Dear Bernie. Welcome to the real political world. You're not in Vermont anymore.

[DanTex]

You see, in the real world, if you launch your campaign in a crowd of white people and don't mention race at all, you are going to get criticized for it. This is because, in the real world, there are a lot of different issues and a lot of different constituencies. You're no longer campaigning in a homogeneous state of 600,000 people who mostly already agree with you on everything.

This isn't the first time you're going to make a mistake and get heat for it. Oh, and if by some miracle you win the nomination, it's only going to get worse. Trust me.

If you want some help getting your footing here, reach out to a friend. Hillary Clinton, maybe. She's been in this world for quite some time, has had every word out of her mouth scrutinized for the last decade, and still manages to out-poll everyone else running for president, Republican or Democrat.


Correction: as pointed out in responses, Bernie did in fact say the word "race" in his speech, but somehow that wasn't enough to placate those pesky race-obsessed liberals. It's like they actually think that race is a really important issue! Really!

[Sherman A1]

1. Did you listen to his speech?

I heard lots of issues mentioned, including issues of race.

[Wilms]

5. Bernie did mention that.

But one would need to read the transcript or watch the video in order to know that.

I second your

[frylock]

84. It's hard to do when you're focused on getting a head count of white people

[Wilms]

85. !

[Zorra]

89. ...

[leftofcool]

2. Did you just criticize Mr Perfect?

Yer in for it now!

[Buzz Clik]

9. Yes, there will be hell to pay.

It's going to be a long campaign season.

[ieoeja]

51. Apparently, he thinks Bernie should address Hillary's racist 2008 campaign.

I assume the OP must be supporting O'Malley or someone else. Because he sure as hell isn't doing Hillary any help bringing up the importance of the subject of racism in a Democratic campaign.

[AgingAmerican]

118. You guys have some real solid critique here!

lol

[treestar]

164. It's so funny isn't it?

The cheerleaders! The Tiger Beat idolizers!

[NCTraveler]

3. No safe havens.

It's hardball time as it should be. No coronations. We vet them before the general. Get mistakes out of the way now.

[eloydude]

154. Hillary isn't properly vetted

Once her real stance on issues that are key revealed and are shown out of sync or out of touch with the progressive Democrats, many will be looking for another alternative, and there is one, by the name of Bernard Sanders.

[kacekwl]

4. I think people are

getting tired of the constant picking apart of every word said by a candidate. I am smart enough to wade through th B.S. as are most. Give me your position and plans to get there and I will decide thank you.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

6. The starter and the backup have already tried this play, and they failed.

I guess it's time for the 3rd string to give it a try.

[NYC_SKP]

7. Fail.

[Mojorabbit]

46. Huge fail nt

[Buzz Clik]

8. He'll figure it out.

In the mean time, you'll be skewered for criticizing St. Bernard.

[Sherman A1]

10. Nothing wrong with criticism

particularly when it has some basis in fact, which this apparently may have missed by more than just a bit.

BTW the speech is available on YouTube in case anyone would care to watch it prior to posting criticisms that are well.......

[polly7]

16. So clever, he's a dog! Bet you're glad Sanders isn't a woman, eh? nt.

[Buzz Clik]

18. No, he's a saint. St. Bernard. That will be my sig line ...

... until the adoring crowd at DU starts to get a grip.

[polly7]

19. The dog's adorable, I think Sanders is adorable ..... what you're doing, isn't. nt.

[Buzz Clik]

22. You wound me.

not.

I like Bernie, but I really, really dislike his supporters at DU. You guys are doing him no favors by acting like angry, spoiled children.

[polly7]

23. I'm not a supporter of anyone, I'm from Canada ....... I just know hypocrisy when I see it. nt.

[Buzz Clik]

24. Hypocrisy? WTF?

Do you know the meaning of the word?

Please tell me what I said that was hypocritical.

[polly7]

28. I sure do. When you post a picture of a dog to be seen over and over of

someone you obviously do not support, it's much more than something 'you said', and odd, for someone claiming to be pro-feminist who would never consider doing it to a woman candidate. Subtle though, I'll give you that. Honestly, are you hoping he's seen as an old dog?, a dirty dog?, a dumb dog (many people say St. Bernard's aren't the most intelligent breed - I've heard it myself, my Dad loved them and had two, people really did tell him that and believed it.)? Otherwise, just making your joke/play on his name would have been done with only 'what you said'. A picture, however, is worth a thousand words. Are you hoping right-wingers pick it up and embellish it a bit?

[Buzz Clik]

41. That's a helluva lot of bullshit, and nothing substantive demonstrating my "hypocrisy."

I support Sanders, but not his DU followers. I find them tedious with their insistence that he is perfection embodied and the second coming of the Kucinich.

I explained the picture to you, and it is a play on words -- the "dog" reference is nearly irrelevant. If you don't like it, alert it. See how it goes.

Again, your claim of "hypocrisy" has evaportated. I am, however, quite impressed how a detached Canadian could generate such passion in support of someone she doesn't support.



==========

Rather than having to endure one second more of your howling, I'll throw you a bone and change the picture to the real St. Bernard. I hope this scratches your itch.

[polly7]

44. Believe me, it didn't take any passion.

And no, I don't think it's nearly important enough to alert on, maybe my lack of sleep last night has something to do with how I see it - if you're flattering him with a cute dog picture, I apologize.

[treestar]

166. Hypocrisy is the people who called us mindless followers and cheerleaders

and Tiger Beat idolizers of Obama who now think they can come right out and say they love Bernie or he's adorable. I love it!

