The Stupidity of the DNC: No One is Registering Voters at Sanders'

[elleng]

'Just a brief diary. For the record, I'm not a Clinton supporter but am still on the fence with Sanders or O'Malley (both of whom I hope do well tomorrow night).

Eleanor Clift--longtime pro-Democrat pundit (anyone remember her on the McLaughlin Group?)--has a good piece up on The Daily Beast based on her interview with Sanders' strategist Tad Devine. Its a really good piece and I would invite you all to read it.

However, one GLARING piece of institutional stupidity stood out to me:

The rationale of the Sanders campaign is that it can win by appealing to disaffected voters and expanding the electorate. Devine said he told the Democratic National Committee they should set up a table and register voters at Sanders rallies. “We’re trying to get them in the door here. It would be smart for the Democratic Party to take advantage of the Sanders phenomenon. If you go to a Sanders rally now, there’s a good chance you’ll vote for a Democrat in 2016.”
So far, the DNC hasn’t taken him up on the idea. “I think they’re afraid they’ll all vote for Bernie,” he says, chuckling.

Are you fucking kidding me? I thought the DNC's fucking JOB was to win elections--ya know, register voters and shit. That they are letting their pre-determined positions keep them from REGISTERING VOTERS is mind-numbingly stoopit. If there was ever a reason to fire DWS, I can't think of a better one...
Peace.'

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/10/12/1431279/-The-Stupidity-of-the-DNC-No-One-is-Registering-Voters-at-Sanders-Rallies

[ZM90]

1. Stupid but not surprising. DWS needs to be fired. K&R.

[NorthCarolina]

14. There is NO WAY DWS would conduct voter registration at a Bernie rally. It would lend

a credibility to his campaign as a Democrat that she does not want to entertain. The establishment is going to buck Sanders all the way, ignore his voter appeal, ignore his candidacy to the furthest extent possible. DWS takes her orders from above and is just the public face and mouthpiece of the establishment.

[KoKo]

60. DWS and Tim Kaine Before Her ...are the PROBLEM...NOT the Solution....

Why are Repubs controlling the House and almost the Senate.....

Look no further than who went in when Obama was Elected. What a sad state of things after we Dem Activists worked so hard to get Pelosi as "Madame Speaker" in 2006 and do a Sweep...and yet...what happened after that. I was a Party Activist for the Progressives in NC who went for Obama in 2008 and what I saw after Obama was Elected from our Dem Party was Disgusting after he won.

The Trashing of the Left Activists Began after Obama was Elected. And, Just a couple weeks ago Obama again trashed the Left in one of his Pressers.

DWS is a Legacy of Obama......however he turns out to be as President in his Policies in History's Memories of his Biographers....he did no good for the Dem Party Activists and never Wanted or Sought our Help once he was Elected. Even when we helped Elect him for his Second Term....he never has done anything but cut us out and DWS is part of this and that is her Legacy.

[navarth]

65. +1 for your feelings

[senz]

130. I can't understand what happened to him.

I like Obama a lot, can't help it, just do. I wonder what happened after he was elected? I've heard that the Big Boys step in and tell the new president what's what. Somehow I can't imagine Bernie being intimidated or enticed by them.

[PSzymeczek]

263. I think you're right.

[KoKo]

274. Bernie from his years of Service in U.S. House and Senate probably has some

great Connections which can serve him...unlike Obama who didn't have that much time in the Senate before he ran and, therefore, was vulnerable to the MONEY that Supported him which he had to answer to.

I think Bernie is in a different place and what we need now .............after Obama who did try to save the Public from much of the Worst of RW Policies...but, was compromised because of those "Who Brung Him to the Dance" in D.C.

I think Obama tried but it was way beyond what he could do. But, Bernie has been around long enough he could build on the "Hope & Change" that Obama's Dem Operation Promised but couldn't quite deliver.

Bernie has EXPERIENCE....and he Remembers Vietnam and our American Experience dealing with the NeoCons who never saw a Country they didn't want to Own and Occupy....no matter the Cost and Consequences to the Rest of us with our Tax Dollars, Austerity imposed from Bank Failure and the rest going to suppor WAR/REGIME CHANGE/CHAOS & DESTRUCTION across the World with our ALLIES tied to Corrupt Bankers and Hedge Funds!

Bernie will bring in Experienced People and not from the Neo Lib/NeoCon Factions that have Ruled the Dem Party for TOO MANY DECADES.

The REAL CHANGE is with BERNIE! He's Old Enough and Experienced Enough to know where the "Bodies are Buried" and Who the New Influences Are in an American Experience that has "Gone off the Rails" and now needs to Recalibrate "Back to the People" if we are to Survive.

Go Bernie!

[MrMickeysMom]

182. Let us not forget the big money behind these tools...

THEY call the shots and the chair responds accordingly.

Getting money out of politics is the most important return to sanity... if we survive this nonsense much longer.

I'll never give the DNC one dime. Why would they want my dime anyway? They don't even care if I vote, based on the hands up their collective asses.

[Dustlawyer]

118. Further evidence of how campaign "donations" corrupt our politics!

Crap like this just motivates us even more! If you care about this country, the future of us, our families, and this planet we just shat on, you will vote for Bernie and the peaceful return of power to the people. We have to stay behind him to help see this through. He wiill use the Bully Pulpit to push through major reforms restoring voting rights, education, infrastructure repair... It will take a Movement to do it! That is how he will pass his proposals!

[PatrickforO]

145. I just emailed the DNC and asked why they don't have voter registration tables at the candidates'

rallies. Maybe if everyone else did the same, they'd start.

[cprise]

146. There is a petition for that...

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/remove-debbie-wasserman

[RBInMaine]

192. If they are so dedicated, why don't they go to their city halls and register themselves?

[roody]

227. Half of Americans are not dedicated voters. Check voting statistics.

[tblue37]

228. Aren't Bernie's grassroots volunteers registering voters at his events? If not,

Why not?

[lsewpershad]

258. I hope though

that the Bernie people are registering voters.

[retrowire]

2. the party of

"anyone but Bernie"

hey, Biden has said he's not feeling it time and time again and yet... they're more interested in a guy that isn't running than the guy pulling the largest crowds.

*facepalm*

[djean111]

3. "I thought the DNC's fucking JOB was to win elections" - no, their job is to get Hillary elected.

Bernie, IMO, is becoming a real inconvenience to the DNC.

[frylock]

40. Their job is to get Hillary elected, whether it's in 2016 or 2020..

In the event that Sanders wins the nomination, I think they would be perfectly content to lose 2016 in hopes of getting Hillary another crack at it in 2020.

[SusanCalvin]

62. Exactly.

It's disgusting and infuriating.

[senz]

141. I had several reasons to suspect something like that

was percolating in 2010-2011 leading up to Obama's 2012 reelection bid. I don't have proof, just observed a lot of media stuff, some totally unfair attacks on Obama with unflattering photos of him and oddly gushy pieces about Hillary with charming photos of her that sort of crescendoed and then faded sometime in 2012. I still think she was hoping to challenge him. Do not believe those two like each other at all.

But 2020...she's going to be pretty old in 2020. Still, if Bernie could get four good years in, it might be enough for a very good start on that political revolution.

[yeoman6987]

155. Pretty old? She'd still be younger then Bernie is now.

They are 7 years difference.

[senz]

162. Okay fine, let her run in 2020.

[yeoman6987]

177. Why when she has a 90 percent chance of winning the whole thing in 2016?

[senz]

180. She will do little if anything for the people of this country.

And her poll numbers are going down to the point that the Dem establishment is getting nervous.

If you love this country, drop Hillary and put your support behind Bernie.

