2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumThe Bernie Support bashing in this forum is disgusting!
I have read post after post calling Bernie supporters every vile name the poster thinks they can get away with. WTF is up with this? Is it venting or just your garden variety hippie-bashing? Whatever. It's unproductive and drives people away. The Democratic party used to be proud to be a big-tent party. No longer, it seems.
I happily and proudly voted for Bernie Sanders in the primary because I like his message and found Hillary Clinton lacking something. I voted for Hillary in the general election because she was so obviously better qualified than the yellow topped con-artist. It wasn't enough apparently, but how is that the fault of my vote for Bernie?
This forum has too much of a circular firing squad aspect to it. I hope this stops.
MaeScott
(901 posts)and move the f*ck on. Time is wasting and we need to get busy for midterms. BS had an army of volunteers that was amazing in their outreach in all 50 states. Use that and a progressive platform, plus HRC's support and we already have the beginnings of a great 50 state outreach.
We have got to get busy. The Pubbies are reaping the benefits of a looong game that needs to crash by regaining state government and Congress.
We don't have time for this take the best of both and move on.
Demsrule86
(71,024 posts)I am all for moving on...but the reality is the house is gerrymandered...they don't care what people think...and that pretty much is the game...going to take years to fix this...and I see Bernie making political speeches rather than working for unity.
metroins
(2,550 posts)Relax on gun control and some environmental issues in the rural states.
A lot of rural voters could go back to a populist Democrat if we relaxed on those two issues.
Personally, I think gun control is stupid, but environmental issues are important. Shift some of the environmental rhetoric to water safety and air quality instead of climate change/global warming. Many rural people don't think ahead so you need to change the message to something they can relate to.
PatsFan87
(368 posts)A house candidate named Zephyr Teachout tied the environment to the economy, saying proposed pipelines hurt tourism in the area. She didn't win but using the environment in a monetary sense is a direction we should go in.
Demsrule86
(71,024 posts)water. Fracking and pipelines poison water and then what is the point of us even running if we are the same as the GOP?
SMC22307
(8,090 posts)Do you have any idea how ridiculous that sounds? Any idea...
Hillary supports fracking and slammed "radical environmentalists." I guess that would be you since you're anti-fracking. Me as well.
BlueMTexpat
(15,500 posts)And pushing his supporters to wrest control from Dems who are doing good jobs (e.g., Pelosi) or to force out longtime Dems who have done or would do great ones (e.g., Howard Dean or Martin O'Malley for DNC Chair).
This is NOT the way to build unity. But it IS a way to promote divisiveness.
Ken Burch
(50,254 posts)You've summed up what we most desperately need in very concise terms.
surrealAmerican
(11,487 posts)... while the more vocal pro-Bernie posters were either banned or bullied into leaving.
We are still dealing with the fall out from this.
Demsrule86
(71,024 posts)It cuts both ways.
surrealAmerican
(11,487 posts)Who's still here? Who isn't?
"Way more", you say? That's an illusion fostered by your perspective, not observable phenomena.
grossproffit
(5,591 posts)*Site voltaire = What they refer to Democratic Underground as.
*Pinebaggers = Jackpineradicals
BlueMTexpat
(15,500 posts)a ten-minute drive of Ferney-Voltaire in France when I am abroad, I consider the appellation of "Site Voltaire" to be a huge badge of honor!
seaglass
(8,179 posts)JudyM
(29,517 posts)grossproffit
(5,591 posts)InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,584 posts)Demsrule86
(71,024 posts)PoindexterOglethorpe
(26,730 posts)whose account was flagged for review back in early August. Supposed to be reviewed in a couple of days. That person is STILL flagged for review. A strong Bernie supporter who pushed back on the Hillary is a Saint and Must Not Be Questioned bullshit.
Meanwhile, the worst of the Hillary supporters are still here.
Demsrule86
(71,024 posts)Hassin Bin Sober
(26,699 posts)They then proceeded to slap Skinner in the face and continue their behavior.
JCanete
(5,272 posts)Last edited Sun Dec 4, 2016, 09:45 PM - Edit history (1)
using our "feelings" to determine such things, I'm just going to go on record and say that as a white male, I am the very most discriminated demographic on the planet cuz of a post a read that resembled me more than once. ALSO, there is a war on Christmas! The signs are everywhere! The other day, somebody said "happy holidays," and that person told me she couldn't say merry Christmas, for fear someone might take offense and bite her head off. Persecution! Persecution!
Point is, there is an issue with people on both sides being incapable of good accounting when it comes to slights levvied at the people they are frustrated with, but we chock up every imagined slight that got our own back up.
TwilightZone
(28,833 posts)I'm not sure what site you're talking about, but it's not this one.
sheshe2
(87,623 posts)JudyM
(29,517 posts)dae
(3,396 posts)jack_krass
(1,009 posts)Be careful though... simply pointing out this fact will get you alert stalked.
Maven
(10,533 posts)This place was basically Bernie Underground and Hillary Hater Central during the primaries. The most toxic Hillary haters then went off to form their own site once she clinched the nomination and they couldn't get away with their character assassination tactics anymore. Where were you?
BainsBane
(54,806 posts)When confronted with thread after thread delegitimating 16 million primary votes? Why do people feel the need to refight a primary settled months ago? And when such efforts are made to reopen old wounds, why are you surprised to see bleeding? Did you think people would be repeatedly attacked without striking back?
tecelote
(5,141 posts)It's time to move on.
Demsrule86
(71,024 posts)Meaning we don't have to hear about him at all...he is a divisive figure and not a Democrat.
tecelote
(5,141 posts)At this point, it would be infinitely better for us to come together instead of keep pushing the wedge between us deeper. Time to move forward.
