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karynnj

(59,924 posts)
73. So everything David Brock did was ok by you?
Sat Dec 31, 2016, 11:35 AM
Dec 2016

I am speaking of what David Brock did in 2015 - you are speaking of comments, intentionally misinterpreted after the election. Even had Bernie said something you disagreed with in 2015, it does not justify the lies and distortions that tried to erase the fact that Sanders was there - out in the streets for civil rights in the 1960s. Brock did not say that Bernie 2015/2016 did not live up to the Bernie of the 1960s - he questioned Sanders' 1960 activism.

Note the ONLY person I criticized is David Brock -- and I stand by that. It was disgraceful and not that far from the creepy slimy things he did against the Clinton's. What seems clear is he changed who he was loyal to -- not his methods.

As to Bernie, what you are responding to are comments post mortem. I did not see the Latina incident that you are referring to, but I did see Bernie speaking to a 200 plus group of Vermont seniors - answering their questions politely and helpfully - often pointing to specific staff people they should speak to. Being Vermont, they were mostly white, but he was warmly greeted by the few POC there. These are people who know him -- some having been guests at his holiday dinner for more than a decade. This was this month. There is a reason Sanders has the highest approval rating of any Senator -- he earns it.

I KNOW post mortems are hard when your hopes and dreams were with the nominee who lost, especially if you did not see her (or him) as a once in a life time candidate. Sanders is not the enemy. Sanders and EVERY Democrat is needed to fight Trump. Just as I have to stop myself from saying what I think of Schumer on several issues because there are many issues we need to be united on, I think the Clinton supporters have to stop their attacks on Sanders. Sanders was a very good advocate for Clinton. He was every bit as supportive to her as she was to Obama. (I personally saw both HRC and Bernie as flawed candidates.)

2016 was a close election - as 2000 and 2004 were. That makes it harder as any small gaffe, action, event could be said to have swung the small number of people that made the difference between winning and losing. I needed the JK group after 2004 because Democrats - all the way up to Bill Clinton were far harsher on Kerry than Sanders or any public figure is on Clinton -- when he lost in a year that no one in 2003 expected us to win. That every 2008 Democrat ran on platforms very close to Kerry's 2004 platform with Iraq changed to essentially be a variation of Kerry/Feingold indicates that the party knew that time passing was essentially all that was needed to win 2008 - as Bush soon sak from around 50% approval to the low 30s.

For 2016, some of the analyses written by Democrats from Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania suggest are worth looking at -- and I suspect that political scientists will design studies that will try to identify why we lost those states. Was it that it was harder for many to vote given the voter id/voter suppression laws? Was it that there were enough people, unhappy and frustrated with their own lives that they were vulnerable to a campaign based on hate? (Note Brexit, which was pushed by the British nationalists, and Netanyahu's election, where he was likely to lose until he spoke of hordes of Israeli Arabs being brought out to vote against him. )

Was it that the coastal discussion of "white privilege" which is absolutely needed to understand systemic injustice was seen as the liberals, Democrats not caring for underprivileged whites, who absolutely had to be startled to hear they are privileged ? In those states, you have counties full of people who know that they can not get jobs paying what a middle class life - that their parents and grandparents had. How do you speak of BOTH systemic injustice that means you are immediately a suspect if you are black, AND speak to economic injustice to change the current system where almost all the economic gains of this century went to a very small percent of people?

Trump managed to gain poor whites by making them think their enemies were the immigrants, the Mexicans, the blacks and the liberal elite - who Trump would fight on their behalf. Needless to say, he won't. Look at his nominees for Labor or any Financial post. We lost the argument that electing a Democrat would lead to less economic injustice. This is an argument that we should have won hands down based on facts (no matter which Democrat was the nominee) -- and we need to regain the perception that we are better for poor people - no matter what color.

I think that it was a huge error to have cast social injustice as competing against economic injustice, when we desperately need to address BOTH. It is not a rejection of HRC to say this. In fact, saying that the problem could be something like this is way better than if people were saying that we as a party had the right message, a very bad candidate who could not articulate it well or excite people to come out to vote. We also need to try to understand what happened to have any clue at all to changing it going forward.