They are going to get the full treatment. Bernie can do no wrong to them and they are going to deserve every comment along these lines.

[polly7]

168. Wtf are you yammering on about?

[treestar]

187. Even if you were not one of the people doing it

Those who did should jump on you for this. We've been told supporting Obama meant we thought he was our "boyfriend" and that we suffered from blind adoration. So where are they? They should be making fun of you for being in love with Bernie. Interesting they have a double standard.

[polly7]

188. I haven't got a damned clue what you're talking about so take it up with

Last edited Sat May 30, 2015, 11:41 AM - Edit history (1)

someone who did what you said. I chimed in on every ugly, insulting graphic depicting Obama ...... so don't even go there.

I called out a post that to me was ugly - I don't care who it was against. I also apologized if I was mistaken regarding intent. The poster changed it, so obviously he/she considered what it could be seen as.

Someone should make fun of you!!!! for something. lol.

[treestar]

189. You must not have been in GD much these last 6 years

Since you missed those types of posts completely.

[polly7]

190. I missed nothing.

I just told you I chimed in on every ugly picture I saw. What's your problem anyway? Why make up lies about me, just something to kick? - no coffee yet?

[treestar]

165. OMG! I never said Obama was adorable

straight out. And I was a teenaged swooner. So you get that label too now! This is fun.

[polly7]

169. OMG! OMG! OMG!

Care to explain?

I think you missed the point of my replies to the poster who was not you.

[JustAnotherGen]

185. Don't explain it treestar

I *get* what you are saying - but there's no reason to communicate with a hostile individual.

You do you - and let them do them!

I think there are quite a of us 'BOG' ers that get it precisely.

[polly7]

186. You're right, I shouldn't have communicated with treestar.

Last edited Fri May 29, 2015, 08:53 PM - Edit history (2)

And I'm very happy and proud 'to do me'.

[fredamae]

25. St B's are the best

most loyal protectors ever. I know. I have owned 5 of them over the years and the Saint's were, hands downs - the Best babysitters I could have ever had.
Smart, loyal, honest.....good choice

[MADem]

79. Patron Saint of Skiers and Alpinists!

This is a guy who defenestrated himself rather than submit to an arranged marriage! I learn something new every day when I come to DU!

I doubt the crowd will get much of a grip--they enjoy the scrum. If you want to avoid it, stick to the safe havens or the more partisan sites in other places on the web....otherwise, hold your nose and wade through.

[Nye Bevan]

30. Wasn't Bill Clinton known as the Big Dog?

I don't think he took any offence to this nickname.

[Trajan]

60. I'm guessing high school is out for summer vacation

The adolescents have taken over DU ...

Pure silliness ...

[Buzz Clik]

65. You really should avoid the personal insults.

[Trajan]

77. Don't be silly

Is about behavior ... Let's not try to misdirect ...

[uponit7771]

180. +1

[Sancho]

11. Well done...

I just posted Bernie's announcement speech and Hillary's SC speech side by side in another thread. The contrast is dramatic.

Yachts in the background, lots of white people, discussions of "oligarchy." You can get away with that on Meet the Press or maybe in Vermont, but the real world notices.

I thought Bernie's speech was angry, confusing, and missing much of the American electorate. Say what you want, Hillary hits all the points, she is relaxed and sometimes humorous.

What politician in the last 40 years doesn't understand putting diversity in every appearance?

There's no reason to bash Bernie's circular firing squad. He won't last much longer if he doesn't make better public appearances.

[Tarheel_Dem]

68. "There's no reason to bash Bernie's circular firing squad"

[frylock]

86. yachts in the background..

bwahahahaha! I wonder if any are owned by execs at Goldman-$achs?

[Agnosticsherbet]

12. Below is a link to Read Bernie Sanders’s populist, policy-heavy speech kicking off his campaign

Link to his speech and his mention of race.

Read Bernie Sanders’s populist, policy-heavy speech kicking off his campaign
Where every person, no matter their race, their religion, their disability or their sexual orientation realizes the full promise of equality that is our birthright as Americans.

Senator Sanders did mention race.

He absolutely failed to address the racial issues, especially the failure to provide equal access in accordance with 14th amendment to blacks and Hispanics.

[Thinkingabout]

75. Agree, an issue we should not have to face in 2015 is the race issue, this should have been resolved

Years ago but it is still a problem. It will be an issue a president will have to face, ergo, it is a very important issue. A president can not pick and choose issues they may want to deal with

[tblue37]

125. He IS going after the voter suppression (ID) laws.

Bernie Sanders Exposes The Republican Fraud Behind Voter ID Laws Via New GAO Report

http://www.politicususa.com/2014/10/08/bernie-sanders-busts-republican-fraud-voter-id-laws-report.html

{SNIP}

The study confirms that the voter fraud threat is a smokescreen that is being used by Republicans to depress turnout and keep people from voting. Sen. Sanders deserves a great deal of the credit for this report. Sanders initiated the request for the GAO to do the study.

It might seem obvious that that voter suppression is the purpose of voter ID laws, but having data to support the claims makes all the difference between having facts versus a political debate about beliefs. The facts are on the side of those who understand the real intent of voter ID laws.

{SNIP}

[HereSince1628]

13. Grasping at straws is only a bit better than grasping at nothing.

Of course there is that 'set theory' thingy... when the larger set is 'every American', when you argue for 'every American' you include all subsets and strata.

[Mnpaul]

112. Not really

this endless attempt to find a position in which Hillary excels, reeks of desperation.

[historylovr]

177. +1.