[Lorien]

208. She won't win Jack

She's already lost half of the Democratic party, most Independents and everyone on the Right (despite her efforts to appear to be one of them). She hasn't got a chance.

[RBInMaine]

193. Please, can we put the Hillary derangement syndrome on hold for a few minutes.

[artislife]

4. It breaks my heart that you had to find out this way

the DNC at the moment is all about the hill.

[Snotcicles]

114. Hey Hey, Ho Ho, Dubious Debbie has got to go. nt

[artislife]

116. Heee! nt

[HooptieWagon]

5. Third Way/DLC runs the DNC.

Their job isn't to elect Democrats. Their job is to elect corporatists, preferably Democratic but a Republican is OK if their Democratic opponant is a liberal/progressive. DLC Debbie has in past endorsed GOP incumbents who had Progressive Democrat challengers.

[redstateblues]

140. Don't leave out the neo-liberals and the DINOs

while we are discussing conspiracies

[SheilaT]

6. They shouldn't be waiting for anyone else to do the registrations,

but perhaps in each city where he goes, local Democrats could do that. I mean, that's exactly what grass roots organizing is all about.

[LonePirate]

7. Bernie's team should take charge of registering voters at his rallies and not rely on the DNC.

Maybe I am becoming a purist; but the DNC is doing more harm than good to the party nowadays.

[hifiguy]

11. Frank Zappa registered thousands of voters in '88

There's no reason the Sanders camp can't get this up and running ASAP.

[senz]

144. I didn't know that.

What a wonderful man he was.

[wilsonbooks]

178. I am a huge Bernie supporter

but I don't understand why his campaign is not doing voter registration at all of his rallies. That is politics 101. The campaign is otherwise very effective. It would not take a lot of effort to do this. Lets get it done.

[geardaddy]

247. +1 million

[arcane1]

12. At least some of the local, unaffiliated groups are doing that at their tables.

Hopefully most of them are doing that!

[uponit7771]

24. This is true, why wait on the DNC ?!!!? Sanders should have the infrastructure to do this

[cherokeeprogressive]

58. Yeah... because it's not the DEMOCRATIC National Committee's job to get people registered.

You people slay me sometimes.

[uponit7771]

64. Not at candidate campaign rallies, please catch up on registration operations and the way

... they've been done in the past.

Also, in 08 Obama and Hillary were doing the registrations AT THEIR RALLIES and not the DNC... they had their shit together.

Sanders on the other hand is still running a state campaign.

You people need to wake up

regards

[hopemountain]

75. sanders campaigners are resgestering voters at the rallies.

per reports from washington, portland, tucson, etc. in addition, there is an effort to provide info for those who are not registered democrat to verify their state's requirements for registration - and deadlines.

[uponit7771]

82. The response to me was wrongly chiding the DNC for something the Sanders campaign should be focused

... on.

It looks like they are so I don't understand the reasoning of the OP other than to start shit

[hopemountain]

89. the sanders campaign is focusing on this and all of the

other ways the dnc is not doing for sanders what they are doing for others. we take ownership of our revolution. it is the only way to get away from the 1%.

[cherokeeprogressive]

96. Given that it's going to be a difficult task to win EITHER the House or Senate, not to mention BOTH

The DNC should be registering people on every street corner, at every sporting event, going door to door, and generally acting like they want Democrats in control for at least the next four years.

DWS, and by extension HER DNC, is about as proactive as mold.

[uponit7771]

99. The House is gerrymandered, the DNC can register 234 trillion people and we'd still lose...

... I don't know why people, including Sanders, have show over and over again that they don't know the EFFECTS of the 10 election and the undemocratic gerrymandering of the GOP

[dorkzilla]

133. Well let's just all stay home then.

[uponit7771]

137. Or implement more EOs like Hillary is doing, Sanders will soon follow her lead

[AgingAmerican]

168. Hillary is implementing executive orders?

By what authority?

[litlbilly]

185. I think alot of those districts were set up for repubs to win by 3 or 4 points. I think it is

possible to make a big dent in some of those gerrymandered districts.

[HubertHeaver]

197. Need to look at the mortality tables for those districts.

Republicans are known for being old and the old are known for propensity to die. Some of those districts could be flip-able.

[jeff47]

241. We'd have to win by about 15% to overcome the gerrymandering.

The closest are 3-4 points, but they diverge quickly from there. If you go through the most vulnerable-for-Republican districts, you get to about a 12% Republican advantage before you hit 218 House seats. Add in a bit for individual race foibles (we aren't going to win every single one of those races), and we'd need around a 15% margin to retake the House.

For scale, Obama's "massive" victories were 7.2% and 3.9%.

[Gothmog]

249. It is not the party's responsibilty to do this

The campaign needs to provide voter registrars to register people

[passiveporcupine]

107. I think he should be doing that too, but remember

he cannot just register democratic voters. He has to register anyone to any legit party.

[72DejaVu]

158. Yeah, like every other campaign in history n/t

[hifiguy]

8. DWS would cut her own foot off

rather than see a Bernie supporter registered to vote. There is only one candidate in her hallucinogenic world: The Anointed One of Wall $treet.

[LiberalArkie]

39. And don't forget Chelsea in 2024

[NV Whino]

9. Not when their goal is to defeat Bernie at any cost.

I'm astounded at the overwhelming, abject stupidity of the party. Wassermann-Shultz is looking for a job with Hillary. There is no way she will give even nominal support to Bernie.

[cantbeserious]

16. ^^^ This ^^^

eom

[uponit7771]

27. This makes no sense seeing most people aren't purist

[NV Whino]

35. I don't understand your comment

Would you elaborate?

[livetohike]

10. Why should the DNC do this? The candidate needs a ground game and part of that is getting people

registered to vote.

[frylock]

44. Why would the DNC work to get voters registered as Dems?

Really?!

[daleanime]

47. So the DNC isn't interested in getting Democrats elected?

I have to agree with that.

[72DejaVu]

159. It's amazing how little people seem to know about real world politics

They seem to think the DNC is some massive organization with thousands of staffers or something.

I've worked on campaigns since the 70s, and voter registration has always been handled locally, NEVER by the DNC. But, now, all of a sudden, the past practice of decades is an underhanded ploy to mess with Bernie.

[Beaverhausen]

184. Exactly right.

Every candidate should do this on their own. That is my experience.

It might not be legal for party reps to register voters. When I did it you had to register everyone, not just democrats.

[Metric System]

13. Isn't it up to the individual campaigns to do the registering? Per a commenter at the link:

"Huh... Clinton staffs her own voter registrators (46+ / 0-)
Both paid and volunteer.

I was also a volunteer for the Obama 2012 campaign in this exact capacity.

The only law on this is that if you are doing voter registration you have to provide the same forms and information to ANY VOTER, regardless of their intended party affiliation.

Odd this is staple of campaign event management seems to be beneath the Green Mountain Senator."

Also, another posters points out:

"The DNC couldn't campaign for other candidates any more than it could campaign for Hillary (I assume you would object to that) for the same reasons. There is only one registration, and the expectation is that a candidate's supporters will be most likely to sign up with that candidates volunteers. Can you imagine the scandal if the DNC booth has a problem processing such registrations?

I understand this is an insurgency campaign, but these repeated efforts to create scandal out of things that are standard parts of politics for good reason just alienate those of us that have spent decades trying to elect more and better democrats. I say that as someone who supported Dean, and Obama in their efforts to change the way the party works."

[wyldwolf]

20. Of course it is.

I don't get the outrage in the OP - other than the Sanders campaign isn't registering voters.

[Historic NY]

132. Exactly....

I get postings everyday on my feed of Hillary's boots on the ground.

[uponit7771]

31. Ah, so Sanders does NOT have the infrastructure in place to do the registration either that

... or they're flying blind.

