New OP-ED by Bernie Sanders: I support Hillary Clinton. So should everyone who voted for me.

[pnwmom]

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-sanders-message-bernie-bros-20160805-snap-story.html

The conventions are over and the general election has officially begun. In the primaries, I received 1,846 pledged delegates, 46% of the total. Hillary Clinton received 2,205 pledged delegates, 54%. She received 602 superdelegates. I received 48 superdelegates. Hillary Clinton is the Democratic nominee and I will vigorously support her.

Donald Trump would be a disaster and an embarrassment for our country if he were elected president. His campaign is not based on anything of substance — improving the economy, our education system, healthcare or the environment. It is based on bigotry. He is attempting to win this election by fomenting hatred against Mexicans and Muslims. He has crudely insulted women. And as a leader of the “birther movement,” he tried to undermine the legitimacy of our first African American president. That is not just my point of view. That’s the perspective of a number of conservative Republicans.

In these difficult times, we need a president who will bring our nation together, not someone who will divide us by race or religion, not someone who lacks an understanding of what our Constitution is about.

On virtually every major issue facing this country and the needs of working families, Clinton’s positions are far superior to Trump’s. Our campaigns worked together to produce the most progressive platform in the history of American politics. Trump’s campaign wrote one of the most reactionary documents.


SNIP

[yardwork]

2. Thank you, Bernie!

[pnwmom]

3. Yes! This is the kind of "full-throated" endorsement we needed. n/t

[Hortensis]

19. :)

It's a statement in classic Bernie style. Those he's speaking to should at least find that reassuring.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

4. Nice op-ed, Bernie!

So... I don't get why Trump supporters aren't concerned about the cost of health care and college. Two things from the article that Bernie pointed out Trump is going to nothing about or possibly make it worse. They don't ever think they'll need to go to a doctor? None of their kids are going to college? Seems unlikely... I know that the Trump supporters are not all rich.

[brer cat]

10. Many of the poorest of Trump supporters

would take food off their own children's table if it would mean than one child of color would be denied assistance. Their plight is always the fault of "the Blacks" or "the Mexicans." They live in a world without logic, reason or facts. I find it equally sad and infuriating. Apart from the racism, if these poor whites joined forces with poor people of color they could form a voting black that could actually lead to changes that would benefit everyone.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

50. True, and which tells us all we need to know about why the RW MUST pit one group

against the other. Why they spare no expense on their great propaganda machine designed to make sure no one pays attention to their real enemies.

[geek tragedy]

11. they need white supremacy to feel good about themselves

stupid brutes

[nightscanner59]

80. White heterosexist supremicist goombahs listen to Micheal Savage:

Quote from that creep: "Straight, Heterosexual, White, Male, Christian' Is The 'Most Oppressed Member Of Society".
Proof positive that denial knows no reality.

[Wernothelpless]

85. Unless you know a few you wouldn't understand ..

The scary right who grunt at minorities to get out of their neighborhoods (and not only stay in the back of the bus, but get off and walk)finally have someone who speaks for them ... They finally have a voice now ... somebody understands their GAWD ... be very afraid ..

[Demsrule86]

5. Thanks Bernie! nt

[secondwind]

12. Same here.. but I don't think cartoons like this are productive.. it will take time for them to

come around, I think...

[cstanleytech]

21. Agree about the cartoon but whats sad though is some will never come around but that is their choice

[FailureToCommunicate]

15. This thread would seem to be inappropriate place to put yet more anti-Bernie voter junk, no?

The primaries are over.

[Stubborn]

20. This doesn't help.

Please delete.

[Cha]

7. Good.. thank you, pnwmom

[retrowire]

8. i told you guys im following Bernie all the way.

This is the only way to get things done.

[dicksmc3]

9. We gotta do it folks

On virtually every major issue facing this country and the needs of working families, Clinton’s positions are far superior to Trump’s. Our campaigns worked together to produce the most progressive platform in the history of American politics.

NOW IT'S TIME FOR ALL OF US BERNIE SUPPORTERS TO STAND UP FOR HILLARY!!

