Ali Velshi just said Bernie Sanders will deliver the Dem rebuttal to Trump tonite

[CatWoman]

[nolabear]

1. I posted the same Whaaaaa?

I don't get it.

[dogman]

2. That's what he said.

I had seen earlier that he would be giving a response. Ted Lieu is giving one for VoteVets also.

[dogman]

12. He has clarified somewhat on twitter.

Link to tweet

[Dennis Donovan]

3. I think he's doing his own rebuttal?

...nothing "official". I'm glad he's doing it!

[jodymarie aimee]

4. excellent choice

love him

[NurseJackie]

5. Chosen by whom? Perhaps he's giving "a" rebuttal...

... I'd be surprised (and disappointed) of the Democratic Party chose him to give the Democratic rebuttal.

[nolabear]

8. That's what it is. Social media. I'm fine with that along as they're congruent.

If there are going to be a bunch of Democratic responses it's a chance to show unity across the party. They'd be smart to do that.

[NurseJackie]

11. Ahh... okay. Lots of confusion and incomplete information.

[Paladin]

7. A genuine Democrat should deliver the Democratic response.

Bernie doesn't qualify.

[DUgosh]

9. He's not a dem

He cannot run in dem primary under new rules. Let him make his own party

[dogman]

10. Quick explainer.

From Wikipedia:
"As an independent, Sanders worked out a deal with the Senate Democratic leadership in which he agreed to vote with the Democrats on all procedural matters unless Democratic Whip Dick Durbin agreed that he need not (a request rarely made or granted). In return, he was allowed to keep his seniority and received the committee seats that would have been available to him as a Democrat; in 2013–14, he was chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs (during the Veterans Health Administration scandal).[145][146]

Sanders became the ranking minority member on the Senate Budget Committee in January 2015; he had previously been chair of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee for two years. Since January 2017, he has been Chair of the Senate Democratic Outreach Committee.[146] He appointed economics professor Stephanie Kelton, a modern monetary theory scholar and self-described "deficit owl", as the chief economic adviser for the committee's Democratic minority[147] and presented a report aimed at helping "rebuild the disappearing middle class", which included proposals to raise the minimum wage, boost infrastructure spending, and increase Social Security payments.[148]

According to his senate website, Sanders's other committee assignments during 2016 were as follows:[149]

Committee on the Budget (Ranking Member)
Committee on Environment and Public Works
Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety
Subcommittee on Green Jobs and the New Economy
Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
Subcommittee on Energy
Subcommittee on National Parks
Subcommittee on Water and Power
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Subcommittee on Children and Families
Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging, (Ranking Member)
Committee on Veterans' Affairs (former Chair)
Caucus memberships
Sanders was only the third senator from Vermont to caucus with the Democrats, after Jeffords and Leahy. His caucusing with the Democrats gave them a 51–49 majority in the Senate during the 110th Congress in 2007–08. The Democrats needed 51 seats to control the Senate because Vice President Dick Cheney would have broken any tie in favor of the Republicans.[150] He is a member of the following caucuses:

Congressional Progressive Caucus
Democratic Caucus of the United States Senate
United States Senate Afterschool Caucus[151]"


Note
"Since January 2017, he has been Chair of the Senate Democratic Outreach Committee."

[redstatebluegirl]

17. Exactly, he does not. He has become a media hog since 2016.

[Kingofalldems]

6. On Facebook is my understanding.

[SidDithers]

13. Democrats Schumer and Pelosi are delivering the Democratic response...

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) will be delivering his own response, streaming on Facebook and Youtube.

Sid

[DUgosh]

14. Because he is not a Dem

[dlk]

15. How Can Bernie Speak for Democrats When He Refuses to Join the Party?

[NurseJackie]

16. He can't. It's on Facebook... it's not a real rebuttal with the same exposure or stature, but...

... I guess it makes his supporters happy.

[Demsrule86]

18. Or it could be some sort of fundraiser too.

[NurseJackie]

20. You're probably correct. Ugh.

It's unclear to me if the Democratic Party actually assigned (or approved) this "rebuttal" of his, or if he's going rogue and just doing it on his own.

I do wonder though, what it is he thinks he can add to the discussion that Pelosi and Schumer can't. Will it really make a difference? I certainly hope that it doesn't end up being a self-serving publicity "rebuttal" for vanity purposes. It would be a shame if it did.

The last thing I'm curious about... WHY was it originally announced as "Bernie Sanders Chosen to Give the Democratic Rebuttal" (gee whiz! what a misleading headline!!) It was amusing to see the taunting which ensued almost immediately... but when things became clearer, the crowing stopped and the crickets started chirping.

Anyway, I guess all I'm trying to say is that I'll be very disappointed if it is just a fundraiser ploy, or if he uses the venue to slam and smear Democrats. (Fingers crossed that he doesn't.)

[MrsCoffee]

19. Not quite. He is doing his own thing.

As usual.