Bernie Sanders to supporters in fundraising pitch: 'You are going to love Andrew Gillum'

[oberliner]

Bernie Sanders has endorsed Andrew Gillum, and campaign with him. Now, he's fundraising for him.

Sanders, the progressive independent U.S. Sen. from Vermont, emailed a fundraising pitch to his army of liberal supporters Wednesday, offering to split their donations with Gillum, the Tallahassee mayor who claimed the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in an upset Tuesday.

"No one thought he had a chance — not just at the start of the campaign, but as recently as a few weeks ago," Sanders said in the email. "You are going to love Andrew Gillum."

Although he was backed by two billionaire mega donors, Gillum struggled to fundraise throughout the Democratic primary race. Sanders' pitch may signal that the floodgates are opening as Democratic donors contemplate Ron DeSantis, Gillum's general election opponent, in the governor's mansion.

https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2018/08/29/bernie-sanders-to-supporters-in-fundraising-pitch-you-are-going-to-love-andrew-gillum/

[KPN]

1. Just watched Gillum with Chuck Todd. Bernie's right.

Chuckie threw a lot of curveballs at him. Gillum handled them easily and convincingly. He’s sharp, young, articulate and attractive, not to mention African-American. My opinion: he’s going to kick ass in November. Blue wave’s a’comin!

[betsuni]

7. ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1280210240

[KPN]

8. Ah, thank you for that blast from the past. Aside for how I voted ultimately, that post is an

accurate description of how I felt at the time. I do feel like the party has made positive strides in ways that excite me personally since then and I continue to be engaged actively in my local Democratic Party organization as well as contribute to State and local candidates. Last night I gave $100 in response to a phone call from Kate Brown's campaign and have also given to my Congressional rep, funding a temporary local Democratic Party office in the town I reside in, and the State's D Party organization (I haven't and probably will not give to the DNC or the DCCC but am considering giving to individual candidates outside my State to the extent my pocketbook and my spouse allow). I have also volunteered for and will be canvassing/phone banking actively as the campaign season moves forward.

As for my kids, we discuss politics all the time. My reading is they still feel strongly that the two party system is not working well for them or the country, but they have been awakened to it's current reality given the Trump Administration and will most definitely vote D this fall and in 2020. After that, who knows? Perhaps the party will win them over.

[NCTraveler]

12. WTF

"Am I concerned about Trump? Yes, but my adult children have given me broader perspective on that and the SCOTUS issue. Actually, they have convinced me by example that voting for Hillary is the wrong thing to do. You see, one of them, my second child is gay. Another, my daughter, the youngest is a female. They are quite adamant that "equal rights" will be meaningless in 20 years if we don't break down the corporate hold on America's governance to actually fix our most important problems now today: global warming, a divided world, and income inequality. So social issues that affect them personally in significant way are moot as they see it if we don't make the significant changes today. My third child, the oldest, is a bit more radical. He just says we gotta break the system to fix it; a Trump presidency would do that."

From the link above.

[Kajun Gal]

2. I like him already!

[RhodeIslandOne]

3. Boy, you are earning your pay today. n/m

[moriah]

26. If you're implying something, say it straight out.

I was sick of veiled accusations of shilling, whatever the candidate, years ago.

If you mean something else, please clarify.

Thank you.

[RhodeIslandOne]

40. After Friday's antics

I’m happy to stand pat on my opinion of the poster.

[moriah]

41. Most everyone has "antics" we could pick on.

And I've told the poster in question what I thought directly about a few of their particular idiosyncrasies ("If you hate sources people use in LBN so much, volunteer to become a host!", for example -- and I stand by that opinion too).

However... if you're going to refer to a poster "earning their pay", you might as well say straight out what you're really thinking. Because if you're afraid saying it outright is a personal attack, veiling it is one, too. And those particular personal attacks got old years ago.

[Kingofalldems]

28. The think tank must be proud.

[NurseJackie]

5. It's always best to give DIRECTLY to the candidate rather than "third party" fundraisers...

It's always best to give DIRECTLY to the candidate rather than "third party" fundraisers... for obvious reasons. And I'll just leave it at that.

[uponit7771]

6. +1, been impressed with Gillum so far

[JCanete]

9. Absolutely true if you specifically want to support that candidate. That doesn't mean this other

avenue won't have any added value for Gillum if Sanders generates funding via his base who want to support Sanders, his causes and Gillum along with them, but yeah, the most bang for the buck that leaves the least question about how your money will be distributed is to simply give directly to the candidate.

[Gothmog]

14. Do you really believe that sanders will give money to Gillum?

That is so cute and adorable. You know that sanders has to pay Jane's kids who are working for the sanders institute and some of his other "projects". It would be a dumb move for anyone wanting to contribute to Gillum to go through sanders . Luckiuly Gillum has Soros and Steyer supporthing him and the Democratic Governors Association.

If someone wants to contribute to Gillum, they should do directly

[George II]

17. The best bang for the buck is for people to contribute directly to the candidate, not through...

...any third party, whoever or whatever it is.

He could very simply have said in the emails that he sent out (and I got one), "support Andrew Gillum by contributing to him here - XXXXX.com".

As it is, he's essentially saying "contribute to me and I'll give some of it to Gillum".

[NurseJackie]

24. Ugh! I wonder how many people will see that as being...

... opportunistic.

