are unfit for the Oval Office.

[Evergreen Emerald]

25. "Talking Yam" hahahahaha

That was hysterical--because if fits so aptly!

[Surya Gayatri]

29. Feel free to spread it far and wide! I can't take credit. Found it somewhere else.

[CrowCityDem]

26. I'm not sure how you can read that and really respect the man anymore.

[tonyt53]

27. Bernie and his wife remind me a great deal of John and Elizabeth Edwards.

John wanted more than anything to be Bill Clinton. John thought he was smarter. Elizabeth Edwards despised both Clintons. She had made than known. If John Edwards had not been in the Iowa primary, Hillary would likely have won Iowa in 2008 and history would have been changed just like it was last night, and Baracj would have been her VP, and winning the nomination this year. Elizabeth Edwards knew about John and his lady. She knew about if months before the Iowa primary. But she hated the Clintons so much that she said nothing.

Bernie and Jane are a perfect comparison with John and Elizabeth Edwards. All bitter people that think what they have to say is more important than what others have have to say. Words and actions do matter, and Bernie has shown his true colors and they aren't pretty.

[Surya Gayatri]

30. The self-righteous hubris, it BERNS!

[JanetLovesObama]

28. Grumpy and Frumpy need to go away

FOREVER. I cannot stand the sight of either one of them. Grifters is all they are.

[GusBob]

32. I love reading campaign post mortems and wrap ups. Both sides all players

This is where politics works, the nuts and bolts.

Back in the days of magazines, Time and Newsweek devoted entire issues to after elections

This one is good but a little off. BS has always been a stubborn micromanager going back to his Burlington days. It has always been his way or the highway.

Nothing new there, it is his major fatal flaw and why he lost.

A bullheaded man is NEVER a good leader. The only tool in BS kit is a crowbar. Tear down but don't build up. It's easy to be a demagogue He would've made a horrible President

But many of us knew this months ago. Which brings me to the next point. The bitter last days were no different than the first days. This campaign lost in March. Again old news

The other thing this article does not address is how his bitter stubbornness translated to his followers, you know the Berniebros and their online and social media trashing of other people. This was a huge turn off for many many people and a complete reflection of their bitter humourless leader.

Lastly all this revolution bullshit. Nobody wants a revolution lead by and full of mean and grumpy types.

[Surya Gayatri]

33. You sound like an insider, GusBob. Are you in the "business" as they say?

VERY astute observations about the fundamental character flaws that define the Bern.

Especially these passages:

BS has always been a stubborn micromanager going back to his Burlington days. It has always been his way or the highway. Nothing new there, it is his major fatal flaw and why he lost.
...
The other thing this article does not address is how his bitter stubbornness translated to his followers, you know the Berniebros and their online and social media trashing of other people.

[GusBob]

34. No my friend just an observer

There are articles from his Vermont days that describe his testy behavior. One of his workers described how he micromanaged the number of hot dogs at an event way back

As an observer, I want to thank you for your contributions to this forum

I hope you are healing well

[Surya Gayatri]

35. How kind of you, Gus, to remember my "infirmity", LOL! Yes, thank you,

I'm on the mend. Walking without a cane now, except when I'm tired and have to go out in the street.

This I can believe:

"he micromanaged the number of hot dogs at an event..."

Bwaahaaaa!

[liberal N proud]

36. Has the finger stopped wagging?

[Surya Gayatri]

37. The fickle finger of fate? It was working overtime during his stump speech last night.

Wonder if he has to protect it somehow, when he's not speaking. Maybe he has a little finger "sleeve" to keep it warm and fit.

[NastyRiffraff]

38. And so it begins...

the campaign staff throwing Bernie under the bus. It's very likely accurate that he is "driving the train," but Weaver, Devine & Company want to make sure the right person is blamed, and that's Bernie.

[LAS14]

40. In the interests of moving on, let's remember...

... the negative stories about inside the Clinton campaign at the end of the 2008 primaries. I assume some were let go, just as with Bernie's campaign. We distrust purely negative reports about Hillary. I suspect we should take this article with maybe a quarter teaspoon of salt as well.

[wysi]

41. A shocking read, actually

Quite frightening, even from my perspective as a psychologist.