WaPo: Bernie Sanders is the Realist We Should Elect

[berni_mccoy]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/bernie-sanders-is-the-realist-we-should-elect/2016/01/26/6af4d268-c392-11e5-a4aa-f25866ba0dc6_story.html

As the Iowa caucuses near, Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) have released TV ads that together echo a popular theme in the mainstream media. Clinton’s ad depicts the job of the presidency as tough and change as hard. You need someone experienced who can face down foreign adversaries and stand up to reactionary Republicans. Sanders’s ad — with Simon and Garfunkel’s “America” stirring memories — offers the romance of the United States coming together. Many of the pundits agree — this is a choice between head and heart. If Democrats think with their heads, they will go with Hillary; with their hearts, with Bernie.

But this conventional wisdom clashes with the reality that this country has suffered serial devastations from choices supported by the establishment’s “responsible” candidates. On fundamental issue after issue, it is the candidate “of the heart” who is in fact grounded in common sense. It wasn’t Sanders’s emotional appeal, but his clearsightedness that led the Nation magazine, which I edit, to make only its third presidential endorsement in a primary in its 150-year history.

[brooklynite]

1. As we move into the season of voting and newspaper endorsements...

...can I suggest people note when an opinion is that of the publication, and when it's the opinion of the author (in this case Katrina Vanden Heuvel)?

[SheenaR]

2. Agreed

Much like those who cite union or organizational endorsements, please make note if the endorsement came from the ranking officials or from the membership itself.

But I agree, this headline was misleading. WaPo did not say this as a paper

[JonLeibowitz]

15. Hahahaha! Good one! :-)

[Bleacher Creature]

7. I'm not sure accuracy was the goal in the OP.

It seems like the misleading headline was more of a feature than a bug.

[frazzled]

3. This is not, of course, a Washington Post endorsement

It's an opinion piece by an individual, Katrina van den Heuvel. But nice try at misleading people into thinking it is a newspaper endorsement.

[Renew Deal]

4. As far as I can tell, that's not an endorsement by the newspaper. It's Katrina VanDeHeuvel's opinion

[CharlotteVale]

5. K&R

[cui bono]

6. What she says is true. "responsible" and "pragmatic" are dangerous and will get us nowhere

except keep us on the path of corporate rule and control.

We need REAL change and Bernie is the only one who is going to even try for it. And he will be riding the wave of the people's demands when he does. So watch out!

.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. I don't believe that is the opinion of the Washington Post editorial board./nt

[farleftlib]

9. K & R

WTG, Bernie.

[George II]

10. You're misrepresenting the Washington Post in your subject line - that is NOT the opinion....

....of the Washington Post.

The author writes columns for a number of newspapers around that country, and this one is a blog post on the Washington Post's website. Her columns don't even appear in the WP print edition.

So, it should read "Katrina vanden Heuvel: Bernie Sanders is the Realist We Should Elect"

[thesquanderer]

11. Uncharacteristically, I agree with George and DSB

While I think it's a great piece, the post headline is misleading. I'd go with

"WaPo columnist: Bernie Sanders is the Realist We Should Elect"

or

"WaPo OpEd: Bernie Sanders is the Realist We Should Elect"

(And really, I'd have been surprised if WaPo actually endorsed anyone for an Iowa caucus... it's not their turf.)

[elleng]

14. Right, WaPo (and others) will await the General, to endorse.

[thesquanderer]

21. WaPo could endorse in MD and VA primaries (n/t)

[Duval]

12. K&R!

[elleng]

13. NOT WaPo,

as others have noted, but Katrina vanden Heuvel @ The Nation.

[VulgarPoet]

16. This isn't WaPo's.

I wish it was, but it's a singular author's point of view. OpEds cannot be taken to be the opinion of the entire publication, much as I may agree with it.

[LiberalLovinLug]

17. Even if the MSM newspapers overwhelmingly endorse Hillary

Take heed Hillarians.

Here in Canada, before our last election last fall, almost every corporate owned newspaper across the country, which is, like everywhere, being monopolized by fewer and fewer billionaire owners...endorsed our corrupted, egotistical, global warming denier, secretive, disastrous Conservative PM for yet another term.

The Liberals won by a landslide.

Just saying.

[libdem4life]

18. Yes, the "endorsement" meme is wearing thin. People are showing they can make up

their own minds, what with the internet and social media. I believe that is why they used to mean more, because people did not have such easy access to varying issues and positions. I welcome this new media...even the MSM...as they begin to notice, if not a bit tardy, that there really is more than one Democratic candidate. In fact, it's suddenly Big News.