[passiveporcupine]

142. That's Odd...look what I found on his page.

Voter Registration Training @ WashoeDems, Reno, Nv.

This will be a non partisan event.

Learn the rules and regulations behind voter registration.

With the enthusasim of this summer's bern many people have become interested in helping get out the vote. It is highly recommended that those who wish to help the public register to vote at Bernie rallies and other events first attend a voter registration training. Join Washoe County, Nv for Bernie Sanders and the WashoeDems for a training on the subject Sept 17th at 5:30.

https://go.berniesanders.com/page/event/detail/volunteeractivityflyeringcallingwalkingetc/4jqgd

[HerbChestnut]

90. There were people at the Bernie rally in Boston asking if voters were registered...

I'm from out of state so I didn't really communicate with them, but I would assume they were either registering people or at least getting their personal information to reach out to them later.

[restorefreedom]

15. they would rather lose to the gop

than see bernie win

how much more obvious can they be?

edit...see anyone but hillary win

[uponit7771]

33. or they expect Sanders to have his shit together and do registration himself like Obama and Hillary

[restorefreedom]

50. the party should be supporting ALL the candidates

until the nom is chosen. they should also be working for GOTV not playing favorites with the corporate mic preferred candidate.

[uponit7771]

55. The candidates should have their operations in order. The campaigns do the registration at those

...events like Hillary and Obama did in 08 and not wait on the DNC to do it for them and hand over everything afterwards.

There's something screwed up with the attitude of waiting for someone else to do something so crucial as getting 100,000s of thousands of supporters registered

[restorefreedom]

95. everyone should be doing it

this is one instance where it should be an unquestionable team effort. Not a candidate by candidate effort. Every vote for Democratic candidate in any race or for progressive candidate is an important vote. But typical Hillary supporters and the DNC behind her using this as an excuse to try and cut off Bernie's people from voting.

[72DejaVu]

161. You want the DNC to do GOTV in a primary???? n/t

[restorefreedom]

164. do they want registered voters

who care enough to participate or not?

[Duckfan]

203. Registering voters is "Campaigning 101"

Every campaign manager should know this and act on that knowledge.

[Hekate]

201. Obama, Hillary, Dr. Dean, Bill Clinton, Gene McCarthy: Local campaigns did voter reg for all of them

I know this because I was personally involved. And during the BushCheney years I was doubly involved with groups like the Vets for Peace getting Dems registered and informed.

I don't know what the OP is going on about.

[uponit7771]

206. +1

[brooklynite]

126. I believe conspiracy theories belong in CREATIVE SPECULATION

[restorefreedom]

136. its not a cs when its based on observation

just a regular theory

[Gothmog]

250. This is not how real campaigns are runned

In the real world it is the responsibility of the campaign to register voters. I am a deputy voter registrar and I have voluntered to register voters at party events and for Battleground Texas.

[restorefreedom]

264. i am not saying the dnc has to do it

but if they choose to at some candidates events and not others then that is not right. the party should not be playing faves.

[Gothmog]

268. I have never seen the DNC register voters at any event

This is usually the function of the state or local parties or the campaigns. I am DVR and I have been recruited to register voters at Battleground Texas events and I will register voters at party events. I have never seen the national party get involved and in Texas the national party may have issues in that Texas has some strange voter registration rules that prevent out of state persons from serving as voter registrars (we fought this law but lost).

[MADem]

147. This is the fourth "fake outrage over non-story" thread I have seen today.

It is starting to look like a pattern.

These archives are going to look very interesting a year from now.

I don't understand why they believe that Sanders should get considerations from the national committee that other campaigns haven't ever gotten.

[babylonsister]

17. Rec'd. DWS needs to gtfo if she can't do her job and that

should include ALL candidates!

[Metric System]

19. The DNC isn't registering anybody at any event. It's up to the individual campaigns, just as it was

in 2008.

[ibegurpard]

83. That's really really stupid.

The party should be registering people at all Democratic candidate events.

[Chan790]

105. The candidates shouldn't...

and they shouldn't have been allowed to do so in 2008. That lends itself to the appearance of misconduct if there is a scandal...the party should be handling voter registration because the party should be the only entity training anybody to register voters at Democratic events. That way there is a single voter-registration program and we can be insured that everybody conducting registrations has been properly-trained and knows the law and procedures of their jurisdiction as well as to prevent accusations that any person conducting registrations is trying to swing the results of the primary or GE by gaming registrations.

The DNC should be coordinating voter registration wherever and as many times/places as possible. ONLY the DNC or authorized entities such as State Committees or Local Committees...and never the campaigns.

[BernieFan57]

18. The party is self-destructing at the feet of a single powerful charismatic candidate.

All I can do is just shake my head at it all.

[NCTraveler]

246. That "single powerful charismatic candidate" isn't registering voters at his own events?

This keeps getting better every day. Maybe Hillary should send him a crew to sign up voters at his events. lol.

[elleng]

21. It's my OP, from DKOS, and want to say

it's hard for me to believe DUers don't recognize the Dem PARTY should be registering voters, especially given perfect opportunities for the party to do so. We clearly need to increase members in the HOUSE and SENATE, right???

[wyldwolf]

29. TRADITIONALLY candidates and their supporters register voters at event.

Devine is a lazy hack.

[ibegurpard]

87. you're right

And the people disagreeing with you would cut off their noses to spite their faces. You better believe MY central committee would have a table out registering folks if ANY of the candidates came here.

[wyldwolf]

22. NEWSFLASH! Local Democratic groups register voters at bake sales. Sanders campaign doesn't....

... register voters at rallies where thousands attend - says it's someone else's job.

[uponit7771]

34. Yeap, 20,000 at a pop and no registration = Sanders operation sleeping on the job

[senz]

160. The Sanders campaign does not say it's someone else's job

so don't be fibbing like that.

[bettyellen]

23. So, Devine "is chuckling" that "No One is Registering Voters at Sanders' "rallies? Srsly??

Most candidates organize their own voter registration wherever they go for events- why would they not do this?
And then complain no one is doing it? That is bizarre.

[wyldwolf]

25. Remember who Devine is....

In Jerome Armstrong's and Marcos Moulitsas Zuniga's book CRASHING THE GATE: Netroots, Grassroots, and the Rise of People-Powered Politics, Devine was lumped into the category of party hacks along with Bob Shrum because of their ability to get themselves hired again and again, despite terrible losing records.

[BeyondGeography]

207. Agree with you there...Devine would routinely get thrashed by Bush surrogates in 2004

until Kerry mercifully pulled him off the air. He is a dunce.

[frylock]

46. Does the DNC not have an interest in getting people registered as Dems?

[Lisa D]

63. Voter registration regulations vary by state.

That's why new voter registration has *always* been led by local/state Dem organizations. I'm sure they'll welcome all volunteers.

Does Devine really not know this?

[sufrommich]

68. The DNC doesn't get involved with signing up voters in primaries.

Primaries are democratic voters voting for or against other democrats,that's why they don't get involved. Every campaign is responsible for signing up voters likely to vote for their candidate. At the end of the primaries,the losers give their voter rolls to the DNC,who use those rolls to GOTV.Even in the General campaign,most voter registration is done by the candidates volunteers as they have the manpower. This isn't some nefarious plot to undermine Bernie Sanders,it's been standard practice forever.

[frylock]

77. Okay. Good info. Thanks.

[cleanhippie]

91. With many states having open primaries, why wouldn't the DNC head the voter registration drive?

I mean, people at a Dem rally will probably vote Dem, regardless who the candidate is, so why wouldn't they GOTV?

That's really a rhetorical question, because the actual question is Why wont the DNC head up voter registration at a Sanders rally? But we both already know the answer that that.

