Some Republicans promoting Sanders' candidacy to embarrass Clinton

[NCTraveler]

WASHINGTON — Even as some polls show Sen. Bernie Sanders besting top GOP presidential candidates, Republicans appear to be salivating over the prospect of taking on the democratic socialist in the November general election.

And they're using Sanders' success to embarrass Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton.

Republican National Committee spokesman Sean Spicer — as Clinton’s campaign noted this week — has even promoted Sanders on Twitter as the winner of Democratic debates and has taunted the Clinton campaign for “getting schooled by a nutty VT socialist.”

Meanwhile, American Crossroads, a super PAC aligned with Republican strategist Karl Rove, released a digital ad in Iowa targeting Clinton's ties to Wall Street — a tactic also used by Sanders.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/01/21/republicans-promoting-bernie-sanders-candidacy-embarrass-hillary-clinton/79088912/

As is the case in most years with progressives, it's us against the world.

Clinton, just as she did at the Benghazi hearings, will come out on top. This week has increased my confidence in that. The recent attacks on great progressive organizations is energizing Clinton supporters. These are groups progressives don't attack. We are ready. The democrats and left leaning independents in Iowa are not going to stand for Rove telling them who to vote for. They agree that he is a sick fuck.

[Vinca]

1. I find it amusing the GOP wants to take down Hillary so they can run against Bernie.

They should pay attention to the polls that show Bernie beating all of the clown car candidates.

[MADem]

9. He hasn't been vetted yet.

Most of America knows nothing about his writings, his personal life, and his views on a number of issues. Pretty much no one--of either party -- knows what he was up to when he disappeared during his "kibbutz era." He isn't talking about that, and his brother isn't helping either (he was over there on a different one at the same time).

Democrats haven't challenged him on those things. Republicans wouldn't hesitate to go after him hammer and tongs, tooth and nail--he wouldn't know what hit him.

[angrychair]

10. What???

Hasn't been vetted? Is this the new line of attack? Very curious. I've seen this statement in 4 different OPs in the last several hours.
Strange line of questioning about a person that has held a public office, of some kind, for 35 years. Most of that is at the federal level. There is no mystery there.

Reference to the "kibbutz era" is meant to sound mysterious and strange and comes across anti-Semitic. Are you attempting to make a communist or Jewish conspiracy inference?
Should he be brought before a congressional committee to answer your concerns about his loyalty or if he is now or has ever been a communist?

[beam me up scottie]

12. I've seen that several times as well.

You're right, it's starting to sound more and more like a dog whistle.

[closeupready]

16. Agree with your interpretations about anti-Semitic dog whistles.

Remember, they did it to Obama, too. It's what her campaign does, every time.

[MADem]

19. Here are some more of those "dog whistles" you are referring to...

http://www.haaretz.com/jewish/news/.premium-1.674364

http://www.haaretz.com/jewish/news/.premium-1.682249




Those "dog whistlers" at Haaretz are really going to town, aren't they?


התנועה הקיבוצית
Organization · 15,394 Likes · October 22, 2015 ·
עזרו לנו לפענח את התעלומה: ברני סנדרס, שמתמודד בימים אלו על ראשות המפלגה הדמוקרטית בארה"ב, התנדב בשנות השישים באחד מקיבוצי התנועה, אך אינו זוכר את שמו... סנדרס סיפר באחד מראיונותיו, ששהה בקיבוץ לתקופה של מס' חודשים, בערך בין השנים 1966-1964 יחד עם רעייתו הטרייה דאז, דבורה שילינג מבולטימור. כעת שהוא שואף להתמודד על נשיאות ארה"ב 2016 - השאלה הועלתה במספר כלי תקשורת בארץ ואף בעולם ונותרה ללא פתרון. אז החלטנו להשתמש בחוכמת ההמונים הקיבוצית ולגלות את התשובה: היכן התנדב ברני?
מוזמנים לשתף ולתייג חברי קיבוץ שיכולים לעזור לפתור את התעלומה

