Bernie backer Tlaib invokes Anita Hill to undercut Biden

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

After a Super Tuesday that wildly exceeded expectations from just a few days earlier, former Vice President Joe Biden is back in the political crosshairs now that the Democratic presidential primary has essentially become a two-man race between him and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

In the latest volley, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., who has endorsed Sanders, brought up Biden's treatment of Anita Hill while he was the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman during the 1991 confirmation hearing for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Hill accused Thomas of sexual harassment and testified before the committee. Biden has had to apologize on the campaign trail for his handling of the proceedings.

"Q: Who silenced Anita Hill when she was trying to speak out about Clarence Thomas?" Tlaib tweeted.

"A: Joe Biden," she said.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/elections-2020/bernie-backer-tlaib-invokes-anita-hill-to-undercut-biden/ar-BB10MVud?li=BBnb7Kz

That's reaching a bit. Was she even born yet back then?

[Big Blue Marble]

1. That is not true.

Biden did not silence Anita Hill. I have significant issues with the way the hearings
were conducted and other witnesses suppressed, but Anita Hill testified and told
her story. That is a cheap shot.

[StarfishSaver]

2. I was as hard as any on Biden about Anita Hill. But now is no longer the time

[LaurenOlimina]

30. This will be a targeted ad on Facebook.

It will suppress Me Too votes and black vote in the fall. Biden has a LOT of those issues on war, trade, bankruptcy, etc. Trump will exploit them all.

[R B Garr]

42. lol, the Republicans don't care about any of that.

Those are all Bernie's talking points, and Bernie is slipping.

[LaurenOlimina]

48. Last time they used ads with points like this to suppress the vote.

What crystal ball do you have that ads like this won't keep voters away from Joe? "Hillary the militarist" was enough to pump up the Jill Stein vote in 2016. That was enough to lose several states.

This will be part of the attack on Facebook again this year. Joe's Iraq war vote, his trade positions, his bankruptcy bill will all come back.

[R B Garr]

50. Everything you mentioned are Bernie's talking points. We know how Russia helped

Bernie, Trump, and Stein to turn voters against Hillary.

So you are basically agreeing with me...? Republicans and Putin will use Bernie's smears against Democrats? Because the GOP doesn't care about those items you mentioned.

[LaurenOlimina]

54. They are facts. His positions make him vulnerable.

That's why I haven't supported Biden. Bernie is pointing out the obvious.

[Jedi Guy]

52. Those are tame compared to what they'll run on Bernie... N/T

[LaurenOlimina]

56. I'm not sure what they'll run on Bernie that they won't run on Biden.

They'll call everyone a socialist. Use the force, you know it to be true.

[Jedi Guy]

74. Sure, except you don't have clips of Biden gushing about Cuba and the Soviet Union.

It's a hell of a lot harder to paint Biden as a socialist. Bernie has done 99% of the work for them, if he winds up as the nominee. And then there's all the other oppo research that has yet to see the light of day.

[LaurenOlimina]

75. "all the other oppo research that has yet to see the light of day"

WTF. Why is Biden holding back? Why did Hillary?

I think Bernie's cards are on the table.

[HarlanPepper]

76. Yes, they are on the table.

And they are terrible.

[Jedi Guy]

82. Hillary didn't go hardcore negative, and Biden won't.

Why? Because they didn't and don't want to alienate Bernie's supporters. They're going to need at least some of them to come out and vote in the general. Sure, some will stay home in a fit of pique, but why make that number any higher than it has to be? Going full-bore negative only ensures a nasty, bitter campaign in which the victor goes limping into the general.

The oppo research I'm referring to has evidently been assembled by the GOP. It was discussed in an article that made the rounds a while back. It's said to be a two-foot thick binder. Even if that's an exaggeration, it still sounds like a hell of a lot of stuff they can use to go after Bernie.

[LaurenOlimina]

83. Hillary assembled some. It has been released.

[LakeArenal]

61. This has been brought up numerous times.

With the excuse GOP will pick it up.