Because they voted with their penises? I'm just spitballing here. bettyellen Dec 2016 #1
LOL boston bean Dec 2016 #56
First rec! Great question! Squinch Dec 2016 #2
No sympathy here liberal N proud Dec 2016 #3
I'm guessing radical noodle Dec 2016 #4
My guess is it's because BainsBane Dec 2016 #5
Could be... n/t radical noodle Dec 2016 #6
Get back to us when trump starts a war that kills tens and tens of thousands dionysus Dec 2016 #16
Is the sympathy for Trump supporters Lotusflower70 Dec 2016 #7
Democrats have a great message Protalker Dec 2016 #8
True radical noodle Dec 2016 #19
K&R! hrmjustin Dec 2016 #9
After 36 years of losing to unqualified Republicans marylandblue Dec 2016 #10
Erasing Obama and Clinton? Interesting! bettyellen Dec 2016 #12
White voters haven't supported a Democratic president since LBJ. yardwork Dec 2016 #18
I suppose the Democratic Party could denounce the Civil Rights Act. Garrett78 Dec 2016 #20
understood, or submitted to? DonCoquixote Dec 2016 #33
We understand perfectly well. They are racist. Starry Messenger Dec 2016 #44
Writing then off as "racists" is the lazy answer. In truth, that only applies to a small fraction. jack_krass Dec 2016 #62
every trump voter i know is racists to the core. stonecutter357 Dec 2016 #76
All the Trump voters I know are racist. Starry Messenger Jan 2017 #92
So who the fuck are Republicans? susanna Jan 2017 #93
Um, this sub thread is about "Reagen Democrats", so my answer to your question is jack_krass Jan 2017 #95
...and I'm the only one you respond to. OK. n/t susanna Jan 2017 #115
All the Trump supporters I know personally ARE racists redStateBlueHeart Jan 2017 #107
Same here. Just not the overt type, which seem to be the only type some want to recognize. Garrett78 Jan 2017 #113
These people voted for someone who was openly and directly racist. kcr Jan 2017 #116
In 08 we had all branches... Demsrule86 Dec 2016 #63
Because the media and Bernie don't dare talk about their support of racist policies, so... bettyellen Dec 2016 #11
Bernie never supported racist policies - not ever karynnj Dec 2016 #13
Never? brer cat Dec 2016 #21
Those are not policies karynnj Dec 2016 #28
But you just blamed the boogieman Brock for this fictional swiftboating to explain KittyWampus Dec 2016 #30
I'm sure those voters appreciate brer cat Dec 2016 #37
Clinton was always going to win there, so he didn't focus on winning there. killbotfactory Jan 2017 #110
Whether he focused on winning there brer cat Jan 2017 #111
He said: killbotfactory Jan 2017 #112
All the more reason to question brer cat Jan 2017 #114
Sierra Blanca. BainsBane Dec 2016 #25
How DARE you use the term 'swiftboat' in any context with Sanders. KittyWampus Dec 2016 #29
Yes I do karynnj Dec 2016 #42
Wow, how completely out of touch. Sanders' own words R B Garr Dec 2016 #49
So everything David Brock did was ok by you? karynnj Dec 2016 #73
Enough with the Brock conspiracies. It was Bernie's own words. R B Garr Jan 2017 #96
I spoke of what Brock did to Bernie in 2015 -- you are speaking of Sanders comments karynnj Jan 2017 #98
I never said HRC ran a flawless campaign. Quit making things up. R B Garr Jan 2017 #99
Reread your own divisive post karynnj Jan 2017 #103
Bernie's own wife admitted the only reason they stayed in so long R B Garr Jan 2017 #106
Nonsense...Sanders had little understanding of POC and their issues... Demsrule86 Dec 2016 #64
I disagree karynnj Dec 2016 #77
He called her Wall Street's girl amomg other things... Demsrule86 Jan 2017 #108
Never said he did. Said he doesn't like to talk about racism.... bettyellen Dec 2016 #39
+1 uponit7771 Jan 2017 #94
Sick of this BS that anyone called him a racist. Manny what's his dick started that here.... bettyellen Jan 2017 #100
yeap !!! so true uponit7771 Jan 2017 #101
I agree nt. BainsBane Dec 2016 #14
I understand you are very upset hillary lost to a clown.. but repeating stale primary lies dionysus Dec 2016 #17
straw man, no one ever accused Sanders of supporting racism. Although the man KittyWampus Dec 2016 #32
Well BettyEllen said right up top " and Bernie don't talk about their support of racist policies..." JCanete Jan 2017 #105
Did NOT say that. Said he hates talking about it. bettyellen Dec 2016 #40