[SidDithers]

10. Bernie's the BEST!!...nt

Sid

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

30. You said it, and he's not even a Democrat... in case people didn't know! haha!

[NCTraveler]

11. This is what Sanders can do for us.

Help to fill our candidates coffers.

"Gillum struggled to fundraise throughout the Democratic primary race."

That is not accurate in politics today. Gillum benefited greatly from millions spent on his behalf. It's the way it works today if you want to win. It's my understanding two individuals actually donated over a million a piece to PAC's with those funds being earmarked for spending on Gillums campaign.

[bigtree]

13. Bernie one of the first to recognize, identify, organize voters like Gillum's

...deserves some note for that effort.

Hard to look at these newly emerging, energized voters, many younger and decidedly more progressive, and not reflect on Sanders' enthusiastic and compelling campaign effort.

(...notwithstanding the excellent showing from the black community, black women, in particular)

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

31. Bernie? Credit? Good luck with that!! Of course, he has my unwavering support... he's the best!

[Gothmog]

15. Andrew Gillum raised $1 million in 24 hours after winning primary

This makes me smile and none of this is from bernie https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/30/politics/andrew-gillum-fundraising-haul/index.html

Andrew Gillum, who won the Democratic primary for Florida governor in a stunning upset Tuesday, raised $1 million in the first 24 hours after his nomination, according to spokesperson Geoff Burgan.

Gillum, the mayor of Tallahassee, Fla., is Florida's first African-American major-party nominee for governor and is a progressive backed by independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. He was the only leading Democrat in his primary to endorse "Medicare-for-all" single-payer health care, a top progressive agenda item and the policy most famously championed by Sanders.

An early underdog in a crowded field, the 39-year-old edged out former Rep. Gwen Graham to capture the gubernatorial nomination with the support of grass-roots Florida progressives.

He was also backed by a coalition of groups like the Collective PAC, which is dedicated to elevating African-American candidates; Indivisible, an organization formed in response to President Donald Trump's election in 2016; and the Working Families Party.

[bigtree]

16. there was that August endorsement

...and a late surge in what most describe as an upset victory.

[Gothmog]

18. None of this money was from sanders or due to sanders

These were direct contributions to Gillum and sanders had nothing to doe with these donations.

[mountain grammy]

19. so what do you want.. him to NOT raise money for Gillum

just what do you want?? He raised a bunch for Gillum, he got $$ from me.

You're hate for everything Bernie is ridiculous.

[pnwmom]

21. What's ridiculous is anyone else taking credit for that fundraising, other than Gillum.

That said, if other Democrats or non-Democrats want to help Gillum now, that's great.

[Gothmog]

22. The million dollars in the post above was not due to sanders in any way

You are free to give sanders money. I do not trust sanders and have seen the filings on the sanders institute. I will not trust sanders until he releases his tax returns.

The money in that article came from unions and direct contributions. That is the best way to get money to a candidate. I drove by a candidates office last light to drop off a check to save the candidate the Actblue commission. This candidate has so far out raised the GOP incumbent and wanted to get some money in before the month end informal deadline.

I use actblue when I need to but otherwise I give money directly to candidate. It is safer than relying on some promise to split.

[George II]

29. I think many of us would prefer that it was done the way others fund raise, i.e.....

...."go here to contribute to Andrew Gillum's campaign:

- https://secure.actblue.com/donate/gillum-primary-win?refcode=website&_ga=2.46437287.1290594907.1535756324-432636168.1535510514 "

I must get a dozen solicitation emails a day from candidates. I've only seen one politician send emails saying, to the effect, "contribute to me and I'll send some of it to XXXXX."

BTW, it's "your".

[R B Garr]

33. Two billionaires supported and contributed to Gillum.

It has nothing to do with Bernie.

[George II]

36. I just went through my deleted emails. Just TODAY, I received emails from:

Ted Lieu
Allison Sulier (Sharice Davids' campaign)
DNC Headquarters
Tom Perez
Kamala Harris

Each asked for contributions, not a single one asked me to send him/her money on behalf of another candidate and they'll forward it to that candidate.

[Gothmog]

38. Only five requests?

It is the end of a month and I got a number of requests. The DCCC, the DSCC, the DNC and Battleground Texas made such requests but that is their job

[George II]

39. Being a delegate to our state convention for years, I also got a bunch of requests from state....

....Democrats, omitted them.

Can't wait to see the September (end of quarter) pleas!!!!

[bigtree]

37. his endorsement was weeks ago

...followed by a late surge of support.

And you say NONE of the money raised was due to his endorsement?

That's not how this works. Every candidate he actively supported reported increased support, mainly marked by a surge in donations. Doesn't make sense that he's not a catalyst for some of that surge in Gillum's contributions.

Not really understanding trying to separate him from the effort, especially going forward.

[MaryMagdaline]

35. A little of that was from me ... love sending a message of unity

[pnwmom]

20. Lots of people, like Julian Castro, thought he had a chance and even endorsed him before Bernie.

Despite what Bernie may think.

[Gothmog]

23. Yeah for the Castro Brothers

[George II]

25. Yes. They didn't wait until a few weeks before the primary.

[NurseJackie]

27. I'm surprised there was still room on the bandwagon.

[ehrnst]

32. Indeed. (nt)

[Kingofalldems]

34. We're united now. Any divisiveness will fail.

Did you see this?

Link to tweet