Sanders defends campaign, accuses Nevada Democrats of bias

[w4rma]

Source: Politico

In a lengthy statement, Sanders offered a broad rebuke of violence and harassment of any kind, but he put his focus elsewhere: accusing state party leaders of holding a biased convention intended to tip the scales in Hillary Clinton's favor.

Sanders laid out a list of grievances against Nevada party leaders, and took issue with a letter they sent to the DNC saying the Sanders campaign has a "penchant for violence."

"That is nonsense. Our campaign has held giant rallies all across this country, including in high-crime areas, and there have been zero reports of violence. Our campaign of course believes in non-violent change and it goes without saying that I condemn any and all forms of violence, including the personal harassment of individuals," Sanders said.

The Vermont senator went on to list its set of charges against the Nevada Democratic Party at the convention.

"The chair of the convention announced that the convention rules passed on voice vote, when the vote was a clear no-vote. At the very least, the Chair should have allowed for a headcount," Sanders continued. "The chair allowed its Credentials Committee to en mass rule that 64 delegates were ineligible without offering an opportunity for 58 of them to be heard. That decision enabled the Clinton campaign to end up with a 30-vote majority. The chair refused to acknowledge any motions made from the floor or allow votes on them. The chair refused to accept any petitions for amendments to the rules that were properly submitted."

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/nevada-democratic-convention-wasserman-schultz-223271

[BillZBubb]

1. The Nevada Hillcrats are the ones to blame. They rigged the game.

The chairman was a disgrace and no decent, honest person could defend the crap she pulled.

[LovingA2andMI]

22. THIS!!!

The chairman was a disgrace and no decent, honest person could defend the crap she pulled.

[Gman]

38. I don't know what it's got to do with Hillary

Any more than the behavior of Sanders delegates was endorsed by him.

It has to do with the chair having enough votes to what he/she wanted to get done what they wanted. Nothing personal.

I'd say offhand that it sounds like Ssnders delegates weren't very up on Roberts Rules of Order. If you know those rules well you may not control a convention but you can sure make it hard to pass things. .

[Scootaloo]

50. Then you are clearly very unaware of the situation

People are allowed to get angry when they're being jerked around.

[Rockyj]

87. Its called a "Stochastic Smearjob" by Hillary shills

& DNC! FIRE Debbie Wasserman Schultz NOW!

[cantbeserious]

48. ^^^ This ^^^

eom

[840high]

49. .that^

[arcane1]

51. Exactly. All else is a distraction from this very fact!

[billhicks76]

52. Never Trust A Clinton

Its a literal maxim by now...right up there with never believe a Bush. It makes sense given their alliance.

[AngryOldDem]

79. +1,000,000

You don't jerk around with the rules and expect people to be okay with that.

Just another example of the high disdain and condescension the party hacks at the DNC and state levels hold for their constituents.

[Vote2016]

85. +10000000000000000000000000000000 for this ^

[Duval]

2. At the very least, this is not the party I joined in 1960!

Sanders is right and the Third Way strikes again. Thanks for the post, w4rma.

[pengu]

3. They cheated and then whined about the reaction they instigated

Sanders response is exactly right.

[Gman]

41. They instigated?

It's their fault Sanders delegates were assholes?

[pengu]

44. It's their fault they brazenly cheated

[cui bono]

89. Wait, so the cheaters aren't assholes? n/t

[Gman]

92. No, no, no. We don't redirect here

So you're saying the Sanders behavior was justified?

[cui bono]

94. Are you talking about the actual behavior or the behavior Hillary supporters are projecting on them?

Because there has been actual violence by Hillary supporters waged against both Bernie's campaign and his supporters. There was even a male Hillary supporter who physically assaulted a woman just because she's a Bernie supporter.

Do you condone that?

.

[Gman]

95. Ok, you don't see it and you're justifying it

Bye bye. You're hopeless when you defend the Sanders delegates behavior.

[cui bono]

98. Again I ask, are you talking about the made up behavior or the actual behavior?

If you won't tell me which you are talking about I cannot address it.

.

[Progressive dog]

4. They are biased so it's Okay with Bernie if

they try to intimidate everyone else at the convention. That's not democracy.

[dubyadiprecession]

5. There is a lesson to be learned by the DNC...

Don't allow non democratic candidates (socialist for one) to run in future democratic primaries.

[mindwalker_i]

6. Translation:

don't allow people who hold actual democratic values in the race, and don't let people who actually believe in democratic principles to vote. Especially when their preferred candidate is a republican in terms of her positions and wealth.

[concreteblue]

7. ^^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^

+ 1,000

[laserhaas]

13. Yup.....+ 1001

[Oldtimeralso]

17. Agree + 1002

[Laser102]

9. We will be happy to have you register as a democrat. Join the party!

[nenagh]

29. Absolutely agree...

Well said

[Gman]

43. No. Translation:

Join the effing Democratic Paryy if you want to run.

