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EffieBlack

(14,249 posts)
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 07:49 AM Dec 2016

ENOUGH with the "Clinton campaign didn't ask for our help" whining!

The newest permutation of the "We told you so" diatribes seems to be the complaint that the Clinton campaign didn't reach out enough to Sanders supporters to ask for their help. Even assuming that's true - and I still haven't seen the evidence to support it - why was that kind of "outreach" necessary for progressive Democrats to get involved in the general election campaign? What stopped anyone from just rolling up their sleeves and getting to work?

I can't count how many times during various election cycles that I initially got frustrated because I didn't think a campaign had responded quickly and enthusiastically enough to my offers to help. But each time, you know what I did? I got over myself and then located and turned up at the local campaign headquarters and volunteered - and they were always happy to have me and always put me to work doing something meaningful. It was often grunt work and not always very exciting or glamorous, but it was important and helped make a difference.

People who really care about making a difference don't wait around to be asked just the right way and then refuse to do it because they weren't asked nicely enough. They just roll up their sleeves and jump in. If someone thinks they're politically savvy enough to expect a campaign to go crawling to them for their help, they're savvy enough to know that general election campaigns don't and shouldn't have to devote time and resources on kissing their butts and they're savvy enough to figure out how to help a campaign without being asked. THAT's what activism is. Anything else is self-involved prima donna crap.

So, enough with the whining already. If you didn't do everything you could to stop Donald Trump from being elected, you only have yourselves to blame.

