Discussion for article #244815
Nothing like a weekend schedule during the NFL playoffs to keep Democratic voters uninformed. I can understand the DNC desire to keep Bernie muffled. The unfortunate result is that DNC scheduling policy has once again kept Democratic voters unmotivated.
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And you know this because…???
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It’s always hard to trust politicians, especially when they’re facing off on stage, but it’s worth noting that the facts being examined in the Democratic debate involve “nuanced” remarks, as opposed to the stunningly malicious lies bandied about by the Republicans.
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It’s a valid criticism of the Saturday night debates, but Sunday night is actually a good time for a debate if you’re looking for viewers. The NFL games were over prior to 9p ET debate start, so that shouldn’t have caused issue. Sunday night has historically been one of the best times for prime time evening viewership.
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This fact check seems pretty fair overall. What strikes me the most about it is how far they had to go to find some less-than-complete-truths from either Hillary or Bernie, whereas with the Republicans, the challenge is which outright lies to focus on, because the list is so long.
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How about Sanders’ claim to have vigorously campaigned for Obama in 2008 and 2012?
OfA has a completely different take on that…Sanders basically showed up in 2008 after Obama had already won. And he repeatedly and publicly advocated for someone to primary the sitting President from the left.
Advocating that the President be primaried is not what most people would call “vigorously campaigning”.
This is a point that needs to be brought home, not only because of the love fest being showered on Obama last night (rightly so IMO), but because it highlights that Sanders is not actually a member of the Democratic party. He is using the infrastructure of the party to launch a Presidential bid, as a guest. But his loyalty to the party, which he is not a member, is definitely fair game.
And, there is a very real concern that needs to be considered about a Sanders nomination. With his continued “revolutionary” rhetoric, we face a risk of having our entire party being painted as actual socialists in the election and possibly into the future. That’s not the sort of ammo we really want to give the GOP.
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Ah, but this Sunday was a 3 day weekend…so some effect was lost. Scheduling has been terrible for the debates. The DNC needs to get its act together.
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Well said.
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You know, I get regular updates from the DNC. They didn’t even list the time or channel of the debates on the debate page of their website as of last week, and the first email that did list it (during the Greenbay-St.Louis playoff game at 8 CT) was arrived in my mailbox at 3:48 PM yesterday, during the Denver-Pittsburgh game. I can’t find another email from them that has a plainly listed time and place of any other D debate. It’s pretty clear that either DWS was trying to play down interest, or is merely incompetent. I’m guessing it’s more the former.
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As a supporter for 30 plus years of the DNC, and a D for about 40, I say, bullshit. You don’t get to determine who’s a D; the voters do.
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Personal experience tells me that Sunday evening is a good time to sit down and watch what’s on and also what’s been on earlier and which I’ve recorded. But as to the truthiness factor of a debate, each one is there to score points as adeptly and succinctly as possible and they haven’t sworn on a bible it’s the truth. In comparison to what the Rs sling, this debate and the other Democratic debates before it was like a respectful church service.
@CarlosFiance
If some Rs are as disgusted with Trumpet as we’re hearing there could be crossover in voters. Of course some of those disgusted people may not care to vote from a Democrat. So who is a D is still a big question except to those of us who have voted the ticket since the first time we could
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I am not determining whether or not he is a Democrat. Sanders himself has determined that. Repeatedly and often. He is a Democratic Socialist by his own words.
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Maybe like a church service in that I fell asleep about 3/4 through. I’ll have to watch the rest of it tonight. During the GOP debate, the candidates were screeching so loudly and hysterically the only thing to do was to turn it off. I saw quite enough of it to get the gist.
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So am I. And I am a Democrat. You got a problem with that designation?
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Bernie Sanders isn’t a Democrat. He is officially an Independent, precisely a Democratic Socialist. Not in that is where his leanings are, that is what he actively campaigns and identifies himself.
And yes, I do have concerns there, I believe I have already voiced them.
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You are a registered independent claiming the label of the forerunner if the Socialist Party of America?
Or are you a registered member of the Democratic Party?
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Of course, there’s always a lot of people who either are independent, or who cross over, but from what I’m hearing from the few Rs I know, they won’t vote for Trump out of fear of what he’d do long term to the Republican “brand”. Strangest thing, though, is I’ve heard of a few people who are planning to choose between Trump and Sanders (!). I once had a friend who was either going to vote for Nader or Bush, so I guess anything is possible, but Trump and Sanders seem even more diametrically opposed.
And you’re right: the D debates are pictures of civility and substantive debate compared to the feverish fabulism of the R debates. Whatever happens, we can’t let any of them make it to the WH. I just am not convinced that Sanders can’t beat any of them, which seems to underlie a lot of the Bernie-phobia around these parts.
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Josh writes in this debate live-blog:
“10:42 PM: If Gov O’Malley is converting to Islam that’s huge.”
Of course he isn’t. He is simply promising to do what I also promise to do.
If a registry of Muslims was ever instituted in this country, I would fight to be at the front of the line to register as a Muslim. And I would support (heck, maybe even start) a nationwide campaign to have everyone register as well. Just as how all Danes wore Stars of David under German occupation.
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I kinda don’t feel that I should, having worked on and contributed to campaigns from Harold Washington, to Howard Dean, to Obama, have to respond to your inquiry. And here in Illinois, we don’t have to register for a party, we merely state our preference for a ballot during the primaries (ETA: I have always taken the D ballot). I am a D for pragmatic reasons, the foremost of which is the lack of any other organized opposition to the Republicans. But I align with the goals of the DSA (not the Socialist Party of America, which I believe is moribund?). I wasn’t aware that there was an a litmus test to be a Democrat; certainly, DWS never mentions one when she sends requests for more money for the DNC.
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