Bernie Sanders's campaign goes on the attack as he seeks a victory in the Iowa caucuses

[George II]

By Annie Linskey and Sean Sullivan
Jan. 12, 2020 at 8:28 p.m. EST

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa — Sen. Bernie Sanders's presidential campaign has suddenly gone on the attack as he seeks to secure an opening victory in the early February caucuses, engaging in a rare dispute with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, tussling with former vice president Joe Biden and drawing an insult from President Trump.

Although Sanders (I-Vt.) mostly had resisted comparing himself with other candidates, over the weekend, his surrogates and aides intensified their attacks on Biden, targeting his past positions on racial issues and his vote to sanction the Iraq War.

At the same time, his campaign went after Warren (D-Mass.), with whom Sanders has shared a nonaggression pact for much of the primary season. A script first reported by Politico told Sanders’s volunteers to tell voters they called on Sanders’s behalf who had indicated support for her that Warren’s popularity was limited to the rich and educated — effectively denigrating her electability.

Both candidates struck back either personally or through their own surrogates on Sunday.

Warren told reporters in Iowa that she was “disappointed” with Sanders’s campaign script painting her as an elitist. She used the opportunity to warn about “factionalism” that led to Democrats losing the White House in 2016, a reference to the belief by many Democrats that Sanders and his supporters failed to sufficiently support Hillary Clinton against Donald Trump.

“I hope Bernie reconsiders and turns his campaign in a different direction,” Warren added.

(more.... a good read)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/bernie-sanderss-campaign-goes-on-the-attack-as-he-seeks-a-victory-in-the-iowa-caucuses/2020/01/12/7a8addb4-356f-11ea-9541-9107303481a4_story.html#click=https://t.co/p3c4aQx31R

[question everything]

1. Let him enjoy his few moments in the sun

This, too, shall pass.

[NYMinute]

2. Breaking the pledge means an untrustworthy candidate nt

[sheshe2]

3. He seems scared. nt

[msongs]

4. the mask is off and the real bernie is coming out nt

[SaschaHM]

5. Shades of Bernie 2016.

Did he get a bad internal poll or something? The campaign is stepping on the positive messaging that they got from the DMR poll and just setting up debate confrontations.

He's no longer the scrappy upstart, he won't escape this coverage like he did in 2016.

[Me.]

6. Here's What I Remember About Caucuses From The Last Time Around

1. They are no indicator of who the nominee will be

2. Less democratic than primaries

3. OPen to strong arming for someone's preferred candidate.

[Bummfuzzle]

7. Sanders consistently lets us know. He did this in the past.

He gets a little momentum and he is so gonna trash any momentum he had with this nasty behavior. Sanders cannot call how to be successful for anything. If there was a misstep to be made, Sanders always found it and proving to do it again. Ensures failure.

Then of course, everyone else will get the blame. But, he is being consistent.

As far as I am concerned, Sanders can just bring it on, and thank you for the gift and throwing those brakes on. Appreciate it.

[Thekaspervote]

8. Good analogy!!

His own worst enemy

[EveHammond13]

9. ugh

[TexasTowelie]

10. +1

[R B Garr]

11. We need a unifier.

Not this slop.

[billpolonsky]

12. Again with the horsehockey

Earlier, Politico released a story about how Bernard "slammed" Warren. See link below. The controversy was over a volunteer script. Here is the key passage: "The script instructs Sanders volunteers to tell voters leaning toward [Warren] that the "people who support her are highly-educated, more affluent people who are goign to show up and vote Democrativ no matter what" and that "she's bringing no new bases into the Democratic Party.""

First, campaigns explicitly instruct volunteers to never say anything negative about another candidate. Second, that is a very measured and accurate response. Third, really take a moment to think long on the idea that any measure or statement of facts hurts competition -- especially when the script said."I like Elizabeth Warren! in fact she is my second choice.”

Last but not least... the script is 100% unofficial and not at all a part of the campaign. The script originated from a new user on a volunteer slack channel. A moderator on the channel deleted it immediately.

The media, always wanting to cover the horserace, seized on this. They talked to Warren. So you get where this is headed, the headline began with "Bernie campaign SLAMS Warren" and now it's morphed to "Bernie is sending his volunteers out to trash me."

[caraher]

16. Did you forget the link?

Or was it in another post? I'd like to confirm the story. Thanks!

[OilemFirchen]

18. What the fuck is a "volunteer slack channel"?

Is it run by mandatory slacks?

[Thekaspervote]

13. Poll average after poll average shows there is no real clear winner

Delegates will be shared.

IA has 3... that is three EC votes... such a fuss.

Will be glad when sanders goes home to VT

[ritapria]

14. Pointing out Joe's Senate Record

is not " going on the attack" …..Bernie had nothing to do with that document pointing out that Elizabeth's supporters tend to be highly educated and affluent … Saying Joe was running for President in the wrong Party constitutes "going on the attack"

[Cha]

19. yeah, Let's "point out BS' "Record".. sirota is editing shit

on Biden.. that's a fucking smear job.

This is what David Sirota is spreading on twitter:

He's repeating misleading truncated quotes of Joe Biden AND circulating a graphic calling Biden "blue trump".

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287403646

Link to tweet

The BS campaign obviously doesn't feel they can win without these kinds of "attacks".. pity.

[relayerbob]

15. Not a good look

Appearing desperate at getting so much money and still only moving the needles a little. Look out for the repeat the scorched earth tactics of 2016, when I stopped supporting Sanders and changed my opinion of the man permanently. Progressives have more than one choice this time.

[The Valley Below]

17. It is self-destructive behavior.