[sufrommich]

98. Oh for God's sake.Please stop with the conspiracy theories.

Go read some information on how primaries work. I just explained why the DNC doesn't get involved with primary GOTV efforts.

[cleanhippie]

101. Any reasons to not get involved is stupid and short sighted.

Conspiracy theories aside, not ensuring likely seems voters are registered is incompetence at best.

[MADem]

151. This is kind of embarassing--I can't believe how many people don't understand that even national

elections are a STATE activity. STATES decide what the rules are, STATES decide what the ballots look like, STATES decide what the voting machines will look like, STATES decide where/how many polling places there will be and how long they will be open.

Expecting the DNC to jump in and do something they've never done "Because ....BERNIE" and "Because 'DWS' sux, man!" is just .... embarasssing to read here.

DUers used to have a better understanding of the process.

[72DejaVu]

163. If the DNC did all the things that people on this thread want them to do

The state parties would be in open revolt, screaming (rightfully) that they were trampling on local prerogatives.

[MADem]

166. Really--and even when they nothing to do with stuff, they get blamed! nt

[bettyellen]

100. I have done a lot of voter registration, and it's usually local volunteers. They know the rules, ho

to properly witness and submit them, and (in our case) take them to the county courthouse.
I don't think I've even seen state groups do it, because rules vary and here you'd have to bring them in to the next town during business hours and most registration happens evenings and weekends. I guess they could set it up, just saying I have always seen it done by candidate's campaigners or advocacy groups.

[WillyT]

26. + 1,000,000,000 - What You Said !!!

[zentrum]

28. Fire DWS. Period.

[sufrommich]

30. That is the job of campaigns,it's what campaigns do.

There has never been campaigns that don't have voter's registration drives as a strategy,Obama's campaign signed up hundreds of thousands of voters in 2008 and 2012. At the end of campaigns,the list are turned over to the party.This is what Bernie's volunteers are supposed to be doing.

[uponit7771]

37. Sanders doesn't have the infrastructure to do this, he's running a state campaign not a national one

[JI7]

41. how about all those volunteers he has ?

[uponit7771]

48. They're not organized it seems, another beef I have with Sanders; he's not the person he demanded

... Obama to be.... an organizer.

The SC polls tell me this now...

He shouldn't be waiting till next year to get in the ear of black and Hispanic folk there... numbers among POC in SC are horrible

[questionseverything]

251. actually sc polls do not look bad for bernie

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/12/politics/nevada-south-carolina-poll-cnn-orc-clinton-sanders-full-results/index.html

page 42 says 71% of non white voters polled are still trying to make up their minds

////

so while hc has a jump on bernie with those who have decided, if she has not pulled in that undecided by now after running for nearly a decade i would think her chances of gaining their support now is slim

overall that poll shows 65% have not decided yet

[bumprstickr]

32. recommended. if the DNC really wants to win, why not the 50 state strategy?

really well put.

[TheKentuckian]

36. I don't even believe they want to expand the electorate. It would require them to actually work for

the many rather than the few and the lame rationalizations about moving ever to the right (yeah, I know they lie over and over that it is the center) would find little purchase.

A good many of our so called "representatives" are about maintaining the system not defeating delusional and failed conservative and regressive ideology and power structures.

Always remember the epic folding on ACORN. That was nearly Iraq level stupid and chickenshit. Registering voters tends to make the electorate less conservative and they don't want that at all.

[uponit7771]

42. It's the job of the campaigns to do the registration like Obama and Hillary did in 08... Sanders

... doesn't have the infrastructure setup yet

[JI7]

38. no, that's not how it works. most people, and especially those not already registered will not

care to attend some unknown dnc official event.

it's the candidates that bring out large crowds and where you take advantage of it to sign people up.

you are required to provide the info to everyone regardless of party/candidate you support .

[sufrommich]

43. I don't think you're required to give your campaigns voter registration info

to the party until after the primaries are over. I could be wrong,but I seem to remember it that way.

[JI7]

51. not sure, but i meant regular people who come by that you are registering to vote

even if they support a different party/candidate you have to sign them up if that's what they want.

so hillary campaign workers would have to do the same for those who say they are supporting sanders.

but most people who attend hillary event will be more likely to vote for her so this is why it's important for those who support a specific candidate to do it at the candidate events themselves as it's the best way.

[sufrommich]

54. Oh, I see what you mean. Yeah,you can't refuse to register voters,

even if they're wearing a Ted Nugent For President t shirt.

[uponit7771]

45. Then the blame the DNC first, Sanders is running a state operation vs a national one

[wyldwolf]

49. Better headline: The Stupidity of Tad Devine: No One is Registering Voters at Sanders' events

Last edited Tue Oct 13, 2015, 06:05 AM - Edit history (1)

[BainsBane]

187. Whereas they are at Clinton events

and O'Malley events as well, I would bet anything.

[Freddie Stubbs]

242. I'm not sure about O'Malley, but the Clinton Campaign has been registering voters at their events

Why is the Sanders campaign complaining? If Sanders can't hire competent campaign staff, why does anyone believe that he could run the executive branch of the Federal Government?

[BainsBane]

252. Exactly nt

[LuvLoogie]

52. What?! The Sanders campaign has wasted their rock shows?!

"Register?! That's establishment bullshit, man! I'm voting for Bernie! Screw that third-way resgistration crap..."

[uponit7771]

56. +1, read this thread... they're blaming the DNC as if it's their responsibility first to get the

... voter registered.

20,000 folks and not a registratrion sheet in site tells me where these peoples priorities are

[wyldwolf]

57. this is a colossal blunder by the Sanders campaign.

[senz]

167. Senator Sanders knows more about "the establishment' than

you do. He has been in office, serving in DC, for a quarter of a century. "Third way" has everything to do with corporate power and nothing to do with democratic governance.

Try to understand that.

[LuvLoogie]

175. Try to understand that the mistake

of not having registration set up at Sanders' rock shows is on the campaign and his supporters. The lack of understanding on their part is all over this thread.

Or perhaps it is by design, given that Senator Sanders has never registered as a Democrat. I suppose it would be hypocritical of him to expect others to register as Democrats.

Someone upthread said that he made phone calls and that they got 19,000 18-24 year-olds to reregister or register for Bernie Sanders in NY. Is there a Bernie Sanders Party? I don't understand. I'm confused.

[senz]

179. I was replying to your snide tone and your words

as I'm sure you know. Bernie Sanders does not have "rock shows." His message is dry and serious. You, if you care about this country, should pay attention to what he says.

[LuvLoogie]

188. Um, the title of the OP is

The Stupidity of the DNC: No One is Registering Voters at Sanders' Rallies

Followed by much mocking of the DNC and DWS, and several conspiracy theories. The Hillary-afflicted had pretty much stuck their foot in it by the time I posted.

A political rally of thousands with no voter registration booth, hence a rock show.

And I've listened to Bernie on a weekly basis for years on Thom Hartmann. But after all, he's another politician who voted for the ACA and supports the use of drones to fight terrorism. He's willing to adjust his views given the political realities on the ground. I suppose his evolving is more genuine and authentic, cause it's Bernie.

I was called a liar for stating the fact that Bernie has a history in Vermont of running/winning in Democratic primaries then declining the nomination to run as an Independent.

I think Bernie Sanders is a great Senator. But he has no commitment to the Democratic Party. Does he have other local, down ticket Democratic office holders and candidates at his rallies? Does he speak enthusiastically of electing other Democrats? That we need to elect a Democratic Congress?

You want snide tone? I got it for days, but you should look up and down and across these boards.

