Bernie Sanders at a Crossroads: Attack Hillary Clinton or Stay Positive?

[ProudToBeLiberal]

Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and his top advisers will gather here on Wednesday to confront a decision that will have lasting consequences for his presidential campaign and his political image: whether to open a new, tougher line of advertising against his rival Hillary Clinton in the closing days of the race for Iowa.

The meeting comes as both campaigns acknowledge that Mrs. Clinton has pulled slightly ahead in polling for the Iowa caucuses on Monday. Some advisers to Mr. Sanders believe he can win here only by drawing sharper contrasts with her, especially by emphasizing her ties to Wall Street.

The senator has prided himself on running an inspiring, issue-oriented campaign, and he speaks often of how he is not interested in tearing Mrs. Clinton down.

But the decision he is now grappling with echoes questions voiced by his supporters as Mr. Sanders finds himself within striking distance of Mrs. Clinton in Iowa: Does he have the stomach to directly attack her, and potentially defeat her, or will he be satisfied having injected important issues into the race and preserving his well-earned reputation for eschewing negative campaigning?

More at http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/01/28/us/politics/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-iowa.html?referer=https://www.google.com/

Bernie Sanders has proudly claimed that he has never run a negative ad in his political career. He promises that he would never go negative against his opponents. Seems like he is planning to flip flop and attack Hillary Clinton with negative ads. Not only is he sacrificing his long held principles, but it shows a tinge of desperation. How many more flip flops will we see from Bernie Sanders before the end of the week?

[virtualobserver]

1. How can an ad about her wall st. ties be a negative ad?

She is having huge fundraisers or "galas" with them this week and next. Is that negative in your mind? Is she wrong for getting money from them?

[ProudToBeLiberal]

4. he pledged not to go negative. this is what he said in the past:

I’ve never run a negative political ad in my life…I believe in serious debates on serious issues. I’ve known Hillary Clinton for 25 years. Maybe I shouldn’t say this. I like Hillary Clinton. I respect Hillary Clinton.

Will the media, among others, allow us to have a civil debate on civil issues? Or is the only way you get media attention by ripping apart somebody else?

Looks like he is going to break his promises. He's compromising his principles.

[virtualobserver]

5. What is negative about pointing out her latest trip to get more cash from wall st.?

Is she wrong for doing that?

[ProudToBeLiberal]

6. Are you pulling my strings? if you read the article, they talked about this. nt

[virtualobserver]

12. Sorry, but if telling the truth about the enormous amount of money that wall st....

has given her is off limits, it pushes the very limit of absurdity.

It would be a "negative" ad if it weren't true. It is so embarrassingly true that it boggles the mind, and yet she goes back this week to refill the trough during the last week in Iowa, bad optics and all, when she could be campaigning....why?...because she desperately needs their help.

[ProudToBeLiberal]

18. A promise is a promise. Bernie said he would run a positive campaign. He's going back on his word. n

[virtualobserver]

21. So you admit that Hillary's ties to wall st are inappropriate and negative?

[ProudToBeLiberal]

22. This is about Bernie Sanders and his broken pledge. You are trying to pass the buck. nt

[virtualobserver]

24. Bullshit. Did he make a pledge against telling the truth about Hillary's negative actions?

The truth about Hillary is negative. Bernie is not responsible for that.

By your standard, Bernie is not allowed to tell the truth about Hillary.

[ProudToBeLiberal]

26. He promised a positive and uplifting campaign. He's breaking his promises and going negative. nt

[virtualobserver]

27. The theme of his campaign is that big money is corrupting politics

and he wants that corruption to stop. Pointing out that corruption is positive....and Hillary doesn't get a free pass.

[ProudToBeLiberal]

28. He's also running as a person who hasn't changed a position in over 40 years.

He talks about how he is the same person today as he was 40 years ago. He says he is a man of principles and that he sticks to his positions. He is clearly compromising who he is as an individual to score aome political points.

[virtualobserver]

30. Why is telling the truth about Hillary a compromise?

Billionaires and Wall St. trying to buy elections is the core problem with our political system.

[Fumesucker]

34. What is negative about Hillary doing fundraisers?

Everyone does fundraisers, even Bernie.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

46. SHe does fundraisers with our enemies.

Bernie does fundraisers with our friends.

[AgingAmerican]

42. You just don't want to hear the truth about your candidate

If the truth is bad it's on her.

[Art_from_Ark]

8. I've finally figured out your user name

It's short for "Proud To Be always dissing the most Liberal candidate"

[ProudToBeLiberal]

10. i supported Howard Dean in 2004. nt

[Art_from_Ark]

11. So what?

That was 12 years ago. You constantly post crap about Bernie now, in 2016. Blech.

