Bernie Sanders in Phoenix: Senator encourages supporters to fight for change, riles opponents

[TexasTowelie]

Source: The Arizona Republic

Bernie Sanders returned to Arizona on Sunday, highlighting the delayed successes his 2016 presidential run secured for the Democratic Party and urging voters in the predominantly red state to keep fighting for change.

The 76-year-old independent senator from Vermont rallied supporters — and riled opponents — alongside Democratic Arizona Congressmen Ruben Gallego and Raúl Grijalva at the Orpheum Theatre in Phoenix.

The self-described democratic socialist has maintained a following among liberal Democrats in the nearly two years since he dropped out of the presidential race. He drew a young and diverse crowd Sunday, filling the 1,200-capacity theater.

"People said my ideas were too radical, but now look all over the country," Sanders said, pointing to the uptick in states proposing higher minimum wages and decriminalizing marijuana. He also mentioned the $1 trillion infrastructure plan unveiled by Democrats last week.


Read more: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2018/03/11/senator-bernie-sanders-phoenix-encourages-supporters-fight-change-riles-opponents/414576002/

[chwaliszewski]

1. Love me some Bernie!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

8. You know it!! Bernie lights it up wherever he goes!!

[George II]

2. Phoenix, a city of 1.6 Million, "filling" the 1200-capacity theater?

I also notice that the Democratic Party logo/signage usually on the speaker's podium is conspicuously absent. Was this a Democratic Party event?

[vsrazdem]

5. He talked to the overflow crowd also. There were trump supporter inside the Orphem wrapped in

their flags and wearing their MAGA hats, trying to disrupt everything, but they were quickly escorted out.

[murielm99]

11. Observant you are!

[NurseJackie]

14. Twelve hundred. Wow.

[progressoid]

17. Yeah, unlike the popular Democratic politician who spoke to overflow crowds at...

um...wait...well, I'm sure there are some Dems out there somewhere filling theaters with enthusiastic crowds.

Somebody.

Somewhere.

[lunamagica]

19. Most Democratic congress members are too busy working on proposing bills, holding votes, and

passing laws to be thinking about "filling theaters"

[Magoo48]

20. Weak

[George II]

23. Yes, they're home in their districts registering voters, holding town halls....

...with their constituencies, and organizing.

Our Congressman held an event on Saturday in his town that attracted about 500 that will vote in HIS district. He wasn't 1500 miles away telling people how little his party has done for them.

[progressoid]

25. Hahaha. Damned if he do. Damned if he don't.

Hey, remember how DU lost it's shit last week when Joe Biden said he "never thought Hillary was a good candidate"? Or when he was in Philly & said people in the Democratic party don't even get blue collar workers anymore?

Nope, me neither. I wonder if it's because DU's sanctimony squad only gets their panties in a wad when criticisms come from that guy from Vermont.

[George II]

26. There is quite a distinction between Joe Biden and Sander. HUGE difference.

[progressoid]

27. See?

No condemnation of Joe for bad mouthing the party and Hillary.

[George II]

28. Three things about Biden:

1. He doesn't do it just about every time he makes an appearance
2. He does it as a loyal Democrat who has supported the party for 50 years
3. Except for primaries, he's never run for office against a Democratic candidate

See?

[progressoid]

30. Oh, sure. Now I see.

If they both say the same thing, it's more valid coming from a D rather than an I.

[George II]

36. No, that's not the point (and they didn't say the same thing)

[David__77]

29. I do not think you'll get a substantial response to this point.

It will be an interesting next couple years!

[Tom Rinaldo]

38. What about Conor Lamb refusing to back Pelosi?

For the record I support Lamb in this Congressional Race, but I also don't go looking for excuses for why it's OK for anyone other than Bernie Sanders to not show support for every leading Democrat, let alone every Democrat running for an office somewhere.

[LiberalLovinLug]

42. The difference is that Bernie has a national voice and influence

He is best served for the party by rallying the troops, getting more young people and independents to vote Democratic.

But some of you would rather cut off your nose to spite your face. Party be damned. If Sanders can be used to invigorate new voters for the party, even turn ex-Trump voters, because of his popularity (whether you hate that fact or not) what is wrong with that? Honestly, the vitriol and negative energy spent on Bernie Sanders, who is one of the most efficient speakers and recruiters for Democrats is frankly appalling.

Sanders truly is doing a thankless job for the party. And gets it from both sides, Trump supporters and blinder wearing Democrats.

Have you heard of the expression "the exception that proves the rule"? Why is it so difficult for some to accept that Sanders is simply unique and, like Skinner posted last primaries:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/125912901#post1

"For all intents and purposes, Bernie Sanders is a Democrat."

And that he is the epitome of that exception that proves the rule. That because he is the only one with that kind of status, of either party, while voting with one party and campaigning for one party, that no one else has ever done that, it proves the rule that its probably better and much easier to run as a Democrat than an Independent if you want to really affect change and have a voice in the party.

Or is this really still all about the primaries..two years later?

[progressoid]

44. Yes,

this is really still all about the primaries two years later.

[diva77]

18. Bernie and Rep. Grijalva (D, Ariz.) are standing together at the podium, hands joined, arms raised

Their ideas are in alignment. That's what I see in this photograph.

I don't need to see special lapel pins, or ribbons, or flags, or a logo on a podium.

[mountain grammy]

3. Go Bernie!

[KPN]

4. Bernie working hard to get Democrats elected.

Thank you Senator Sanders!