[JaneyVee]

53. I think the real shocker here is that neither is Sanders campaign.

[orpupilofnature57]

59. I called voters age 18-24 to re- register and register all for Bernie, we got 19,000 in NY .

[senz]

169. Seriously? If so, excellent! I admire you.

[orpupilofnature57]

213. I only called 230 of the 19,000 so I was a Minuscule of the effort .

[frazzled]

61. That's for the candidates' staff and volunteers to do

I've worked hundreds of campaign events. The DNC doesn't have staff to send all over the country, following a host of candidates at their various events. It's always the campaign's volunteers who are trained to be on hand and register voters at events. And then to canvass door to door from lists of Democratic voters to make sure people are registered, and to direct them how to do so if they aren't.

I think the Sanders campaign doesn't know what it's doing. This is Campaigning 101. He should spend his money on staff and training volunteers (yes, it takes training) rather than holding giant rallies. Furthermore, your job is to ID voters before you register them. Are they doing rigorous voter ID?

[uponit7771]

67. Naw... naw... let the Bern Victims (tm) belly ache about what they should be doing and blaming DNC..

...cause they are establishment... throwing the baby out with the bath water

[wyldwolf]

72. 'Bern victims.' Laughed out loud like Chris Matthews.

[uponit7771]

78. at this point thats what they're sounding like, they're blaming the "establishment" for something...

... they should be doing

[hay rick]

172. In my area of Florida, the lead Sanders volunteer is doing voter registration.

She was trained by the Sanders campaign and does voter registration through their 3PVRO (Third Party Voter Registration Organization). I suspect the effectiveness of their voter registration efforts is dependent on the commitment of the particular volunteers that show up...i.e., highly variable.

Florida has closed primaries. More young voters are registered as NPA (no party affiliation) than either Republican or Democrat. The bigger opportunity/challenge for the Sanders campaign in Florida is to get these voters to switch their registration to Democratic before February 16 so they will be eligible to vote for Bernie in the presidential preference primary on March 15.

[ALBliberal]

66. Sad ..... DNC voter suppression. Embarrassing if this is what HRC relies on to

win the primary. And who is the "democrat"?

[uponit7771]

69. All over this thread, the registration at CANDIDATE campaign rallies is the job of the candidate and

... not the DNC who don't have staff to follow a candidate around the country setting up infrastructure everywhere they go.

Obama and Hillary did the registration in 08, Sanders just doesn't have his shit together on this one

[ALBliberal]

86. I just keep wondering what we pay the DNC to do

Get democrats elected? Up and down the ticket? Schedule a reasonable and timely amount of debates? So we outshine oh so easily the Clown Car? Had they scheduled at least HALF as many as 2007 you would not be hearing this outrage. Name one thing the DNC is doing to help any presidential candidate other than HRC.

And believe us all Sanders has "his shit together". Devine was offering the registration subject up RHETORICALLY. Aren't we as Democrats good at "nuance"?

[uponit7771]

93. Not to follow 5 candidates around doing something the candidates should have the infrastructure to

... do

[ALBliberal]

108. You answer the rhetorical part and thank you

What about the debate schedule? How can you defend this schedule. All four of the other candidates lobbied for more. All of our candidates are more experienced more learned more articulate. Why not showcase that? How can it hurt us in the General Election? Surely it would help. Shoot Chaffee makes Trump look like the biggest amateur ever to run for even a city level job. Our candidates are stellar. DWS
... Missed opportunity at a very high stakes level.

[uponit7771]

113. The DNC doesn't have 13423 people running for president or a tight race right now..

... if that changes I think the number of debates should change too

[ALBliberal]

119. but the race is just as tight as 2007?

If what I read is correct.... Sanders is pretty close to where Obama was in relation to HRC. Why is Sanders getting shorted? And from what I recall many of the debates in 2007 were just Clinton Obama and Edwards. We have five this cycle. Yes I know you think I am argumentative. Just presenting an alternate perspective. Our candidates are fabulous. Amen to that.

[uponit7771]

120. The DNC didn't have an incumbent either, and that's in 2 states.. Sanders numbers in the Carolinas

...are horrid right now without Biden.

[ALBliberal]

122. shouldn't matter you are feeding into the "pre-ordained" meme

This is a democracy.

[uponit7771]

127. No, I'm thinking of supporting Hillary... that doesn't mean she's a shoe in this time either

... cause she sure wasn't last time.

But the way things are going I don't see Sanders being the nom cause his focus is on big crowds vs big delegates and I'm getting reports from folk in LA that there was no voter registration there.

I don't see him running a national campaign for president vs the populist anti establishment ... the same establishment party he's running for... which doesn't make a lot o sense to me

[ALBliberal]

135. with all due respect....what does any of that have to do with debate schedule?

Why can't we all as voters see our candidates an ample amount of times to see where they stand on issues? Regardless of the Sanders/Clinton competition....what about Webb O'Malley and Chaffee? Bernie suggested Dems debate Republicans....THAT would have dropped Trump weeks ago. Bottom line... DWS and this ridiculous abbreviated debate schedule (might only be four if your candidate wins the primary) IMO is just so anti-democratic. I hope it doesn't bite our parttthy in the butt in the general. I will vote for the nominee. Thanks for engaging with me.

[uponit7771]

139. So we can see the 5% difference over and over again!? Not getting it, we're not running

... 23 people like the GOP is we're running 5 and they agree on 95% if not higher.

I don't distrust Hillary or Sanders enough to impugn their integrity and allow them to snipe needlessly at each other

[ALBliberal]

153. we have a few more people than 2007 far far fewer debates

Why is that ok with you? It's not ok with Sanders Webb O'Malley Chaffee or their supporters. It's only ok with HRC and her supporters. How is this fair? How is it democratic? Not one argument you have posed to me makes sense to me or makes me ok with this. If it were ONLY Sanders supporters maybe some of your arguments would have sway. The worst argument you have put forth is your conviction that Sanders can't win (I guess the other three can't either in your opinion) because of lagging in SC. This is a democracy. Just because Hillary is leading in the polls here or there should not determine a debate schedule. I might decide tomorrow that Jim Webb is on my radar. But guess what? Thanks to DWS and the DNC I will hardly get the chance to stack him up against Sanders or anyone else. KUDOS to the Republicans here. Carly Fiorina clawed her way out of the kiddie table to be a contender. That is democracy. We on the other hand have very little chance to vet our candidates for leader of the free world. You don't get it. It's ok. Good night.

[uponit7771]

157. no we don't there were more people who ran in the DNC primary in 2007

[ALBliberal]

174. you are correct we had 8 in 2007 we have 5 in 2015

So why why why are we having only 6 debates (potentially only 4) this cycle and 26? Last cycle? I really don't want to be right about this....but it feels prearranged and undemocratic. Voter turn off. good night. Again.

[uponit7771]

195. less people

[Control-Z]

181. The first debates started with around 8, maybe 9.

Funny how so many think it was only 3. Those are the only debates they watched which pretty much lines up with the current schedule.

I can't imagine setting up 10 - 20 debates for 3 people, and then a little later 2 more sign on but are unheard of.

The clown car and Trump sucked the air out of any interest in democratic primary debates for the last 2 months. Someone might just watch at this point with a whopping 5 people on stage.

[ALBliberal]

234. The schedule does not reflect the will of four of the candidates

And their supporters and could possibly be limited to 4 debates. It's a shame the American people won't be able to have a broader look at the candidates. The Dems debating concurrently with Repubs could have set up a nice comparison of the crazy vs sane and maybe some of the clown car would have been knocked off.

[wyldwolf]

70. and now the winning comment from the KOS thread...

I understand this is an insurgency campaign, but these repeated efforts to create scandal out of things that are standard parts of politics for good reason just alienate those of us that have spent decades trying to elect more and better democrats. I say that as someone who supported Dean, and Obama in their efforts to change the way the party works.