[ProudToBeLiberal]

15. please don't denigrate my memories of Howard Dean. ty.

[Art_from_Ark]

17. Please don't denigrate the most liberal candidate in this race

That's Bernie, by the way.

[ProudToBeLiberal]

19. Did you support Dennis Kucinich in 2004? nt

[Art_from_Ark]

23. Yes, I did.

But I never had a chance to vote for him.
And I never made OP after OP dissing the other candidates, either.

[ProudToBeLiberal]

25. Did you support Ralph Nader over Al Gore in 2000? nt

[hobbit709]

35. And just yesterday you bragged about having 35 posts in the Bernie group.

And now you put up post after post slamming Bernie.

[frylock]

44. Are you now, or have you ever been...?

[Orrex]

38. AUTOMATED MESSAGE: Results of your Jury Service

Mail Message
On Wed Jan 27, 2016, 08:12 AM an alert was sent on the following post:

I've finally figured out your user name
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=1074653

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

Personal attack.

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Wed Jan 27, 2016, 08:19 AM, and the Jury voted 2-5 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Tough one but they were making a point, one they believe and you may disagree. 'Better to know your adversary.
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #3 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #4 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: A great example of childish name-calling, but it's nowhere near hide-worthy.

Leave it.


Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: It's no worse than all the other crap being posted lately. Leave it alone.
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Personal attack? Lol

Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future.

[beam me up scottie]

47. Boy that happens a lot in the op's threads.

Good jury but it should have been another 7-0 verdict.

[AtomicKitten]

2. "I never did give them hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was hell."

[virtualobserver]

7. Telling the truth about Hillary is apparently "negative".

What does that tell you about her?

[AtomicKitten]

9. It indicates her candidacy is a house of cards.

[frylock]

45. Posting video of Hillary speaking words and stating positions is apparently negative.

[Kentonio]

3. He needs to stay the course he's on.

It's working fine, going negative would hurt not help.

[Warren DeMontague]

13. Some here seem to think that stuff like mentioning the IWR vote is "attacking" & "going negative"

it's not, it's talking honestly about the record.

[TCJ70]

32. As I've posted before...

...the truth is neither positive or negative. If what someone is saying is factually accurate, it just is.

[Warren DeMontague]

33. Zactiy.

[islandmkl]

14. the Disingenuousness is running strong lately...

In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act.
- George Orwell

It is time for the revolution.

[ProudToBeLiberal]

16. i think the revolution will be on hold for a while. nt

[islandmkl]

20. maybe...

but sometimes 'while' comes around sooner than one might anticipate...

and usually those who don't think it can possibly come...don't see it coming...

[mikehiggins]

29. Negative ads

are not ads that point out a specific flaw or problem with a candidate. Let's say, for example, candidate A was accused of being a spouse beater. An ad stating A WAS a spouse beater, without proof other than the assertion, that would be IMHO a negative ad. If the ad stated A was accused of being a spouse beater, for example if candidate A was arrested for assault, it would not be negative, it would be factual. Accusing Kerry of misrepresenting his military actions, a la swiftboating, is classic negative advertising because the ads were lies.

Pointing out who your supporters are is NOT negative, unless you are claiming there is something illegal in what those supporters are doing. If SBS was receiving large amounts of donations from the Koch bros or ALEC woult pointing that out be negative? If the NRA was donating large amounts of cash to the SBS campaign, it would not be "negative" to report that.

Pointing out that HRC has received large amounts of money from the financial industry is hardly a lie, or even a misstatement. It is simply a matter of record.

So, for the SBS campaign to point that out, especially when ties to that industry are viewed negatively by most (or many) voters does NOT make a specific ad "negative."

One wonders what kind of ad the Clinton folks would not consider "negative."

[INdemo]

31. This is horseshit

This guy is not a Bernie supporter and he has another post questioning Bernie's electability.

[ProudToBeLiberal]

39. Can you please stop questioning my integrity and beliefs? Nt

[Skwmom]

36. Telling the Truth to the American People is not an Attack. Transparency does not exist

w/o the facts being put before the American people. The corp. media won't do it.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

37. Let him go negative...

Winston Churchill said politics is more brutal than than war because in the latter you only die once.


I love a good fight if the cause is righteous...Too bad the jury system here militates against it.

[NCTraveler]

41. +1. nt.

[NCTraveler]

40. That road was crossed a while ago. nt.

[frylock]

43. Heavens to Murgatroid! Whatever will he do?

[TheBlackAdder]

48. He won't mention the stuff after this clip's 7 minute mark--GOP will do that later.

.

.