Bernie Sanders, seeking peace with Joe Biden, asks his own delegates to turn down the volume

[Gothmog]

I applaud Senator Sanders for the actions described in the article set below. Senator Sanders is taking actions that are needed and appropriate. These actions tell me that Senator Sanders is serious about helping Joe Biden defeat trump.

I was a Clinton delegate to Philadelphia and saw and was the target of some really sad behavior. Sanders is taking actions to prevent such actions from occurring at the next convention.

Senator Sanders has the right to approve and remove delegates and is now using this power to make sure that next convention is more appropriate

Link to tweet

Sen. Bernie Sanders, whose delegates staged a raucous rebellion against Hillary Clinton at the 2016 Democratic convention, is trying to engineer a different outcome this year — by turning down the volume on his social media-driven army of 2020 delegates.

The Vermont senator’s campaign has told some supporters picked to represent him this year to sign agreements barring attacks on other candidates or party leaders, combative confrontations on social media or talking to reporters without approval.

The move, which carried a threat of being removed as a delegate, has the effect of blunting one of the most powerful if divisive tools of Sanders’s movement — its unrestrained online presence and tendency to stoke controversy through other media, which has at times spiraled into abuse of his opponents, perceived and real.

“Refrain from making negative statements about other candidates, party leaders, Campaigns, Campaign staffers, supporters, news organizations or journalists. This Campaign is about the issues and finding solutions to America’s problems,” said the social media policy sent to some delegates. “Our job is to differentiate the senator from his opponents on the issues — not through personal attacks.”

“Do your best to avoid online arguments or confrontations,” the policy said. “If engaging in an adversarial conversation, be respectful when addressing opposing viewpoints or commenting on the opposition.”

As a Clinton delegate, we all agreed to behave and not do anything that would reflect poorly on Hillary Clinton. Here Senator Sanders is realizing that his delegates represent him and his values

“When delegates attend the Democratic convention, they will be representing Sen. Sanders, the ideas he ran on and the millions of working people who supported his campaign,” Sanders campaign spokesman Mike Casca said in a statement. “That is a serious responsibility and we’re asking them to follow a basic code of conduct while carrying out that duty.”

Again, I applaud Senator Sanders for these actions.

Thank you Senator Sanders. You are really helping the party and these actions will help Vice President Biden defeat trump

[The Magistrate]

1. He Will Have To Follow Through, Sir

The teeth in those agreements need to be shown, early and often, and I do not think the man has it in him to do what is necessary.

[Gothmog]

5. This is far more than what was done for Philadelphia

Senator Sanders will have to enforce such agreement. Senator Sanders has the right to remove and replace delegates who do not represent Senator Sanders and his values. I saw first hand the conduct of Sanders delegates and I and my daughter were targets of such poor behavior. My whip warned me of stunts by the Sanders delegates and I was told that Senator Sanders was asked to stop usch behavior and declined. That is why we had this message from Senator Franken and Sarah Silverman

I applaud Senator Sanders for taking these actions

[grantcart]

2. Good for him

[oasis]

3. Thanks Bernie.

[IllinoisBirdWatcher]

4. Better late than never...

This could (and should) have happened weeks and weeks ago. I'm glad to see that Senator Sanders is taking these actions. I also agree that the Senator needs to make sure his directions are followed.

[drray23]

6. It is commendable that he is doing this.

However. I do not think he can actually control the most rabbid of his supporters. If anything, they will turn on him saying he has sold out and no longer a true progressive.

[FloridaBlues]

7. Thank you Sen Sanders let's hope they all follow these guidelines for the sake of

A true unity convention!
We will watch and see!

[Me.]

8. He Needs To Have A Sit Down

with Nina, Susan S, Biranna and Sirota

[Gothmog]

9. Bernie Sanders Doesn't Want His Delegates Attacking Biden on Twitter

Link to tweet

Vermont senator has made clear that he intends to continue amassing delegates to influence the Democratic platform and push the party further left. But in a sharp shift from 2016, those delegates are expected to be on their best behavior. The Washington Post reports that the Sanders campaign has asked its delegates to sign an agreement regarding their social media use and conduct at the convention, which bars the supporters from making unauthorized comments to the media, confronting people online, and, most importantly, attacking other candidates—like former Vice President and presumptive nominee Joe Biden.

The social media policy in the five-page agreement specifically asks delegates to “refrain from making negative statements about other candidates, party leaders, Campaigns, Campaign staffers, supporters, news organizations or journalists.” “This Campaign is about the issues and finding solutions to America’s problems,” the policy continues. “Our job is to differentiate the senator from his opponents on the issues—not through personal attacks.” Delegates are also directed to “do [their] best to avoid online arguments or confrontations” and assume all their comments are “on the record” and could be attributed to the campaign. “Before tweeting or posting from your personal social media accounts,” the policy states, “ask yourself these questions: If this appeared on the front page of The New York Times, would it compromise Bernie Sanders’s message, credibility, or reputation? Could it potentially risk your standing as a delegate? When re-tweeting or sharing information from others, are you applying necessary skepticism?”

Though the fate of the in-person Democratic convention this summer remains deeply uncertain, delegates are also nevertheless being asked to sign a code of conduct laying out how they’re expected to behave—whether in Milwaukee or virtually. “Engage with other delegates, superdelegates, party leadership, and elected officials with respect and a spirit of cooperativeness, even if I disagree with them,” the code of conduct dictates, along with tenets like acting with integrity, practicing self-care, and “conduct[ing] myself as if I was working in the White House for the American people.” Delegates are also not authorized to “engage with the media” without explicit permission from the campaign, which the Post notes could be particularly important if a virtual convention results in the media and online discourse becoming “the main venues for delegates to express themselves.” Should candidates violate either the social media policy or code of conduct, the agreements warn they will face “disciplinary action, including but not limited to your removal from the delegation.”

The delegate agreements reportedly weren’t received well by many of the delegates themselves, the Post reports, and the campaign is now working with delegates to modify the documents. “Some of the intent and some of the wording was really not agreeable to some of our Colorado delegation,” Colorado Sanders delegate Lori Boydston told the Post, though she noted that the campaign did accept proposed changes. “Some of the wording was really stifling what to say.” Heather Stockwell, a delegate from New Hampshire, told the Post she hadn't personally received the agreements, but heard about their flaws from others. “I did hear about it from other delegates in other states that they were trying to work with the campaign to change some of the wording because it was kind of offensive,” Stockwell said. “Some people were really upset.”

[Gothmog]

10. Democrats discover a new team player: Bernie Sanders

I applaud Senator Sander for being a team player

Link to tweet