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

[ehrnst]

The campaign of the senator from Vermont 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.
................................................................

The Sanders campaign said the requirements were not the product of a request from the Biden campaign, and the Biden campaign said it was not previously aware of them.

Key parts of the five-page orders appeared designed to prevent unflattering news reports about disagreements in the party. “Social media postings have the potential to generate media coverage,” the document warned, before instructing delegates how to address a press inquiry. “If a member of the media contacts you about a posting of any kind: do not respond,” it said. Instead, it continues, contact the Sanders press office.

“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.”
.......................................................


Sanders supporters have gained a reputation for attacking critics and rivals online more aggressively than backers of other politicians. In the past, the senator has faced pressure from Democrats who have felt he did not go far enough to compel his followers to ease hostilities, particularly in the online sphere. At times, Sanders simply has distanced himself from the attacks.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/bernie-sanders-seeking-peace-with-joe-biden-asks-his-own-delegates-to-turn-down-the-volume/2020/05/20/252e06b4-9a07-11ea-89fd-28fb313d1886_story.html

[Historic NY]

1. They aren't likely to listen

he has asked before.

[ehrnst]

3. Maybe the threat of removal as a delegate will be more persuasive than

inaction when they continue.

[Hortensis]

31. :) Right. Just makes this sort angrier that this time he means it.

Imagine most of those are already looking for a new leader. All those little wannabe revolutionary groups that have formed covet his extremely comprehensive voter data. But he's reportedly refused all requests and given it for safekeeping to a super PAC that was formed to help his reelections to the senate. Bless their hearts.

Maybe they should approach Putin, if Russia hasn't already infiltrated them of course. He's reportedly working to unite LW extremists with the RW for a standard nation-destroying revolution, and there are a bunch who might appreciate some meaningful assistance right now.

[The Magistrate]

2. He Will Have To Enforce It, Sir

The fact is, most of the people who put themselves forward as delegates for Sanders have little attachment to him, but simply view him as a vehicle for their own utopianisms. He has little control over them, and is incapable of leading his supporters in any direction save the one he recruited them for in the first place --- assailing and disrupting the 'Democratic Establishment'. That is what his delegates signed up for, and what they can be relied on to attempt doing.


"You only get two mistakes, and usually your second is somebody remembers your first."

[ehrnst]

4. Hoping that he will follow through on the threat to remove them as a delegate.

Otherwise the agreement has no real use or purpose.

It's sad that a candidate would feel a need to threaten his delegates with removal in order to get them to be civil and follow his request.

[The Magistrate]

6. I Don't Trust The Man As Far As I Could Throw Him, Sir

"Do not call up that which you cannot put down."

[ehrnst]

11. I await the "revisions" that they are making to the agreement due to complaints from delegates

about the terms.

Until I see enforcement, I will assume there will be a continuation of his status quo responses which are ignoring this kind o divisive behavior, or saying, "I can't be expected to address what some supporters do or say in the name of supporting me."

[stopdiggin]

19. positive sign. in at least recognizing

and acknowledging a previous problem. Prior to this .. tearing the party, and other candidates, down was ignored. Calling out a destructive force .. as destructive .. is at least a step forward.

[beastie boy]

16. Well said.

The top leadership of Bernie's movement is the proverbial tail that is wagging the dog. He may have some influence left with his rank and file followers, but not with the delegates. I doubt he can enforce any agreements his delegates sign, or influence their behavior at the convention. Maintaining discipline will probably fall to the DNC leadership.

[LiberalFighter]

26. This is where Sanders would need to vet anyone running as national delegate for him.

He has the right to refuse to accept them.

[The Magistrate]

28. That He Does, Sir --- And He Had Damned Well Better Exercise It Freely

Personally, I doubt that he will. It's just not in him. The fella's not a team player, and values his image as the man who would lead the left to revolutionary change far too highly to court rejection by leftists. He postures as a man who will go his own way and doesn't care what people think of him, but that proclaimed unconcern does not apply to the people on the left his self-image feeds upon, and has fed upon for years. He very much cares what the sort of people who will put themselves forward as his delegates think of him. He's nothing without them, just one more small state Senator few of his colleagues much like.

[lindysalsagal]

5. He's doing the right thing. But I hope he'll follow up when needed on individual cases.

Because you know there will be a need.

[CaptYossarian]

7. Are these people truly progressives or just spoilers paid for by the Nazis?

I'm a true progressive, but I voted for Hillary and am looking forward to voting for Joe this time.

I do what I can to keep the pro-death party from gaining power. I can't prevent them from their usual cheating, sadly.

[still_one]

10. well stated

[Eliot Rosewater]

12. Combination probably. KGB or whatever they want to be called now and the GOP are working

together to destroy America and take everything away from us and they do have some working with the far left.

As hard as I have been on Bernie I am seeing that he really does want Joe to win, so lets hope some of them listen.

[CaptYossarian]

18. These culprits are working behind Bernie's back.

They may have murdered that bird that landed on his podium.

[ehrnst]

13. You mean his delegates? (nt)

[CaptYossarian]

17. Yes. Delegates combined with the Bots and anyone else who may not be sincere.

I won't say anything negative about Bernie himself. I was all-in for him up to the 2016 Convention.

I am a firm believer in free college tuition, shrinking the banks, and Medicare For All, but am realistic enough to know we have to take baby steps.

"All or nothing" didn't work in '16. 74,000 stayed home that Tuesday, and now we're watching death tolls on TV, while millions more are facing financial ruin.

What in holy hell has Trump made great again? Maybe just his overstuffed physique.