However, make no mistake, no Editorial Writer is allowed to stray too far from the basic tenets of a newspaper's basic orientation. Nor are they allowed to do so too soon. This is a mainstream idea and article at this point in time. Just a bit controversial, but not like announcing for Trump or Cruz. I see this as acknowledgement that there are more voices in this campaign now.

[LiberalLovinLug]

20. "no Editorial Writer is allowed to stray too far..."

Yes, I should also add that many of these Canadian papers revealed afterwards that the decision to endorse the Conservatives came from the very top (ie one billionaire) and "trumped" any of the opinions of the individual editors of their papers. Which is in itself a scary reality.

[libdem4life]

22. We've seen that in certain Unions here, as well. AFAIK, those who polled the members

were strongly Bernie supporters. No big surprise there. Even some who endorsed without polling are getting some flack from individual unions...notably a local UAW. Again, it's the Oligarchs vs the Reformists.

We know what's best for you vs. I can make up my own mind.

We will get back our Democracy For the People, I have no doubt. Maybe not Bernie, although I hope so, but he's will go down in political history as being the initiating candidate of Post Establishment Liberalism/Progressivism/Social Democracy/Democratic Socialism...whatever. But, it's a sea change in American Politics we haven't seen, maybe since FDR.

He wasn't perfect, neither is Bernie. But they were definitely chosen for the job...by the People.

[madokie]

25. I see this coming as the biggest landslide in American history

do I even need to mention who I think the winner will be.
I didn't think so

[libdem4life]

26. I truly hope so...and am optimistic. In fact, it will Have to be a landslide to ward off

any, shall we say, interventions. Right after the Chris Cuomo's attack on Bernie, I found the Syracuse University Poll that said Bernie won 80+to Hillary's 10+

And I have news for the MSM...to trash internet voting, twitter/facebook comments, confine it to the young...is at your peril. Actually, they are already in peril, because just like print reduced radio as the primary news source, so the internet has reduced print/MSM/even cable to free online networks that are both active and responsive.

It's another sea change and my opinion is that, probably even unintentional, it has made it possible for an unknown like Bernie to be ahead of the most common name in politics. In fact it's reported his formal entry was near unintentional...certainly not something he craved.

[madokie]

29. Underestimate Bernie Sanders at your own peril

not saying that to you personally as I know where you're coming from and agree wholeheartedly. I'm saying it to the 'CONs and Hillaryites. Thats who that comment is directed at.

I'd say that since Bernie has announced his candidacy that close to a million people have turned out to hear him speak. It may not be a million but its dog damn sure in the upper six figures.

Bernie will make us proud as our President. If he can make me as proud as he does as just a candidate, I'm not so sure my heart can take how he'll make me feel once in the oval office. I have two stepsons and one Grand Daughter and its for them especially her that I feel as I do. I really do want to clean up our act before we turn things over to her generation. I'm an old hippy from the word go. Down deep I'm still the same person I was when I got home all those years ago. It took me a total of less that 10 days of in country Vietnam to realize that what we as a country was doing there was as wrong as wrong can be.

[libdem4life]

30. Yeah. Vietnam...I lost two friends. And I can't wait to see those jam packed stadiums...

because when he's the Nominee, he'll need them, there to hear him...many for the first time. No other candidate is able to draw those kinds of crowds much less the enthusiasm, and I don't see that changing. It's a phenomenon that has puzzled many...Bernie being one of them. But he's risen to the task and looking stellar and Presidential while doing it.

No more Hawks or Hawk-wannabes. No more PTSD and their family victims. No more Veteran with limbs severed or brains blown out. Just. No. We have better things for our best and brightest to do...and it isn't literally, to pound sand.

Bernie knows and he'll figure it out.

[Lordquinton]

19. I see no objection to the content of the article

just a lot about the title, which is often misleading, but oh well.

[cui bono]

23. And at least this one is in GD:P so people can say something.

Unlike the one in the Hillary group that made it sound like Chomsky was going to vote for Hillary in the primary when in fact he said he would vote for her in the general but it would be a vote AGAINST the Republicans.

It would be interesting to go look at that OP now and see who commented and if they called that one out.

.

[Lordquinton]

24. I've seen several misleading post titles

That when I went to say something, found it was in the Hillary group. If they had conviction it wouldn't be in a gated community.

[MineralMan]

27. An editorial opinion piece that appeared in that paper is not

an endorsement by that newspaper.

the WaPo publishes all sorts of editorials on a daily basis. They are what they are.

[Jefferson23]

28. How does it help Sanders to post OP's that are not what they appear to be?

Same thing with that OP from Kos about O'Malley.

Stay the course, and keep it clear in our communications on the board
for Sanders.