Gothmog
(154,644 posts)InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,584 posts)Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
WhiteTara
(30,180 posts)I sure hope it gets better from here.
immoderate
(20,885 posts)--imm
WhiteTara
(30,180 posts)InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,584 posts)Without Bernie, Hillary would have lost by even WIDER margins!
Believe in Bernie!!
WhiteTara
(30,180 posts)Where are they now?
And no, I don't believe in Bernie. He is a politician.
InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,584 posts)WhiteTara
(30,180 posts)and his third home doesn't encourage me to connect with him.
SMC22307
(8,090 posts)Or, perhaps, a multi-million dollar home in Kalorama? Bernie's boring suburban Formica'd home in Vermont, tiny joint on Capitol Hill (where he, you know, works), and "modest" (Vanity Fair's term) vacation home can be added up and still not touch Chappaqua or Upper NW DC where the Obamas will be settling. Jane Sanders inherited a family home, sold it, then bought the lakefront home. Seems like a sound investment, and a great place to enjoy family and friends. Why would anyone begrudge the Sanders' that?
WhiteTara
(30,180 posts)SMC22307
(8,090 posts)Too easy.
Gothmog
(154,644 posts)InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,584 posts)Gothmog
(154,644 posts)I had to deal with Sanders supporters at the national convention and right now I would work hard to prevent Sanders from being the Democratic nominee.
InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,584 posts)Gothmog
(154,644 posts)Sanders is not a democrat and I will work hard to oppose him if he runs again
Demsrule86
(71,024 posts)He is not a Democrat.
Begabig
(76 posts)The inability to deal with internal flaws and openly address them led directly to the loss.
Demsrule86
(71,024 posts)And I believe Bernie is continuing to be divisive. This is Democratic underground.
InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,584 posts)Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Demsrule86
(71,024 posts)He would lose for sure...as for Elizabeth, I like her, but I would not run a woman next cycle. And I am a woman. We need to win badly, and this election revealed the misogyny on the left and the right.
BainsBane
(54,806 posts)They are the ones who have decided that all that matters is their endless blaming of a nefarious cabal for Bernie's defeat. I am pointing out that their doing so communicates quite clearly their complete disregard for the votes and hence the voting rights of the Democratic majority. That particularly primary contest has been over for ages. I hadn't even thought about it quit some time, but some are intent on refighting it and in doing so communicate their absolute disregard for the votes of the 16 million Democrats who had the audacity to vote for someone besides Sanders. That attack on equal voting rights is something that endures beyond one contest. The effort to discount the votes of women, people of color, the elderly, and disabled began but did not end during the primary. I don't give a shit how obsessed they are with a politician. Voting rights matter. Equal rights matter, and the determination to hold one man above those rights is antithetical to Democratic or progressive values. I will not stand silent in the face of it, anymore than I will when the GOP does so. They claim to know what the the future of the Democratic party should be, yet the future they want hinges on the erasure of our votes and with them our rights.
So no. I will not move on from protecting voting rights so a few self-entitled people can continue to argue that the majority of women and people of color are too stupid to vote, that we were manipulated, or that our votes shouldn't even count at all. Whichever political figure they use to mount that attack on equal rights is irrelevant. They fact they seek to do so is deplorable.
tecelote
(5,141 posts)On subjects other than Bernie vs. Hillary, you have some great points and are a strong voice. You have my respect there.
But, Bernie supporters are more on your side than you think on almost every issue. By attacking us, we begin to disregard everything you say because we are moving on to what's at hand.
And, that's a shame. We should be a team.
BainsBane
(54,806 posts)Why you are so intent I move on--when the GE was only three weeks ago, but the Bernie supporters don't need to move on from the primary? You haven't explained that to me. Nor have you explained why it is okay for them to dismiss the votes of the majority in that primary?
And if those folks focused on issues, we might indeed find some common ground. They seem far more concerned, however, with the idea that Bernie was denied the nomination rather than any particular issue he ran on.
What I'm seeing here is a continuation of the double standard that marked this campaign from the primary through the general election, the same double standard that shapes the lives of the very people who voted for Clinton.
Hillary was running against Bernie and Trump.
FourScore
(9,704 posts)betsuni
(27,260 posts)Demsrule86
(71,024 posts)loses elections...nope the 'hippies' (not left and not progressive)enjoy president Trump...they earned him now didn't they?
betsuni
(27,260 posts)I especially hate the "hippie-bashing" thing because it's so stupid.
Demsrule86
(71,024 posts)I think they are like unicorns.
stonecutter357
(12,776 posts)Demsrule86
(71,024 posts)As for Bernie, he is not a Democrat and people (like me) believe he cost us the election. Why would we care about a guy who ran in the primary and lost? I don't see the Martin O'Malley people posting gushing threads about him.
MaeScott
(901 posts)The big donors to raise funds. He had a message that resonated. Jill is raising money for a recount from who? The same folks. That is the lesson we need to learn. Speak for the REST of us (not just around the edges)and we will support you.
stonecutter357
(12,776 posts)TheCowsCameHome
(40,217 posts)TCJ70
(4,387 posts)InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,584 posts)QC
(26,371 posts)Exilednight
(9,359 posts)Demsrule86
(71,024 posts)and is still at it...We shall see what happens with the recount...hope it is on the level.
BlueMTexpat
(15,500 posts)Yet they would have more cause to.
baldguy
(36,649 posts)The motto of the US is "E Pluribus Unum", the tag line for the Clinton campaign is "Stronger Together". The very idea of having a big tent is that when we work together we win.
In this past election, some people - Bernie supporters - didn't think working together was important. I think heaping scorn & derision on them is appropriate.