[cali]

14. Bzzzzzt. FAIL, dan

He damn well did mention race. And gasp those horrible white people voted for Barack Obama twice- overwhelmingly, in greater percentages than any other state than Hawaii. Is there any reason he shouldn't kickoff in his home state? Most candidates do.

[DanTex]

15. I stand corrected. He did in fact use the word "race". And still people complain! The horror!!!

Why are people so mean to politicians!

[corkhead]

34. well, why don't you take down your incorrect OP, or at least correct it?

[DanTex]

38. OK, corrected.

[sgtbenobo]

98. It is reported that just 1% of Vermont's population is African American.

Which works out to be about 6265 individuals of all ages and dispositions were available statewide to attend Bernie's announcement. That some in this thread suggest that organizers should have paid more attention to optics is insulting and actually pretty creepy. I smell a rancid wind blowing from Troll Town.

Stay Calm
and buy
an axe handle

[LuvNewcastle]

147. I guess some people expected Bernie

to bus in some people of color. That's the kind of shit Republicans do to give their rallies diversity, and it turns people's stomachs when it's brought to their attention. I don't expect to see politics as usual from Bernie. I can't say yet if it's going to be successful, but I think it's refreshing.

[brentspeak]

17. A pic from a recent Bernie rally:

Notice how lily-white his supporters are.

[Buzz Clik]

21. Come on now. Full disclosure. When and where was this pic taken, and what was the event?

L

[arcane1]

58. It appears to be from April 2015, after he delayed the TPP vote

But it's behind a paywall, so I couldn't read the whole thing:

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/2015/04/22/sanders-blocks-trade-agreement/26201571/

[Bohunk68]

160. As far as the "where", if you look behind everyone,

you will see the scaffolding around the Capitol Rotunda Dome which is undergoing repairs.

[Buzz Clik]

161. Sanders stepped in to talk at someone else's rally.

[Brickbat]

20. I can't tell if this is satire or not.

[Rex]

72. IT is getting hard to tell around here.

The shit stirring is rising to epic proportions!

[ladjf]

26. You must have some wonderful political credentials to be qualified

to lecture to Senator Sanders about American Politics. He is one of the most knowledgeable politicians in the Country.

[DanTex]

27. Pretty much the same qualification as the people here who bash Hillary: a DU account.

[Nye Bevan]

31. Kind of like lecturing Al Gore about why he lost the election?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=374440

Surely anyone who does this must also be incredibly knowledgeable.

[ladjf]

39. You must not have read my post regarding Al Gore's campaign.

I did not lecture or address Al Gore in any way. I agreed with the OP who stated that he felt Gore had made a mistake by distancing himself from Bill Clinton during his campaign.

I am most definitely not "incredibly knowledgeable" about American politics. But, I believe that Senator Sanders is.

[MohRokTah]

29. There are entire Congressional Districts with more people than Vermont.

Remember, the entire state of Vermont is a single Congressional District.

[lewebley3]

35. Yes, and Bernie has not had the responsibility of managing large groups

Hillary, has had many heavy management positions in the
government. Experience is in important!

Bernie is has done well for his state, but has very few
accomplishments.

[frylock]

88. And Obama was a community organizer..

seeeen it.

[arcane1]

91. And... so what? Arkansas only has 4.

Last time I checked, Vermont is still America.

[NYC Liberal]

96. Arkansas has 5 times the population and is far more diverse.

Arkansas: 2.9m people / 77% white / 15% black / 6% Hispanic
Vermont: 600,000 people / 96% white / 1% black / 1.5% Hispanic

Vermont is still America, but hardly very representative of the country.

[arcane1]

100. I'm still not seeing much of a point here.

Does someone have to be from a certain state in order to be a good president?

[NYC Liberal]

120. Is having a candidate that has led and represented a diverse constituency a good thing?

I think it's important given that the president has to represent all 320 million Americans.

[arcane1]

122. So yes, only certain states, and certain previous jobs, qualify?

Sanders has much more experience than Clinton.

[NYC Liberal]

155. "Qualify"? No. It's not about "qualifying."

It's about what's important in a candidate — our Democratic candidate. Having the right values and beliefs is, of course, up top. But there is certainly something to be said for preferring a candidate who has led a diverse constituency that has a decent represention of the country as a whole.

[Trajan]

152. I think it's more important ...

That the President support ALL WORKERS and their families, who have suffered nearly 35 years now ....

I will vote for the President who makes work/pay issues for ordinary families foremost on her/his agenda ... and not worrying so much about pleasing the megabankers and other, assorted hyper-rich neer-do-wells ...

I like Hillary's populist slant in recent communications, but, I am concerned it is not real ...

[NYC Liberal]

156. If you want a President who fights for working families, then Hillary is the one.

Her support of the poor and working class goes back decades — not just in "recent communications." She has supported and called for a living wage countless times, and voted for it in the Senate. She has fought for equal pay for women. She has stood with unions. She has pushed for increasing and extending unemployment insurance. She has a 94% Lifetime Rating from the AFL-CIO.

[bravenak]

115. My state is the same.

Only one congressperson, been there since before I was even born. I also live in a very white state and tend not to look very dark. I could have been in the crowd at an event here and it would be called a sea of white faces.

[lewebley3]

32. Yes, Agreed: Sanders has not lived in the Real world.

Most politicians have to work with not just Dem's, but GOP too!

[Art_from_Ark]

146. Bernie has served in the US Congress for more than 20 years

Methinks your turnip truck must have hit a bump in the road.