81 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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ENOUGH with the "Clinton campaign didn't ask for our help" whining! (Original Post) EffieBlack Dec 2016 OP
Post removed Post removed Dec 2016 #1
*sigh* I voted for Bernie in the primaries. Pacifist Patriot Dec 2016 #2
I hink she would have been a fine president, her campaign skills, though, weren't good dionysus Dec 2016 #63
exactly what was lacking in her campaign skills? were you seeing the same things I was, a niyad Dec 2016 #70
Well, to us that voted for her, she's fine. She didnt inspire enough dionysus Dec 2016 #73
Yes, she was so non-viable that she got nearly 3 million votes more than Trump EffieBlack Dec 2016 #3
Can we just get beyond this? Please? TheCowsCameHome Dec 2016 #8
She lost the electoral vote to the Kremlin, the FBI and voter suppression. ehrnst Dec 2016 #32
Another "Exhibit A". Thanks for picking at the old wounds. TheCowsCameHome Dec 2016 #34
Straw man much? She lost by very thin margins affected by those things. ehrnst Dec 2016 #47
All three? onyxw Dec 2016 #76
There is a deep Republican culture in the FBI ehrnst Dec 2016 #77
I don't think FBI would have had same opening to insert themselves with Biden/Sanders onyxw Dec 2016 #78
"Red Scaring" accusation: one of the growing instances in a Venn diagram where Trump and ehrnst Dec 2016 #79
Pssst...it doesn't matter. We don't live under a popular vote system... TCJ70 Dec 2016 #9
Pssst....Bernie lost pretty much the entire south, and the majority of Democrats in the Primary ehrnst Dec 2016 #48
Yeah those southern states...the ones that sure helped her in the general, right? TCJ70 Dec 2016 #55
I know they are full of those "identity politics" types, but they are a large part ehrnst Dec 2016 #67
State-by-state results in the primary have nothing to do with the general election EffieBlack Dec 2016 #68
Agreed...I'm not even sure why that poster brought up the south...n/t TCJ70 Dec 2016 #69
Because swing states were brought up as somehow being the only ones that mattered. (nt) ehrnst Dec 2016 #75
Hindsight is 20/20 treestar Dec 2016 #53
Let me fix that for you... TCJ70 Dec 2016 #56
Hindsight is still 20/20 treestar Dec 2016 #58
Message auto-removed Name removed Dec 2016 #13
"figure out why..." Adrahil Dec 2016 #16
Message auto-removed Name removed Dec 2016 #18
Welcome to DU... SidDithers Dec 2016 #19
Last I checked, CA was one of states. LisaL Dec 2016 #24
Message auto-removed Name removed Dec 2016 #38
No dsc Dec 2016 #29
Yes, the new GOP mantra is that California and New York don't matter. R B Garr Dec 2016 #40
That's the latest Trump talking point. Interesting that you are picking it up. ehrnst Dec 2016 #49
Bernin Math. nt. NCTraveler Dec 2016 #61
Given that she was leading in the electoral college right up until the second Comey announcement mythology Dec 2016 #4
She never stopped leading in the polls HoneyBadger Dec 2016 #5
This is true. ananda Dec 2016 #12
What are you referencing? This? TCJ70 Dec 2016 #6
Yeah, after Sanders trashed her as the "Wall Street Candidate" even past the bitter end ehrnst Dec 2016 #50
Another anti-Sanders missive Roy Rolling Dec 2016 #7
Yes--so annoying ismnotwasm Dec 2016 #10
Yep. Why do you need to be asked? kcr Dec 2016 #11
We asked to help in NC and were told to sit down and get out of the "professional's" way. Ford_Prefect Dec 2016 #14
What is it you're asking to do? kcr Dec 2016 #15
They shut out the local organizers as if we didn't know our own people. Ford_Prefect Dec 2016 #22
I'm sorry. I don't believe there were no other reasons kcr Dec 2016 #23
The problem you do not see is that the only priority they had in NC was the presidential vote. Ford_Prefect Dec 2016 #26
I would like to see proof of this, a claim is not proof enough for this accusation uponit7771 Dec 2016 #27
This article liskddksil Dec 2016 #31
In my experience, often this frustration is result of not being asked to do the really "cool" stuff EffieBlack Dec 2016 #44
I had the same experience with the "official" Democratic party in my area. maddiemom Dec 2016 #36
Lots of narcissism BlueMTexpat Dec 2016 #64
K&R mcar Dec 2016 #17
K&R sheshe2 Dec 2016 #20
DU rec... SidDithers Dec 2016 #21
K&R betsuni Dec 2016 #25
K&R Starry Messenger Dec 2016 #28
While I agree that it's time to move on I do have to point out one thing NWCorona Dec 2016 #30
This forum has been over run with Bernie Supporters DEMANDING to refight the primaries. nt LaydeeBug Dec 2016 #33
DUzy of the year. TheCowsCameHome Dec 2016 #35
lol, you can't be serious. He also lost. R B Garr Dec 2016 #39
lol, they don't keep bringing that up. TheCowsCameHome Dec 2016 #41
You can't be serious. The front page alone is spammed with fantasy contests R B Garr Dec 2016 #42
She didn't lose the popular vote, but not everyone seems to think that's relevant. ehrnst Dec 2016 #46
Really? LOL Guess you haven't read the OPs here lately. nt LaydeeBug Dec 2016 #43
What I saw in my state and through my very large extended family -- is that Bernie Sanders Democrats karynnj Dec 2016 #37
I think that many people were more open to a white male than a more qualified female, yes. (nt) ehrnst Dec 2016 #51
What? YoungDemCA Dec 2016 #60
Such things were also true BlueMTexpat Dec 2016 #65
It's not just "the campaign didn't ask", it's "we offered help and they wouldn't take it". Ken Burch Dec 2016 #45
Yes! Not to mention that treestar Dec 2016 #52
How did I miss this BEAUTIFUL OP? bravenak Dec 2016 #54
"Not reaching out to Sanders politicos" translates as "the Clinton campaign didn't offer stopbush Dec 2016 #57
Volunteers were explicitly told to stand down Arazi Dec 2016 #59
i go 50% with you. but if the clinton campaign okieinpain Dec 2016 #62
There is a lot of BlueMTexpat Dec 2016 #66
k and r--exactly!! niyad Dec 2016 #71
I'll bet some of these whiners never bothered to vote in the general. oasis Dec 2016 #72
I just saw another one of those "Bernie people say Clinton's campaign didn't fuking listen" betsuni Dec 2016 #74
I made it pretty clear from the beginning that Exilednight Dec 2016 #80
lulzy! Rex Dec 2016 #81

Response to EffieBlack (Original post)

Pacifist Patriot

(24,903 posts)
2. *sigh* I voted for Bernie in the primaries.
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 08:11 AM
Dec 2016

And was disappointed he was not the nominee. However, Clinton was not a terrible choice.

I know full well the EC determines the outcome, but almost 3 million more voters preferred her as their next President. Her totals are impressive, and in historical terms. The margin of the Tangerine Nightmare's victory in the key states for the EC was ridiculously slim.

We still would have seen vote suppression, the Republicans had long guaranteed that in critical areas. The media still would have failed to do their job with respect to calling out his bullshit. The far right would still have come up with hideous fake news. And I suspect we still would have had Russian interference. All of this regardless of whom the Democrats nominated.

