Discussion: Dems See A Role For Sanders In Helping To Recapture The Senate

If anyone is curious, here’s tonight’s theme and lineup of speakers. Bring tissues, I expect it to be very emotional.

Tuesday’s theme: “A Lifetime of Fighting for Children and Families”

Gavel time expected at 4:00 pm Eastern
The roll call vote to officially nominate Hillary Clinton begins Tuesday. Headlining speakers: former President Bill Clinton and Mothers of the Movement, including Eric Garner’s mother Gwen Carr, Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton, Dontré Hamilton’s mother Maria Hamilton, Jordan Davis’s mother Lucia McBath, Michael Brown’s mother Lesley McSpadden, Hadiya Pendleton’s mother Cleopatra Pendleton-Cowley, and Sandra Bland’s mother Geneva Reed-Veal

2 Likes

I am not surprised, but Sanders’ generosity after a bitter campaign (and I was an HRC supporter from the git go) deserves notice and reward, especially after what the DNC was doing to him became public. Not that the DNC’s actions made any difference, but they were an astounding show of disrespect for someone who is very popular with Democrats for all of the right reasons. It is ironic the Wasserman Schultz’s and her staff’s efforts to tamp down Sanders and his supporters has only given them more power than they would have otherwise had. Bernie is playing his cards right, and he will have a large chit to cash in when the Senate next sits.

18 Likes

This is how Bernie keeps the revolution alive.

4 Likes

This is how a brandy-new Democrat, who does not plan to stay a Democrat, can assure a Democratic government.

Trying to start a fight again are we. Bernie Sanders isn’t new to the Democratic party. He has caucused with them his entire career. He has actually been selected to be a committee chair in the past. He is a ranking member now. In years past centrist Democrats didn’t want it to be known that he was with them until time to vote. The ignorance of how both the house and senate work is nothing short of astounding.

10 Likes

He would make a great majority leader if he helps to swing the Senate.

When asked where Sanders could have an effect, Martha McKenna, a cofounder at McKenna Pihlaja and former DSCC political director, said “anywhere.” “I mean anywhere where we are going to be talking about standing up for middle class economic values,” McKenna said.

Sorry, not buying this.

After the show that the Berniacs put on Monday night, I honestly don’t think that the impression they gave the country at large was that of standing up for middle class economic values. Especially in states that have very diverse racial populations, his version of “progressivism” comes off as being rather unctuous.

Bernie: “I want to help elect Hillary Clinton President and swing the senate to the democratic party.”
Hardcore Clintonisti: “Go away, you nasty socialist.”

I know, this, too, will pass except for a few dead-enders. Who will ultimately vote for Trump because Clinton has betrayed them by selling out to Sanders voters.

Not to mention, it doesn’t matter if he’s a card carrying dem. That means if he had won the nom, they’d stay home cause he’s not a dem and all. Silly. He gets the support he does because he’s a liberal and supports liberal policies (the thing that dems claim they do as well). People forget he’s been supporting these policies for decades when dems were ashamed of them. That’s likely why he’s independent. I’ve no doubt the party thought he was too liberal in the 80’s-90’s, but now, the democratic party and the public have caught up to him. So, he could definitely be an asset in down ballot elections.

3 Likes

haters gonna hate

Maybe she should have said WHITE middle class economic values. Surely, the fact that Bernie followers booed and heckled Rep. Elijah Cummings and chanted “Black Lives Matter” while Sen. Cory Booker was speaking was not lost on those with BLACK middle class economic values.

1 Like

I was one of those rare O’Malley supporters. Remember him? God only knows what DNC staffers said about him. But once it was clear he didn’t stand a chance, I listened to what Bernie had to say, and decided on HRC. She was not my first choice this time, or in 2008, but I am proud to support her. I hope Sanders can keep his positive side in gear until November. He can help his cause by being a partner. The battle is over, now let’s win the war.

I’m well aware that young Black people aren’t nearly as much in tune with the Congressional Black Caucus as their parents were and that’s ok. But booing Lewis and Cummings was so crass and ill advised that I really don’t see how Sanders shrugs that off.

2 Likes

Will Mannafort manage to wrestle the Twitter out of Trump’s hands, or will Trump let loose with a bunch of nasty remarks about these women along the lines of “what a bunch of losers” etc?

Signs are mixed – Trump wisely kept quiet during Michelle Obama’s speech, but couldn’t resist shooting himself in the foot by anger-tweeting Bernie’s speech. (My niece informs me that Bernie’s two-word Tweet in reply to Trump, “Never Tweet,” was the perfect Twitter burn for the occasion. I have found her to be a reliable source on such matters.)

1 Like

Bernie should have tweeted something like, “YUUUGE LOSER” to egg him on.

Leadership is constraining.

He’s better unrestrained in the Senate, gives better leverage to push back, gives deniabilty if it proves he went too far.

His caucus vote should be rewarded with committee assignments, but his independence is an asset, for him and dens in general.

1 Like

Working for Trump, are you? I hear he doesn’t pay his bills, so it doesn’t actually matter whether he’s paying you by the word or by the post, you know.

1 Like

Sanders could absolutely help take back the Senate… IF he is given real support by the party.

Which, yes, means they have to quit sabotaging his efforts, AND they have to commit to moving back to the actual political left instead of being right of center, with some real party discipline as an added spice.

Personally, I would love to see this happen.

Bringing in the WaPo “paid commentor” insult/argument, damiana? That’s low.

Anyway, although you feel insult from my comment, in fact (as always) I just meant to be funny.

But I humbly apologize for offending you.