HRC took 6 questions from the press today

[MaggieD]

As predicted, all 6 of them were of the "gotcha" variety. She won. Go HRC!

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/hillary-clinton-breaks-silence-28-days-avoiding-press/story?id=31150062

[eloydude]

1. In comparsion, Bernie speaks to the press every day

and has nothing to hide for weeks at a time.

[MaggieD]

4. Bernie needs the name recognition

His is pretty low right now. That's politics 101.

[sabrina 1]

11. Don't worry, each day we are making sure he gets that name recognition and each day more

people not only know him, (just got two more people on his team, very excited to have someone who actually speaks plainly and FOR THEM) but find him to be a rare commodity in the world of politics.

He will win the nomination. Every young person I know is excited to work for him. He speaks to them with respect, they say, he 'cares about what we care about'. Yes, he does and it shows.

Bernie answered many questions today on Wolf Blitzer. He didn't stop at 'we have a problem with inequality', he doesn't do that, we KNOW the problems, he offered solutions. Poor Wolf tried hard to keep to his Corporate Media script, but was just no match for Bernie. Beautiful to watch.

[MaggieD]

16. He's got a long way to go

And a lot of minds to change.

"On the Democratic side Hillary Clinton leads with 63% to 13% for Bernie Sanders, 6% for Jim Webb, 5% for Lincoln Chafee, and 2% for Martin O'Malley. Clinton's over 60% with liberals, moderates, women, whites, African Americans, and seniors and is at least over 50% with men, Hispanics, and young voters. Sanders continues to be the clear second choice among Democratic voters- 28% name him as their first or second choice with no one else in the second tier exceeding 11% on that measure."

http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2015/05/walker-still-leads-nationally-clinton-over-60.html#more

[OilemFirchen]

17. But he's on the Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman show every week!

"I can't talk now. I'm on the phone."

[sabrina 1]

18. In Jan that 13% was 3%. We are making progress in leaps and bounds. Hillary airc was over 80%

Don't worry, nothing succeeds like success and each day those polls are rising.

Very exciting, most exciting is how young people are working for him. Their energy on Social Media especially, is impressive.

It's their future, so they are very concerned with what the status quo has left for them to deal with.

OWS demonstrated how young people across the country instantly responded to what was supposed to be ONE CITY for just a few days.

They drew attention to the problems, now they have found a candidate.

Very exciting. Bernie is such an easy candidate to sell to people. I mean there is so little anyone can disagree with there.

[MaggieD]

21. Don't stop believing!

But honestly, he needs to broaden his audience beyond the disaffected. Otherwise he is probably at his ceiling of support.

[sabrina 1]

28. That would be a mistake, considering the 'disaffected' make up a massive majority of the American

people. Hillary needs to broaden HER audience beyond the elite, which is such a small portion of the voting public.

Any polls on Hillary V Bernie for the largest voting bloc in the country right now, the Independent Vote? No?

THAT will be Bernie's vote, the huge 'disaffected' Independent vote. And he knows it.

That vote is now between approx 42% and 46% of registered voters. Many of them former Dems and Repubs. No way will any of that vote go to the status quo, Wall St funded candidates. That is why they are Indies.

You are talking about the Democratic base vote. Which is approx 32%, unless Bernie brings back some of those 'disaffected' voters. Hillary cannot win with just approx, at this point, likely to go down in the future, 50% of 32% of registered voters.

Bernie is going AFTER that huge Disaffected vote now registered as Independents, and of course, Dems like me who never conceded MY party to the Third Way.

So, where are we, Hillary has approx 16% of the registered vote. Bernie's consituency, the Independent disaffected vote, hasn't been polled yet.

I'm thrilled with the numbers so far.

Big mistake to ignore the huge Disaffected vote. Both parties have polls lower than ever before in the history of polling. So you stick with the 'affected' vote, I'm happy Bernie has the vision to go after the enormous 'disaffected' vote.

And, just a tip, those old talking points, you know, the ones intended to demean the Left, wore out a long time ago. Somewhere back in the early bush years.

'Disaffected'! Lol! I remember that one from my right wing Bush supporting anti Liberal, adversaries back in about 2001. We 'disaffecteds' had the last laugh then too.

They need some new material is all I can say.

[MaggieD]

41. Don't stop believing!

He has got to be more than a one dimensional candidate to win. IMO. You say he doesn't. I am happy to agree to disagree.

[beaglelover]

57. If you're relying on the OWS crowd to make the difference in the 2016 POTUS election

you're delusional. OWS is not exactly held up as a success and that group certainly stayed on their asses in 2014 and did not vote. Good luck with that strategy.