I agree Sanders supporters had little or nothing to do with her loss, but to say she was a terrible choice is an opinion I simply can't agree with given the numbers and her qualifications.

dionysus

(26,467 posts)
63. I hink she would have been a fine president, her campaign skills, though, weren't good
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 05:10 PM
Dec 2016

enough. Thats on her,n her advisors, the media, and dirty pool like hacking into podestas emails

niyad

(120,015 posts)
70. exactly what was lacking in her campaign skills? were you seeing the same things I was, a
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 10:50 PM
Dec 2016

smiling, confident, competent woman who spoke well, who related to her audiences on every level? a woman who was clearly energized by the love and energy surrounding her?

dionysus

(26,467 posts)
73. Well, to us that voted for her, she's fine. She didnt inspire enough
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 11:46 PM
Dec 2016

First time voters, jaded non voters, and independants. She wad inspiring to her fans and core dems, which is preachibg to the choir.

Isn't the first time she has been described as non exciting.

You know as well as i do that presidential politics is often reduced to a popularity contest, or charisma contest these days, which is sad.

As for trump, I personally find him a repulsive douchebag, as im sure you do. However, a lot of people find his "non-PC" (iow, asshole) shit exciting, or "refreshing". I find him a nasty bully. To conservatives, bullies and nasty people excite them.

I don't need my president to excite me, i need them to run the country and look out for us. Obviously theres millions of voters who don't see it my way.

It's not her fault an increasingly shallow society is producing a likewise electorate. What more can i say?

 

EffieBlack

(14,249 posts)
3. Yes, she was so non-viable that she got nearly 3 million votes more than Trump
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 08:13 AM
Dec 2016

after beating Bernie by several million votes.

Watching the supporters of the candidate whom she beat handily tell her that SHE was unviable after she got more substantially more votes than her next opponent is really precious.

TheCowsCameHome

(40,217 posts)
8. Can we just get beyond this? Please?
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 08:51 AM
Dec 2016

She whupped Bernie. Bernie would've been creamed by Trump. She got millions more votes than Trump. It's her turn. Blah, blah blah.

The fact is in the end she lost to Donald Trump. Period.

This is just fanning the flames. Let's look ahead to 2020. That's where the future is. Learn from this nightmare, or be doomed to repeat it.

 

ehrnst

(32,640 posts)
32. She lost the electoral vote to the Kremlin, the FBI and voter suppression.
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 10:37 AM
Dec 2016

Bernie would have been the target of all three.

TheCowsCameHome

(40,217 posts)
34. Another "Exhibit A". Thanks for picking at the old wounds.
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 10:55 AM
Dec 2016

It was NEVER anything she did wrong. It was always everyone else.

Prepare to get mopped up again in 2020, with this line of thinking.

 

ehrnst

(32,640 posts)
47. Straw man much? She lost by very thin margins affected by those things.
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 02:29 PM
Dec 2016

I didn't say she didn't make mistakes. No one here has said that she didn't make mistakes.

Bernie supporters always seem to think that supporting Hillary was to "ignore her flaws."

If we go with Bernie's self-serving 'direction' for a party he never saw fit to join, we will lose the Black Caucus, a huge number of people concerned with reproductive rights, LGBTQs and POC.

We will get mopped up if we lose the marjority of our party.

 

ehrnst

(32,640 posts)
77. There is a deep Republican culture in the FBI
Fri Dec 23, 2016, 01:41 PM
Dec 2016

Which is one reason most of the directors have been Republican.

You don't think that they would have gone after Sanders or Biden with any and everything that they could?

I'm sure there is a hefty FBI file on Bernie's Sandinista ties in the 80's, as there would be on anyone who was praising or communicating with Castro and Ortega.

If you don't think that wouldn't have been front and center in a Sanders campaign, you are naive.






onyxw

(36 posts)
78. I don't think FBI would have had same opening to insert themselves with Biden/Sanders
Sat Dec 24, 2016, 02:52 PM
Dec 2016

I'm aware of the Republican slant of FBI. No I don't think they'd have been effective against Biden and Sanders. There wasn't anything for them to insert themselves into without it being out of left field and deeply partisan. Fair or not, Clinton gave the FBI the opening with the ongoing server investigation for them to be a large part of the conversation and narrative. I'm unaware of any past history Biden/Sanders would have that would give them an opening for FBI to insert themselves in 2016. And you'd have Lynch at DOJ not being as hamstrung to oversee/counter FBI as she was after the Clinton tarmac meeting.

I think the Republicans would have attacked Bernie by conflating him as commie/socialist, sure. What's the FBI going to have? Reports that he met with folks? Photos of handshakes with people?

Here's the key with Sanders vs Clinton handling of these things. Clinton deflected and downplayed and let things linger and be drawn out. Sanders generally faced things head on and own his flaws. He'd address things and then move on. Sanders would have faced the commie/socialist thing, laid out why that's not a scary thing, he'd have to explain his democratic socialism mindset a few times along the way anyway, so he'd just have to tie the questions to that explanation. He'd probably have worn the labels and said "Yeah, so what. Call me whatever boogeyman name you like, but doesn't change the fact that income inequality is growing and there's lead in Flint's water...etc so let's address those and here's my plans". He'd answer questions until press got bored after 2-3 cycles of him agreeing and admitting he had democratic socialist tendencies in the nature of Scandinavian countries and moved on.