Boomer
(4,252 posts)I'm a 62-year-old life-long Democrat, and I was a Bernie Sanders supporter during the primary. I welcomed the issues that he raised, because for me they were solidly in the tradition of an FDR Democrat, which was MY tradition before the Dems veered right and began to obsequiously court corporate interests.
Then, like the majority of Democratic Sanders supporters, I supported Hillary Clinton in the presidential race.
This is our process, this is the way it's done. We debate the issues and the candidates for our party in the primary, then we reach a consensus. Some people have trouble moving on from one phase to the other, but that's not my problem. They can post their snit fits -- on either side of the Sanders/Clinton battle -- but at this point I just roll my eyes.
MaeScott
(901 posts)Take the best from all and move on, organize
think
(11,641 posts)from Sanders for this should Bernie supporters just ignore it and allow a false narrative to become believed as fact here?
Many of the these people probably still believe that Bernie supporters were throwing chairs and are violent thanks to the DNC officers COVERTLY pushing a completely BOGUS news story.
The DNC deliberately chose not only to smear a candidate but also Democratic voters. And they used a news story that wasn't even true to do so:
Hannah Gold - 07/23/16 05:30PM
On Friday, Wikileaks published an email exchange between Western Regional Communicators Director for the Democratic Party Walter Garcia and DNC Communications Director Luis Miranda, in which Miranda requests an article critical of Bernie Sanders be covertly shared, without attribution to the DNC.
https://twitter.com/wikileaks/status/756968126001115136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The article, by Nevada political reporter Jon Ralston, pushed a narrative that Bernie Sanders supporters were becoming violent and out of control and that Sanders was partly responsible.
The article was published on May 17, one day after the New York Times reported that Sanders supporters threw chairs at the Nevada Democratic Partys convention and threatened the conventions chairwoman, Roberta Lange.
http://gawker.com/dnc-communications-director-ordered-anti-sanders-articl-1784191906
And the story wasn't even true:
http://www.snopes.com/did-sanders-supporters-throw-chairs-at-nevada-democratic-convention/
Yet here is Debbie Wasserman Schultz claiming that Bernie Sanders supporters were violent and throwing chairs:
It would be nice to move on but if some choose to keep blaming Bernie for Hillary losing and demanding an apology then they need to be reminded of who actually was doing things that were exposed for the deliberate acts they were.
Demsrule86
(71,024 posts)TheKentuckian
(26,314 posts)the election season underwater popularity wise and with even worse untrustworthy numbers who then one the primary was won went on some bogus "listening tour" for a dozen people strategically located in broom closets and confession booths around a few states while doing a press blackout (to then have her supporters turn around and wine about lack of coverage?!?), picked a super lame non attack dog VP, and closed the campaign with a vacation and lots of fund raising trips to California.
Then despite her opponent insulting, threatening, or disgusting about ever group of people in the country while displaying an almost incomparable lack of knowledge and an extremely poor temperament she gets creamed on the electoral map to the point of damn near losing Minnesota.
A candidate who's absolutely peak of their popularity over the course of a career was when she was seldom heard from and spent large amounts of time with at least an ocean between herself and the country?
The candidate who when they previously ran said that our eventual nominee was not prepared to be Commander in Chief but the fucking Republican was? The one who ran the 3am phone call ads that needs to be bubble wrapped placed in a force field and only spoken about in adoring terms and melts if the fucking truth is told about her?
Own your political malpractice and arrogant delusions that those 25 year baked in negatives could be hand waved. Even with millions of people like myself mainlining Fabreeze with eleventh million clothes pins coming home in a desperate effort to avoid a know nothing, white nationalist, far right conspiracy theorist, plausible rapist/definite deviant 3am Twitter tantrum having orange fuckwit she still lost.
I think it is more people like you being to blame than even Clinton herself she had every right to try fulfill her ambitions and reach for her dreams but you folks should have the distance and horse sense to say this doesn't add up and as much as we love you the sale is too tough when it is said and done and you are too weak a campaigner to climb out of the hole so we appreciate the service and continue to value your voice but we are going to have to run another horse in the Derby.
You ought to put yourself in the corner, quietly put on a dunce cap, and think about what the hell you could have been thinking about rather than trying to lash out and blame others for your own unforced errors that you and yours insisted on for years.
DanTex
(20,709 posts)I mean, he whipped his followers up into such a frenzy that they were cheering when someone at a Bernie rally called her a "whore." Her favorability numbers were net positive at the start of 2015. Bernie turned the left against her.
mythology
(9,527 posts)I think bashing Sanders or his supporters is stupid. Yes the primary was rough, but so was the 2008 primary. We lost this round, and finger pointing internally doesn't help us win the next one. There are some lessons to be learned, both in terms of strategy for the next presidential race, but the down ticket races. That seems more useful than trying refight the primary or keeping up hurt feelings from the primary.
mtnsnake
(22,236 posts)and it's much easier to blame Bernie or his supporters for our loss to Trump than facing the truth that Hillary was far from the perfect candidate.
MaeScott
(901 posts)than do the hard work of fighting the devil that is PE now.
Our back is against the wall and all we do is point fingers? I am doing what I can in my home town to promote progressive candidates...let's multiply that, ok?
SammyWinstonJack
(44,164 posts)InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,584 posts)ismnotwasm
(42,463 posts)And I have never thought Hillary was perfect--merely the far superior candidate. Sanders had baggage--Not the same baggage, true, but very different and very specific baggage. He couldn't win the primary, and he would have lost the GE.
The OP is understandably upset at seeing her politically hero disrespected, about as upset as we Hillary supporters get seeing the primaries rehashed, and nonsense started again.
And I think I lied--I am absolutely furious at the left who minimize the roll sexism and racism played in this election. I am already getting in touch with people who are fighting a Newly energized KKK, collecting stories of attacks on Muslims and open racism . It's the comments made to children that infuriates me the most. And it's happening everywhere.