[lewebley3]

176. Served in a state with One Party rule.

[Tom Rinaldo]

33. Aside from the snide tone, I accept your general premise

No one is fully prepared for a national presidential political campaign until they have experienced one personally. Yes there is a learning curve and yes good politicians often make what can be seen, sometimes only in hindsight, as stupid errors. Even very seasoned national candidates like Hillary Clinton are said to "get rusty" when they have been off the national campaign trail for too long. Remember all that talk about how she performed initially on her book tour?

It is still VERY early in the 2016 election cycle. If Bernie Sanders or anyone else doesn't show an ability to tune up their initial campaign from when it starts to when it finishes, they are very unlikely to succeed. Let's see how Bernie does in that regard here. I'm betting that he can integrate (pun intended) the feedback he receives into his campaign, but we shall, as always, see.

[truebluegreen]

36. .

The smell of desperation in the morning.

[Orsino]

37. Ludicrous, dishonest OP.

Reach out to Sec. Clinton for help?

I doubt that that's what the OP means, and I really hope that the Clinton campaign musters a better strategy than selling the candidate as a Washington insider.

There are few sufficient words, though, for the silliness of trying to sell Clinton as more experienced.

[treestar]

40. Amen Good grief.

And the "vetting" has not even yet begun. Who knows what else they will find in his past? Hopefully for him he does not get far enough for the press to go looking. And the Republicans. Actually the Republicans will dig up dirt. That they don't is that they don't think he's likely to be their opponent in the general.

[TheKentuckian]

128. What vetting? Please do vet Senator Sanders on Civil Rights instead of grotesque smears

via FOX newz style "questions" and dishonest insinuations.

[treestar]

153. I don't need to do that to know Fauz Noise will

[TheKentuckian]

159. They and you may proceed, that record is top notch so "vet away"

but of course FOX doesn't give a flying fuck about the topic other than opposing so maybe their "vet" will do little more than highlight what decent people call positives.

[Dragonfli]

42. Great more race baiting. I guess you don't know much about Sanders record, Or Ms. Clinton's either

I know Ms. Clinton is quite proud of working for White working people and used to feel it important to qualify it as such, but Sanders actually has a record of working for all working people with no such qualifiers.

Try Red baiting instead, you might get more traction with that, not because Sanders is a Communist or anything, but because Democratic Socialist sounds scary to your right wing friends who will help you throw your mud pies.

I mean, if you are going to fling stuff, do it the smart nasty way rater than he laughably stupid nasty way as such will be less effective negative campaigning.

God bless and good luck with your mud pies, I know they can be fun at a certain developmental age.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

43. Did Hillary mention race during her gigs with Goldman Sachs? Were a lot of Blacks attending?

[brooklynite]

45. She mentioned it in her campaign...I think that's more important

Hillary Clinton Calls for Overhaul of Criminal-Justice System

Hillary Clinton on Wednesday called for broad changes to the criminal-justice system, including the use of body cameras in every police department and reduced incarceration, in the latest evidence of an emerging consensus in both parties on an issue that has been a potent political tool.

The policy ideas marked a new approach for Mrs. Clinton, who took hard-line positions on crime both as first lady and as a U.S. senator.

Mrs. Clinton, who is running for the Democratic presidential nomination, pointed Wednesday to a string of recent cases in which black men have died at the hands of police. She spoke at length about this week’s riots in Baltimore that followed the death of a man while in police custody.

“These recent tragedies should galvanize us to come together as a nation to find our balance again,” she said in a speech at Columbia University in New York. She cited the impact of incarceration on black men, who make up about 6% of the nation’s population but 37% of its jail and prison population, according to the Census Bureau and Justice

http://www.wsj.com/articles/hillary-clinton-calls-for-overhaul-of-criminal-justice-system-1430323284

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

47. I have good reason to believe that Bernie would do much the same.

Don't you?

[frylock]

90. She did give a shout out to "Hard-Working Americans, White Americans" in 2008

[workinclasszero]

48. Bernies crowd are well to do white baby boomers

they think they are the modern democratic party LOL

[bluesbassman]

49. Somehow I seriously doubt anyone will be holding a salon for Bernie.

MHO though, YMMV.

[arcane1]

52. Because Clinton doesn't appeal to the well-to-do?

Where is her campaign money coming from again?

If Wall Street is the "modern democratic party" then the two parties really are too much alike.

[frylock]

97. another swing and a miss..

maybe try the GUN NUT!!!12 route again.

[TM99]

123. Try again.

I am bi-racial. I am GenX. I am on a fixed income due to chronic health problems. My best friend and is wife are hispanic GenXer's. They have 3 children. He works two jobs while she stays at home with the kids barely making ends meet. My other close friend is an Asian American who has worked IT for 20 plus years. He is now off the unemployed lists because he simply can't find work after training his own Indian H1B replacement at Wells Fargo almost 5 years ago.

We are but a small fraction of the non white baby boomers that support Sanders' candidacy.

You might want to get out into the real world more!

[workinclasszero]

136. Sure

Apparently I struck a nerve.

[TM99]

141. So fucking typical.

Throw bullshit against the wall to see if it sticks. When challenged with reality, smuggly dismiss with smilies?

[workinclasszero]

142. Talk about throwing bull shit

See you in the primaries Bernie fan. That will expose the real BS!

[TM99]

143. Go away.

[ieoeja]

50. Bernie can't talk too much about race without attacking Hillary's racist 2008 campaign.

And he has promised not to attack her.

How can he talk about racism in America while ignoring Hillary's racist 2008 campaign? If he starts talking about it too much, someone is going to ask him about that. How can he respond to, "do you think Hillary Clinton should be disqualified from ever being a Democratic office holder after her last minute attempts to change election laws to suppress the Black vote in Nevada during the 2008 primary?"

