Hillary Clinton
Related: About this forumIf You Haven't Read Rolling Stone's Endorsement of Hillary -- PLEASE DO!
It's rare that I come across a piece of writing that is as genuine, mature, and honest as their endorsement. Honestly, although I'm a long time Clinton supporter, I had a hard time deciding who I would caucus for here in Nevada. I've been a fan of Senator Sanders for a long time as well, and I've watched his speeches in the Senate and House with great joy on CSPAN over the years. Ultimately, I decided to side with Clinton this year -- just like in 2008 -- and this article articulates my reasons very well for the most part.
I will admit, the endorsement largely leaves out one of the biggest reasons I couldn't go with Sanders and that's the nastiness of his supporters. There's Clinton supporters who can be that way as well on a far smaller scale, but as last night proved, it is NOT encouraged by the candidate. Whereas Sanders doesn't discourage his supporters from booing his rival, Hillary Clinton rarely ever has to discourage such behavior because we rarely engage in it. Just on my Twitter feed, Facebook interactions, and on other discussion forums or blogs like Daily Kos, I have often seen just how bullying, prone to group-think, condescending, sexist, bigoted, and racist some of Sanders supporters can be...
I think it comes down to a candidacy that is based on something I object to greatly -- anger. If one is only fueled by anger, the result is the likes of SOME Sanders and Trump supporters... I digress. Read the endorsement from Rolling Stone and enjoy. It speaks to my heart and mind. Here's some brief excerpts:
Hillary Clinton is one of the most qualified candidates for the presidency in modern times, as was Al Gore. We cannot forget what happened when Gore lost and George W. Bush was elected and became arguably one of the worst presidents in American history. The votes cast for the fantasy of Ralph Nader were enough to cost Gore the presidency. Imagine what a similar calculation would do to this country if a "protest vote" were to put the presidency, Congress and the Supreme Court all in the hands of the extreme right wing that now controls the Republican Party.
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The debates between Clinton and Sanders have been inspirational; to see such intelligence, dignity and substance is a tribute to both of them. The contrast to the banality and stupidity of the GOP candidates has been stunning. It's as if there are two separate universes, one where the Earth is flat and one where it is round; one where we are a country that is weak, flailing and failing; the other, an America that is still a land of hopes and dreams.
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You get a sense of "authenticity" when you hear Sanders talking truth to power, but there is another kind of authenticity, which may not feel as good but is vitally important, when Clinton speaks honestly about what change really requires, about incremental progress, about building on what Obama has achieved in the arenas of health care, clean energy, the economy, the expansion of civil rights. There is an inauthenticity in appeals to anger rather than to reason, for simplified solutions rather than ones that stand a chance of working. This is true about Donald Trump, and lamentably also true about Sanders.
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When I consider what's in their hearts, I think both Clinton and Sanders come out on the side of the angels; but when I compare their achievements in the past decades, the choice is clear. This is not the time in history for a "protest vote."
I know this may have already been posted, but here's the link again:
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/hillary-clinton-for-president-20160323
Thanks for reading.
still_one
(91,957 posts)lewebley3
(3,412 posts)Last edited Wed Mar 23, 2016, 04:09 PM - Edit history (1)
Stand and Fight
(7,480 posts)I tweeted as much last night and got a high amount of positive feedback from fellow Hillary supporters. It's a systematic problem that many people are seeing. Whenever I talk about why I'm not with Sanders it's because of issues. Not lame attempts at character assassination. It seems to be all that they have, and it's a sure fire sign that one's candidate of choice may be weak on policy when that's their chief retort.
lewebley3
(3,412 posts)maybe dark money is funding the attacks on Hillary using the
Sanders name.
Don't forget GOP is the party of tricky
Stand and Fight
(7,480 posts)I like Hillary Clinton, but some of the Sanders "supporters" on Twitter have him as their profile pic, him as their background image, and he is ALL THEY TWEET about. If you go through my Twitter feed, I tweet on foreign policy, current events, web design and development, finance... Otherwise, I have variety. One of them last night said I was likely a paid Hillary "shill" -- they're favorite term -- and I retorted with, "Unlike you, I use my real name, location, and picture. You can Google me and see I'm a real person. You? Not so much." Little piss ant shut up after that.