You just nailed the new Democratic so called leadership! leftofcool Dec 2016 #31
that's total bullshit. What racist policies has Bernie stood behind? You objecting to his JCanete Jan 2017 #104
Not sympathy, but i recall one howard dean's 50 state strategy to win over as many as we dionysus Dec 2016 #15
Except there never really was a 50 state strategy BainsBane Dec 2016 #27
Right, but what republicans do what we don't is that they have a farm system of dionysus Dec 2016 #34
Bush was an ass MFM008 Dec 2016 #22
Which made his supporters worse? BainsBane Dec 2016 #26
Bush supporters? MFM008 Dec 2016 #45
I think you're confusing "sympathy" with "strategy" Warren DeMontague Dec 2016 #23
I think it would be a good idea BainsBane Dec 2016 #24
plus a million! brer cat Dec 2016 #36
Well we didn't hear it after Reagan because we weren't on the internet. Warren DeMontague Dec 2016 #38
we left 100 times the margin on the damn table. mopinko Dec 2016 #41
Yes! Fight for those whose votes are suppressed those who Cha Dec 2016 #58
What did I not respond to? BainsBane Dec 2016 #54
I thought the thread was about Trump voters. Warren DeMontague Dec 2016 #59
I didn't saw screw anyone who didn't vote for Hillary BainsBane Dec 2016 #85
I don't know, you should ask them. Warren DeMontague Dec 2016 #86
I don't know what Bernie's plans are BainsBane Dec 2016 #87
I'm talking about general messaging and what we, collectively, stand for- or not- as progressives. Warren DeMontague Dec 2016 #88
I don't disagree BainsBane Dec 2016 #89
I think a lot of it is, they're just not old enough to really remember a GOP POTUS Warren DeMontague Dec 2016 #90
Yes, absolutely BainsBane Dec 2016 #91
8 years of insulting Obama makes them uneasy about how we treat them back. Pholus Dec 2016 #35
Some of us think that's a good way to win elections mythology Dec 2016 #43
Yet not in previous losses BainsBane Dec 2016 #52
I don't know if it's "sympathy," but I mentioned here in the past that... Buckeye_Democrat Dec 2016 #46
I know people who fit a similar profile only their big issue is abortion. Willie Pep Dec 2016 #47
People have different priorities and motivations. Buckeye_Democrat Dec 2016 #48
Yes that is a good way of putting it. Willie Pep Dec 2016 #50
You provide a good example too! Buckeye_Democrat Dec 2016 #53
At an even more fundamental level... Buckeye_Democrat Dec 2016 #51
LOL! Ever seen this chart? Crunchy Frog Dec 2016 #66
Lol... not until now. Buckeye_Democrat Dec 2016 #67
Very interesting. Willie Pep Dec 2016 #81
Many of these desires will cross party lines. Buckeye_Democrat Dec 2016 #84
Yes! This! hamsterjill Dec 2016 #55
I'm guessing most of those guns and abortion voters prefer the GOP platform for other reasons, too. Garrett78 Dec 2016 #68
And, they're the most brainwashed of them all over the Cha Dec 2016 #57
You're asking the wrong question Martin Eden Dec 2016 #60
"...policies that are unmistakably in the interests of the vast majority of the people..." Garrett78 Dec 2016 #65
Our policies could be better Martin Eden Dec 2016 #72
Do you really think that Bill didn't try to appeal to and get Reagan voters Crunchy Frog Dec 2016 #61
Demonize voters, no. But we need to understand them. Garrett78 Dec 2016 #69
I would argue that understanding them implies Crunchy Frog Dec 2016 #75
Okay, but let's not pretend like there isn't a lot of data out there that disputes... Garrett78 Dec 2016 #79
I think that the problem is the media and others are painting these people as literally poor and bettyellen Dec 2016 #83
Ask Bernie Sanders. baldguy Dec 2016 #70
Lots of us are afraid to admit to what our neighbors are willing to do. dawg Dec 2016 #71
and others willing to enable it. BainsBane Dec 2016 #82
Intriguing question treestar Dec 2016 #74
K&R Gothmog Dec 2016 #78
I don't have any sympathy for Trump voters underpants Dec 2016 #80
They're special snowflakes who can't stand being called ignorant and/or racist Blue_Tires Jan 2017 #97
It is now and always has been misguided to rail against the products of our society JCanete Jan 2017 #102
The system is failing a vast majority of people. azmom Jan 2017 #109
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