If he says "yes", he is attacking Hillary.

If he says "no" or refuses to answer, then he is ignoring the rebirth of Jim Crow election laws, e.g. not addressing concerns of a very large portion of the Democratic base.

You are right. He should reach out to Hillary for advice on this. Her apparent strategy for dealing with the problem is to pre-emptively imply her opponent doesn't consider racism a big issue. When the voters are inevitably reminded of her racist 2008 campaign, she appears to be reading the reply...

"But I have more Black friends than Bernie!"

[hughee99]

53. Yes, Hillary knows all about campaigning and is the master of it.

After all, she won a Senate seat in 2000 against Rick Lazio with 55% of the vote while her husband was a very popular sitting president.

[Bohunk68]

163. She won because he was a lousy candidate.

NY is also heavily Democratic downstate.

[Oneironaut]

54. So, what happened exactly?

I keep hearing about this supposed contraversy with Bernie Sanders and race on this website. What happened?

[DanTex]

55. Briefly, Bernie Sanders gave a speech to kick off his campaign.

He didn't discuss race issues, almost at all. And the crowd was almost all white.

Some people (not just on DU) commented that they were disappointed that he didn't say more about race, and that it didn't look great to have a white guy in front of a white crowd, and failing to mention race.

Other people then chimed in that this was unfair criticism, because Bernie Sanders has been a long supporter of civil rights since the 60s.

You can imagine what happened next...

[Oneironaut]

57. Ok thanks!

I don't get why people are mad, though. I could see if he said something racist, but that seems like a nitpick.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

94. Who else has mentioned this other than that fuckwit blogger?

I'd like to know.

[DanTex]

104. For example, Chris Hayes.

http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/can-bernie-sanders-take-down-hillary-452031043878

Also
http://www.vox.com/2015/5/27/8671135/bernie-sanders-race

[TM99]

158. Look!

Two more white people lecturing us about how Sanders has a race problem (when he doesn't!)

[Throd]

56. Bernie is apparently responsible for the demographics of Vermont and doesn't care about black people

[bunnies]

61. These fucking threads are hilarious given his record.

Hair on fire over one speech. Its comedy gold.

[DanTex]

62. Yeah! Only Hillary is supposed to be scrutinized for every little misstep!

What's going on here?

[bunnies]

63. Not at all what I said. Was it? nt

[TheKentuckian]

131. What misstep? Some folks are trying to stitch one out of thin air but they are so full of shit their

tears smell like a port a potty.

[Bluenorthwest]

64. Let's take a look at Obama's annoucement speech, shall we?

He mentions 'church' and 'faith' and 'Christian' repeatedly. His entire nod to LGBT people involved no word of support at all: "We're distracted from our real failures, and told to blame the other party, or gay people, or immigrants."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/10/AR2007021000879.html

[Stellar]

66. Is that all it take...just say the word "race".

Correction: as pointed out in responses, Bernie did in fact say the word "race" in his speech, but somehow that wasn't enough to placate those pesky race-obsessed liberals. It's like they actually think that race is a really important issue! Really!

Surely you jest.

Because with all that said and done these days, the problems with what's happening with race is more important to me than anything else the candidates might speak of to date.

[DanTex]

70. Seriously. I was pointed to the line in the speech where the word "race" was used,

and sternly scolded and told to go back and edit my OP to acknowledge this.

[Stellar]

73. Okay, sorry. nt

[AzDar]

69. Dumb and desperate...

[JoePhilly]

71. I thin Bernie gets it ... some of his supporters here ... not so much.

They come to DU and post OPs in which they've cherry picked and twisted phrases or the flawed "optics" used by Obama and now Hillary. Every possible evil intent considered and promoted as if it were reality.

Then these same folks lose their collective minds when that exact same tactic is used against their latest political BFF.

Go figure.

[Rex]

74. DanTex...

[magical thyme]

76. One poster represents that poster. Bernie Sanders history and record on Civil Rights and Racism:

The Radical Education of Bernie Sanders

...as a college student he organized sit-ins against segregation, worked for a union, protested police brutality and attended the 1963 March on Washington. Throughout that time, the central theme of his life has never wavered.

...By his 23rd birthday, Sanders had worked for a meatpackers union, marched for civil rights in Washington D.C., joined the university socialists and been arrested at a civil rights demonstration.

...The civil rights movement also became a home for him. He became leaders of an NAACP ally called the Congress of Racial Equality at a time when most civil rights activists were black. He was arrested while demonstrating for desegregated public schools in Chicago.

...On a frigid Tuesday afternoon in January, 1962 the 20-year-old from Brooklyn stood on the steps of University of Chicago administration building and railed in the wind against the college’s housing segregation policy. “We feel it is an intolerable situation, when Negro and white students of the university cannot live together in university owned apartments,” the young bespectacled student told the few-dozen classmates gathered there. Then he led them into the building in protest, and camped the night outside the president’s office. It was Chicago’s first civil rights sit-in.
http://time.com/3896500/bernie-sanders-vermont-campaign-radical/#3896500/bernie-sanders-vermont-campaign-radical/

Civil Rights Record
http://www.ontheissues.org/Domestic/Bernie_Sanders_Civil_Rights.htm
Bush’s tracking citizens’ phone call patterns is illegal
Voted YES on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act.
Voted NO on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman
Voted NO on making the PATRIOT Act permanent
Voted NO on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage
Voted NO on banning gay adoptions in DC
Voted NO on ending preferential treatment by race in college admissions
Constitutional Amendment for equal rights by gender -- co-sponsored
Rated 93% by the ACLU, indicating a pro-civil rights voting record.
Rated 100% by the HRC, indicating a pro-gay-rights stance
Rated 97% by the NAACP, indicating a pro-affirmative-action stance
Recognize Juneteenth as historical end of slavery -- co-sponsored
ENDA: prohibit employment discrimination for gays.
Prohibit sexual-identity discrimination at schools
Endorsed as "preferred" by The Feminist Majority indicating pro-women's rights.
Enforce against wage discrimination based on gender -- co-sponsored Paycheck Fairness Act
Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools -- co-sponsored
Re-introduce the Equal Rights Amendment

[Oilwellian]

81. Thank you

Perhaps the OP should study Bernie's history before posting such foolishness.