FloridaBlues
(3,993 posts)Thanks for posting
Stand and Fight
(7,480 posts)MariaThinks
(2,495 posts)Hillary for President!
stonecutter357
(12,682 posts)Surya Gayatri
(15,445 posts)otohara
(24,135 posts)Gosh who does that remind you of?
Stand and Fight
(7,480 posts)Unfortunately, those who aren't willing to compromise are the most vocal.
mcar
(42,210 posts)Her Sister
(6,444 posts)It is really great! They cover so much!! They are really being real!!
Her Sister
(6,444 posts)I like your comments above! You sound so wise! Thanks for posting
Stand and Fight
(7,480 posts)I simply don't understand where they get all of their anger from... I'm enrolled in school right now, have a somewhat large family to support, am solidly middle class, and I don't feel anywhere near that amount of anger. Perhaps if McCain had been elected in 2008 or Romney in 2012, but... I just don't feel that much anger and I'm very happy with things under President Obama.
Lucinda
(31,170 posts)Stand and Fight
(7,480 posts)Lucinda
(31,170 posts)Stand and Fight
(7,480 posts)However, based on your recommendation, I'll read it over my lunch. Thanks!
Walk away
(9,494 posts)Stand and Fight
(7,480 posts)I hope that perhaps he played some part in at least contributing to this... I see him as being more of a Sanders supporter, but I won't throw him under the bus despite my comments yesterday saying, "F*** him." lol
Walk away
(9,494 posts)So his head is quietly exploding shhhhhh
Tarheel_Dem
(31,207 posts)SunSeeker
(51,369 posts)Lucinda
(31,170 posts)Her Sister
(6,444 posts)Why the 2016 Election Will Be One of the Most Pivotal Moments of Our Time
Every four years the political parties describe the impending presidential election as a historic event and every once in a while it's true
BY SEAN WILENTZ December 3, 2015
pretty long and extensive.
Lucinda
(31,170 posts)we are now.
Her Sister
(6,444 posts)SunSeeker
(51,369 posts)http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/hillary-clinton-vs-bernie-sanders-the-good-fight-20160309?page=7
SunSeeker
(51,369 posts)Every time Sanders is challenged on how he plans to get his agenda through Congress and past the special interests, he responds that the "political revolution" that sweeps him into office will somehow be the magical instrument of the monumental changes he describes. This is a vague, deeply disingenuous idea that ignores the reality of modern America. With the narrow power base and limited political alliances that Sanders had built in his years as the democratic socialist senator from Vermont, how does he possibly have a chance of fighting such entrenched power?
I have been to the revolution before. It ain't happening.
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/hillary-clinton-for-president-20160323#ixzz43kjTRoii
Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook
Stand and Fight
(7,480 posts)I was listening to the score from "Crimson Tide", and it fit the tone of that article very well. I didn't want to give away the juicy bit, but that was MY FAVORITE part as well.
Tarheel_Dem
(31,207 posts)Hillary Clinton has an impressive command of policy, the details, trade-offs and how it gets done. It's easy to blame billionaires for everything, but quite another to know what to do about it. During his 25 years in Congress, Sanders has stuck to uncompromising ideals, but his outsider stance has not attracted supporters among the Democrats. Paul Krugman writes that the Sanders movement has a "contempt for compromise."
Every time Sanders is challenged on how he plans to get his agenda through Congress and past the special interests, he responds that the "political revolution" that sweeps him into office will somehow be the magical instrument of the monumental changes he describes. This is a vague, deeply disingenuous idea that ignores the reality of modern America. With the narrow power base and limited political alliances that Sanders had built in his years as the democratic socialist senator from Vermont, how does he possibly have a chance of fighting such entrenched power?
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/hillary-clinton-for-president-20160323#ixzz43kkHbMPr
Follow us: @rollingstone on Twitter | RollingStone on Facebook
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)WhiteTara
(29,676 posts)how many Bernie supporters will cancel their subscriptions?
DryHump
(199 posts)This Rolling Stone editorial articulates every hesitation I have about Bernie. Bless his heart, but it ain't his time.
Koinos
(2,792 posts)It gives us a lot to think about.
UtahLib
(3,179 posts)which makes vital points as to why Hillary is the best choice.
lamp_shade
(14,796 posts)SharonClark
(10,005 posts)SanDiegoDem
(13 posts)really well thought out, well written endorsement. Thank you to Rolling Stone. Werner comes out with an act of love for his country. Well done! Mature, insightful, well-reasoned. Really glad I read it. Thanks for the posting the link