It seems like many here keep bringing up to remind the GOP.

it hasn't worked yet. It’s not going to work to smear Joe.

All these rehashes are like armor now.

[LaurenOlimina]

62. I've never heard a good rebuttal.

And they kept me away from Joe all season. I hope you are right and I am wrong.

[LakeArenal]

63. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[LaurenOlimina]

64. again... nothing

I'll vote for Joe come the fall, but I suspect it will be a close thing again. These little things will matter.

[LakeArenal]

68. The nothing was for it's not my responsibility that you have been out of the loop

But I’m not in a position to review the great many threads and comments regarding the topic of Anita Hill. You might use the search option on DU if you are really concerned.

[TheCowsCameHome]

3. Cheap shot by a fellow Dem.

Cut the bullshit right now, unless you want Trump for another four years.

[Amishman]

10. Yup, circle the wagons not circle the firing squad

Completely oblivious of the bigger picture.

Very disappointing.

[TheCowsCameHome]

11. All of a sudden she'll be the darling of the right.

Talk about writing the anti-Biden ads for them.

[LaurenOlimina]

34. You think they don't know?

Maybe, she, like I, thinks he will lose over a mountain of just these issues. God I hope I'm wrong.

[democrattotheend]

84. Sure, let's just decide Biden is above reproach right now

Before more than half of the Democrats in this country get to vote, because allowing us to have a say helps Trump. Bullshit. I don't see anyone complaining about Biden continuing to criticize Bernie. Sorry, but a 40-60 delegate lead doth not inevitability make.

[beachbumbob]

4. so we can't bring up all of sanders past as well? Marching with the devout worker socialist party

and THEIR alliance with the Marxist/Communist party can't be part of the narrative as well?

[LisaM]

29. Yeah, I'll match your Anita Hill (whom I admire, and do think got a bum deal)

Last edited Thu Mar 5, 2020, 06:08 PM - Edit history (1)

with Bernie's creepy sex essay and saying that bitch teachers cause cancer.

[Todd79]

67. I'll match it with more Castro era Cuba love

https://m.

[democrattotheend]

85. Yes, absolutely

And frankly, I hope Biden does bring all of that up, as knowing as much as I can about the types of attacks Republicans will run on each of our 2 remaining candidates will help me make a decision.

[George II]

5. This is the one who booed Hillary Clinton just a few weeks ago as Omar and Jayapal....

....almost fell off their stools from laughter. Very classy.

[Cha]

17. Yeah.. so classy.

[still_one]

53. Yup

[comradebillyboy]

71. I'm sure that performance convinced lots of Hillary voters

to support Bernie. These people are clueless about making friends and building coalitions.

[Sloumeau]

6. This is how Bernie's supporters think that they can win...

by throwing mud at Joe Biden. It is not going to work.

Bernie cannot win the general, and he could not get his agenda passed if he miraculously did.

[relayerbob]

12. Let them throw it

So far, in nearly every instance, the person attacked wet up in the polls and the person attacking went down.

Biden's best strategy, IMO, is to move on to Trump and just sort of ignore Sanders' bait.

[Sloumeau]

16. Yep, now that he is the obvious frontrunner, he should ignore the mud and concentrate on Trump. nt

[relayerbob]

20. HIs new stump speech

Created after his ass-whoopin' by Clyburn, does that. I suspect he'll stay on that track as much as possible.

Look Presidential, let Sanders dig himself into a hole too big to escape from.

TBH, I think it's over in three weeks. No "pluralities", no doubts left.

[Sloumeau]

25. I think that Bernie will at best...

win the remaining states in the same ratio that he did in 2016, which means curtains for Bernie.

[beachbumbob]

39. sanders inability to put country first will keep his supporters inflamed against the democratic

nominee JUST LIKE HE DID in 2016

we will over come his sabotage as well as his supporters attempts to see america punished because we did not kowtow on our knees to them

[wiley]

89. Biden should certainly ignore Tlaib.

We all should. People can be enormously self-possessed.