I'm not sure red scaring is overly effective anymore. It's meaningless on the 18-35 crowd that grew up post Reagan/Cold War. On the over 35 crowd trying to taint someone wrongly as communist/socialist probably doesn't play well with the lefties and independents who remember McCarthy and HUAC. I think it'd mainly harden Republicans and make them less easy to pry, and make it tougher to sway some independents but I'm not sure the target market of folks influenced by "Russia=bad" were going to be receptive to Sanders anyway. He'd struggle with the Cuban-American population and so he'd probably underperform Clinton in South Florida but since we lost FL anyway, at most the difference is it maybe allows Trump to focus on other swing states earlier.

 

ehrnst

(32,640 posts)
79. "Red Scaring" accusation: one of the growing instances in a Venn diagram where Trump and
Sat Dec 24, 2016, 04:12 PM
Dec 2016

die hard Bernie supporters seem to overlap.

Also the enthusiasm in which they accepted and repeated many of the lies, unfounded accusations, and smears about Hillary that the right wing dropped into the mix.

Yes, I agree with you that those who supported Bernie to the end would not have so eagerly accepted any sort of the treatment of Biden that Hillary recieved at the hands of the media and the fake news brigade.

And I don't think that Biden would have been the target of such anger from the left, nor been the subject of such animosity by Bernie. Joe wouldn't have been so, well, accused of being focused on "identity politics," even if his message had been the same as Hillary's.

Even his votes for welfare reform and the Iraq War resolution....




TCJ70

(4,387 posts)
9. Pssst...it doesn't matter. We don't live under a popular vote system...
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 08:53 AM
Dec 2016

...and the Clinton campaign made some more than questionable choices regarding swing states and the areas where Sanders did quite well.

 

ehrnst

(32,640 posts)
48. Pssst....Bernie lost pretty much the entire south, and the majority of Democrats in the Primary
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 02:30 PM
Dec 2016

He lost both the popular vote and the delegate count.

Hillary did quite well where Bernie did not.

TCJ70

(4,387 posts)
55. Yeah those southern states...the ones that sure helped her in the general, right?
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 03:27 PM
Dec 2016

It's not good enough to do well where expected, you have to do well in the places in between as well.

 

ehrnst

(32,640 posts)
67. I know they are full of those "identity politics" types, but they are a large part
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 07:26 PM
Dec 2016

of why the Democratic Party is the party of progressives, no?

And I think that razor thin margins in the places where Trump did well isn't peanuts.

Tell me, what message do you think any Democrat was going to win over the swastika crowd? The crowd that was enraged at 8 years of a black man living in the Whitest House in the country?

Do you think that we should have done what the GOP did and let the tea party crowd determine our platform?

 

EffieBlack

(14,249 posts)
68. State-by-state results in the primary have nothing to do with the general election
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 09:35 PM
Dec 2016

Apples to oranges.

treestar

(82,383 posts)
58. Hindsight is still 20/20
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 03:29 PM
Dec 2016

and there isn't anything wrong with taking for granted. Mine was and that was justified.

It's just miraculous he squeezed out every swing state. By thin margins, too. So it's hard to judge later that more time in this or that state would have made a difference. Heck Georgia and AZ appeared to be in play.

Somehow the polls didn't work this time, or something fishy actually did go on.

Response to EffieBlack (Reply #3)

 

Adrahil

(13,340 posts)
16. "figure out why..."
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 09:40 AM
Dec 2016

I keep hearing this. As if we didn't know.

Trump is using the oldest rhetorical trick in the world.. He is getting a financially insecure middle-class to blame those below them for the their insecurity. Racism and xenophobia are powerful tools in that.

This group wants people who will tell them their "golden age" can return. It can't. But that doesn't stop Trump from telling them it can.

Response to Adrahil (Reply #16)

LisaL

(46,608 posts)
24. Last I checked, CA was one of states.
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 10:08 AM
Dec 2016

Then WTF should we count outside of CA?
Why don't we throw out TX instead?

Response to LisaL (Reply #24)

R B Garr

(17,379 posts)
40. Yes, the new GOP mantra is that California and New York don't matter.
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 12:34 PM
Dec 2016

And the split continues, thanks to nonsense like this.

Bernie's message lost, big league. The 70,000 something voters across 3 states who decided this election voted for the BILLIONAIRE.