[secondwind]

13. Amen! Agree 150%... This Bernie supporter will be voting for Hillary.. Country over Party

[Adrahil]

14. Well said, Bernie!! NT

[Gothmog]

16. I saw many Sanders delegates at the convention moved towards supporting Clinton

The bernie or bust types were a small percentage of the Sanders delegates at the DNC

[Bob Buttons]

79. Media bias!

Yeah, the whole concept of "media bias" has less to do with left-leaning bias and more to do with ratings-driven bias, IMO. DNC protestors generate more ad revenue, so of course they're going to be played up like they're a majority. We saw the same thing with Trump supporters during the primaries, making it seem like this was more than just a large percentage of the very tiny percentage of Americans who bother to vote in primaries (let alone the even smaller number who vote in republican primaries).

I saw a few interviews with crying teenagers, who were first-time voters, getting way too emotional over the outcome. Maybe I'm a cynic, but I thought it was kinda cute. Reminded me of the first time I voted, thinking I was part of some revolutionary process. Guess maybe I'm just too pragmatic to get all worked up over it -- HRC won't get folks excited the same way Bernie can, and she may have some skeletons in her closet (I haven't looked but would assume so, as long as she's been in politics), but that's not any different than any previous presidents we've had.

All these folks getting so worked up over business as usual just make me think they're only just starting to pay attention to how the sausage is made. For better or worse, there's only so much one person can do, even if that person is POTUS. If worse comes to worst, we would even survive a Trump presidency. (Excuse me while I go wash my mouth out with soap)

[ismnotwasm]

17. K&R

[wildeyed]

18. Tell it, Bernie!

[RBInMaine]

22. Thank you Bernie!

[Demsrule86]

23. Thanks again Bernie.

I appreciate your efforts.

[Armstead]

24. I always knew he was going to come through

Bernie has not gotten enough credit for his smarts and true commitment to his stated goals and values.

[mountain grammy]

25. I will always support Bernie Sanders

and will vote for Hillary Clinton. I got to know many Bernie supporters though the primary. Only one isn't voting for Hillary.. ONE out of a few hundred. One in my world. That may translate to a few more in the real world, but seriously, an honest supporter of Bernie Sanders can do nothing else but vote for Hillary.

[BlueCollar]

26. No worries Senator...

I made that commitment before I voted for you...

[NurseJackie]

27. Glad to see this!! But why did he use the word "virtually"??

In that context, the word "virtually" appears to suggest that one or more of Trump's positions might be superior to Hillary's.

But, overall, I heartily welcome things like this from Bernie.

[KPN]

29. Good grief!

[NurseJackie]

40. I know! It would have been much stronger if he'd omitted

that word entirely. He left open the possibility that there might be one or two things that Trump has better policies for. It would have been better without the qualifier word that weakened his praise.

[FighttheFuture]

31. Because Trump is appropriating many of Bernie's positions when he speaks before people affected by

what Bernie was talking about: "free trade" being a big thing. Also given that Bernie's positions were more in line and better for this country overall, the word "virtually" is well used in this context.

People are pissed and tired of getting fucked. They may not know who, what or why, but they do feel the pain. Trump is a masterful con-man so, Hillary better listen well to what Bernie has been saying and what people are feeling lest she loose these voters to that Orange Dumpster fire.

Now, I think she is listening, but she is hobbled by the media and Trump sucking the air out of whatever is happening every day. She will have to yell to get her message out, and Bernie is helping her, thank god.

[NurseJackie]

41. I'm relieved that he chose this route. It pleases me.

[DemonGoddess]

56. I think that the usage of the word is nothing

more than a habit. He uses "virtually" quite a bit, even when strongly expounding on something.

[NurseJackie]

64. I'm virtually happy to know that's all it is. :-P

[DemonGoddess]

72. bwahahahaha

[Lulu KC]

69. exactly what I was going to write n/t

[oberliner]

28. Sanders, when asked what he would say to his supporters who are considering third party candidates..

...said “it’s a free country” and people have to make their own decisions.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2016/08/04/bernie-sanders-surrogate-tulsi-gabbard-to-vote-for-hillary-clinton/88071634/

[FighttheFuture]

32. Well said, don't forget that!!! It still is a free country!! He also went on to say...

...
“I certainly, as more than anybody in America, perhaps, understand politics outside of the Democratic and Republican parties,” Sanders told USA TODAY last month. “I have an obligation to worry about the future of the people of my state. I have a very strong feeling that if Donald Trump is elected president, it will be a disaster for people in my own state and for people in the other 49 states. So that’s my choice. (Hillary) People make other choices.”

[KMOD]

33. Well he can't force people to be rational.

Still I'm very happy that he is trying to persuade his voters to make the right decision. tRump must not win.