[mindwalker_i]

45. Uhm, he did?

[Gman]

91. I've yet to hear him say he's a Democrat

Only that the Democratic Party is the only viable way he has to run.

[mindwalker_i]

93. He is registered as a democrat

Moe importantly, he actually has democratic values.

[OwlinAZ]

66. absolutely the crux of the matter

[AngryOldDem]

80. THIS

[fasttense]

18. Oh that is one ridiculous statement

Since when do a Democrats keep out people who want to be Democrats?

Joe Libermaan was allowed into the party and he was a VP nominee. Many a RepubliCON was allowed to run as a Democrat. Yet when they come from the left suddenly it's all "Oh we can't take members from other parties, oh no it will hurt us". Oh we can't have liberals in the Democratic party.

Since when have Democrats acted so much like RepubliCONS and acted all so exclusive?

[Laser102]

21. I really don't see why it's so difficult to register if you want to vote. What is the problem?

[w4rma]

25. They had to have been registered to vote, the very first time, in the Nevada caucus.

Obviously they were registered. Somehow they became unregistered, afterwards.

[ReRe]

58. It is my understanding that they DID pre-register...

... and when they got to the convention, their registrations had been disappeared. I don't know if the facts of the Nevada State Democratic Convention of 2016 will ever truly be known. I personally wish that an independent investigation could be done to get to the bottom of the debacle. Violence should not be tolerated, nor should shoddy railroading DNC leadership.

[zentrum]

65. Good point.

[raindaddy]

27. Here's the lesson..

The big mistake the Democratic Party made was allowing 3rd way republicans to take over the party and exchange FDRs Policies for Reagen's?

The second lesson the DNC needs to learn is outside their shrinking bubble Hillary Clinton is not only not seen as trustworthy, she's not well liked.
And if they lose even a percentage of the millions of Sanders supporters they'll find themselves a dying marginalized party representing 20% of the public with no hope for the future after their mostly old fart base dies off.

[frylock]

56. I think the DNC is in store for several hard lessons.

I don't believe that they will learn much, however.

[ripcord]

61. Bernies supporters might make sure they learn their lessons at the convention

Might have to stock up on popcorn for Philadelphia.

[AngryOldDem]

82. Nope. They won't.

Willful ignorance.

[AngryOldDem]

81. No. Just corporatist, hawkish shills...

...so we all can continue to bitch that nothing ever changes.

Right. Got it.

Your post shows exactly what is wrong with the party right now.

[Nihil]

84. On the plus side ...

They are burning through their supply of sleeper trolls these days ...

240 posts in the previous 14 years, 393 in the last 3 months:

Member since: 2002
Number of posts: 632
Number of posts, last 90 days: 393
Favorite forum: General Discussion: Primaries, 278 posts in the last 90 days (71% of total posts)
Favorite group: Hillary Clinton, 41 posts in the last 90 days (10% of total posts)

No wonder we're seeing so many dubious new registrations - they're running
out of old accounts to dust off ...

[Vote2016]

86. Heaven forbid the Democratic grassroots support FDR's legacy over corporate neolib-neocon oligarchy

[cui bono]

96. The only "non democratic" candidate in this race is the one who is (Republican for one)

[Kingofalldems]

8. President Obama disagrees:

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/280213-white-house-political-disputes-never-justify-violence

Is he a republican too?

[w4rma]

10. What, specifically, does Obama disagree with? He has different priorities, but no disagreement. (nt)

[elljay]

11. Yes, by his own admission

http://thehill.com/policy/finance/272957-obama-says-his-economic-policies-so-mainstream-hed-be-seen-as-moderate-republican-in-1980s

[Kingofalldems]

12. Obama pointed out how far to the right the republicans went.

He in no way is a republican.

Good try though.

[elljay]

14. Just because the Republicans have gone further to the right

doesn't change the fact that Obama and Hillary are the equivalent of Nixon in terms of policies. Those of us who remember what the word liberal means and what it meant to be a Democrat before the party was moved to the right know the difference. I want the Democratic Party to go back to being the progressive, populist part it used to be instead of the corporatist, center-right party it is now. So, yes, to me and to other progressives, Obama and Hillary are your basic Nelson Rockefeller, Jacob Javits, Lowell Weicker 60s Republicans.

[Enthusiast]

16. Huge +1!

[raindaddy]

36. Well said!

And actually I think Weicker was more progressive than Clinton and Obama

[pokerfan]

55. This is the problem with Third Way

The further this party moves to the right, the farther right the Repugs move.

[arcane1]

53. And he moved rightward to the space they once occupied. By definition, that's a move to the right.

You can't be so stupid as to pretend that's not the case.

[JDPriestly]

37. On some issues he is closer to the Republicans of an earlier era than to the Democrats

of that time.