Help us solve the mystery: Bernie Sanders, a candidate for the leadership of the Democratic Party in the U.S, volunteered in the sixties in a kibbutz, but he doesn't remember the name of it…
Sanders said once in an interview, that he was in the kibbutz for several months, approximately between the years 1966 to 1964 with his wife at the time, Deborah Shilling from Baltimore.
As Sanders was interviewed about it at the past and now he aims to run for the presidency of the US - the question was brought up in the foreign and local media, but remained unsolved – We decided to use the collective kibbutz wisdom and find out: Where did Bernie volunteer?
We invite you to share and tag kibbutz members who can help solve the mystery

https://www.facebook.com/kibbutzmovement/?ref=nf


Is that a "dog whistle" too?

[closeupready]

22. I don't think YOU are anti-semitic; at worst, you're parroting

talking points from elsewhere.

Nevertheless, it's interesting how her campaign in 2008 stooped to similar levels in attacking Obama. Few lows are too low for Hillary when she's losing, IMO.

[MADem]

25. Yes, I'm "parroting" talking points FROM JEWISH NEWSPAPERS!!!!!!

Good grief! Those horrible anti-Semites at The Forward and Haaretz!!! Shame on them!!!!

Oh, the huge manatee....!!!!!!

You seriously think it is "out of line" to wonder which kibbutz this guy worked at? You apparently don't realize that there is a political element to those places, and the type of kibbutz, the culture of the place, could offer important clues as to how Sanders approaches social and political issues.

Should Bill Clinton not have mentioned HIS post-graduate travels? Because, man, discrimination...or some nonsense? You don't think his foreign travel impacted HIS world view? Obama was a child when he did a lot of his foreign travel, but his education in Indonesia most certainly did inform his perspective, too.

As someone who was educated overseas, I think anyone who gets upset at this kind of inquiry is STRANGE. And the accusations of bigotry? That says so much about the people making the accusations. It's THEIR problem, not mine.

The vicious, bitter lashing out over what is an entirely reasonable question (one most of Israel wants answered, too) --along with the insistence that anyone questioning the candidate, as though he is some sort of demi-god who should not be questioned-- is "attacking" or prejudiced in some fashion--is mind blowing.

He's a national candidate. He's going to get vetted like a national candidate. If he doesn't like it, he'd better toughen up.

[Human101948]

26. That's right we found out Bill Clinton was a commie sympathizer in his youth!

Bill Clinton’s Soviet Connection
Reed Irvine and Cliff Kincaid — September 12, 2001

During the 1992 presidential campaign, Bill Clinton’s travels abroad became a campaign issue. Then-President Bush criticized Clinton’s participation in anti-Vietnam War demonstrations while in England. He said that “to be in a foreign country and demonstrate against your own country when it’s at war — that’s wrong.” Clinton demonstrated against a war that he avoided by lying about his desire to go into an ROTC program back in the U.S.

Bush also raised questions about Clinton’s student trip to the Soviet Union. The liberal media didn’t like that. Denver Post columnist Ed Quillen wrote, “Bush hints that when Bill Clinton visited the Soviet Union on a student tour, Clinton may have met with KGB officers. Bush implies that something sinister was arranged. What was it?? The KGB sent a brainwashed Bill Clinton back to become governor of Arkansas.” Quillen said that was “preposterous.”
http://www.aim.org/media-monitor/bill-clintons-soviet-connection/

[MADem]

27. Naaah....we found out that Bill had dealt with Russians as PEOPLE.

See?

Where you stand depends on where you sit.

If you THINK the worst, that says a lot....about you....!

[angrychair]

33. Point made

I have already stated:
"You are the one that made a "kibbutz era" reference in questioning Bernie's background. A kibbutz is a Jewish word for a farm or small settlement that often has communist or communist-like principles of collectivism. It was often used as a red-baiting slur to Jewish people as being communist and/or un-American."

You stated in a reply to another on this post:
"You seriously think it is "out of line" to wonder which kibbutz this guy worked at? You apparently don't realize that there is a political element to those places, and the type of kibbutz, the culture of the place, could offer important clues as to how Sanders approaches social and political issues."