[magical thyme]

82. which is exactly what I suggested to the blogger who's blog started this nuttiness!

[frylock]

92. that would take some amount of time and effort..

time and effort that would be better served as trying to paint Sanders as a GUN NUT!!!12, or insensitive to issues of race.

[eleanor record]

113. Thank you! Great post!

He has an impressive record on civil rights, far better than Hillary Clinton.

[Tarheel_Dem]

78. Dkos: Bernie Sanders and Minority Voters in Democratic Primaries

Fri May 22, 2015 at 07:11 AM PDT.
by unapologeticliberal777.


As I stated earlier, this coalition was historic, but the question is, can it be duplicated by Bernie Sanders? Of course not - African-Americans turned out in historic numbers for an historic first - to nominate the first AA to head a national ticket in a presidential election. But if Sanders is to win the nomination, he is going to have to attract a lot of votes from minority voters.

Democratic, progressive candidates running in Democratic party primaries appear, for the most part, to run better amongst middle and upper middle class, progressive, white voters but always seem to struggle with minority voters.

Why is that?

Is it that the issues that are most important to white progressives within the party, who vote in Democratic primaries not as important to minority voters? Are their priorities different? Are issues of jobs, the economy, civil rights, etc., more important to minority voters within the party and issues related income inequality, global warming, the NSA and the Patriot Act more important to progressive, white voters? Is there a difference, based on income, education, or culture that these groups tend to vote differently in Democratic primaries? And if that is the case, how does Sanders put a winning coalition together?

I ask these questions because clearly, Bernie Sanders is going to have to figure this out. I have no doubt that Sanders can compete with Clinton in Iowa and New Hampshire next year - caucus and primary voters in both states are overwhelmingly white with strong progressive steaks running through them, especially in Iowa. But once those two states votes and the primary calendar shifts to states like South Carolina and Nevada, which have large African-American and Latino populations who votes in each states primary/caucus, will Sanders be able to compete with Clinton in caucuses in Las Vegas with Latino voters or African-American voters in Florence and Columbia, South Carolina?

Clearly, Sanders' campaign is going to have to work hard for the votes of minority voters, who will have a huge influence in big primary states like New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois and California, that will have a huge role in determining who the nominee is.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/05/22/1386854/-Bernie-Sanders-and-Minority-Voters-in-Democratic-Primaries#

Bernie's fans dismiss these concerns at their peril. I agree with the poster who said..."Bernie's greatest liability is his supporters".

[whatchamacallit]

80. Dear Bernie, welcome to the real political world, where you will be smeared mercilessly by hacks

many of whom will co-opt the real struggles and issues of others in a cynical bid to shut you down.

[frylock]

83. Maybe it's time for GD:P?

That way we can keep the Bernie-Hillary sniping in a separate forum, so GD can remain true to its original purpose, which is to bash Obama...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026739612

[Rex]

99. It's like he just comes out and says it and means it.

But about other people...wink wink.



The OP is so obvious in his shit stirring that it is somewhat painful to watch.

[CTBlueboy]

87. Real Political world

As a African American in his late 20's , who listened to Sen.Sanders speech he addresses issues that not only affect the white community but the communities of People of Color.

He mentioned how high the unemployment rate for African American youth is (17+) which is an issue that if were he were President could help lower therefore mobilizing African Americans into the middle class.

Someone pointed out how HRC has called for the end of mass incarceration credit to her but where were these calls back when she was a senator?

[frylock]

95. Welcome to DU

[Trajan]

93. I seem to remember Dan Tex from long ago ... Was up on electronic voting issues

I really liked him then ... what happened?

Is it me? .... did i do something wrong?

[immoderate]

101. On behalf (?) of Bernie, I accept your welcome. Now, where does it hurt?

--imm

[Man from Pickens]

102. You're not in Vermont anymore, BUT

you can be called a racist for being from Vermont anyway

by people who betray by their actions that Bernie is indeed a serious threat to their own favored candidate.

[Buzz Clik]

174. Asking the question about Sanders's appeal to a diverse group is totally legit.

I am undecided, and I really want to know the answer to that question.

[droidamus2]

103. DanTex--have you BEEN to Vermont

Dan, I live about 30 miles northeast of Burlington (as the crow flies). We do NOT have a huge diversity of people in the state! the state itself is less then 700,000 people. Should Bernie's people have people bussed in to create a diverse group? As far as race being mentioned his record speaks for itself. http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026741056

[DanTex]

106. Actually, yes. Despite my username, I've lived in NYC for a while now, and have

spend a good deal of time around Lake Champlain, both sides. One of the most beautiful places I've seen. Been to the Burlington waterfront where the event was held, would have loved to have been there to see it.

No, I don't think he should have bussed people in. I'm just saying that, when you run for president, people are going to take every misstep, or perceived misstep, and make a big deal out of them. Hillary has been dealing with this for years, surely you've seen all the nonsense anti-Hillary threads around here.