[Caliman73]

23. Many are further left than progressives. They aren't trying to "spoil" they are trying to disrupt.

People who are very left, like socialists in the real sense not in the Social Democrat sense, do not believe that Capitalism can be reformed or constrained. They think that it needs to be destroyed and that anyone who props it up is an enemy.

They aren't working with the right, with fascists, or other groups. All of those groups support Capitalism at least to some degree so they are enemies and they will fight them too.

The only thing they have in common is that they want to bring down "liberalism".

Like the Bolsheviks during the Russian Revolution. They teamed up with the Mensheviks to defeat the Tsarists forces but then the Bolsheviks turned on the Mensheviks because they are too moderate.

[CaptYossarian]

33. There's a fine line between spoil and disrupt.

Disrupting may have been their intent, but they spoiled it for Hillary. My original post was in the context of a cellar dweller in sports taking down a contender in time for the post-season. (That letter from James Comey did not help things either.)

This all seems innocent at face value until you tabulate what America and the world has lost: excessive human lives (President Hillary would have acted much quicker and without a circus atmosphere), deregulated environmental protections, having each social safety net in jeopardy, and a complete distrust from our entire coalition of allies throughout the world. Sure, since 1980, the GOP has been hellbent on destroying Democracy. They've been chipping away at the Rule of Law and Separation of Powers the entire time. The failure to address climate change is Trump's cherry on top.

A secondary casualty (because it may have been unintended) is the coming economic depression. As diabolical as Trump (Bannon/Miller) is, the global economy wasn't even thought of as "collateral damage", unless the ultimate goal was slavery of all races.

[still_one]

8. The only way that will happen is if the Briahna Joy Grays, David Sirotas, Nina Turners, and

Susan Sarandons are NOT part of the Democratic party convention

Their actions from the 2016 General Election to today, are clear that they have NO intention of working within the Democratic party

To a large degree we are where we are today because of their undermining of the Democratic nominee in 2016 in the general election, and the fact that they have no regrets of NOT voting for the Democratic nominee in 2016, says everything

[Me.]

15. That Is Exactly What I Think

Proof will be in the pudding

[Caliman73]

24. Agreed. They have become toxic.

I even support some of the policies they would like to see, but they promote "burning the village to save the village" and that is not a viable strategy.

[still_one]

27. Exactly

[ehrnst]

29. When asked about their negative tweets, I believe he said "they're not on my payroll anymore."

So, I guess he's not going publicly tell them that they need to stop the bashing.

[still_one]

30. It can be argued he created or at least encouraged the monster, and it will be next

to impossible to motivate them not to send out divisive messages

[NurseJackie]

9. That horse has left the stable... and the corral.

This is much too late to have any real or meaningful or positive effect.

[ehrnst]

14. He clearly feels differently about Joe than he does Hillary.

It's a shame that his feelings didn't compel him to do right by the country by actively, sincerely discouraging his supporters from this sort of divisive and dangerous to our country behavior before this.

[The Magistrate]

20. That Difference In His Feelings, Sir, We Must Be Honest About

Mr. Biden has a dick, Mrs. Clinton does not.

A radical revolutionary warrior like 'Bernie' just cannot be beaten by a woman --- chicks are here to fetch coffee and run the mimeograph machine and gaze with starry eyes at the men who lead the movement.

Sanders can accept being beaten and made to look small by some other man --- it's happened to him often enough in his life, it's something normal, something in his heart of hearts he really expects to happen.

But not some chick, man! That's just not right! Women's Lib is all very well, but come on....

[ehrnst]

22. +1000.

[betsuni]

45. +2000

[stopdiggin]

21. well the stakes changed significantly after Nov 2016

and so did some perspectives. Not all certainly .. but a lot of people never thought we'd be where we are today. A hard lesson indeed. But, at least some on the left learned from it.

[JI7]

25. yes, but also becsuse he lost badly in Oregon

so now he wants to make it like he is doing something great but his people were going after Biden on the Reade crap before and he was talking about his delegates and how they needed to influence Biden and other shit.

[DenverJared]

32. 4 years late and several dollars short

But ... good that he is spanking his flock.

[Kahuna]

34. Krystal Ball is not having it...

Link to tweet

[Cha]

37. Haha.. Krystal Ball has done her best to screw up

anything she could.

[ehrnst]

36. Why do you say that? Politicians who have earned their constituents support

for being leftist should not be "penalized."

What form would these "penalties" take?

I think that Pelosi has the right idea - take someone aside and get their consensus by letting them know that working with a team gets you further. I can see the results of that with AOC's evolution as a team player.

I know that she's often considered "weak" by many on the left for this way of doing things, and praise Maude, Nancy doesn't care, but it works.

[The Magistrate]

42. An Incautious Observer, Sir, Might Suspect You Of Sarcasm

"Comedy is best left to professionals."

[aidbo]

44. Is that what you are, sir and/or madam? An incautious observer?

[LanternWaste]

43. Tough old world, kid.

Bemusing to read this sentiment of yours (wholly unsupported by objective evidence) designed to allow the hipster-cross of martyrdom much more comfortable to posture from.

[betsuni]

46. +1

[Cha]

49. Thank you, Lantern.

StaySafe!

[Cha]

38. Talk to the BS Campaign if you don't like this..

The campaign of the senator from Vermont 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.

The Sanders campaign said the requirements were not the product of a request from the Biden campaign, and the Biden campaign said it was not previously aware of them.

[Cha]

47. Excuse me.. What are you trying to say with that?

[betsuni]

48. It has nothing to do with policy, obviously and as usual.

The Democratic Party's policies are "from a left perspective."

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

39. There still seem to be a handful on Twitter who haven't gotten the message.