[KittyWampus]

6. He has to because he has next to zero name recognition. LOLZ

[sabrina 1]

14. That can be a real problem too, depending on the 'recognition'. Bernie's name recognition is growing

every day. I personally have made sure that everyone I know across this country not only knows who he is, but gets to listen to him speak for himself, on the issues, answering questions, and make sure they see his voting record, and guess what, people are amazed they had not heard of him before, and that's just me. They will now tell their circle of friends and within a few months he will be a household word because we will make sure of it.

Social media makes this a whole lot easier too. And young people are amazing at spreading the word.

Not worried at all about his name recognition, people only have to hear him talk on the issues, look at his record and in my experience so far, they are hooked, excited, signing up to vote and spreading the word.

[leftofcool]

19. Yes, he is on some talk show day after day.

He needs his name out.

[BlindTiresias]

2. Who cares

Bernie is doing an AMA on Reddit and doing quite well. Wake me up when Hillary can pull that off.

[MaggieD]

3. Seemed like a lot of Bernie supporters cared yesterday

They started several threads on the topic. I thought they might be interested to hear that she took some (bullshit) questions from the press today. As predicted they were bullshit, of course.

[cali]

5. Bernie on reddit this afternoon

better tell your son and all his supposed 4,000 friends, that they're out of touch, Mags. Loads of college students and young people. Thousands joined him today and he answered all kinds of questions.

Hello Senator Sanders,

What is your stance on Universal Basic Income(UBI)? If in favor how do you see the United States progressing towards realizing UBI? If against, what alternatives come to your mind for combating rising inequality and poverty in the United States?

permalink

[–]bernie-sanders[S] 204 points 38 minutes ago

So long as you have Republicans in control of the House and the Senate, and so long as you have a Congress dominated by big money, I can guarantee you that the discussion about universal basic income is going to go nowhere in a hurry. But, if we can develop a strong grassroots movement which says that every man, woman and child in this country is entitled to a minimum standard of living -- is entitled to health care, is entitled to education, is entitled to housing -- then we can succeed. We are living in the richest country in the history of the world, yet we have the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major country and millions of people are struggling to put food on the table. It is my absolute conviction that everyone in this country deserves a minimum standard of living and we've got to go forward in the fight to make that happen.

permalinkparent

[–]the_ak 12 points 34 minutes ago

As a non American, please America elect this guy president. Please.

[bravenak]

9. Good answer.

[MaggieD]

12. Anyone that didn't know that already?

I mean he's right, but nothing he said is news. His solution is a grassroots movement? To what end? 72% of the public supports universal background checks on guns. We aren't getting that either.

[gratuitous]

15. Between the no news and the not getting

There has to be some talking. Universal basic income or universal background checks aren't a reality, and they will remain not a reality as long as nobody is talking about them. Oregon just passed a state law requiring background checks on every gun sale, joining 11 other states. Is it a national requirement? No. But 12 out of 50 states is not nothing.

Universal basic income is in a similar bind, and while it's not news, it's certainly not discussed in the news. A major party candidate who brings it up a few times is far more likely to move the needle off its zero peg. With discussions finally going on over raising the minimum wage and income inequality, universal basic income will become part of the national conversation if we get talking about it.

A magic wand would be a nice thing to have. Lacking that, however, we need people talking up issues that are important to us, spurring a movement by the grassroots. I'm sure we'd all like a faster method of achieving liberal goals, but one that doesn't involve tumbrels and guillotines.

[NYC Liberal]

36. Ron Paul did a Reddit AMA that had 15,000 responses.

What has the Paul administration been up to lately?

[cali]

39. Bernie isn't Ron. And Bernie has a U.S. Senate seat as long as he wants it

He is one of the most popular (with his constituency) Senators, with an approval rating of over 70% .

[NYC Liberal]

46. Not in policies he's not. But internet popularity does not equal electoral support.

Ron Paul would have been elected president in a landslide if you listened to the Internet. Same with Sanders.

Being popular in a small, 96%-white state also does not translate to popularity across the whole country. Hillary was elected senator twice in landslides in a very large, diverse state and was extremely popular there during her terms.

[cali]

47. uh, yes. his constituents agree with his policies. obviously

you seem to have a reading comprehension problem. and sorry, but there have been many MSM articles about how the public agrees with most of his policies.

Hillary is following Bernie on many issues though.

[NYC Liberal]

48. Yeah, 600,000 constituents. 70% approval means about 400,000.

That's just slightly larger than my neighborhood in my city. So it's great that is he well liked by his constituents, but it doesn't exactly predict anything about his prospects in the rest of the country.

Agreeing with general policies does not translate to electoral support. Sorry, but if that were the case then Congress would be full of Bernies.

[MaggieD]

52. Facts - gotta love them

[DURHAM D]

7. OH NOZ !

She must stop hogging the press.