 

ehrnst

(32,640 posts)
49. That's the latest Trump talking point. Interesting that you are picking it up.
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 02:33 PM
Dec 2016

"Outsid of CA...."

CA has the largest population of any state in the country, and it covers a huge area, a diverse population.

The headbanging is coming from a Senator who is not even in the party, who feels that he benefits whenever there is division, and he hasn't even deigned to join the party.

He is lapping up the headbanging.

 

mythology

(9,527 posts)
4. Given that she was leading in the electoral college right up until the second Comey announcement
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 08:25 AM
Dec 2016

I'd say other than that stupid email server, she was a fine candidate. She lost because of a quirk in our system.

But if she was a terrible candidate, what does that say about the candidate she beat?

 

HoneyBadger

(2,297 posts)
5. She never stopped leading in the polls
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 08:33 AM
Dec 2016

Even after the votes were counted. I question the polls, and not just election night, but going back 6 months.

TCJ70

(4,387 posts)
6. What are you referencing? This?
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 08:44 AM
Dec 2016
http://www.democraticunderground.com/12512663315

Because from reading the article it sounds like the Sanders campaign DID reach out to the Clinton campaign but weren't taken seriously (not surprising considering the Clinton primary rhetoric)...
 

ehrnst

(32,640 posts)
50. Yeah, after Sanders trashed her as the "Wall Street Candidate" even past the bitter end
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 03:20 PM
Dec 2016

of the primary. That didn't go far to validate their concern....

Hillary did hire some of Bernie's people, which the article leaves out.

And those swastikas and confederate flags showed that this was TOTALLY about the TPP, as per the Sanders campaign....

Roy Rolling

(7,176 posts)
7. Another anti-Sanders missive
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 08:48 AM
Dec 2016

Did you make up the "Clinton didn't ask for our help" statement just to get to the part about bad Sanders supporters? Why are you posting for them? If they are whining and aggrieved, let them tell their own story.

Enough already.

kcr

(15,522 posts)
11. Yep. Why do you need to be asked?
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 09:18 AM
Dec 2016

In fact, the whole Bernie revolution seems to be more about personality than any actual principles. It just seems to be more about if you endorse Bernie. There have been some rather sketchy pols taking advantage of this.

Ford_Prefect

(8,202 posts)
14. We asked to help in NC and were told to sit down and get out of the "professional's" way.
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 09:31 AM
Dec 2016

It's the same script the DNC has used here for years. "Don't call us, we'll let you know what to do," was the message. Out of state organizers who had no clue how to operate a campaign anywhere but the suburbs was what we got. I won't speak of fund-raising and coordinating events held behind closed doors with wealthy NC establishment Dems.

For the record, once again, the DNC never has addressed the possibility of bent voting machines at any level, never mind observing the vote adequately. Once the vote was reported they never responded to questions raised about the accuracy of the vote here. They have likewise refused to acknowledge the

I for one have no faith in the central leadership of the party after this. They left us hanging in the wind once again. After 36 years of watching the party harvesting votes in NC enough is enough.

kcr

(15,522 posts)
15. What is it you're asking to do?
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 09:36 AM
Dec 2016

If they're responding that way, that says to me you're not just willing to do whatever it is they need. That's the response of people only willing to do things that aren't really needed, and then don't want to do the work they're given. I've done plenty of volunteering and have never had a problem.

I'm with you. I wish Dems would do more to address the voting problems, but I don't share your solution in how to deal with it.

Ford_Prefect

(8,202 posts)
22. They shut out the local organizers as if we didn't know our own people.
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 09:58 AM
Dec 2016

They didn't know the territory and were convinced only their way was going to work. I've worked a number of campaigns knocking on doors and meeting individual voters, phone banking and all the other grunt work too, along with my neighbors. We've seen this act before and it's not effective.

The arrogance of the DNC and HRC national campaign was we're the "adults" and we'll let you know what to do to make a "real campaign" work. Then they proceeded to ignore us as if we had no experience. We offered and they did not call. We showed up and they didn't know what to do with us nor would they allow us to operate. In all my years as a Democrat and a NC voter I have never seen so few signs and bumper stickers or buttons. It was as if the campaign only existed on TV and the internet. Except for certain events the was very little visibility at ground level. It's that simple.

We can't run the Democratic Party this way, this is not how it works. Top Down Management is not going to cut it. Dean was right about organizing for 50 states and continuously and in every precinct.

kcr

(15,522 posts)
23. I'm sorry. I don't believe there were no other reasons
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 10:05 AM
Dec 2016

If they were shutting people out, there was a reason for it. Like the article someone else here posted with similar complaints about the DNC. But when you read the the article, the condescension that was dripping from it was just ridiculous. They didn't know campaigning 101! Not to mention all the chanting and protesting going on outside. They just couldn't understand why they were turned down. It made no sense at all. Totally stupid for the campaign to ignore them. I mean. Come on...