Hopefully there will be some hard data on the increase of hate crimes soon. I will expect every person who calls themselves a progressive to join in the fight against this.
She was a flawed candidate from the start. And blaming it on Bernie is despicable. As if competition within the party is verboten.
People keep saying he's not been a Democrat his whole life but if you ask me, he's supported progressive issues more strongly than many long time Democrats. To me, it's the issues that are important, not the label. If the Democratic Party doesn't pick up Bernie's ideas and run with them, and welcome his supporters into the party, they're blowing it big time.
JudyM
(29,517 posts)Last edited Mon Dec 5, 2016, 12:24 PM - Edit history (1)
fact that she won the popular vote, which she actually would not likely have done without his vigorous campaigning for her.
BainsBane
(54,806 posts)I don't give a shit who you or anyone else voted for in the primary. What bothers me is that people are taking advantage of the general election to reignite tired conspiracy theories about the primary and insist that the votes of the great majority of Democrats who supported Clinton are irrelevant.
You want to stop the circular firing squad, tell your fellow Berniacs to get over the primary and move the fuck on. Ask them to focus on something that matters, an issue, a principle, something besides his career and making endless excuses for why he lost.
I've supported plenty of losing candidates in primaries. What I never did is start badgering people after the GE about how they should have voted for the person I wanted. It's petty and achieves nothing. Yet it is what is happening now on this site. It is all they care about. It is that kind of crap that reminds people why they disliked Bernie in the first place. I understand they take their cues from their former primary candidate whose response to the Democratic defeat in the GE has been to focus again on himself and how he believes he should have been the nominee, but the fact is voters rejected him decisively. And the votes of the majority do matter, no matter how inconsequential some may think we are.
MaeScott
(901 posts)Message, people like me and you will fund the messenger with no need to beg from rich donors. ( CoughDLCcough)
He did much better than was expected, why?
That's what we need to focus on, not the messenger but I get so sick and tired of Dems being their own worst enemy by not paying attention to what matters to the 99%
BainsBane
(54,806 posts)and the majority of the Democratic votes didn't respond to Bernie's message. He did well with a certain segment of the population, but not the Democratic base and not the overwhelmingly majority of Democrats. Now I understand that you are certain your votes matter more than the 16 million Democrats who voted for Clinton, but until you find a way to restrict the franchise, the majority still prevails.
Sanders greatest success was not in votes but in money. By March 15 it was clear he could not win the nomination, but he stayed in months longer because of his unprecedented fundraising and spending on corporate media ad buys.
And that you attribute the issue of campaign finance to Clinton personally is indeed a legacy of his campaign. Thanks to Bernie, campaign finance reform as policy was replaced with Bernie the savior. An important issue was reduced to personality, only he repeatedly misrepresented his own relations with Wall Street funders, super pacs, and then there is the fact he had a record-breaking number of campaign finance violations, as documented by FEC citations.
I understand you respond well to "messaging," slogans over substantive policy and a record of accomplishment. I do not and clearly I'm not alone in that. The more someone promises, the less I tend to believe them. Then when I research their background and find there is little to back up their claims, it becomes even less credible.
You keep proclaiming his candidacy superior, despite the fact he lost by a considerable margin--3.75 million votes. I don't presume to speak for all voters, but for me competence, a record of accomplishment, and substantive policy matter. Bernie did not meet that threshold, and I think that is probably why he did better with younger voters less familiar with politics and policy.
lapucelle
(19,534 posts)as an independent without also running on the Democratic line in order to exploit party resources and accept DSCC funding.
kcr
(15,522 posts)I don't get how anyone who professes to care about them and speak for them could put slamming Hillary for donations from rich donors ahead of Trump being elected. I don't get it.
jack_krass
(1,009 posts)Nope. I personally won't "move on" until I'm convinced that the DNC wont cheat, lie, and stack the deck in favor of establishment candidates like HRC in future primaries.
This entrenched corruption benefits only the string pullers, and if not rooted out will discourage new candidates with fresh ideas from running.
bobGandolf
(871 posts)There are quite a few reasons why Hillary lost. Number one was their cockiness, and lack of an aggressive general campaign. She reacted the same way his primary opponents did to his attacks.
.
jodymarie aimee
(3,975 posts)Elizabeth Warren, Bernie, Sanders, HRC ALL my heroes in that order. What if we didn't even have THEM to fight the Rs? Pretty dismal scenario it would be.
Vinca
(51,079 posts)We've got to move on. It's unlikely either Hillary or Bernie will run again. So who have we got waiting in the wings? We'd better start thinking about it and promoting people or we'll end up with 2 terms of the orange idiot. Infighting accomplishes nothing.
BREMPRO
(2,331 posts)****@realdonconjudasdumfuk.. and his twit band of billionaire cronies.
Too much energy is being wasted now with infighting and recriminations. Let's work together in common cause against this looming threat to America and the planet that Trump will unleash on us. Be prepared, and vigilant.
TheCowsCameHome
(40,217 posts)and see how that goes.
Let's have results like 2016 all over again.
treestar
(82,383 posts)politicians get bashed. That's how it is.
Crunchy Frog
(26,988 posts)InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,584 posts)JudyM
(29,517 posts)GreenPartyVoter
(73,057 posts)though it hurt my former party to do so, and still it's not enough for some people here.
Whatever. I am going back to the Greens. If Bernie or a Berniecrat runs in 2020, I'll switch back again for the caucus, but I'm not staying in a party where I'm not wanted.
dawg
(10,732 posts)The Democratic Party is the only viable means of resistance in this country, and we need people like you more than ever.