------------------

[uponit7771]

73. Bern Victims (tm) are sensitive, anything that supports the meme that this guy is calling out DNC

... at his own demise is chided no matter how accurate the info

[joshcryer]

212. I blame Tad Devine.

What he said is technically true, but it's technically not how things work, as well, so, uh, why even mention it except to rile up people who aren't knowledgeable about how campaigns work. It costs a lot of money or volunteer time to register voters and the parties tend to leave that to their own campaign events or to the states themselves.

Democrats, for instance, won't send in volunteers to register voters in wealthy neighborhoods nor will Republicans send in volunteers to register people in poor neighborhoods. It's lousy but that's just the way it is.

Also, registration drives tend to happen after the primaries are over, anyway, taking advantage of state grants to do it. I don't even see why primary campaigns should put money in to registering voters when that will come later anyway, once you win the primary.

(If Clinton is doing it good on her but that's neither here nor there, the elections are a year away, you can get people to register a month or two out, hell, it may even be better that way since you're getting them amped up to vote at the time of getting them registered; yes you can't say party affiliation but you can speak of the virtues of voting. Someone getting registered now may not even care a year on down the line.)

[JoeyT]

71. They'd rather a Republican win the general

than risk a liberal winning the primary. Hell no they're not gonna register voters at Sanders rallies.

[uponit7771]

74. Yeap, Sanders campaign not registering voters at SANDERS CAMPAIGN rallies is an indicator

... that they'd rather have the GOP win than get people in to vote like Hillary and Obama did at their major rallies in 08.

Sanders is lax here not the DNC... read this thread, people who've done registrartion for years knows it's the candidates job to get the infrastructure to register people at these events cause the DNC doesn't have the people to follow 5 candidates around doing it at their rallies.

[hopemountain]

80. where do you get your information?

or are you just posting to denigrate the hard working grassroots campaigners for bernie?

bernie campaigners are registering voters at rallies and they are also providing information for registration requirements for each state.

[uponit7771]

88. This is the OP...

"So far, the DNC hasn’t taken him up on the idea. “I think they’re afraid they’ll all vote for Bernie,” he says, chuckling. "

[hopemountain]

92. my apology. i understand why you were posting as you were.

and yes, i disagree with the op. bernie sander's campaigners are not whiners about the dnc. but, we are taking notes.

[DonCoquixote]

76. you think the job is to win elections

if that was the job, DWS would have been shown out the door a long time ago.

The job of the DLC is to ensure that the parasite host that has taken over (aka the Third Way) drives out any liberals..

[ibegurpard]

79. Fucking dumb

We WANT these people involved in our local organizations here and have been working on getting to do so.

[tularetom]

81. It's bad enough that they aren't doing it

What makes it incredible is the rationalization they gave for not doing it.

The Democrat National Committee has jumped the whole school of sharks. It's time to disband it and create another entity that works for the good of the party.

[hughee99]

84. They want to register these voters...

After the primary and before the GE.

[cascadiance]

85. They care MORE about having more registered Democrats to vote for Hillary than just more Democrats..

When Bernie signs up new Democrats to vote in the primaries, then they look at it as more votes for Bernie against Hillary, and they'd rather those people not be Democrats (despite that being good for the party!) because they believe more in having either Hillary Clinton or some other corporate bought politician (maybe Republicans) winning, than Bernie winning the primary and then the election and throwing the corporate cancer bums out on their asses where they belong!

[Le Taz Hot]

94. This is one time I agree with the Hillary supporters

The campaign SHOULD be including voter registration at all their Events and if the campaign isn't doing it, the local Bernie organizations have to. Every single event we do we set up voter registration. It's really not that difficult.

[uponit7771]

97. It looks like the campaigns do the registration at their big rallies and give the registration to...

... the DNC after its all said and done.

I think the person who was in the article doesn't know that the Sanders folk are doing some registratinon already

[Le Taz Hot]

102. There was no voter registration at L.A.

I can't speak for the other venues.

[uponit7771]

115. Oh, then Sanders should change that as soon as possible

[bettyellen]

103. they have to turn them in locally. We never turned anything over to the DNC.

[wyldwolf]

106. Why don't Sanders people commenting and rec'ing this thread know this?

[sufrommich]

109. If I were a Sanders supporter,I'd be more worried about his

campaign manager not understanding basic campaign strategy.

[bettyellen]

110. I'm guessing they've never registered voters and haven't volunteered to yet!

[senz]

170. True. Enthusiastic amateurs can't know all the details.

[JI7]

183. i think many think reccing threads is activism

[bettyellen]

194. I've know loads of people who love talking up their issue or candidate BUT are total shit at

talking to people who are undecided, uninformed or have opinions they don't like.
You can tell they never tabled more than once in their lives. It ain't that easy, LOL.

[wyldwolf]

104. Often campaigns register voters and their volunteers send the forms to the state's SOS.

The DNC isn't in the process.

[bettyellen]

111. We had volunteers take copies of all of them, because corrupt folks w/ the books would trash them....

and they'd never get on the books. They knew which "witnesses" they liked and did not.
We ran rides to the courthouse on election day to get court orders to allow them to vote. My town is so corrupt, they would look me up in the wrong book every time and say I wasn't in it. Jerks!

[procon]

112. While actual voter registration isn't the purpose of the DNC,

they do work to safeguard the voting process and make sure that each vote is accurately counted. This is the governing body of the whole Democratic Party, not a voter registration group. Voter registration varies from state to state and there are many well known, experienced groups that are already funded and doing it well, and while not independently involved the DNC is working with voter groups like Commit2Vote.com and IWillVote.com, now.

Is Team Sanders setting up registration booths at his events or partnering with state voter drives?

[Cassiopeia]

117. The DNC is 100% focused on one candidate.

They will do nothing to even possibly help the other candidates.

The people be damned, HRC is their only concern at the moment.

[kacekwl]

121. I agree it could be a missed opportunity but

most likely anyone attending a political rally is already a registered voter. Plenty of other places that the DNC should be signing people up though.

[senz]

123. Wow. The DNC under DWS is already going PUMA.

Does everything Hillary touches turn to stone? It's disgusting.

Thank you ellen, for this fascinating OP.

[leftofcool]

209. Oh FFS! Bernie has no organization, no skills in registering voters, no volunteers

And this is the fault of PUMAs and DWS?

[AtomicKitten]

124. Much of Bernie's base has been cultivated via social media.

To that end, his campaign has provided necessary information for voter registration state by state via this website: http://voteforbernie.org/

[KoKo]

230. That's an excellent Link. Also with Map helping voters know about Primary Voting Rules

Agree that with more people on line that those interested in Bernie will find their way to this and make the effort. Some of us have found that the "door to door" canvassing can be more difficult these days.

http://voteforbernie.org/

[brooklynite]

125. For Pity's sake...

Once again, there's an almost deliberate effort to ignore what the DNC is and does.

In 1980, I was a Committeeman in the 27th Ward of Philadelphia. It was MY job to register voters. When I worked on campaigns, it was MY job to register voters. It is NOT the DNC's job to register voters. It is the DNC's job to support and provide resources to the State Parties, which in turn support the County Party Committees, which in turn support the local Party Committees, whose volunteers register voters. It is ALSO the job of campaigns to register voters who hopefully will then vote for their candidate. So why isn't the Sanders campaign and it's apparently limitless supply of volunteers register voters? All it took me was a stack of forms, a table and some pens.

[murielm99]

204. The stupidity here is stunning.

I wonder if any of these people have ever been activists in real life.

I have been a deputy registrar for years. I started doing this when I worked in the public library. Many public libraries offer this service. Deputy registrars are required to register any qualified person who requests it.