Again, while understandable, I think people are failing to see their own biases here, and think they're just trying to help while failing to see that it doesn't come across that way.

Ford_Prefect

(8,202 posts)
26. The problem you do not see is that the only priority they had in NC was the presidential vote.
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 10:10 AM
Dec 2016

That was evident from day one. The reason for shutting out local people was they would distract from the national campaign goals by insisting that local candidates and issues needed support, too.

I won't be welcoming them back any time soon. Carpetbagging is a term from the post civil war south but as it happens it sadly applies to the contemporary DNC.

 

liskddksil

(2,753 posts)
31. This article
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 10:36 AM
Dec 2016

points out some of the arrogance and tunnel-vision to analytics of their team, as opposed to listening to what people were seeing right in front of them and telling them. It's infuriating how much she was let down by her staff.

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/michigan-hillary-clinton-trump-232547

 

EffieBlack

(14,249 posts)
44. In my experience, often this frustration is result of not being asked to do the really "cool" stuff
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 02:02 PM
Dec 2016

Many people want to be a part of the inner circle, deciding stratgey, making decisions, etc. and when asked to do "grunt" work instead, they get insulted and complain that they're not being included or listened to.

maddiemom

(5,106 posts)
36. I had the same experience with the "official" Democratic party in my area.
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 11:01 AM
Dec 2016

Several presidential elections ago, a new progressive group was formed in the area by some liberal business people and people from our local university. ( through Voters' Education and Information Initiative in PA). By now it is the major force in coordinating volunteers and has been aided by "professionals" employed by the actual Democratic presidential and other (state and local) campaigns. Perhaps we've been lucky, but the "outsiders" have been very encouraging.

Starry Messenger

(32,375 posts)
28. K&R
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 10:13 AM
Dec 2016

Geeze, candidates almost never campaign in CA,but yet we are one of the bluest states now. It's like we figured out how to win shit without our hands being held or something.

NWCorona

(8,541 posts)
30. While I agree that it's time to move on I do have to point out one thing
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 10:18 AM
Dec 2016

It's not just team Bernie that is "whining" that the Clinton campaign didn't use resources properly. A few unions wanted to go into Michigan because they seen the writing on the wall but were told to focus on Texas and Arizona.

This election was a bitter one but it's time for all of us to lick our wounds and stop finger pointing in one direction.

TheCowsCameHome

(40,217 posts)
35. DUzy of the year.
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 11:00 AM
Dec 2016

The Bernie supporters have long since moved on.

It's HRC supporters like the OP that won't accept the final outcome.

She lost. Now let's look ahead, for once.

R B Garr

(17,379 posts)
39. lol, you can't be serious. He also lost.
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 12:28 PM
Dec 2016

"The Bernie supporters have long since moved on." There are multiple spam posts on the front page that contradict your post. What's sad is that this alternate universe persists. That's the unnecessary divisiveness from the primaries. How sad that the Democratic party is going down the unreality sinkhole that is the hallmark of Republicans.

TheCowsCameHome

(40,217 posts)
41. lol, they don't keep bringing that up.
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 12:37 PM
Dec 2016

Sanders lost the primary to Clinton. Everyone knows and accepts that fact.

Then Hillary lost the GE. Not everyone here accepts that. But that's the way it is............

R B Garr

(17,379 posts)
42. You can't be serious. The front page alone is spammed with fantasy contests
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 12:44 PM
Dec 2016

of Bernie in the GE. So not "everyone" knows and accepts that fact.

But what this shows again is how much reality is still up for negotiation. What a shame that Democrats are being forced to deal with unreality because of unrealistic demagogues who are hungry for attention.

 

ehrnst

(32,640 posts)
46. She didn't lose the popular vote, but not everyone seems to think that's relevant.
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 02:26 PM
Dec 2016

Especially since trashing her in any way seems to advance the candidate she beat in the primary.

karynnj

(59,944 posts)
37. What I saw in my state and through my very large extended family -- is that Bernie Sanders Democrats
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 11:45 AM
Dec 2016

DID do what they could. One close personal example - My youngest daughter, who caucused for Bernie in WA state, spent hours writing excellent explanations of HRC's past accomplishments and positions which were consistent with Bernie's. She posted these on Facebook and on other social media and reached out to many of her friends, some very angry at the Clinton/DNC people making the case that the DEMOCRATIC AGENDA was also on the ballot - even though it said Hillary Clinton. She was NOT alone.