GreenPartyVoter
(73,057 posts)ignore list from the Primaries to cope with things here, and hope that in the real world kinder, more sensible people are running the party.
dawg
(10,732 posts)I really wanted to vote for Martin O'Malley, but he had already suspended his campaign before the Georgia primary.
I liked Hillary and voted for her in 2008, but felt the party needed to move on to newer, fresher names.
To be fair, there has been lots of unfair criticism and abuse on both sides. Some Bernie supporters tried to portray Hillary as a right-winger, Richard Nixon in a pantsuit, and not much better than Trump. Some Hillary supporters tried to portray Bernie voters as naive, unrealistic and silly. Neither side was right.
We need to stop re-fighting the primaries, and work for a future to believe in. We're stronger together.
GreenPartyVoter
(73,057 posts)constructive can be calling our Congress Critters about issues.
I think we need to mobilize the DU Activist Corps!
dawg
(10,732 posts)We need to join, and "take-over" if need be, our local Democratic Party organizations. We need to make sure we field qualified candidates for every office, no matter how trivial.
People focus on the Presidential election too much.
If Democrats controlled the majority of state houses, the Congressional districts would not be so gerrymandered. With fair districting, Democrats would currently control the House of Representatives. Trump would be blocked from imposing his domestic agenda.
But, perhaps, Trump wouldn't even be President-elect. Controlling more state houses and governorships would have meant better election laws, more early voting, more polling places in poor neighborhoods, less voter-id laws.
Control things from the bottom-up, and the President becomes an after-thought.
In a way, it's like football. You can have the best quarterback in the world, but if the blocking and tackling isn't good, you're going down.
JudyM
(29,517 posts)working on. We need more DNC resources in this effort.
dawg
(10,732 posts)There was very little difference between Bernie and Hillary on the issues.
She was a little more liberal on gun control. He was a little more liberal on economic issues.
Either would have pushed for policies that would have been more liberal than even a Democratic Congress would have been willing to pass.
Hillary was one of the most liberal candidates the Democratic Party has ever nominated. Certainly she is more liberal than Gore, Carter (at the time), or her husband. I also consider her more liberal than Kerry, and more liberal on economic matters than Obama.
All this infighting is due to our bruised egos and our shock and horror at the election's outcome. Each side wants to blame the other, but the people to blame are those who didn't vote, voted third-party, or voted Trump.
TwilightZone
(28,833 posts)On all counts.
Response to ihaveaquestion (Original post)
Post removed
SidDithers
(44,273 posts)DU was a toxic place long before the 2016 primaries.
It became less so once the Jackass Deplorables left.
Sid
Just look at all the bashing of President Obama (aka POSUCS) and his supporters. 8 years of it.
otohara
(24,135 posts)as I recall
I got tired of being called a Shill and worse
Bobbie Jo
(14,342 posts)Absolutely right.
Response to Post removed (Reply #47)
Duckhunter935 This message was self-deleted by its author.
vi5
(13,305 posts)..after the primary was done, nobody was able to say anything bad about Hillary since she was the Dem candidate. Any criticism was immediately deleted as per the rules. And that's the way it has been during every election since I joined here after 2000.
So all these people that claim that people were bashing her on here are to put it mildly...."full of it".
So yeah, if you have other forums that you are on that didn't have that rule then by all means spend your time giving those people grief. But to spend your time and effort on here bitching about Bernie voters when pretty much nobody on here was able to even say bad things about her is a major waste of time.
These people should feel free to seek out these cells of millions of alleged Bernie voters who didn't vote for Hillary elsewhere.
woolldog
(8,791 posts)Maybe that's why he's being bashed on here. He's not even a democrat and should've never been allowed to run. Someone has to make sure a spoiler like Bernie never gets to do what he did again.
Exilednight
(9,359 posts)Hillary beat up Obama pretty bad in 2008 and he managed to win with no problem.
What separates Obama from Hillary?
woolldog
(8,791 posts)No comparison in the way that Hillary conducted herself once it became clear Obama was going to be the nominee and after Obama became the nominee and the way Sanders conducted himself. None.
Exilednight
(9,359 posts)then maybe politics is the wrong job for her.
Bill was impeached by the Senate and managed to grow in popularity. And yes, Hillary did stay in until the end to prove a point. It was over for Hillary in 2008 well before we made it to California, but she stayed in anyway.
When it comes to the 2016 presidential election, no one will remember Bernie was even a primary challenger, but everyone will remember that Hillary lost to Donald Trump.
LongtimeAZDem
(4,515 posts)Once Clinton lost the Primary battle, she threw her support behind Obama and worked tirelessly to bring her supporters over to him.
In contrast, Sanders refused to concede, said "we're taking this to the convention", pushed Cornel West on us, cried foul constantly, and did absolutely nothing to heal the rancor of the Primary process.
Exilednight
(9,359 posts)Bernie released all his delegates at the convention. Then he campaigned for her on several occasions.
LongtimeAZDem
(4,515 posts)Last edited Sun Dec 4, 2016, 11:57 AM - Edit history (1)
Primaries are often bitter, and it takes work to put that aside before an election.
Clinton did exactly that, starting four days after Obama won Primary majority; Sanders refused to do so, and did nothing to bring people together.
"Then he campaigned for her on several occasions."
Several occasions? We were up against the specter of Trump. He should have been out there every single day encouraging his supporters to get behind Clinton. Instead, he and his campaign perpetuated the "we were cheated" meme.
Demsrule86
(71,024 posts)I will never get over his behavior during this primary and during the convention...he also arranged for protestors at the convention...nice job. Who do you think it helped? I will give you a hint...not Hillary.