Also it's nice to see that Tulsi Gabbard has decided to join us in supporting Hillary Clinton.

[oberliner]

34. Agreed

Good to see Bernie and most of his prominent surrogates coming out for Hillary.

[Maru Kitteh]

43. That quote was from July, & before the convention. Sanders NOW asks that his voters NOT support 3rd

parties. He even went to the trouble of putting it in writing.

So I guess the question is, what about you, do you support a third party candidate?

[Fantastic Anarchist]

73. That was over a month ago.

[One of the 99]

30. Unfortunately if you read the comments

There are several self-righteous Bernie supporters refusing to support Clinton. I hope they don't speak for the majority of Bernie supporters.

[KMOD]

36. I never read the comments sections.

They are full of trolls.

[JSup]

44. I doubt they do...

...they're just loud.

[democrattotheend]

54. Based on my Zazzle sales, I don't think so

I have sold a ton of "Bernie has my heart, Hillary has my vote" stuff since I made it in June - over 300 products. The fact that there is a market for that stuff tells me that at least some Bernie supporters agree with the sentiment. From what I have heard, even most of the Bernie delegates at the convention were on board by the end. Unfortunately the small minority of loudmouths who weren't gave a bad impression for everyone else.

[NCTraveler]

55. Extremely vocal minority.

The backwash of American politics. Very little of their thoughts are actually related to Sanders. Never were. They were so vocal and extreme it made it easy for others to marginalize them and paint them as a larger group.

[democrattotheend]

35. The sign pictured in the article uses my slogan!

I don't know if whoever made it saw my stuff on Zazzle or came up with it on their own, but it would be cool if I started a phenomenon.

[pnwmom]

38. +1

[baldguy]

37. I dare you to post this in the Bernie Sanders Group.

[pnwmom]

39. Not possible. n/t

[democrattotheend]

42. I would, but they banned me back in April

Because I saw the writing on the wall after New York and was being realistic about his chances at that point.

[NastyRiffraff]

45. Very glad to see this

There's been a lot of misunderstanding about Bernie's position in this race. He's made it very clear before how dangerous he thinks Trump is, but we've heard little about enthusiastically and definitively urging his supporters to support Hillary Clinton. Excellent Op Ed; Thanks Bernie!

And yes, I know a huge majority of Sanders supporters will vote for Hillary. Thanks to all of you, too

[obamanut2012]

46. k & r

[Maru Kitteh]

47. K & R!

[LW1977]

48. Uh-oh..

The JPRs aren't gonna like this..

[NanceGreggs]

53. They're already on it ...

"Absolutely nowhere in his editorial does he say to vote for Hillary Clinton. This could also be read as: GO OUT THERE AND MAKE JILL STEIN WIN."

"It seems everytime someone dies, Hillary’s former opponents come out with new articles praising her. Maybe they feel a need to keep their families and themselves safe overrides the politics at this moment."

"He was complaining about election fraud before someone shut him up. He’s reading the lines they gave him because something happened and no one can convince me otherwise."

"I am convinced he has been threatened. He looked defeated at the convention."

http://jackpineradicals.com/boards/topic/your-opinion-does-bernie-really-believe-this/

[randome]

60. Blackmail is the conspiracy theory that never stops giving.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Treat your body like a machine. Your mind like a castle.[/center][/font][hr]

[NanceGreggs]

61. You only said that ...

... because you've been threatened, too.

Who got to you, randome?

[emulatorloo]

81. Anthony Weiner held me down while Huma used her brass knuckles on me

The louder I screamed, the harder Chelsea laughed.

Obviously I am not Randome, but I just had to share my story.

[NanceGreggs]

82. Ah, yes ...

... it's an oft-told tale these days. The Oligarch Henchmen show no mercy.

Did you know that Huma is a Saudi spy? I read that on a progressier-than-thou site, so it must be true. They always know what's going on ...

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

86. The Jackasses are as unhinged as Freepers are about the polls

They should all get together and console one another.

[Starry Messenger]

49. k&r

[R B Garr]

51. K&R

[shenmue]

52. A step forward

[DemonGoddess]

57. K&R!

[Wibly]

58. This is sad on some level

I think Sanders gave in too soon. He's given up his leverage, and making himself look weak. He should be telling Clinton: "If you want my supporters' vote, win them over!" And he should be telling his supporters: "I trust your judgement. Make the Candidate you vote for earn your vote!"