What is ignored is that you could use a Venn diagram of people who voted in the Democratic primary. Picture two over lapping circles - place people who would vote for either Clinton or Bernie in the general election in the intersection. There will be two areas not in that intersection. Those who only would vote for Bernie ; and those who would only vote for Clinton. Comments on DU in the primaries, show that there were people in ALL three places. Comments in the primaries and especially in the general election show that the vast majority of people were in the intersection. This reflects that DU is a community of liberal independents and Democrats.

Yet, here when you speak of Sanders people not helping, you are speaking to people who voted for Clinton - however reluctantly - even after the revelations of what happened within the DNC in the primaries. You can not expect that all Democrats will develop enthusiasm for the nominee. The canddiate that I was most enthusiastic in my life time was John Kerry. I am grateful for all the Democrats, who supported Kuchinich and Dean, who worked for or voted for Kerry. I suspect that my long held wish that they could have looked harder at who he was and his record and become enthusiastic about someone who lived their values is what many people 100% behind HRC feel about those who say they "held their nose". I imagine that it is as hard for you as it was for me to accept that the lack of enthusiasm of some is because they really wanted someone very different. I agree that enthusiastic supporters are more successful winning over others than people "holding their noses". I admire that my daughter could make the transition to identifying what she could support in HRC.

One thing I can say is that Bernie and his top surrogates were better proponents for Clinton after the primaries than many Clinton allies were in 2004 - and they were not even defeated primary opponents. Begala and Carville, two pominent Democrats on TV, werebizarely calling Kerry "anybody but Bush" (a primary meme) and Bill Clinton on his book tour in summer 2004 blasting "leftists" questioning the conduct of the war - as our nominee was doing, when he was not explaining Monica as happening "because he could".

One thing that is and was poorly understood is that - contrary to DU claims that Bernie was too far left for mid America - Bernie's votes came not just from liberal independents and Democrats who were entirely likely to be for ANY Democratic nominee. These voters were ours with any nominee and just needed to be pushed to vote. From many accounts, Bernie also spoke to many who felt that he spoke for them - even though they were previously apolitical or even Republican leaning. This is not surprising if you look at the fact that he has the highest approval rating in the Senate. Most Vermonters live in rural areas. You can drive 10 minutes out of Burlington and be in completely rural farm country. It is from this group that many people went from Bernie to Stein or even Trump. This is NOT because Bernie caused these people, who otherwise would have been Hillary's, to reject the Democratic party. These are people who were open to a candidate who has ALWAYS spoken to and for the people - not the elites. These are people Bernie could have won who were not "ours" -- not people who were "ours", who Bernie caused to move against Clinton. She never had them.

My daughter was reaching out to both the liberals flirting with the dishonest Stein or not voting -- and to some who were not historically Democrat, who were skeptical of the Clintons. Here she used Bernie's issues that they had come to support and tried to make the case thateven as Trump said he would not let anyone touch SS or Medicare, he would bring jobs back, and he would build up the infrastructure -- those are all things HRC fought for for decades that teh Republicans were against. Although she and others like her obviously did not win over all or even most of the people they communicated with, these were voters that the Clinton outreach could likely not have reached at all. It was through mutual support for Sanders, that my very liberal daughter had a point of connection with them.

She was not alone. I personally know some people, who voted for Bush, McCain, and Romney, who said that they could not vote for Trump and were open to Bernie had he won the nomination. Some told me they also could not stomach Clinton either and would not vote. For those who I knew to be conservative (prolife) Republicans, I did not push them to vote. If I knew they agreed with us on any issue - climate change, entitlements, healthcare, etc , I pushed them to vote for HRC.

 

ehrnst

(32,640 posts)
51. I think that many people were more open to a white male than a more qualified female, yes. (nt)
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 03:22 PM
Dec 2016

BlueMTexpat

(15,496 posts)
65. Such things were also true
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 06:51 PM
Dec 2016

of the Bernie supporters I knew personally. They were good troopers and fought right along with those of us who had been Hillary supporters from the beginning and just as hard.

The ones who are driving me - and others here - crazy are those who believe themselves to be entitled and treated differently ... "just because."

 

Ken Burch

(50,254 posts)
45. It's not just "the campaign didn't ask", it's "we offered help and they wouldn't take it".
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 02:12 PM
Dec 2016

Last edited Thu Dec 22, 2016, 05:53 PM - Edit history (3)

Would you at least agree that it MIGHT have been a mistake not to listen to advice from Sanders supporters in Wisconsin and Michigan, states where Bernie had beaten Hillary in the primaries?

They repeatedly approached the Clinton campaign with good strategic suggestions, but the campaign refused to listen.