Maven
(10,533 posts)protested and booed and disrupted because he convinced them that they should take it to the convention and if they didn't win it was because of corruption in the party and DWS pulling secret levers behind the scenes even though, ya know, he got millions fewer VOTES than his opponent? Yes, we were watching.
LisaM
(28,621 posts)Yes, we were watching. Hillary didn't behave remotely like that in 2008. Do I think it had an effect in the GE? Absolutely.
otohara
(24,135 posts)to heal the divisions - Called for party unity - Sanders couldn't do that - not being a member of any party.
Sanders refused to endorse her for one month to appease his base who were hoping for an indictment.
Did nothing to heal the divisions his campaign caused.
Exilednight
(9,359 posts)Friday November 4
Davenport Get Out the Vote Rally with Bernie Sanders
Doors Open: 10:30 AM
When: 11:30 AM
Where: Modern Woodmen Park, 209 S Gaines St, Davenport, IA
Public RSVP Here
Iowa City Get Out the Vote Rally with Bernie Sanders
Doors Open: 1:45 PM
When: 2:45 PM
Where: College Green Park, 600 E College St, Iowa City, IA
Public RSVP Here
Cedar Falls Get Out the Vote Rally with Bernie Sanders
Doors Open: 3:45 PM
When: 4:45 PM
Where: University of Northern Iowa, Maucker Union Rooftop, 063 Sabin-Maucker, Cedar Falls, IA
Public RSVP Here
Saturday November 5
Ames Get Out the Vote Rally with Bernie Sanders
Doors Open: 12:15 PM
When: 1:15 PM
Where: Iowa State University, Scheman Building, Lobby 1, 1805 Center Drive, Ames, IA
On Tuesday in New Hampshire, Sanders will campaign for Clinton and Gov. Maggie Hassan, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate. The first of two get-out-the-vote rallies is at Plymouth State University. The event will be in the Courtroom in the Hartman Union, Building 117 High St. in Plymouth. The second stop is at 2:30 p.m. at Dartmouth Colleges Alumni Hall, 4 E. Wheelock St., Hanover.
Capping the day will be a third rally in Portland, Maine, where Sanders will speak at a 6:30 p.m. gathering in the gym at Deering High School, 370 Stevens Ave, Portland.
On Wednesday, Sanders goes to Michigan and Wisconsin.
In Michigan, hell headline a noon rally at in the Miller Auditorium at Western Michigan University, 2200 Auditorium Drive, Kalamazoo, Mich. Then he speaks at a 3:15 p.m. rally at The Village at Grand Traverse Commons, 700 Cottageview Drive, Suite 200, Traverse City.
In Wisconsin, Sanders will campaign for Clinton and former U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold at a 5:30 p.m. rally at Turner Hall, 1034 N 4th St., Milwaukee.
Leading up to Election Day next Tuesday, Sanders also plans campaign stops in Ohio, North Carolina, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada and California.
Doors Open: 4:30 PM
When: 5:30 PM
Where: Turner Hall Ballroom, 1034 N 4th St, Milwaukee, WI
Public RSVP Here
Madison Stronger Together Rally with Bernie Sanders
Doors Open: 12:45 PM CT
When: 1:45 PM CT
Where: Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, 1 John Nolen Dr, Madison, WI
Public RSVP Here
Green Bay Stronger Together Rally with Bernie Sanders
Doors Open: 3:45 PM CT
When: 4:45 PM CT
Where: The Salvation Army Kroc Community Center, 1315 Lime Kiln Road, Green Bay, WI 54311
Public RSVP Here
Doors Open: 9:30 AM CT
When: 10:30 AM CT
Where: Bell Center, Drake University, 1421 27th Street, Des Moines, IA
Public RSVP Here
Doors Open: 2:00 PM CT
When: 3:00 PM CT
Where: Northrop Auditorium, 84 Church Street SE, Minneapolis MN
Public RSVP Here
Duluth Stronger Together Rally
Doors Open: 5:30 PM CT
When: 6:30 PM CT
Where: Kirby Student Center, 1120 Kirby Drive, Duluth, MN
Public RSVP here
New College Compact Event with Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders
Doors Open: 12:15 PM EST
When: 2:15 PM EST
Where: Field House, University of New Hampshire, 105 Main Street, Durham, NH
Public RSVP Here
Doors Open: 2:00 PM
When: 3:00 PM
Where: Lebanon High School, 195 Hanover Street, Lebanon, NH 03766
Public RSVP Here
Wow!! Look at all those dates. I guess you're right, he didn't camnpaign for her at all. (I hope I really don't need the sarcasm tag)
milestogo
(17,928 posts)No Greens, No Libertarians, no Republicans, no other Democrats. Someone has to make sure of it. That way our candidate will win for sure.
GreenPartyVoter
(73,057 posts)Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)Hillary should have had an entirely clear field all to herself for 6 months, in which she could have endlessly focus-tested different iterations of campaign slogans like "Everyday Americans Need A Workaday Champion So They Can Be Stronger Together To Make A Complete Breakfast" The excitement and enthusiasm would have been palpable.
SidDithers
(44,273 posts)and the 2 years of Hillary bashing.
DU will be a better place when the Postmortem Forum is closed down, and the "don't refight the primary" rule is back in place.
Until then, Bernie and his supporters are a fair and deserving target.
Sid
Seshat
(10 posts)Bash candidates all you want, they're professionals, they can take it and in my opinion they should have their feet strongly held to the fire. A strong debate is a good thing but when you start trashing the other candidates supporters, especially in a primary when you will eventually need their support if you win, you risk alienating them to the point where they will not be there for you at the end.
Supporters of both campaigns engaged in Internet stalking. Clinton supporters complained the loudest but the Bernibros had a counterpart in the Hillbots and they were nasty. Moreover, beyond the keyboard pundits, who let's face it do not speak for the candidate and whose yammering should be ignored, The Clinton campaign made a point of doing this early on a high level with supporters like Gloria Steinem and Madeleine Albright hurling invective at young female Sanders supporters.