Eisenhower was just about as liberal as Obama is.

[Kingofalldems]

46. Really the issue to me is how radically right the republicans got-

hell they campaigned on SS and were actually somewhat pro union back in the day.

[JDPriestly]

47. True

[FlatBaroque]

15. Never Back Down From Bullies.

[NuclearDem]

19. Aw, adorable.

You still think you're the ones being bullied.

[JDPriestly]

34. At the Nevada Convention, it was the party leaders who were the bullies.

They did not allow the Bernie supporters to bring motions or speak as they should have.

And then, although the group was nearly evenly divided, they held a voice vote and did not allow a recount or even try to appear to make a fair individual count.

The Hillaryites demonstrated that they are lousy organizers and do not value fairness at that Nevada convention.

I hope they can do better in the future.

When you think you are ahead, you have a special responsibility to be inclusive and gracious to others.

That strategy, that morality, that sense of fairness was completely missing at the Nevada convention. And the lack of those qualities was not the fault of the Bernie people who were not even allowed to speak up or meaningfully participate.

[OwlinAZ]

67. Perty politics are diabolical

The Clintonites have more practice being diabolical and vicious.

[johnp3907]

20. He's an idiot.

[ejbr]

30. Says the random person

on the Internet without substantiation. Excellent syntax, however.

[rladdi]

23. Bernie has hijacked the Democratic Party and will cause it to be defeated in November. He is like

the Tea Party that hijacked the GOP. But Bernie's action is even worst. The Democrats had the chance to win over the Senate and maybe the House in November, but he has destroy that action now.

[JDPriestly]

32. The Nevada convention was completely dominated by the Hillaryites.

How in the world could anyone claim that Bernie hijacked anything when Bernie supporters were not allowed to bring motions or speak.

This is Hillary's problem. Not Bernie's.

Hillary had a democracy problem. She can't tolerate it. She can't let others speak.

Think of her difficulty in being civil with Black Lives Matter, with Greenpeace and other groups. This is Hillary's problem, not Bernie's.

Someone pointed out to me today that Bernie was trained in non-violence in CORE as a young man. He is non-violent. It's the Hillary people who do not allow others to speak or participate. That incites violences.

[ejbr]

33. Thanks for that prediction

Any lottery numbers?

[Hotler]

40. ......

Welcome to Du, enjoy your stay. again.....

[ReRe]

57. Well... I will say you are a feisty new DUer...

... to have the nerve to say Bernie "hijacked the Democratic party." No, no. no. no. WJC/HRC are the ones who did the hijacking of the Democratic Party back around 1992, officially. Look it up. Good place to start is Al From, the Koch brothers and the DLC.

How on earth has Bernie assured a failure of winning back the House and the Senate in November? I disagree. I estimate that the House and Senate will gain in Democrats in November, and at mid-term of a Bernie Administration the Democratic fix will be back in for a Democratic majority for many years to come.

Welcome to DU.

[Nyan]

73. ...

[cui bono]

90. No, Bill Clinton hijacked the Dem Party when he accepted and pushed the DLC.

Bernie and liberals are trying to get it back to fighting for the people instead of the corporations.

.

[Gman]

24. It's called the power of the chair.

If you don't like the way the chair rules someone should have run against and hear the chair.

Sounds like some people got schooled in Convention Politics 101.

[JDPriestly]

31. That is what the Bernie delegates wanted to do -- at least be free to speak their

opinions about the rules. But they were not allowed the time to speak or raise motions.

That is precisely what the argument was about. The organizers of the Nevada convention did not give opportunities for Bernie supporters to participate meaningfully or speak.

If this is how Hillary wants to organize this country, count me out.

There is a joke going around in California that if Trump is elected, we will all move to Mexico because then there will be a wall to keep Trump out.

Maybe that joke should apply if Hillary wins too. I do not like the dictatorial stink that permeated the Nevada convention.

I realize that they may have made their rules before they realized that Hillary would face a strong challenger, but that convention (at least what I saw of it on videos) was not democratic in the slightest.

When you have a large crowd separated in its opinion on a motion by at the most 30 votes, you do not hold a voice vote. You have to count the votes.

The organizers of the event should be fired.

With power goes responsibility, and they bore their responsibility very irresponsibly.

[anigbrowl]

62. I'm not a big fan of rule changes once proceddings are underway

That's why the Constitution has a provision that members of Congress can't increase their compensation for the incumbent congress, only for one where an election has taken place in the meantime. I think it's just bizarre that Sanders supporters were unhappy with simple rules like requiring that delegates be members of the Democratic party as of May 1 2016. From what I've read so far, the proposed rule changes were absurd on their face and appeared to be rooted in tantrum logic.

[JDPriestly]

63. The Sanders delegates proposed Roberts Rules of Order.

Roberts Rules of Order are not absurd on their face. They are routine and prevent a lot of discord and unfairness.