I continued doing this as a precinct committeeman. In my state, we are not allowed to register people at partisan events, or where alcohol is sold. If I met people who were not registered at a political event, I would take their names and see them at a time we arranged, where we were not discussing partisan politics. Also, if a republican asked me to register him or her, I had to do it! Also in a non-partisan setting!

This thread shows me that DU is not the wonderful educational experience it used to be. Too many people are ignorant of the basics political activism and local organizing. They would rather scream and complain than learn anything.

I already knew that the discussion aspect of DU was long gone - most of the Bernie supporters want an echo chamber.

I am sad that DU has become so much less than it used to be.

[Egnever]

275. it is sad

it has morphed from an amazing resource for inside information into a spin factory based on identity politics.

Ignorance seems to be celebrated these days with thread kicks and plus 1's

[onenote]

266. Thread winner.

[hrmjustin]

128. Is Sanders campaign registering them?

[Doctor_J]

129. The dnc doesn't want Sanders voters to vote

Then next Nov they'll whine about how not enough voters showed up.

[riversedge]

131. Why can't Sanders workers set up their own booth??

[uponit7771]

134. That's the way it SHOULD go but its not at every rally... the people recin'g this OP don't

... realize that the DNC doesn't send staff around with 4 or 5 different candidates registering voters at their rallies.

They don't have the staff....

That's something the campaigns of the candidates should be doing but Sanders doesn't have his shit together in every state to set up the infrastructure to get the big rally folk registered.

I'm not impressed with his operation so far, his numbers in SC are horrible

[PatrickforO]

138. Well, the fix was in from the minute Bernie started.

Wonder if his people can set up these tables? We could have had thousands of new registrations by now. The DNC sucks. I'm not giving them another dime ever, until they get rid of DWS and get on the team. And not just Bernie's team, either - the Democratic Party team. It's about get out the vote.

[rhett o rick]

143. You said, " I thought the DNC's fucking JOB was to win elections-". Of course it is. But for

whom? The Democratic Party has been co-opted by the big money. It wasn't that hard. Their goal is to win elections with HRC, but not a progressive. I believe they are more concerned with keeping progressives out than winning the general. The Oligarchy (e.g., Goldman-Sachs) have stated they want either HRC or Bush. That means to me that if Sen Sanders wins the nomination, the Oligarchy will switch to backing Jeb and the DNC will not help Sen Sanders. The Democratic Elite can't allow progressives to get a foothold into their power.

This is the reason that Sen Sanders has become so popular in such short time. People recognize the corruption of the current system that allows the Oligarchy (e.g., Goldman-Sachs) to literally buy the Presidency.

Every year we let it go, makes it harder for us to wrest control of our Party from the Billionaire Oligarchy.

[HooptieWagon]

149. Corporate $ are a cash cow for the DLC.

As long as they're the only alternative to the GOP, they can keep those corporate dollars flowing. When a progressive threat emerges, corporate donations are no longer a sure thing. If progressives retake the Democratic Party, the Third Way is out the door, and back to the Republican Party from which they came.

[rhett o rick]

152. And they won't go easily. nm

[Agnosticsherbet]

148. That is the job of the parties in the individual states and municipalities where Sanders appears.

Sanders should contact those parties and tell them he wants people at his appearances to register Democratic Voters.

Hasn't he done that?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

150. Carl Rove's job was to get Dubya elected. DWS feels it's the DNC's job to get Hillary elected.

[senz]

173. Aww, she's our very own Karl Rove. (Insert heart smilie here)

[Metric System]

154. The headline should be changed to The Stupidity of the Sanders Campaign.

[NanceGreggs]

190. Seriously.

I am astounded at this entire thread.

Of course, pointing out the FACTS is pointless - the people who don't know them have all the people who DO know them on "ignore".

[angryvet]

156. the counties should be doing this

not the DNC.

[Hekate]

200. The counties DO provide this service, during regular office hours. Volunteers with card tables...

.....go to public venues and do the rest.

Call your County Registrar of Voters to register yourself. Call your local Party headquarters (any party that floats your boat) to volunteer. It's a local endeavor.

[joshcryer]

211. Colorado has spent millions doing it.

The months before any campaign Colorado pays people to register people and they're everywhere. It's one reason Colorado has the third highest registered voters (of eligible voters) of any state.

Problem is it costs either money or volunteers. I feel like this talking point is really lousy. And it doesn't surprise me coming from Tad Devine.

[Raine1967]

165. The DNC isn't helping O'Malley at voter registrations either.

Not really good for the DNC overall.

The DNC has a chance to help out getting people registered regardless of the candidate. The could help get people excited.

Virginia isn't seeing any help from the national committee. No voter registration drives from the DNC.

[Metric System]

171. Nor are they helping Hillary, to be clear.

[Metric System]

244. No, because it's up to the individual campaigns to register voters. This is not something new.

[Renew Deal]

176. Stupid question, but why isn't Sanders campaign doing this?

If Devine thinks they will vote for Sanders, shouldn't he be registering them?

[BainsBane]

186. Why don't Sanders volunteers register voters?

I've registered a lot of voters and I've always done it as part of campaigns. I don't understand the outrage. Haven't you all done any of this before? I have seen state parties register voters but never the DNC.

[JI7]

189. and even if the DNC did it, many of these people have been complaining about how DNC is supporting

Hillary so why would you trust them to do it at all ?

i think people just enjoy being outraged and getting others to join in on it.

but this goes with the other outrage over that Clinton volunteer form .

[treestar]

219. Exactly

It's almost as if the DNC is supposed to support Bernie specifically. Like they owe it to Bernie to make sure he's the nominee.

[Historic NY]

191. So if it so critical why aren't Sanders volunteers out there then...

thats usually how it works, besides its a primary not the general election where GOTV efforts are usually concentrated. It pretty disingenuous, but we know there must be outrage. Its mind-numbingly stoopit.........alright. The General Election (Presidential) is one year away.

[Hekate]

196. The stupidity of Sanders volunteers: EVERY occasion is one for voter reg. IT'S LOCAL.

I've done voter reg at protest rallies. I've done voter reg at farmers' markets. I've done voter reg in front of the supermarket. I've done voter reg by volunteering to be scheduled at any place the local Democratic Club puts up a card table and a stack of forms.

It's not rocket science, and it doesn't come from the goddam DNC -- it comes from your LOCAL Democratic Service Committee (if you're a Democrat, otherwise look to someone else's party HQ). The forms come from your LOCAL COUNTY REGISTRAR and are RETURNED to the same office.

Oh. My. God.

[Major Hogwash]

198. Schultz knows nuffinngg!!!

How completely ignorant can you get?

Large crowds assembled in the same place at the same time, check.
People who want change in this country, check.
People who are looking for peaceful, political solutions to our problems, check.
People who are old enough to vote, check.
Signing them up so that they can vote later for change . . . the thought never occurred to us!!!

Great Caesar's Ghost!!!
Someone had better contact Superman as soon as possible!
What do you think, Jimmy?

Uh, yeah, right, chief.
I'll go tell Clark to see if he knows how to do that.
Maybe he can help.

[clamshells]

199. Why aren't the Sanders people registering voters?

I don't have time to read 195 replies, so no doubt this has already been said, but in decades of volunteering for candidates it never once occurred to me to wait for the DNC to do anything.

Also, in giant rallies it may be difficult to register voters correctly. It's been awhile, but I think the paperwork I remember was by county and if the wrong county was chosen, there goes the registration, into the bit bucket.

[murielm99]

202. Excuse me?

This whole fucking post is fucking stupid.

It is, in most states, ILLEGAL to register voters at a partisan event. The people there would have to take the names of the people interested in being registered. Then, they could be registered later in a non-partisan setting.