I get it that some Clinton people had hard feelings about the primaries(if you're honest, you'd have to acknowledge that Sanders people had equal grounds for resentment, especially over the relentless smears about Bernie's commitment to fighting racism), but if somebody from a state where their candidate got more votes than you offers advice, is it not in your interest, whoever you are, to listen to and consider taking that advice?
BTW...IF Bernie had been nominated, I'd have been one of the loudest voices insisting that he listen to Clinton supporters about how to connect with the voters Bernie wasn't able to connect with in the primaries, and I'd recommend any nominee's campaign do the same when trying to appeal to voters who preferred another primary candidate-to me, that's just common sense and mutual respect.

treestar

(82,383 posts)
52. Yes! Not to mention that
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 03:22 PM
Dec 2016

it's in their interests anyway. Waiting to be asked nicely and catered to in order for you to do something to get what YOU need! Orange Hitler to lose! That's what they needed. No need for people to be nice and catering to you when you know you need something.

stopbush

(24,630 posts)
57. "Not reaching out to Sanders politicos" translates as "the Clinton campaign didn't offer
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 03:29 PM
Dec 2016

us any top leadership/policy positions in their campaign."

Yep, that's what it boils down to. Hillary beat Sanders by 3-million votes, but then she's supposed to turn around and invite in people and policies that the vast majority of primary voters rejected.

Arazi

(6,909 posts)
59. Volunteers were explicitly told to stand down
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 03:44 PM
Dec 2016
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/michigan-hillary-clinton-trump-232547

Everybody could see Hillary Clinton was cooked in Iowa. So when, a week-and-a-half out, the Service Employees International Union started hearing anxiety out of Michigan, union officials decided to reroute their volunteers, giving a desperate team on the ground around Detroit some hope.

They started prepping meals and organizing hotel rooms.


SEIU — which had wanted to go to Michigan from the beginning, but been ordered not to — dialed Clinton’s top campaign aides to tell them about the new plan. According to several people familiar with the call, Brooklyn was furious.

Turn that bus around, the Clinton team ordered SEIU. Those volunteers needed to stay in Iowa to fool Donald Trump into competing there, not drive to Michigan, where the Democrat’s models projected a 5-point win through the morning of Election Day.

Michigan organizers were shocked. It was the latest case of Brooklyn ignoring on-the-ground intel and pleas for help in a race that they felt slipping away at the end.

“They believed they were more experienced, which they were. They believed they were smarter, which they weren’t,” said Donnie Fowler, who was consulting for the Democratic National Committee during the final months of the campaign. “They believed they had better information, which they didn’t.”

Snip

okieinpain

(9,397 posts)
62. i go 50% with you. but if the clinton campaign
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 04:08 PM
Dec 2016

did the stuff they are being accused of then it is completely unforgivable. I think overlooking that kind of behavior is what is wrong with the democratic party. i thought when she didn't pick sen. sanders for vp it was a mistake, but now it seems that it wasn't a mistake it was arrogance and we know more then you.

in my 56 years on this plant there are a couple of things i'm sure of and one of them is karma is a bitch, i try to stay grounded and humble at all times because me tripping over something is just around the corner.

BlueMTexpat

(15,496 posts)
66. There is a lot of
Thu Dec 22, 2016, 06:54 PM
Dec 2016

revisionist history being attempted by some who never accepted the results of the Dem primaries or who still believe that the rules that applied to the Dem primaries since forever should somehow have been waived just for Bernie.

betsuni

(27,258 posts)
74. I just saw another one of those "Bernie people say Clinton's campaign didn't fuking listen"
Fri Dec 23, 2016, 01:21 AM
Dec 2016

whining posts with a link to the awful "The Young Turks" and was pondering whether to alert or not when I was called to jury duty. I was delighted to see someone had alerted on the same post, because I don't have good luck with alerting (the categories confuse me sometimes and I think I don't choose the correct one for the situation). The post soon disappeared. IT IS A FESTIVUS MIRACLE!

Exilednight

(9,359 posts)
80. I made it pretty clear from the beginning that
Sat Dec 24, 2016, 05:20 PM
Dec 2016

if Hillary won the nomination that I would do no more than vote for her. I'm a liberal, not a progressive, which puts me in a bit of ideological odds with Hillary.

My biggest problem was that I could not defend anyone who lacked the skills to defend themselves. Hillary couldn't put either email issue to bed, couldn't put Benghazi to bed, lacked messaging and discipline. Her surrogates talking points were all over the place and her answers on any given issue had more than one answer. It was the complete opposite of the '08 Obama campaign.

Can't help people who don't help themselves.

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