[DesertRat]

9. Sanders did not endorse any Arizona candidates running for office

We have an important Congressional special election next month to replace disgraced GOP Rep. Trent Franks. Many of us are trying to GOTV for the Democratic candidate, Dr. Hiral Tipirneni, in this traditionally red district. http://hiralforcongress.com/

It was disappointing that Sanders never endorsed her or any AZ candidates during his rally here. Instead, according to the report, "He stayed focused on firing up support for progressive priorities, including increasing the minimum wage to a "livable" wage of $15 per hour, securing equal pay for women and shifting the national political agenda from benefiting billionaires to working families."

[NurseJackie]

16. Really? That's so strange. Why would he do that?

It was disappointing that Sanders never endorsed her or any AZ candidates during his rally here.

I'd say that "disappointing" would be an understatement!

[KPN]

31. Some questions: Has she asked Sanders for an endorsement? Does she promote the same thingss

he focused on in the paragraph you included above? I looked at her website. Her jobs/work/economy program seems to be focused more on education/training the workforce which have been mainstays for the past 2+ decades, and simplifying the federal tax code. Those messages don't really align well with what many progressives want to see and hear from candidates on the economy/jobs.

Do you think there's any value in Sanders and other progressives making appearances in AZ to promote progressive messages? Is there no chance that AZ voters can be swayed by genuine commitment to a realistic minimum wage, a goal of free higher education in the future, affordable health care for all as a right, strengthening American workforce collective bargaining rights, Trade Agreements that are fair to and protect American workers, etc., etc.?

What about the two AZ Congressmen that accompanied Sanders in Phoenix (Congressmen Ruben Gallego and Raúl Grijalva) did they endorse Tipirneni?

[DesertRat]

33. Why does she need to ask Sanders to endorse her?!

She's the DEMOCRAT running in a blood red district that's been held by a far right winger for years. She needs as much help as possible! Would he and his supporters prefer another right winger in the US Congress because her issues may not line up exactly to theirs?
http://hiralforcongress.com/

[KPN]

34. If she needs as much help as possible, shouldn't she be rounding up endorsements? I understand

your point though. I can't speak for Sanders. I just applaud his message and his efforts.

But what about my other questions? I'd like to hear your thoughts on those.

[DesertRat]

37. I edited/added more my original response

I have no further comments about Sanders' rally in AZ.

Here's a list of Tipernini's endorsements: http://hiralforcongress.com/newsroom/

Also, www.postcardstovoters.org has started a writing campaign for Tipirneni for anyone interested in helping GOTV.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

10. No one works harder at it than Bernie... the guy's got the stamina of peeps half his age!!

[mountain grammy]

24. Yes, I agree.

He's going to deep red areas and talking to people nobody's talking to, Democrats. These aren't trumpers, these people are Democrats and they hardly ever get a chance to cheer our policies that they know are better than the KGOP. Getting our message of increasing the minimum wage, universal health care, affordable college out to people who our party largely ignores; why would people be against this?

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

43. Yes, you'd think Democrats would be cheering Bernie on for all that he is doing to help the cause.

[David__77]

6. Wonderful!

...

[Silver1]

7. Senator encourages supporters to fight for change.

Yes, we will!

That man speaks the truth!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

12. No question!! Bernie shines the light of truth to show us the way forward...

It's a message that's catching fire everywhere he goes.

[Silver1]

15. I know it.

He has a way of cutting through the mumbo jumbo politico talk, and getting right back to what matters. And he is sincere. That's what's catching fire. It's been a while since someone like him came along.

[TheBlackAdder]

13. After scoping some OPs, Putin's Clinton-Sanders animosity campaign still seems to be paying dividends.

If the Democratic Party does not adapt and maintain its fluidity, it becomes stale and rigid.

[KPN]

39. Well, you can chalk it up to that, or you can

chalk it up to the differences that have existed within the party around economic policy for some decades now. The former ignores the latter. Just as supply-side economics has not worked well for American workers by and large, the party's move to a centrist position economic policy-wise has not really worked well. Seems like a sufficient number of Democrats have noticed and are making noise about this.

[TheBlackAdder]

40. That centrist shift was brought on by a Koch-funded Third Way campaign to dilute Democrat's message.

You can not negotiate deals when your starting position is at the 50 yard line, while your opponent is at their end zone.
The best you can hope for is a shift to their 75 yard line, the worst is losing everything.

Republicans have dug in, being centrist gives them half of a win right out of the gate. They have nothing to lose.
Each time they go back to the well, they slowly gain what they want in increments.

Pragmatism only works when all parties are pragmatic and can compromise for a collective good.

[KPN]

41. I don't know about the Koch-funded stuff and don't really care when, where or why it started.

I do know that Democrats started adopting "free market"/supply side notions as early as Carter's deregulation of trucking and airlines and really took hold during the Clinton/Gore years, but as I said, that's neither here nor there.

Re: pragmatism, I think I agree, but maybe we see different approaches to changing that dynamic. More of the same isn't the answer in my view.

The bot thing: sure, Russians may opportunistically fuel any differences anywhere in America, but that doesn't moot the differences.

[Evergreen Emerald]

21. Divide and conquer

It worked in 2016.

[harun]

22. Nice to be in before the Bernie hater bots. #feelthebern

[David__77]

32. I do wish that this struggle would occur in the realm of policy.

There are differences in political programs. Death penalty, tax policy, foreign affairs, trade policy, military budget - there are definite differences. I think that those should be outlined for the voters to decide.

I think that Sanders' program can do quite well among Democratic voters when put up against some other programs.

[KPN]

35. Exactly.

[mountain grammy]

45. Agree!