[leftofcool]

20. Or "she's taking press away from Bernie."

[NYC_SKP]

8. Many of them questions asked of her in the past. Nothing new here. Link:

Here:

On emails, OMG please release them soon, she says, (but we'll never see 32,000 of them that she destroyed)

On the Family Foundation, all that stuff: "let the American people make their own judgments about that." (OK, we're doing just that)

She is still on the fence on the TPP, won't answer, needs to see it, it must grow jobs and wages (anywhere but here, apparently)

On having earned $30 Million since 2014, she said they remember their roots and want granddaughter to have chances to live up to her God-given potential. (shout out to all the zillionaire Christians)

On sleazy friends, she said "I have many old friends … I'm going to keep talking to my old friends no matter who they are."

On her Iraq Vote, OMG. Let. It. Go.! I made a boo boo, my bad!

http://www.nationaljournal.com/2016-elections/hillary-clinton-finally-takes-reporters-questions-in-iowa-20150519

[MaggieD]

10. Yep, they were all "gotcha" BS

Maybe that's why she doesn't pay much attention to "the media." Ya think?

Poor Bernie has to since his name recognition is so low among the general public.

[cherokeeprogressive]

23. Here's a more likely explanation of the Duck and Cover campaign strategy...

She knows the more she says the less people see her as "The Leader of the Free World".

It's pretty evident her strategists think so.

[Doctor_J]

25. I don't see any "gotcha" questions in there

How is "do you support TPP" a tough one?

Is she ever going to give a straight answer to any question?

[MaggieD]

26. That might be because....

You want them to ask "gotcha" questions. Every single question they asked her has been asked and answered by her before. They weren't looking for new info. They were looking for "gotcha." Poor babies came up empty.

[Doctor_J]

30. So she got questions that she's already answered. that sounds really rough!

And again, since she's never taken a side on the TPP, your post is bullshit.

[MaggieD]

34. They didn't ask her about the TPP

Maybe you should have clicked through on the link prior to commenting.

[Exilednight]

44. Sooooooo......

Iraq, with over 10000 dead service members is a gotcha question? Several of my friends from my time in the Army had to go fight a war based on lies because someone like Hillary didn't do her due diligence to determine the truth.

Two of my close friends died in that war. A close friend of mine from high school died in Iraq.

PLEASE, I beg of you, tell me how the fuck a question about her vote on Iraq where thousands of Americans died, is a "gotcha" question after she has given several different answers.

[F4lconF16]

55. Damn straight. Don't let them hide the bodies.

I am sorry about your friend.

[nadinbrzezinski]

56. Far from gotcha

her answer was I made mistakes, ok... but

The follow up should have been about the effects of that war, and ISIL. I almost expect US Troops in Iraq regardless of who is POTUS next, and not because of oil... but the hell we have helped to create there. Alas the media will not ask anything approaching that question.

And for the record, if we need to put boots on the ground... I want a no exceptions draft where even the OP's son has to face the prospect of going to war. No exceptions.

Ok I can see one. You are in college near graduation... you can finish college as an ROTC cadet... then your ass belongs to uncle sam. we will need officers. But that damn war of choice might very well become one of necessity. And none in our boot licking media ask those questions.

[TM99]

59. Compare and contrast this with

the AMA Sanders did on Reddedit.

[hrmjustin]

13. She handled them well.

The media is no match for Hillary.

[karynnj]

32. you liked her effectively blaming the State Department?

Secretary Kerry is unlikely to complain, but I don't know about others who worked for both of them.

She has put them in a terrible position and they are doing the right thing in handling everything in a way that might avoid embarrassing problems. In fact, even with great diligence there are likely to be some missed redactions.

[hrmjustin]

35. It is out of her hands and the justice deparment was ordered by a judge to speed it up.

[karynnj]

64. I think the Justice Department is not involved

The SD explained the process they are using to deal with the 55000 pages of paper they were given two years after HRC left office.

It seems clear to me that she had hoped they would never see the light of day. The SD had to convince her to give them to the department so they could comply with legal requests.

It is beyond hypocritical for her now to wring her hands that it is taking so long.

[MaggieD]

37. She was beloved at the State Department

... at least according to several people I know there, including one of my relatives who is a career diplomat for 30 years. I don't think you are on the right track with that.

[karynnj]

38. I am sure many did love her and I am sure others

Are not happy with this action.

[MaggieD]

40. They're aren't happy with republicans

... using it for political gain. That is probably true. State department employees tend to loathe republicans. Especially now given all the Benghazi bullshit.

[hrmjustin]

45. Well said!

[NYC Liberal]

22. It's interesting to watch so many here who have constantly criticized the media

(rightfully so) now insist how vital and important it is that a candidate grovel to them.