You make political and policy references. I don't need to spin the details to get your drift. Its red-baiting (see my statement in bold above).
The conclusion is easy to make. Why? I don't need to ask him to tell me where he was 40+ years ago to 'understand' his opinion on things.
We have 35+ years of public comments, papers, statements and public service as a mayor, Representative and Senator and now a run for president to draw from to shape that opinion.
Secondly, I don't care about some random thing he wrote or did 20+ years ago. I don't judge anyone by what they said or did 20+ years ago. Its ridiculous and unfair standard To judge anyone on.
To pursue this further in that regard is to be in the same category as Obama birthers.
You risk using the "he's different" and "mysterious" and "not like us" labels and it is not the place a Democrat should go.

[MADem]

35. LOL @ "red baiting." You really don't know when to quit!

You put your back in it, and dig, dig, DIG!

And here's something else--"you" are not the decider about what people think is important in their Presidential candidates.

It's just swell that "you" 'don't care about some random thing he wrote or did...' but other people are interested in this kind of detail. Sorry if you don't like that, but you are not the gatekeeper here.

We have very little, in actual fact, on Bernie's history. For all those years on the Hill, he didn't do all that much.

And likening me to an "Obama birther" because I AM interested in his early years smacks of flopsweat desperation.

Another LOL at your "He's not like US" suggestion--I can guarantee you that I am nothing like you--so you can keep your "us" stuff. "I" am not like your version of "us" -- so there!

You sound like you're terrified if anyone -- including most of of Israel -- looks behind the curtain! The more you do that accusatory (You're a BIGOT!! You're a BIRTHER!! Bernie is different from "US" -LOL) garbage, the more you come off as someone who is -- for reasons I'm not clear about at all-- "concerned."

Why are you SO doggone afraid of letting those chips fall where they may?

[angrychair]

42. We're done here

You've made my point, no sense it dragging this out anymore.

[MADem]

43. And you, though you're loath to acknowledge it, have decisively made mine.

[highprincipleswork]

51. Vet on this.

http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/hillary-clinton-not-second-coming-harriet-tubman

[MADem]

52. Mmmmm? She likes to start off with the same 'lede' paragraph....

Check the date on this, when you check the content:

http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/why-florida-democrats-will-probably-lose-2016-senate-race

[MADem]

17. He hasn't been vetted yet, and no, that is not an attack -- it's a fact.

It's not a new thing. No one has done it. No one, save a couple of local papers in VT, has done any digging into his history at all.

You do realize that his "official biography" --for YEARS--had his first wife listed as the mother of his one son...and he never bothered to fix that.

And the anti-Semite charges you are trying to lay down are incredibly ugly, and utter bullshit. He DISAPPEARED. This is a fact. No one knows where he was. People have been trying to find out. They even asked his BROTHER--who affected an "I don't remember" stance in response.

If it's so "anti-Semitic" to ask these questions, please explain to me why JEWS ARE ASKING? Hmmm? Or do you just like to accuse people of anti - Semitism for sport????

http://forward.com/news/320344/my-quixotic-hunt-for-bernie-sanders-kibbutz/

Pro tip--the FORWARD is a "Jewish" publication....

smh!!!

If you can come up with details, cough 'em up. We are all ears. But cease with the "bigotry" accusations--they reflect on YOU, you know.

[angrychair]

21. Reflect on me?

I'm not the one trading in tinfoil hat conspiracy theories.

"he disappeared".
Sorry to break it to you but in America we are free to travel and do as we please and answer about it to no one as long as we are not doing anything illegal. Are you saying he was doing something illegal?
You are the one that made a "kibbutz era" reference in questioning Bernie's background. A kibbutz is a Jewish word for a farm or small settlement that often has communist or communist-like principles of collectivism. It was often used as a red-baiting slur to Jewish people as being communist and/or un-American.
When you use it in the context to call into question the character of a Jewish man, it has meaning. That meaning is not normally good. You could have just said "he was gone for period of time with no record" including that type of reference can convey a different intention, if you mean to or not.