[ibegurpard]

105. I assume from your name you're from Texas?

you can start dispensing political advice when you can dump Mr. Cruz and Mr. Abbot.

[DanTex]

107. Actually I've lived in NYC for a while now. I lived in TX when I joined DU.

NYC is much better. And I'll stand by DeBlasio any day.

[Ken Burch]

133. DeBlasio sounds like he's moving away from HRC, btw.

Don't be surprised if he endorses Bernie...Bernie cares about urban issues in a way HRC never did, even when she was the senator from an urban state (if she ever had cared about race or poverty, Daniel Patrick"Benign Neglect" Moynihan would never have anointed her as his chosen successor). HRC was the best U.S. senator Westchester County ever had.

[DanTex]

135. Yeah, that wouldn't surprise me. It probably depends on his future plans.

If he has future presidential ambitions, he'll probably endorse Hillary. If he wants to stick to NYC politics and then become some kind of progressive advocate, then Bernie.

[Ken Burch]

144. Why couldn't he have future presidential ambitions AND endorse Bernie?

It's not as if the only choices are HRC or political oblivion.

I get it that you back HRC...but quit acting like she's the only one in this race who deserves and respect.

The country is changing...we don't have to settle for path-of-least-resistance politics anymore, and we don't have to give up on actually winning the argument or setting the national agenda.

The real enemies are timidity and failure of nerve. That's what killed us in 1968, 1980, 1984, 1988, and 2004.

[DanTex]

145. Well, that's just my opinion. He'll decide what he decides.

I have tons of respect for Bernie, but I also think that, at this point in time, someone with presidential ambitions is probably better served politically by tying themselves to the Democratic establishment (i.e. the Clintons) than embracing a long-shot who is likely to lose the primary. Especially De Blasio, coming from NYC and being an unabashed progressive on pretty much all issues, if he wants to build a national brand, is going to need to avoid being painted as a New York elitist liberal.

I don't like it any more than you do. I would like to live in a country where you can just tell the truth and be liberal and then win. But that's not where we live. Something like half of Americans think that creationism should be taught in schools. Winning elections requires playing politics.

[Warren DeMontague]

108. And he didn't promise to empower families and communities, either!

He also has glaringly neglected to inform the American voter what his most inspirational Bible passage is.

In contrast to Hillary Clinton's issue-and-policy dense campaign, he's clearly getting off on the wrong foot!

[Warren DeMontague]

109. BERNIE SANDERS DOESN'T HAVE A COUNTRY MUSIC VIDEO YET!

HOW IS BERNIE SANDERS GOING TO ADDRESS HIS GLARING NEGLECT OF NEW COUNTRY?

[DanTex]

111. Wow that video is awful. Hadn't seen that before. Could only stand about 20 seconds.

Seemed like an SNL piece.

[Warren DeMontague]

114. You can thank me later

Like 3 am, when it is earwormed in your head.

[DanTex]

116. LOL. Trying. Not. To. Watch. Whole. Thing. AAARGH!!!

[zappaman]

121. Music just doesn't get any better than that.

[NuclearDem]

175. Isn't it tiiiiiiime

To

TAAAAAAKE

BAAAAAAAAACK

AMERRRRRRRRICUH

[LondonReign2]

110. I guess you were last to the party

[AgingAmerican]

117. Translation: Not Right Wing Enough

White people too?

Wow, your throwing out all the stops!!

[Ken Burch]

119. It's not like Bernie forbade poc to attend his event.

And Bernie would have won in a multiracial state just as solidly as he did in Vermont.

What was he suppose to do? Cancel the speech just because not enough of them had showed up?

And does he have to spend most of his time talking about bigotry in order to earn the right to bring up economic inequality?

Bernie's voting record proves he cares about fighting bigotry in all its forms.

There's no way you can seriously argue that HRC is better on anti-oppression issues than Bernie. She lost any right to claim that for the entire rest of her life when she made the last three months of her 2008 campaign into a blatant argument that she should be nominated because she was the last white candidate in the race(that's what she meant when she ran "I'm one of you" campaigns in Texas and West Virginia, states she would have lost just as badly in the fall as Obama did).

[DanTex]

124. True, but entirely missing the point.

The point is, when you're running a national campaign, things are different. You have to be sensitive to a lot more things than when you are running for senator of Vermont. One of them is the fact that some people think that race is an important enough issue that you should mention it strongly. And "what was he supposed to do" doesn't make criticism go away. It's literally impossible to make everyone happy all the time.

Hillary has been dealing with this kind of thing for years, and like I said, she's come out of it with high favorability ratings and good poll numbers. Even on DU, there are tons of threads daily about pointless nonsense attacking Hillary.

[Ken Burch]

126. Everyone in the Democratic Party and all progressives

think that race is an important issue. Bernie has nothing to prove. It's enough that his actual voting record is better on all anti-oppression issues than HRC's.

[DanTex]

127. Yes, but missing the point again.

Bernie has nothing to prove to you or me, at least not on this issue. But he does have something to prove to the electorate. And running for national office means scrutiny. The criticism that he doesn't talk enough about race is at least as valid as most of the nonsense that gets hurled at Hillary here on a daily basis, and this is on a Democratic message board.

The only thing Bernie has to prove to me is that he can win against the GOP. And he's pretty far from having done that.

[Ken Burch]

130. It goes without saying that he will talk just as much about race as HRC will

in the overall campaign.

You sound like the modern-day equivalent of those who argued that Eugene McCarthy's 1968 campaign was somehow not progressive because he didn't mention race exactly as often as RFK did(which implies that Vietnam somehow didn't matter).