[MaggieD]

24. I agree - makes no sense

Or maybe it does. Bernie NEEDS the press because his name recognition is pretty low. She doesn't. And it pisses off the Bernie supporters that she has that advantage built in.

[NYC Liberal]

31. Exactly. And besides, why would supporters of one candidate

care so much about their opponent's campaign strategy?

[MaggieD]

33. They are running out of material to write a new screed about?

At least that is what it looks like to me.

[joshcryer]

42. It changes every other day.

Truly mental.

[karynnj]

27. in eyes. she LOST when she put the blame on the State Department

It is beyond pathetic that after not routinely giving the State Department business emails on a regular basis and then not handing any over when she left, that she now says it should be expidited.

The State Department had to negotiate last year to get them and she took 6 months and gave them as 55000 pieces of paper. There is no excuse for not giving them electronically. Had she done that, they would not have had to spend 5 weeks laboriously scanning them.

Not to mention the first thing they did was organize them to get the Libya ones to the committee which even with this complained it was slow.

This is her mess. The fact is that she hid her email from FOIA throughout her term and made it possible for the State Department under Kerry. They initiated the process and fought to get them. It was only when it became a problem that HRC decided that she could solve her political problem by tweeting that they all should be released.

This means they all have to be carefully processed to avoid the problems Jeb had ,only worse given her then position. Note that there are 12 people working full time for most of a year on this and there are others that will be called on as well. All because HRC did this.

On top of all of that is the reality that even if the SD DOES a perfect job with what they have, there is the issue of the fact that her team did the initial sort. Note this was done 2 years after the fact. Hindsight is always good and I doubt people will not question that things that look bad were deleted.

[MaggieD]

29. Oh come on....

That's just right wing talking points. Nobody who doesn't already hate her cares one bit about her email. No more than they cared that Colin Powell used a private email when he was SoS.

[Purveyor]

43. This resulted in many how 'head nods' I wonder. Someone needs

to get her to stop that.

It is annoying and distracting. Reminds me of a bobblehead doll in the back window of a car going down the road.

Just saying...

[Lil Missy]

49. And it didn't make a bit of difference, for or against

Those who support her still support her, and those against her won't support her no matter how many hoops she jumps through for them.

[MaggieD]

51. Exactly

She is smart to give them very little. Truth be told, most of them are assholes anyway. As I am sure Bernie will also find out.

[nadinbrzezinski]

50. Well pigs do fly

though I would expect the press to ask actual, hard policy questions, from all the clowns running for the WH, including her. These were the whiffle balls that do not belong in a working democracy. That said, to worry, two of the candidates sent their balls down a foul line even with these whiffle balls.

That said, I would like it if they should ask about trade, when the answer is not good enough, a follow up is in order. And that was the closest to a nerf ball today.

(Taking umbrella out, forecast calls for pigs flying and one does not want to be caught out there with pig shit falling from the sky without an umbrella)

Now back to that report on policing in the 21st century...

[MaggieD]

53. Oh come on....

You're just pissed that HRC was right to ignore them since they are such morons anyway. I know you wish Bernie could, too.

[nadinbrzezinski]

54. I would prefer to have been surprised

that they actually asked a hard ball question. This, as hard as you try, is not about HRC but a very dysfunctional media system... access, it is about access.

I expect nothing less from our dysfunctional media. And just becuase I do not agree with you 99.999999 percent of the time (WATCH OUT FOR THAT LARGE PIG NOW), it does not mean I have endorsed Bernie. The only one to be endorsed in this race is big money.

Oh and I will add, we have not been a working functional democracy for a while now. I know it... so one clown or the other makes little difference. One is a road to hell very fast, the other on the slow lane.

[GeorgeGist]

58. Amazing!

[Doctor_J]

60. Here would have been some tough questions

You've said that you want to reduce the debt that college students face upon graduation. Senator Sanders says we could pay for college for everyone by placing a tax on stock transactions. Would you consider such a measure, and do you believe it is worth finding a way to make college a right?

Senator Sanders is in favor of healthcare for all as a right. You used to be, but now favor the president's mandatory for-profit approach. Why did you change, and how do you intend to improve the for-profit model without alienating the Big Insurance executives?

Let me know when one of her friends in the corporate media launches one like that.

[MaggieD]

61. But the press doesn't ask questions like that....

Which is why she ignores them quite a bit.

Here record on college affordability is good. She actually helped write and pass some important bills on the issue when she was in the senate. I believe she was one of the first to push for student loan repayment as a percentage of income.

http://correctrecord.org/hillary-clinton-on-college-affordability/

[Doctor_J]

62. So she got softball questions today. Which is what I said. And the opposite of what your OP said.

[MaggieD]

63. Softball?

No, they were just dumb gotcha shit. That no one really gives a shit about because she has already answered them before.