Lastly your comments about the parentage of Bernie's children is disgusting and I will pretend you didn't say that.

[MADem]

23. What conspiracy theories? Come on, articulate them.

Did you even click on the link(s) I've provided in this thread?

He is a public figure and a big chunk of his past is shrouded in mystery. That's why half of Israel is trying to figure this out, too. He could answer the question easily--why doesn't he?

If he can't remember where he spent what should have been an important piece of his formative years, that's a concern, too.

And what is this pathetic sentence even about?

Lastly your comments about the parentage of Bernie's children is disgusting and I will pretend you didn't say that.

He only has ONE kid. Not "children." His wife has some children from her other marriage.

For years, his own House biography listed his first wife--not the mother of his child--as the kid's mother. He knew this and never corrected it. That is fact. It's not "disgusting." It's fact.

If he wants to be a public figure on the national stage, and not some back bencher from a state with fewer residents than the city of Boston, he'd better get used to people getting up in his business. And all the "How DARE you"-ing from his fans ain't gonna stop that. He can't keep waving people off--it'll only get worse if he does that. That's the price of admission. Get used to it, because it ain't going away.

Your lot kept whining that he wasn't getting enough attention...well, now he is. Deal with it.

[catnhatnh]

34. I'm sure that my step-children

and millions of others around the country would object to your characterization of them as "not my children". That is a truly deplorable comment.

[MADem]

38. They aren't his children. He did not adopt them. Their last name is DRISCOLL.

They have a father, named David, and his name is Driscoll, too.

Sanders does have a son, who is biologically and legally his and the mother of his child's.


Step-children and step parents sometimes have warm, familial relationships, but that "step" word is there for a reason. There is no legal association between them.

But hey, good effort with the faux "outrage" -- extra points for "deplorable."

[catnhatnh]

39. I didn't adopt my step-children either

I just raised and supported them. There was never any legal association between us either-does that mean you get to denigrate our relationship?

[MADem]

40. And perhaps you have a warm, familial relationship with them.

And how lovely of you to take it upon yourself--without any legal prodding--to contribute to their upbringing.


See? I'm not "denigrating" anything.

But if their natural parent left them a fortune, and then they were hit by lightning or taken by some other terrible tragedy, you wouldn't inherit a dime of that fortune--unless they put it in their will that they wanted you to have it.

The estate would go to the next BLOOD relative--that's how these things work, and it's not at all "denigrating" to say so. It's just how these things work.

Not sure why you're getting all "high dudgeon" about a legal association. No one is saying that Sanders doesn't like his step children. Why are you trying so hard to make that suggestion?

[angrychair]

41. Thank you catnhatnh

I have many friends that are amazing parents to step-children (and they have never called them step-children)

[cascadiance]

2. Reverse psychology does work!

Seems like they're aiming at people like you quite well with smiles.

[MineralMan]

3. Natch! They know how to run against Sanders.

Clinton's hard...

Watch out for a fresh influx of Sanders supporters here soon. They'll log on with screen names that have the words "liberal" or "lefty" prominently displayed.

Just kidding, of course...yes...just kidding...

[MADem]

24. And NUMBERS--don't forget numbers!! And words like "Real" or "Proud" too....!!! nt

[KingFlorez]

4. They know how the game works

It's clear who they would prefer to run against or at least that they want a longer primary on the Democratic side.

[Ken Burch]

37. It couldn't lead to anything progressive to have HRC lock it up at the start. n/t.

[Gothmog]

5. Clinton Camp: GOP Attacks On Hillary Show They'd Rather Face Bernie In Fall

Why is Karl Rove running an ad making this same claim? http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-karl-rove-attack

The Hillary Clinton campaign on Tuesday said that recent attacks from conservatives show that Republicans are hoping Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) will win the Democratic nomination because they believe he would be easier to beat in the general election.

In a Tuesday evening statement, the Clinton campaign's communications director, Jennifer Palmieri, mentioned an ad from the Rove-aligned super PAC American Crossroads, which accused Clinton of being in Wall Street's pocket. Palmieri said the ad suggests that Republicans want to face Sanders in the general election.