I realize that many here are furious that some Sanders supporters struck back by not voting for Clinton. There is an old saying about cutting off your nose to spite your face that applies here. But those Clintonites who refuse to get past this and examine why she lost are guilty of the same shortsightedness.
mahina
(18,951 posts)Paladin
(28,788 posts)I said so here, a couple of times during the campaign, even though I was and am a Hillary supporter. But let's not ignore the fact that Bernie backers dished out a whole bunch of ugly, hurtful, purer-than-thou insults to Hillary people---throughout the course of the campaign, and continuing to this very day. Neither camp can claim anything like clean hands in this regard. At some point I imagine we'll patch things up. I think that point is down the road a bit.
Response to ihaveaquestion (Original post)
Duckhunter935 This message was self-deleted by its author.
Response to ihaveaquestion (Original post)
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BobbyDrake
(2,542 posts)Oh, the fucking irony!
otohara
(24,135 posts)He lacks something .... what is it?
Oh yes he's not a Democrat
SaschaHM
(2,897 posts)That's your answer as to why Hillary supporters are fighting back.
Response to ihaveaquestion (Original post)
Post removed
Paladin
(28,788 posts)And thanks so much for yet another ageist insult---the sure sign of a Bernie militant.
Maven
(10,533 posts)in the election of Trump (which was caused by many factors but yes he was one) then I'll stop calling him out for it. Until then, no fucking dice.
Uponthegears
(1,499 posts)Bernie stops bashing (the current Third Way/pander-to-suburban-whites leadership of) the Democratic Party (which has brought us nothing but defeat EXCEPT when it was rescued at the presidential level by the greatest and most transformative figure in the history of this Nation BAR NONE) and acknowledges the role he played in the election of Trump which was caused by many factors (but NONE of which have anything to do with Hillary or her campaign or the Third Way ideology) but yes, he was one) then I'll stop calling him out for it."
Is that pretty much it?
Maven
(10,533 posts)Actually, scratch that. Hillary's platform in 2016 was far more progressive and "transformative" in many respects than Obama's policies have been.
Reconcile with that, and get back to me, mmkay?
Uponthegears
(1,499 posts)You mean the one that she was forced to adopt and then ran from like a scalded dog on the campaign trail?
I'll tell you what, you reconcile your complete inability to identify anything Hillary or the party apparatus did to lose this election with reality and get back to me.
Learning to take responsibility is part of political, social and personal maturation.
Maven
(10,533 posts)Ran like a scalded dog?
Please provide evidence of these things instead of regurgitating anti-Hillary taking points (ZOMG THIRD WAY!!!!1!!1!), otherwise I can't take anything you say seriously. The fact is Hillary and the party gave an unprecedented level of input to the losing candidate to shape the party platform, and he repaid the favor by sulking angrily at the convention and doing little to nothing to bring voters he turned against the party back into the fold. And then he left the party.
Also please point out where I said Hillary and the party bear no responsibility for the outcome. Of course they do. But so does Bernie. It's too convenient for him to revert back to his preferred role as a gadfly and continue throwing rhetorical bombs at the party while failing to acknowledge how his behavior and choices helped to bring about this outcome. Or even to acknowledge his own failings as a candidate!
There's a way forward for the party but Bernie isn't it. He's done enough, and yet, very little at all.
Uponthegears
(1,499 posts)of a candidate who failed to carry four reliably blue states when she was running against a fucking monster.
However, I'll play.
Yes, Hillary indeed adopted much of Bernie's platform (what you describe as "gave an unprecedented level of input to the losing candidate." However, when did she campaign on that platform? Where was it she gave her "economic platform" speech? Where was her "foreign policy" speech? Where was ANY speech where she did not spend 80%+ of her time talking about the issue her erstwhile supporters STILL believe should have been the end of the story (i.e., Donald Trump is a sexual predator who hates Muslims, gays, and any immigrant who grew up speaking Spanish and is therefore disqualified from holding the office.) In other words WHEN did she NOT run like a scalded dog from "the most progressive platform ever?"
As for your tripe about Bernie sulking away, he AND Warren crisscrossed the Rust Belt, trying (successfully, mind you) to get those <$50K voters who supported him in the primaries to vote for Hillary. You do know a majority of the <$50K demographic voted for Hillary, right?
As for your rhetorical "please point out where I said Hillary and the party bear no responsibility" query. What I said is that you were incapable of identifying any Hillary failures.
YOU STILL HAVEN'T
Btw, I campaigned for Bernie in basically every urban area in the Deep South . . . BUT . . . when he lost the primary, I went back to my communities and did door to door canvassing for Hillary and worked phone banks at night because people who look like me are going to suffer and people who look like me but don't have my resources are going to die.
Use a little caution the next time you decide to judge me.
CentralMass
(15,546 posts)elleng
(136,271 posts)I agree, and am concerned if it continues (here and among others) that Dems will not win the Presidency OR majorities in either house.
And the nastiness with which it is done is horrible.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)Scruffy1
(3,418 posts)If I said what i really thought about the candidates I would be banned, Seriously, when you lose to Trump there is a big problem with the whole party.
realmirage
(2,117 posts)Crunchy Frog
(26,988 posts)I've been holding back from posting most of what I really think too. I don't know if I would be banned, but there seems to be a lynch mob mentality on here right now.
And yes, our party lost to fucking Trump. There is definitely a fucking problem.
PoindexterOglethorpe
(26,730 posts)That is so laughably untrue that there's no point in ticking off everything she and the Democratic establishment did to freeze him out in the first place.