[LaurenOlimina]

36. This won't hurt Biden in the primary.

It will be lethal with independents and Obama/Trump voters in the fall. I expect the Facebook ads are already planned and targeted.

[onenote]

69. Are you saying these ads will sway folks to vote for Trump over Biden?

Because that's crazy talk. And if its going to cause "Obama/Trump" voters to stay home, well, that's better than having them show up and vote for Trump again.

[LaurenOlimina]

70. No, they will stay home.

They won't donate.
They won't volunteer.

They won't vote.

[onenote]

72. And if they're folks that voted for Trump the last time -- I can live with that.

[ismnotwasm]

7. Anita Hill is one of the reason I did not immediately endorse Biden

I have made my peace with that and other concerns. I think he is the best of the actual choices.

But isn’t this the woman who found it appropriate to “boo” Hillary Clinton?

[R B Garr]

8. I saw Anita Hill in a Biden documentary after he announced say it was a

"different time." I think it was one of those CNN documentaries. Yes, it was a different time.

Speaking of different times, that was decades ago. Doesn't Sanders have sexual harassment claims from his recent campaign?? Double standards and desperation on display again.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

9. Wasn't Bernie's rape porn written decades ago?

They need to be careful if they want to dig decades old stuff up.

[R B Garr]

14. ...

[Cuthbert Allgood]

65. He didn't write rape porn.

But, hey, don't let that stop you.

[democrattotheend]

86. I read that Anita Hill wasn't too satisfied when she spoke to Biden last year

She thought his apology was too little, too late. I did read recently though that she was considering endorsing him.

There were some harassment allegations from Bernie's 2016 campaign but they were not against him personally. And I understand that he spent some time in 2019 meeting with the women who alleged harassment and took steps to ensure it wouldn't happen this time around. As far as I know the complaints were not brought to his attention until after the campaign was over.

You make a good point about it being a different time re. Biden with Anita Hill though.

[dumptrump1]

19. So you are trying to compare a legitimate sexual assault case, and fighting to discredit and smear

the woman bringing that case to the national interest to something that was written in a book 50 years ago? Your whataboutism is impressive.

[beachbumbob]

41. what about a new investigation into a land deal overseen by Jane Sanders???

wife of Sen. Bernie Sanders,

[Happy Hoosier]

59. The Who.e Anita Hill things was Whataboutism to begin with

You say one is legit but the other isn’t.

[Dem4Life1102]

18. What crusade against Anita Hill?

[stopbush]

21. The fact is that Biden said at the time that he thought Anita Hill was lying

and he did not allow witnesses who would have supported her testimony to appear and testify.

That’s the history.

This WILL be an issue this fall. Maybe a small issue, but it will be an issue.

[LongtimeAZDem]

24. It will not be an issue; the last thing Trump and company want to talk about is sexual assault

[stopbush]

37. You mean like the last thing tRump wants to talk about is nepotism

and kids enriching themselves through the government connections of a parent?

[LongtimeAZDem]

38. Exactly; if he does, we'll bury him with the truth and Bloomberg's cash. No worries

[LaurenOlimina]

73. Do you remember who Trump brought to the debate?

They always paint their opponents as doing what they do. They will paint Biden as a creepy misogynist, always touching women and shutting them down. It's not true, but thanks to the Hill thing, It's coming.

[LongtimeAZDem]

91. Your condcern is noted, but Biden can handle this without difficulty

[democrattotheend]

88. But it neutralizes the issue

And makes it harder for us to attack Trump on. It gives him a rebuttal.

[LongtimeAZDem]

90. Nonsense; the fact that Biden ended the hearings equates to Trump being accused of

multiple sexual assaults?

That's absolutely absurd.

[beachbumbob]

43. not with supreme court againt being at risk with a 7-2 conservative lean IF

trump is releected.

its a non-issue if you care about what is at stake

[stopbush]

44. No one is suggesting it's an issue for Ds in the GE

But it could be woven into the R’s anti-Biden narrative in the GE, and that could hurt Biden’s vote among Indies.