"While Senator Sanders tries to make a case on electability based on meaningless polls, Republicans and their super PACs have made clear the candidate they’re actually afraid to face. The Sanders argument falls apart when the GOP spokesman is trying to help him and the Republicans run ads trying to stop Hillary Clinton in the primary," she said in the statement.

Clearly Karl Rove wants the weaker candidate to be the nominee

[safeinOhio]

6. Dang, I talk to a lot of

Republicans that would vote for Bernie in the Nov. election rather than any in the clown car.

just saying.

[immoderate]

7. I think a 'progressive' would be for single-payer, breaking up the banks, and free tuition...

or perhaps there's a need to be schooled by "a nutty VT socialist.” Bernie's success embarrasses Hillary? Why might that be?

--imm

[Warren Stupidity]

8. Whatever narrative you need to help you get over

your grief over your candidate's campaign implosion is fine.

[whatchamacallit]

11. +1

[Dawson Leery]

13. kick

[Skwmom]

14. Q. Does the Rove Ad help Clinton's false electibility? A. Yes. So it's a no brainer why Rove?

And it was ONLY digital.

Rove/Clinton - the unholy alliance.

[Punkingal]

15. Republicans don't need to embarrass her...the "shake some sense into Iowans"

comment took care of that today.

[cui bono]

18. "shake some sense into Iowans"

Missed that one... can you point me to that?

.

[Punkingal]

20. WillyT's thread about Clinton unloading on Sanders. It's outrageous.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511041509

[cui bono]

28. Thanks!

Did you see this that I posted yesterday? Dirty politics from guess who...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511037983

.

[Punkingal]

32. I did. My disgust knows no bounds.

[Warren DeMontague]

30. Ah yes

the ever-elusive "energized Clinton supporters".

I'm sure we can find some non-issue, some faux outrage, something.... to coax those hard to find beings out of the scrubbrush!

(also, calling Bernie Sanders "nutty" is an odd way of 'promoting' him, but I digress)

Because obviously, Hillary cannot run on the issues.

[libdem4life]

31. I can't believe this thread. It's absolutely stunning. A bunch of supposedly well-informed

Democrats, albeit from different perspectives, weighing in on what the Republicans want...making decisions...feigning horror while jumping in lock, stock and barrel. Who the frack cares what the Republicans think...they may be playing 12th dimensional chess, too, you know.

The absurdity...is this what the Democrats have come down to...going to the republicans for their talking points? Or is it the Hillary Effect...say something, anything...just get a rise out of people and get them playing tug of war.

Now, back to our regular programming.

[Gothmog]

45. Karl Rove is very good at this tactic

For some funny reason, Karl Rove funded Nader in 2000 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-zuesse/ralph-nader-was-indispens_b_4235065.html

Furthermore, Karl Rove and the Republican Party knew this, and so they nurtured and crucially assisted Nader's campaigns, both in 2000 and in 2004. On 27 October 2000, the AP's Laura Meckler headlined "GOP Group To Air Pro-Nader TV Ads." She opened: "Hoping to boost Ralph Nader in states where he is threatening to hurt Al Gore, a Republican group is launching TV ads featuring Nader attacking the vice president [Mr. Gore]. ... 'Al Gore is suffering from election year delusion if he thinks his record on the environment is anything to be proud of,' Nader says [in the commercial]. An announcer interjects: 'What's Al Gore's real record?' Nader says: 'Eight years of principles betrayed and promises broken.'" Meckler's report continued: "A spokeswoman for the Green Party nominee said that his campaign had no control over what other organizations do with Nader's speeches." Bush's people - the group sponsoring this particular ad happened to be the Republican Leadership Council - knew exactly what they were doing, even though the liberal suckers who voted so carelessly for Ralph Nader obviously did not. Anyone who drives a car the way those liberal fools voted, faces charges of criminal negligence, at the very least. But this time, the entire nation crashed as a result; not merely a single car.

