Bernie Sanders: Lots of 'Not Necessarily Racist' Whites 'Uncomfortable' Voting For African Americans

[lapucelle]

Gillum, Abrams.

“I think you know there are a lot of white folks out there who are not necessarily racist who felt uncomfortable for the first time in their lives about whether or not they wanted to vote for an African-American,” said Sanders. He was referring specifically to Andrew Gillum and Stacey Abrams, both of whom lost their bids for Governor, in Florida and Georgia respectively. The Daily Beast’s Gideon Resnick explained that Sanders specifically referenced attacks the senator termed racist in ads run against the two candidates.

Sanders also attributed the less than blue wave-y results from Tuesday to the fact that some Democrats ran on a less left or more conservative Democratic platform. “Conservative Democrats” didn’t excite voters or “bring the kind of new people, new energy that they needed and ended up doing quite poorly.”

Among the Democrats who lost their races was the Democratic candidate in the Vermont gubernatorial race, Christine Hallquist, the nation's first transgender candidate for governor. She ran on a platform that included a $15 an hour minimum wage, the creation of a paid family medical leave program, working with like-minded states to implement universal healthcare cooperatives, and protecting collective bargaining and workers rights.

Voters in the Green Mountain State returned Republican Phil Scott for his second term. Scott made news this year when he vetoed both a raise in the minimum wage and the establishment of a paid family leave program and revealed that Vermont had contracted with a for-profit prison to house some of the state's incarcerated population in a facility in Mississippi.

Apparently, there's a lot of work to be done in many states, including Vermont.

https://www.mediaite.com/politics/bernie-sanders-lots-of-not-necessarily-racist-whites-uncomfortable-voting-for-african-americans-gillum-abrams/

[LisaM]

1. Less than blue wave-y?

The news gets better every day. I'm stoked. Walker gone? Whitmer elected in Michigan? Beto moving the needle in Texas? Kansas electing a Democratic governor? Gerrymandering getting reversed? I think the results were quite satisfying and better than I'd dreamed of.

[emulatorloo]

2. Sounds like he's trying to promote his new book by insinuating there was no blue wave.

Additionally he apparently doesn’t understand racism.

[LisaM]

5. Yeah, it's not his day.

I mean honestly, we weren't going to take the Senate, and the news at the state level is phenomenal. Not to mention that the percentage of women and LGBQT people in office is going to markedly increase.

[emulatorloo]

8. And all the new Democratic governors too!

IMHO Bernie has his story and he’s sticking to it. He isn’t going to let facts get in the way of his narrative.

[spooky3]

6. All the Dem winners in VA were people he probably

Considers “moderate.” I’m sure there are many other examples.

And if a white person is uncomfortable voting for a person of color BECAUSE he or she is such, that couldn’t be a clearer example of racism.

[Me.]

11. Women Now Filing All The Top Positions In Michigan

[LonePirate]

3. Every candidate touted by Our Revolution lost. He should look there instead of bemoaning Dem winners

[spooky3]

7. Didn't Alexandria Cortez win in NY? nt

[Bfd]

12. LOL. She had no one campaigning against her.

Yawn.

[spooky3]

13. The point is that the statement is false--that no one Bernie

supported won.

[emulatorloo]

14. Yes, it is more accurate to say that no Our Revolution candidate flipped a red seat to blue

Although hopefully the recount in Florida will change that in the governor’s race.

Congrats to AOC on her victory!

[spooky3]

21. I would love to see that too. And for Nelson, and Abrams in GA

to eke our victories.

[lapucelle]

15. That's not the statement that was made. N/T

[spooky3]

17. That absolutely was the claim made, and it's false.

Now, if someone wants to argue whether Sanders’ touting had causal effect—or something else that was not said—that is a different matter.

[LisaM]

18. Okay, I think that's settled.

Let's agree to agree.

[spooky3]

19. Ari Melber just delivered a great segment

On why he thinks it was a Blue Wave—and could be even more obvious if our system weren’t distorted through gerrymandering and little red states’ being given the same number of Senators as big blue states. Definitely worth a watch if you didn’t see it and he puts it online.

[seaglass]

37. Bernie didn't endorse Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez. n/t

[Celerity]

33. Sander's himself won, and in the US House there were 10 Our Revolution endorsed winners

These are the OR endorsed in the House

https://ourrevolution.com/results/

Won10

Pramila Jayapal WA-7
Rashida Tlaib MI-13
Raul Grijalva AZ-3
Tulsi Gabbard HI-2
Chuy Garcia IL-4
Jamie Raskin MD-8
Ilhan Omar MN-5
Deb Haaland NM-1
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez NY-14
Veronica Escobar TX-16