[MFrohike]

129. This is pretty funny

It'd be more convincing if an actual candidate said it rather than some anonymous guy on the internet.

[whathehell]

132. Dear America. Welcome to Vermont's real demographics.

https://suburbanstats.org/population/vermont/list-of-counties-and-cities-in-vermont


As you can see, the proportion of people of color to whites is much less than in most other states, something Tavis

Smiley pointed out to then-candidate Reverend Al Sharpton when the latter criticized former governor Howard Dean for not

having enough people of color in his cabinet.

[BlindTiresias]

134. Cool flail thread

Loose on the facts, plenty of distortion. Cool thread overall.

[99Forever]

137. That's the most childish cheapshot I've seen yet from the Hillary camp.

Scared shitless, are you Dan?



You should be. Bless your heart.

[DanTex]

138. I am kind of worried, actually.

The GOP controls both houses of congress, and if the Hillary bashers manage to weaken her enough that she loses to Bush, Rubio, or Walker, that would be pretty bad.

But that's just me. Sometimes I wish I could share the childish indifference to the future of the nation that some of the anti-Hillary people have.

[99Forever]

139. He isn't going to "weaken her"...

.. he's going to retire her from politics, something she should have done herself, years ago.

[DanTex]

140. Well, no, he's probably not. He's vowed not to go negative.

The question is whether the Democratic "base" gets carried away with the Hillary bashing to the point that she loses the GE.

But most likely, once he concedes, he will campaign vigorously for Hillary, which will be good.

[99Forever]

148. Who said anything about "negative?"

Except you, Dan?

He's going to show her a healthy dose of the American people have had their fill of neoliberal manipulation and "triangulation." If you see that simple truth as "going negative," then this real liberal, Democrat can live with that.

The gig is up, Dan, we're going to take this nation back and straighten it out, in spite of the most carefully laid plans of the banksters, their lobbyists, AND the receivers of their sacks of cash.

[DanTex]

150. Bernie himself did. He said he's not going negative.

He said he likes and respects Hillary. Maybe you think he's lying, but I don't.

[treestar]

167. Absurd. He will have to deal with national politics

Not just Vermont voters. This is true of anyone. Obama won in Illinois but had a plan for national campaign. Hillary already has national level experience. You should be holding Bernie's feet to the fire as you did Obama's and make sure to criticize any mistakes he may make in this new endeavor.

[uponit7771]

181. Kerry LOST 2% of the POC vote and that was after 4 yrs of BUSH!! Keep thinking not speaking to

...issue of POC, espically after that voting block has now reached critical mass...

OPENLY and OFTEN

will get better results than Kerry

[LiberalElite]

149. Your concern is noted nt

[Jester Messiah]

151. What a load of bovine excrement.

This "mistake" is the invention of desperate people with no principles.

[Buzz Clik]

162. No principles? Nice.

When defending Sanders, you might consider trying to NOT offend everyone who is still trying to figure him out. It will be better for him.

[Jester Messiah]

170. Yeah, well, the truth hurts.

There's a reason why the high road is esteemed and the low road is not.

[Buzz Clik]

171. And stating that an entire group of people "have no principles" is the high road?

Yeah.

[Jester Messiah]

172. Calling it like it is.

The "group" you're talking about is trying to slime a good man with an entirely invented charge. Anyone who takes part in that is as unprincipled as they come.

[Buzz Clik]

173. Perhaps we're talking about different people.

I'm referring to undecided Democrats looking at Sanders' state and his base and wondering if he will have diverse appeal.

You seem to be referring to people who have made some sort of charge against Sanders. Can you direct me to a comment or two by people who are making these charges? I have a feeling, if they are saying what you suggest they are saying, that I might agree with you.

=======

EDIT: Looking over the thread, the author of the OP is definitely taking the approach I suggested -- just asking the question, not making any charges. However, in several of the posts on this thread, Hillary has been accused of being racist. What is your reaction to that?

[Jester Messiah]

179. Just "asking questions," eh?

Yellow journalism. Nice. Is Hillary racist? What has that got to do with making slimeball accusations against Bernie? I would say that if Hillary approved (explicitly or implicitly by silence) the action to make the racism charge against Bernie then she's equally culpable / lacking in principle, but that's as far as I go on the subject.

[Buzz Clik]

184. You haven't given me anything suggesting accusations, so I'll give you the quotes I'm talking about:

DanTex:

He didn't discuss race issues, almost at all. And the crowd was almost all white.

Some people (not just on DU) commented that they were disappointed that he didn't say more about race, and that it didn't look great to have a white guy in front of a white crowd, and failing to mention race.

Other people then chimed in that this was unfair criticism, because Bernie Sanders has been a long supporter of civil rights since the 60s.

DanTex:

The point is, when you're running a national campaign, things are different. You have to be sensitive to a lot more things than when you are running for senator of Vermont. One of them is the fact that some people think that race is an important enough issue that you should mention it strongly. And "what was he supposed to do" doesn't make criticism go away. It's literally impossible to make everyone happy all the time.

Hillary has been dealing with this kind of thing for years, and like I said, she's come out of it with high favorability ratings and good poll numbers. Even on DU, there are tons of threads daily about pointless nonsense attacking Hillary.

Asking the question: Does Sanders have a diverse appeal? That question, not yours.

[uponit7771]

182. Kerry LOST 2% of the POC vote and that was after 4 yrs of BUSH!!

[Rex]

178. Maybe you need a GD:P forum just for your special OPs?

[cyberswede]

183. or...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026745686