[anigbrowl]

68. So what?

My understanding is that there was a vote on the ruleset that was conducted by paper ballot first thing in the morning, and it seems the Sanders people were not prepared for this. What the Sanders delegates proposed as an alternative seems irrelevant, since the window for making that decision had already closed.

By the way that understanding is based on the timeline of events in the Bernie Sanders for President Reddit group, so don't try accuse me of being taken in by the media or some bullshit. It seems to me that if Sanders delegates didn't have their act together to be in the convention hall at the opening of business that's their problem.

[JDPriestly]

70. Should Hillary be the candidate, this kind of rigidity and exclusivity will make it that

much harder for her to win in November.

This "victory" for Hillaryites was hardly worth it.

[anigbrowl]

71. Being organized is a necessity for winning elections, and for governance. nt

[JDPriestly]

72. And the Nevada primary was very poorly organized.

You could not run a church social like that.

The way to organize that meeting would have been for the leading Hillary supporters to meet with the leading Bernie supporters and agree in advance on the rules. The Hillary supporters should have made sure that Bernie supporters had a say not just in the organization and schedule of the convention but in the rules about, say, when a voice vote needs a count because it is nearly 50/50.

I grew up in a minister's family. Managing a church involves dealing with dissenters, haters (yes), troublemakers and lots of lovely people. Even lovely people get angry and fly off the handle. The leaders of the Nevada convention could not have organized a church supper. Absolutely an incompetent bunch. Sorry. They had no tact.

I think they purposely tried to stir up trouble.

I suggest that Hillary and her supporters read the book, Non-Violent Communication by Rosenberg. They are going to need the skills that are taught there.

[PBass]

75. You believe party officials in NV would let people from out of state decide how to run their caucus?

Not very realistic. Would you suggest that all the states let Clinton and Sanders tell them what their rules will be?

[anigbrowl]

97. I disagree

The credentials committee which rejected the 64 delegates was composed of an equal number of Hillary and Bernie supporters and a joint chair. It's particularly amusing that you think it is Hillary supporters who need to read a book on non-violent communication. It's plain that the Sanders campaign was disorganized, given the failure of hundreds of delegates to even show up, but somehow you manage to put the blame for that on everyone else.

[pnwmom]

74. The time wasn't there. As it was, they ran 4 hours over the time and the hotel

called for the police to kick them out for trespass.

[JDPriestly]

26. What I saw from the videos told me that the Nevada Democratic Party committee

that organized the event chose rules that were intended to silence and frustrate any dissent or an expression of opinion by those who opposed the opinions of the committee.

That's lousy, undemocratic organization.

Hillary's campaign and the Nevada Democratic Party need to apologize to Bernie voters.

[SusanCalvin]

54. And not only that, it's stupid.

Probably did not change anything much, but it made them look like jerks. It would have cost the Nevada PTB nothing to be gracious. But no....

[LiberalFighter]

28. The only way Sanders would consider the Nevada Democrats unbias

is if instead of the committees being split evenly between both campaigns would be if only Sanders's delegates were on the committees.

Except for a few, most of those 64 delegates did not even show up. Even Sanders' campaign couldn't locate them. In fact, 23% of Sanders' delegates from the county convention didn't even show up to the state convention.

[ejbr]

35. Now if you'll

address the concerns at hand.

[LiberalFighter]

39. Sanders doesn't have a leg to stand on with the issues he presented.

[ejbr]

42. That clarification did little to

convince me. But thanks for "trying"

[modestybl]

59. The NV Dems rig a convention, complete with a goon squad and blame Sanders?

Sanders is showing the Dems what a real leader is all about. Not accepting the b.s. story from the Clinton crowd. Those Chicago-style cops cordoning off the stage were in an excellent position to arrest anyone causing violence. They didn't, because it didn't happen.

But that is not going to stop "Correct the Record" squad from spewing their garbage all over social media..

[KoKo]

60. Bernie doesn't need to apologize to David Brock's Well Funded Machine!

And Sander's Campaign Manager, Jeff Weaver, made TOAST of the David Brock "Super Pak" Lies...On Air Today!

[Darb]

64. The tin foil hats are strong in this thread.

Loosen em up, bernies. You could get a tumor.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

69. Hillary learned from the Bush family that cheating is fine if you win.

[silvershadow]

76. Good. nt

[silvershadow]

77. K&R

[Stryguy]

78. Here's your thrown chair

[img][/img]

[Snarkoleptic]

83. Please stop posting this debunked junk ALL OVER DU.

I'm astonished that the "thrown chair" is such a focus, in light of the mischief of the party chair.
https://mobile.twitter.com/Bernie4People/status/732619789424832512/video/1

[d_legendary1]

88. Thanks for reminding us that Sanders kicked ass in Oregon

You have my thanks!