Lost 22

Ammar Campa-Najjar CA-50
Audrey Denney CA-1
Sanjay Patel FL-8
Lisa Ring GA-1
J.D. Scholten IA-4 (he almost beat the Nazi Steve King)
James Thompson KS-4
Paul Walker KY-1
Ryan Trundle LA-4
Dr. Kyle Horton NC-7
Dana Balter NY-7
Tedra Cobb NY-21
Liuba Grechen Shirley NY-2
Jess King PA-11
Mary Smith Geren SC-3
Mike Siegel TX-10
Adrienne Bell TX-14
Linsey Fagan TX-26
Eric Holguin TX-27
James Singer UT-3
Jennifer Lewis VA-6
Anthony Flaccavento VA-9
Sarah Smith WA -9


Now, outside of the OR list there were some other Bernie affiliated or Bernie supporting groups that endorsed six House candidates who won (some were flips from Red to Blue)

https://heavy.com/news/2018/11/berniecrat-progressives-running-2018-elections/

Mike Levin CA-49 This was a Flip (Issa old seat) Endorsed by The Political Revolution and Progressive Change Campaign Committee

Jahana Hayes CT-5 first African-American woman to represent Connecticut in Congress Endorsed by Working Families Party

Ayanna Pressley MA-7 Beat the incumbent Democrat in the primary, won the general, First African-American woman to represent Massachusetts in Congress Endorsed by Justice Democrats, a group run by The Young Turks, Endorsed by The Political Revolution, Endorsed by the Working Families Party

Colin Allred TX-32 It was a flip Endorsed by The Political Revolution

Andy Levin MI-9 Endorsed by The Political Revolution, Progressive Change Campaign Committee, National Nurses United ((NNU) is the largest organization of registered nurses in the United States, were 100% Bernie in 2016 in the primaries

Andrew Kim NJ-3 flip Endorsed by The Political Revolution, Endorsed by the Working Families Party and Progressive Change Campaign Committee

Go to the link to see the losses

Obviously more losses than wins, but many of those were in ruby red districts including some where we don't even field a candidate sometimes.

[Nonhlanhla]

9. This is why I did not like him in 2016

Clueless when it comes to things like race or gender.

[ecstatic]

23. +1. nt

[Me.]

10. Less Than Blue Wavy

In fact, the Comrade Fat Boy lost more seats, across the board, in one day than any president since Nixon. And, how much help did he offer Halliquist? Any? At all?

Between that statement and the racist one, BS has passed his sell-by date. Is he still filling his pockets with fundraising cash?

[former9thward]

20. Not sure what "across the board" means.

At their first mid term both Clinton and Obama lost far more House seats. Don't know the figures on anything else. I would like to see them.

[Me.]

22. Across The Board Means

Congress, state houses and Govs.

[former9thward]

25. You must know them.

Why not provide them?

[Me.]

26. Have No Desire To Type Over 330 Names

the facts are the facts...look them up for yourself.

[former9thward]

27. Just provide the figures.

This year and from 2010 and 1994. Your are making the assertions.

[Me.]

28. Yes I am

and you're the one who wants the numbers everyone has been talking about. I'm not your secretary so look them up yourself.

[former9thward]

39. Nobody has made the statement except yourself.

Sorry, I don't trust claims from anonymous internet posters.

[Me.]

42. Too Bad You Haven't Been Listening

your problem, not mine

[Cha]

35. ..

Link to tweet

[LexVegas]

16. I have known about him for years. My eyes have been open.

Never fooled me.

[ecstatic]

24. But NOT uncomfortable with trump, a self avowed white nationalist who

divides the country, day in and day out, and separated thousands of families (in some cases permanently) at the border? Um... OK, Bernie. GMAFB. I hope he isn't seriously considering 2020.

[Lotusflower70]

29. Yeah whatever

Fuck that noise. Anyone that tries to justify and rationalize racism is a despicable POS.

[GulfCoast66]

30. Please. Anyone younger than 60 read the history of the progressive movement in America

And if you call yourselves a progressive please start calling yourselves what you really are...Liberal Democrats.

Start with the progressive Woodrow Wilson and end with Huey Long.

In that historical light this is not at all surprising.

My father left small town Louisiana due to the inherent racism. He lived the Long progressive era. No way in hell I will ever described myself as a progressive.

Call me a Liberal Democrat. Cal me a Social Democrat. Do not call me a progressive. I know the history

[Lunabell]

31. This is the definition of racism.

Bernie needs to retire.

[BlueSpot]

32. If you're uncomfortable voting for an African-American you are a racist

WTF, Bernie? It isn't that complicated.

[Cha]

34. David Corn on BS' statement..

Link to tweet

[betsuni]

36. I love David Corn!

[Cha]

38. I know.. he's like

Cool Dude for Democracy.

I enjoyed reading the replies to this.. lots of peeps are so over it.

[R B Garr]

40. David Corn telling it like it is. Sanders' statement is shocking

from someone who claims to be “progressive”. I’m glad to see reporters like Corn ready to call him on it rather than glossing over these insights into his true beliefs.

Hi Cha,

[Cha]

41. You're Welcome, RB..

Thank You!