[randome]

59. So...no compromise ever. Good luck with that.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Treat your body like a machine. Your mind like a castle.[/center][/font][hr]

[Wibly]

88. I never said that

Please don't read into my comments things I did not say!
It makes you sound Trumpish, and leaves me wondering what your motivations really are. I said he gave in too soon. I never said "no compromise ever".
Next time you decide to debate what I write, make sure I've actually written it.
Thank you.

[kcr]

89. Or maybe consider how the things you say sound? n/t

[Wibly]

90. Or maybe just read what's written

Instead of reading all your baggage into it, or trying to dismiss my point by claiming I said something I didn't!
Ya think?

[Ken Burch]

91. How much longer could he have withheld his support, though?

He got a lot out of the HRC people. Not really sure what else he could have got, or how much more he could have delayed his endorsement without overplaying the hand. Bernie had been under relentless pressure since before California to fold the tents.

[Maru Kitteh]

92. Senator Sanders is obviously more concerned than you are with keeping Trump out of the White House

What you suggest is weak. It would diminish his moral authority because it would mean going back on his word that he would support the nominee and make him look like a sore loser. He would be a pariah in the Senate, making it impossible for him to be the strong voice for progressivism we need him to be. It would be a ridiculously ineffectual strategy for avoiding the worst of all conceivable outcomes, a Breitbart-Trump presidency featuring weekly "interventions" by his children to try and keep him from jailing journalists and nuking whoever pissed him off on Twitter last week to show the world how fucking tough he really is. I'm not even going to go into what a disaster he would be in this country for every vulnerable human within our borders, or the SCOTUS.

THANK GOODNESS Sen. Bernie Sanders cares deeply about this country. Thank goodness he cares for more than himself. Thank goodness Bernie is a much smarter man, a much better man than what you would suggest.

[radhika]

62. I hope Hillary fully appreciates how much she needs this...

and has the decency and humility to honor the spirit of his base after inauguration.

[Raster]

63. A class act through-and-through.

Thank you, Senator Sanders!

[AgadorSparticus]

65. Very nice. I hope people are listening.

[StrictlyRockers]

66. This is why I'm now a Hillary supporter.

I love me some Bernie. Bernie's not running for President anymore.

Pretty simple. Hillary will fight for the issues I believe in.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

67. Love it!

❤️, Bernie

[axiom3]

68. Right on, Mr. Sanders

It's understandable that some people are upset that Sanders didn't get the nomination. But the Bernie-or-Bust people need to understand that Trump is a major threat to democracy, and will sabotage the progressive movement if he wins. After all, he is a fascist with no understanding of how our Constitution works.

In any case, I believe that Obama's legacy will live on through HRC, so I have great faith in her. Best of luck to her campaign.

[saidsimplesimon]

70. I want Progressive Democrats to win this election cycle.

The Rumpft is not standing in our way. Go get'em, pound them into the sand. Let this be an election cycle with a clear mandate for the best interests of the 99%. Hillary would agee?

[Beartracks]

71. "a president who will bring [us] together, not... divide us"

Sadly, no matter how hard she tries, Hillary will be the excuse for the far right to keep on being divisive. It's their nature. They despise Democrats completely and thoroughly -- and Clintons even more.

I guess you can unite some of the people all of the time, but probably not all of the people at ANY time.

Oh -- and Go Bernie!

===================

[andym]

74. A simple distillation: If you want progressive change, a better world

Last edited Sat Aug 6, 2016, 07:54 PM - Edit history (2)

You need a permissive environment. Hillary Clinton will help create such an environment, while Trump will create a regressive environment, which will hurt people in the present, and stifle progressive change.

Likewise, President Obama helped create a permissive environment for change, and prevented the regressive environment that might have occurred if the GOP controlled the presidency.

[calimary]

75. That about nails it, andym.

Thank you, Senator Sanders!

[stopbush]

76. I appreciate the endorsement, but it's as dry as stone.

[Hekate]

84. Hey, Bernie plays to type. He's a grouchy old guy who yells. This is him making nice. Very.

Thanks, Bernie! GOTV!

[deathrind]

77. ...

[Hekate]

83. Saw it in the Sunday Los Angeles Times today! Thanks, Bernie!

Let's do this thing!

[George Eliot]

87. Saw it Friday and, as usual, Bernie is an honest, smart and true patriot.