This is from the GOP bag of dirty tricks that worked once

[libdem4life]

46. Sorry, you make my point. He's a Republican. He's not OUR leader, nor should

he be OUR Guiding Star. We're Democrats and we can think for ourselves, gawd willing. I prefer to talk about 2016 moving forward.

[Gothmog]

47. There is a good reason why Rove is supporting Sanders and it is not because he likes Democrats

Rove is smart and had determined that Sanders is not viable in the general election. In the primary process, viability and electablity are important and we should select a candidate who can win in the general election

[libdem4life]

48. So are Democrats. And you don't see us running around endorsing Republicans, FFS.

Now, repeat after me. We Are Democrats. Republicans don't create our agenda. Well, at least for many of us. And notice how well it's worked on the Hillary folk...we're not sliding and unelectable...see, KKKarl Rove says he wants to run against Bernie.

We've moved from Bernie's not electable to "Oh, shit"! Now we turn the channel on to Right Wing News for the next move.

Fail.

[Ken Burch]

36. It's sad that, even though there is no longer any good reason for you to do so

you are still supporting the most conservative, most unempathatic, and most militaristic person in the Democratic race. Why are you still so willing to check your dreams at the door.

We don't HAVE to nominate HRC to win.

You don't have to settle for the least that you can get.

[Gothmog]

44. John Kasich Predicts What Will Happen If Bernie Sanders Is The Democratic Nominee

This may explain why the GOP is supporting Sanders http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/john-kasich-bernie-sanders_us_56985d45e4b0b4eb759df8ed?cps=gravity_5055_-2361549830416597316&kvcommref=mostpopular

The candidates in Thursday night's GOP debate offered plenty of warnings about what will happen to the country if former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gets elected president, but they seemed considerably less worried about going up against Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

"We're going to win every state if Bernie Sanders is the nominee," Ohio Gov. John Kasich said to laughter from the audience. "That's not even an issue. And I know Bernie. And I can promise you he won't be president of the United States."

The GOP wants Sanders to be the nominee

[William769]

49. They want to support a Democratic primary person they can beat

No one that they will lose to.

[Gothmog]

50. The media is noticing that the GOP and Rove are supporting Sanders

[Gothmog]

53. Anti-Sanders attack ad isn’t quite what it seems to be

Another republican is running an ad designed to help Sanders in the primary process. This ad uses the same trick that Claire McCaskill used in 2012 to select Todd Akin as her opponent because Akin would be the weakest possible general election candidate http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/anti-sanders-attack-ad-isnt-quite-what-it-seems-be

Republicans have made no secret of the fact that they’d prefer to run against Bernie Sanders in the general election. Whether or not their assumptions are correct is a separate question, but GOP officials, convinced that the senator would be easy to defeat, have gone out of their way to help Sanders in the Democratic race.....

At first blush, the move may seem encouraging to Sanders supporters. After all, if Republicans have gone from defending Sanders to attacking him, maybe it means GOP insiders are getting scared of the Vermont independent?

It’s a nice idea, but that’s not what’s going on here. In fact, far from an attack ad, this commercial, backed by a prominent Republican mega-donor, is the latest evidence of the GOP trying to help Sanders, not hurt him.

Indeed, in this case, it’s hardly even subtle. This commercial touts Sanders’ support for tuition-free college, single-payer health care, and higher taxes on the “super-rich.” It concludes that the senator is “too liberal,” which isn’t much of an insult in an ad directed towards liberal voters in Iowa.

In other words, we’re talking about a Republican mega-donor investing in a faux attack ad to help Sanders win because he sees Sanders as easy to beat in November.

It’s the mirror image of the tactic Sen. Claire McCaskill (D) used in the 2012 U.S. Senate race in Missouri, when she invested in ads intended to boost then-Rep. Todd Akin (R) in his primary race, with commercials touting his far-right positions and calling him “too conservative.” The point was to make Akin look better in the eyes of Missouri Republicans so he’d win the primary, making it easier for the incumbent Democrat to defeat him on Election Day.

This ad is just another example of the GOP trying to help Sanders become the nominee because the GOP knows that Sanders is the weaker candidate.