And who registers voters? Deputy registrars in those people's counties. Precinct committeemen are usually deputy registrars. But just about anybody who gets the training can be a deputy registrar. The people at those events could even be encouraged to register at their drivers license offices. Imagine that.

Members of the DNC do not register people to vote. How stupid is this?

Get the facts before you post a thread and umpteen people reply because they like to bitch and moan.

[Freddie Stubbs]

243. Not illegal here in Florida

They were registering voters at the Clinton event in South Florida earlier this month.

[murielm99]

255. Who, the DNC?

Not likely. They do not do that. It is not their job.

If you want to register people, go become a deputy registrar. Stop them on the way to the bathroom at the football game for all I care. Stop them outside Starbucks or Walmart.

This is still a fucking stupid thread.

[Eko]

205. Newest manufactured outrage.

Sigh.

[davidpdx]

210. It seems to me there is a lot of manufactured outrage on BOTH sides

I personally know of someone who goes out day in and day out and registers voters who supports Sanders. This person is in her 60's with all kinds of medical problems and still goes out and gets it done.

/mic drop

[joshcryer]

214. I did this in 2010.

It's how we kept Colorado blue, one of the few states to stay blue that year.

[davidpdx]

215. I wish I was in the US as I would be out doing it right now

I'll be out doing it next summer here in Korea most likely.

[joshcryer]

216. I'm in a bad state right now or I'd be out there.

My energy level (just mentally) is really low. Lot of crap that I didn't want to deal with.

[MBS]

222. sorry to hear this!

I enjoy your posts -
I hope things get better soon!

[joshcryer]

223. Aww, thanks MBS!

That brightened my mood.

[MBS]

225. Good.

[Scuba]

217. Interesting also that their web site has not a single reference to registering to vote ...

Although there are links for donating on every page ...


https://www.democrats.org/

[Beaverhausen]

265. Because it's a state thing. You register in your state

State party reps do this.

Local candidate groups do this. If a local group has it's act together they do out and do voter registration a lot. But there are rules about it and it's tricky.

I did it in 2004 and 2008.

it isn't up to the DNC.

[Scuba]

272. What? 50 links would be too many for Debbie to think about?

[Beaverhausen]

276. Did you read one word about what I said?

If you attend any events, take voter forms out there with you. That's how you sign up voters IN YOUR STATE.

How many times do people here have to tell you that? Plenty of Bernie's supporters are saying they are doing it already, as they should be. Good for them.

[Scuba]

277. So why doesn't the DNC have links to each state's process??????????

[Joe Chi Minh]

218. Maybe it's because they are closer to the Republicans than

they are to Bernardo.

[NCTraveler]

220. Sanders isn't registering voters at his events?

Does he understand people have to register in order to vote. I expect this from the DNC but what you are talking about here is complete incompetence on Sanders part. He really doesn't have it set up to register people to vote who show up at his own events. And it's a DNC problem. Lol.

[moobu2]

221. That's what I was thinking.

Maybe Bernie doesn't want to register his followers as Democrats especially if he plans on running on his own if he doesn't win the Democratic primary. hmmm.

[NCTraveler]

226. This is a serious hit piece on the competence of the Sanders campaign....

being played off as a DNC issue. I'm pretty sure the author is well aware of that aspect. Hmmmmm.

[ConservativeDemocrat]

245. You give the author of the OP too much credit

Look at some of the responses from the most prolific-screed writers of the DU. Completely cluelessness about how actual campaigns are won.

- C.D. Proud Member of the Reality Based Community

[MineralMan]

224. Wait...Whut? You have to register to vote?

It would be interesting to survey the attendees of campaign functions to find out what percentage of them are registered to vote at their current address.

Current voter registration among the millennials I know is quite low. I also canvass a precinct in Minnesota. I carry voter registration cards with me all the time. There are always 20 or so of them in my car.

Every candidate needs voter registration volunteers and a registration table at every event. That's basic stuff. The DNC doesn't register voters. In fact, they're not at these events at all.

Many people have no idea that they need to re-register if they move. Millennials move. Someone needs to get the word out to people at campaign events.

[Hiraeth]

229. How very short-sighted of our party.

[sabrina 1]

231. So what is the goal of the DNC? Are they trying to help Republicans win this election? I just took

one of those non registered voters to register as a Dem this week in NY. Thanks Debbie for all you've done to LOSE US THE HOUSE and SENATE. If that wasn't enough to ger her fired, I don't know what is.

[idahoblue]

232. Democrats are running on wishful thinking

I was recently at the Idaho state Dem meeting. In discussions on how to bring out the voters, I pointed out that there is no information, not even a mention, on registering to vote. No information on our county site either, the lone Democratic county in the state. The repug sites have that information up front and bold.
Those in charge said they would look into adding the information and links. I wonder when.

[The CCC]

233. The Stupidity of the DNC: No One is Registering Voters at Sanders'

While not a member of any political party. I lean Green. This stunt by the DNC is craven and stupid.

[sufrommich]

235. This may be one of the most politically ignorant threads I've seen

on DU. I'm shocked by how many posters don't have any idea how voter registration works.

[Gothmog]

248. It is the responsibility of the campaign to register voters at a campaign event

I am deputy voter registrar for my county. The party is not responsible for registering voters at a campaign event. The campaign needs to provide these voter registrars.

[Peacetrain]

253. All I can talk to is Iowa elleng..

At the O'Malley events they are getting people to sign up for caucus... My husband was at a Sanders event a couple of months ago and they did not sign up anyone for caucus.. But none have been registering voters.. I am steamed right now at DWS for an entirely different reason.. apparently she told one of her vice chairs they could not come to the debate because they have been out talking about needing more debates.. just makes me so mad..elleng this is crazy trying to limit the debates..

[lark]

254. DWS has GOT TO GO!!

She's a DINO and never should have been put in that position. She's hurt the Democratic party over and over and over. When will it be enough for her to get her pink slip? Yesterday was too late already.

[brooklynite]

256. Trivia Question: How many people did the DNC register to vote when Howard Dean was in charge?

Answer: None.

Because that'e not their job. They're a national organization, and we don't have a national voter registration form. That's why we have State Parties, with County and local divisions.

You may now resume your outrage.

[lark]

257. Don't know about that?

I do know Dems competed in every single state under Dean, which they never were able to do previously.

[brooklynite]

259. And each of those State Parties did voter registration. Like they do now.

Of course, a campaign that has it's act together can do it's own voter registration process. In 2008 I drove from New York to Pennsylvania to do voter registration for the Obama campaign. Maybe I should have stayed home and complained that the DNC wasn't doing it's job?

[wyldwolf]

267. and that's pretty much a myth.

[MasonDreams]

260. We gotta do something about this.

[grahamhgreen]

261. Effectively voter caging.

[Pryderi]

262. We're doing it here in Pittsburgh at our events. Sanders staff should be doing it at their

events.

[George II]

269. I've been to many rallies over the years, and at the few where voter registration was taking place..

....it was being done by representatives of the candidate for whom the rally was organized.

IF the DNC set up a table at a Sanders rally the criticism would be that they were trying to interfere and "spoil the mood".

The DNC can't win either way.

[LynneSin]

271. Seriously!!

i have helped registered voters at many campaign rallies and never once as DNC. Why would anyone care if they are there? God helps those who help themselves. Learn the state laws and either register yourself or find local groups that can help
out.

[George II]

273. Exactly. Even our state Democratic committee doesn't get involved with registering voters....

....at any rallies or events unless the event is specifically a voter registration drive, which is rare.

[LynneSin]

270. I don't mean to be Captain Obvious but who cares?

anyone can register voters so why isn't Sanders setting up volunteers and doing it himself? I've probably registered a few 100 voters in my lifetime and never once have I done so as an official part of the DNC.

This article seems a bit lazy and whining.