[LanternWaste]

46. If little faults proceeding on distemper shall not be winked at

"If little faults proceeding on distemper
Shall not be winked at, how shall we stretch our eye
When capital crimes, chewed, swallowed, and digested,
Appear before us? We’ll yet enlarge that man,
Though StopBush, in his dear care
And tender preservation of our republic,
Would have him punished."

[zackymilly]

23. Will Bernie denounce what she says? I doubt it. n/t

[democrattotheend]

87. Why should he?

It's a fair criticism, IMO.

[NYMinute]

26. That is utterly false and disingenuous

[Butterflylady]

27. I for one am tired of hearing this now.

Yes Biden should have done things differently, but it is what it is and we can't change it. However, we are in a fight for our country and to have this brought up again at such a crucial time in our country is to me unforgiving. Biden apologized for it and now we need to move on. Country first, bitterness later.

[totodeinhere]

40. The problem is that all that being said, you better believe that the Republicans will use it.

Never mind that Joe is 100% better than they are on women's issues, they will try to use it anyway.

[R B Garr]

45. The Republican's don't care about any of that. Those are Bernie's talking points. nt

[octoberlib]

28. She's getting primaried, isn't she?

[Polly Hennessey]

31. I think the Anita Hill wagon

has left the circle. It has been an issue and now it is not.

[LaurenOlimina]

58. Really?

It has kept me from supporting Biden.

[HarlanPepper]

79. So what?

I must have missed the part where you spoke for all women. Reading your posts in this thread feels more like concern masking sour grapes, to be honest.

[HarlanPepper]

80. Definitely. It's deader than Cenk's house campaign.

[MineralMan]

32. Too little; too late, Rashida Tlaib.

It won't fly. Too old. Too often used.

Sorry. I know you're in Michigan and some will listen to you. But, you might want to pay more attention to your own election campaign, I think. Fight a battle you need to win.

[emmaverybo]

33. Who got Anita Hill a hearing Republicans did not want her to have? Who has praised Anita Hill's

courage for decades? Who voted against Thomas twice?

Biden

[former9thward]

35. Do you have to be born to comment on an event?

[LanternWaste]

47. I never comment on Pearl Harbor.

[oasis]

49. Talib's big splash last year was her questionable "impeach the mother f_____"

comment on Trump, way before anyone was focused on impeachment.

Office holders who earn a "bomb thrower" reputation, are taken less seriously by the public .

[still_one]

51. I have one question for her, if Biden is the Democratic nominee, will she vote for him?

[LizBeth]

55. And Sanders called Warren a liar on national tv, is known to put a hand in a woman's face to

shut her up, shove past or push away a woman. Callling PP and Emily's list the establishment while chastising women voting HRC only because she is a woman. We are well aware, and we overwhelmingly are a block for the Democratic blue wave. This is weak.

[LaurenOlimina]

57. Those will be the Bernie facebook ads from Trump if Bernie wins the Primary.

They will play up the existing animosity in the party. They will play to the outrage of the establishment. They will play to the red baiting we've already seen. They will use that to suppress the vote if Bernie is the nominee.

[tishaLA]

60. She booed Sec Clinton FFS

All VP Biden needs to do is mention that, say it's something he'd never do to another Democrat, and move on.

[empedocles]

77. Those 'leftists' who din't learn anything in '16, 18, '20 primaries - still stubborn

[MichMan]

66. She is a lyin' dog faced pony soldier n/t

[Fresh_Start]

78. Sanders in 2016 was too busy to worry about sexual harrassment in his campaign offices

2016 was 25 years after Biden's Anita Hill problem.

We do understand that everything Sanders knows he learned in the 1960s but math like 2016 is more recent than 1991 was something he should have learned in grade school.

[Laelth]

81. This whole thread is SERIOUSLY counterproductive.

-Laelth