She didn't persuade enough voters in the right states to vote for her. It's not as though Bernie was out there campaigning against her. He did campaign for her. Face it. She was a terrible candidate in 2008, and she was a terrible candidate in 2016. She lost on her own merits.
duffyduff
(3,251 posts)This board is not "Bernie Underground." This is a forum ostensibly for Democrats.
Crunchy Frog
(26,988 posts)Don't bash Democratic public figures
Do not post disrespectful nicknames, insults, or highly inflammatory attacks against any Democratic public figures. Do not post anything that could be construed as bashing, trashing, undermining, or depressing turnout for any Democratic general election candidate, and do not compare any Democratic general election candidate unfavorably to their general election opponent(s).
Why we have this rule: Our forum members support and admire a wide variety of Democratic politicians and public figures. Constructive criticism is always welcome, but our members don't expect to see Democrats viciously denigrated on this website. This rule also applies to Independents who align themselves with Democrats (eg: Bernie Sanders).
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=termsofservice
If you don't want Bernie supporters accepted as part of this forum, then you should take up your grievance with Skinner.
(For the record, I was neutral for the primaries.)
still_one
(96,615 posts)primaries, and throw recriminations at each other.
Perhaps it is time that we focus on the things we agree on such as preserving social security, medicare, civil rights, sexism, labor, the environment, etc., and way we can delay or stop trump and the republicans from destroying America.
This "my dog is better than your dog", will get us no where
Uponthegears
(1,499 posts)RECOMMENDED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
J_William_Ryan
(2,168 posts)Actual, substantive change can occur only at the very local level, not from the top down.
Indeed, had Sanders been elected, none of the change he advocated for would have come to pass, particularly with Congress controlled by Republicans.
The only things Sanders would have accomplished as president would be to preserve much of Obamas policies, veto inane, wrongheaded Republican legislation, and make appropriate judicial appointments exactly as if Clinton had been elected.
During the primary Clinton supporters correctly understood that Sanders policies were naïve, unrealistic, and at odds with most of the National electorate likely losing Democrats the election.
And the same is true for Trump; under Trump the middle class will continue to suffer, wages will continue to stagnate, and jobs will continue to leave the country.
There will be no change from Trump only reactionaryism, returning America to a Nation of fear, ignorance, racism, bigotry, and hate.
JCanete
(5,272 posts)It takes a groundswell, but that groundswell can be rallied around a personality like Sanders. You can say he had no impact on change, except that he actually DID affect the DNC platform and he actually DID affect what issues Hillary started talking about post primary. Was it just lip service? Maybe. But it was more than we were getting.
The consistent attempts to label Sanders' policies as naive and impossible, in a government where everything promoted by democrats is essentially impossible, is questionable. The bully pulpit matters. An electorate demanding things that are actually being promoted by a President matters. Whether Clinton could have passed legislation is less about her abilities and more about whether or not she was willing to give republicans, or even blue dogs, something they could bring to their masters with wagging tail.
Hekate
(94,789 posts)Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)We have people here who still haven't gotten over the 1978 midterms.
saltpoint
(50,986 posts)major party has many like him.
Long may he run.
bekkilyn
(454 posts)It's easier to bite the heck out of your best allies than risk fighting the real enemies, apparently. Hope there's a good holiday end of year sale on brown shirts as we'll all likely need them for next year when Herr Trump takes power. At least they won't show the dirt and blood as much when we're still scrapping with each other while the alt-reich laughs.
These point-the-finger bad attitudes have got to end or the Dems (not to mention this entire country) are finished. Let's build bridges not walls.
mtnsnake
(22,236 posts)bekkilyn
(454 posts)Or we are in BIG trouble because if we end up in a Hitler/Mussolini sort of situation, we might just have to hope that China comes and bails us out because I'm not sure that anyone else would or could. Then of course we would have a whole different problem.
underthematrix
(5,811 posts)you are really missing the big picture. Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by 2.6 million or 2.5% Trump and rigged the election to secure the electoral college vote.
Bernie didn't do this. His supporter didn't do this. The Republican Party and Trump used federal officials, foreign agents like Snowden and Wikileaks, and foreign govts like Russia to rig/hack our 2016 presidential election to get the outcome they wanted. We can hope the Electoral College does the right thing but that may be nothing more than a pipe dream.
If the Electoral College elects Trump then we're gonna need to be a united front and think in terms of protecting each other. If you can't embrace Democrats who have a different point of view then be quiet. Don't say anything. Bite your tongue. Not everything we think should be said or written.
the bottom line? We have got to stick together.
Larkspur
(12,804 posts)HRC is a goddess and can do no wrong in their eyes.
She can only be failed and not fail herself.
Lil Missy
(17,865 posts)budkin
(6,849 posts)I was a Bernie supporter who voted for Hillary in the general and it's disturbing to see him getting blamed for her being an unliked candidate.
trueblue2007
(18,152 posts)Response to trueblue2007 (Reply #176)
Duckhunter935 This message was self-deleted by its author.
Mike Nelson
(10,291 posts)...of Bernie bashing, but I have seen enough. To envision how the Republicans and Trump would have portrayed him in the General Election is disrespectful. He's still a Senator and has a good, progressive reputation. We should also thank Bernie for his support of Hillary against Trump. And, she would have campaigned for him! How sweet it would have been to have President Clinton working with Senate Budget Committee chairperson Sanders! Remember, we're stronger together!
killbotfactory
(13,566 posts)Anyone who thinks Bernie is the cause of Clinton's loss is out of their mind.
On the one hand you have Clinton supporters claiming the "coronation" or "her turn" memes were bullshit, and on the other they are furious about the fact that anyone dared put up a serious primary challenge of Clinton. It's ridiculous.