Bernie Sanders' Shrewd Move That May Push Clinton Left

[99th_Monkey]

Bernie Sanders' Shrewd Move That May Push Clinton Left
The democratic socialist is taking a stand by running a clean campaign, and it’s already making a big impact on the race for president. By Marc Daalder * In These Times * September 27, 2015

When Bernie Sanders’ Senior Advisor Tad Devine announced in August that the Democratic presidential candidate would not be running any attack ads against Hillary Clinton, many saw the move as simply being consistent with his previous campaign strategies and his progressive platform. Sanders has said he “hates and detests these 30-second negative ads” and has never run one. He sees the ads as part of what’s broken with American politics, and his disavowal of them fits with his electoral reform policies, which condemn super PACs and the buying and sensationalizing of U.S. elections.

But Sanders’ refusal to produce attack ads has proven to be more than a matter of simple moral consistency. His pledge represented a shrewd political decision by the Sanders campaign—a decision that has now paid off.

Electoral reform is central to Sanders’ platform for president. By swearing off attack ads against his opponents and cash from super PACs which often fund such ads, he has attempted to show that unlike his opponents, he can actually carry out the ideals he speaks so often about. In fact, shortly after Bernie’s announcement, his campaign sent a cease-and-desist letter to a PAC supporting him, which was first formed by Congressional lobbyist Cary Lee Peterson to encourage the Vermont Senator to run. ~SNIP~

The political depth of Bernie’s refusal to run negative attack ads has proven far more important than revealing contrasts between the two candidates. This decision actually forced Hillary’s campaign into an incredibly difficult position. If she ran an attack ad, she risked coming off as desperate or a bully. But by not running attack ads, she would essentially render herself unable to combat any surge in the polls by Sanders.

MORE: http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/bernie-sanders-shrewd-move-may-push-clinton-left

[virtualobserver]

1. I didn't know about the cease and desist letter....

Thanks for posting this.

[djean111]

2. Hillary will not be moving even one micro-millimeter to the left.

And her super pacs and buddies will be more than happy to be negative on her behalf. Already started.

[Maedhros]

4. Her rhetoric will move as far left as necessary, to secure the nomination.

If she ever reaches the White House, all that "left" nonsense will be discarded.

[Zorra]

6. Yes. And pretending to move to the left for political expedience is not moving to the left. nt

[dae]

3. K&R n/t

[Fawke Em]

5. Well, according to one reporter, her PAC was stalking him all weekend in Iowa.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251629102

This is the David Brock group who's email to reporters was exposed.

[99th_Monkey]

7. Yep. I saw that. Truly disgusting IMHO. nt

[mopinko]

8. sop these days.

would you not be looking for your opponent to do or say something outrageous on the campaign trail? i know i would.

course, i can see that it is something bernie wouldnt do, but....

[JDPriestly]

11. Brock -- still the poliitcal hit man. Interesting.

[winter is coming]

13. Probably hoping to get a damaging corn dog photo. n/t

[Fawke Em]

18. Does Bernie even eat corn dogs?

I know he's not a practicing Jew, but most corn dogs - unless specifically noted as beef - are made of pork. Does he even eat pork?

My ex husband was a non-practicing Muslim, but he still couldn't bring himself to eat pork.

Just a thought.

[Eleanors38]

16. Brock learned the moves when he was far right....

...now he is an anti-2A agitprop outlet with armed bodyguards.

[WillyT]

9. HUGE K & R !!! - THANK YOU !!!

[Autumn]

10. She might talk left, but she's not gonna move left.

[99th_Monkey]

17. Yes I know. I have the same misgivings about Hill's "evolutions" on the campaign trail -nt-

[Doctor_J]

19. no kidding. I wish I could believe a word she says

Big trouble with her and a republican congress in office

[Armstead]

12. I fear it may push her primary campaign "to the left"

....and then back to the right on economic policy if she gets the nomination and gets elected.

"Oh I didn't mean those silly things I said back then. Everyone know you campaign to the extremes of your base in the primary, but move to the center in the General, and govern for the status quo."

[Chan790]

14. She'll be a one-termer thrown out by her own party in the primary if she does...

unless she delivers big somewhere else--and not "she claims is big" but something actually monumentally huge.

If she fucks over the base like that and manages to survive the 2020 primary, it will be at the cost of the WH in the GE.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

15. Evolution doesn't have a direction. Up/down, Left/Right, Forward/Backward.

Whatever direction she (and her handlers) think will work best to get her elected is the direction she'll take.

[Generic Brad]

20. Good. I want to vote for something

I do not want my vote to merely be against an agenda or a personality. I want to cast it for something positive.