My take on the Qualified-Gate

[SheenaR]

Here's my sequence of events and help me if I am leaving something out

1: Clinton campaign is going to "destroy and disqualify".

2: Clinton makes comments implying Bernie is not fit and is not a Democrat

3: Sanders provides examples that DISQUALIFY, as in you know, proving she is NOT QUALIFIED (by nature of the term disqualify)

4: Clinton supporters go nuts, discredit Bernie, claim he is sexist, says his campaign is over



Sure she is qualified by the letter of the law. She was born here, she is over 35. She's in.

The examples he gave and others gave here do DISQUALIFY her from consideration for President in many people's (including mine) minds. If you are disqualified, you are not qualified. It's pretty simple.

Now it's about "what's a woman gotta do...?" Bullshit. I don't care if he took a blood oath not to say something negative. It's about time.

And everyone who thought, "Oh my, Thursday is going to be a nightmare for Bernie".. Crickets... I work in an office with all women... Comment most used, "It's about time he said something."

And my state hasn't voted, but somehow NYers are just wiser than us all as I have learned and know that this will bury Sen. Sanders. Give me a break. Nobody is buying that crap.

Fin.

[Trust Buster]

1. Sanders made an egregious error. To call the likely nominee unqualified was destructive to the Party

He did so on the grounds that special interest donation disqualifies one from being President. Does this mean that President Obama must resign ? The Koch network alone have begun to spend the $889 million that they've collected from the wealthiest Republicans in the country with the new found freedom that Citizens United has afforded them. To claim that President Obama and Hillary can't play on a level playing field is not only ignorant but strategically stupid. This guy needs to go away already.

[SheenaR]

2. If that were the only criteria he listed, I'd agree with you

But it wasn't. So I don't.

[geek tragedy]

9. he also cited that Panama trade treaty that Clinton implemented

on orders from President Obama.

Sanders has been downplaying his contempt for the President and his record, but he's been exposed now.

[frylock]

65. So this is one of those things that happened at State that Hillary isn't going to take credit for.

[daleanime]

8. Please listen to his speech, he gives multiple reasons....

if you wish to dispute him you need to address each reason.

[JPnoodleman]

21. The party has already been destroyed. n/t

[revbones]

33. But to imply it over and over and over again like Hillary did is A-OK. Got it. rofl nt

[Broward]

57. Yeah, some of these posters are out there.

[beedle]

43. Does this mean that President Obama must resign?

No, but if he were running in this campaign, and was still taking money from special interest donations, after we now know that the whole "unilateral disarmament" bullshit was just that .. bullshit. Then yes, that should disqualify him.

[IdaBriggs]

54. Let's just wait for the FBI to weigh in before she is the leader of the Party.

Regardless, I won't be associated with her if she gets it.

I may have to apologize to all the Republicans I insulted because it looks like they were right, and the Clintons really are just awful.



Of course, their candidates suck worse, but barely.

[mhatrw]

59. He pointed out EXACTLY why all real Democrats should strongly prefer him to her.

What's the problem? Does the hard truth hurt?

[Bad Thoughts]

3. When you open a new front, you fight on it

I hate this meme and that both candidates have decided to make it an issue. However, it is rich that Clinton would complain that terms like &quot dis)qualified" should be applied to her when her campaign introduced them.

[daleanime]

10. +1

[snagglepuss]

35. "When you open a new front, you fight on it"

That's such an apt metaphor, given Hillary's record in the ME where she creates problems and then simply walks away.

[Trust Buster]

4. Sanders just gave the Republicans the mother of all video clips.

We will be seeing Sanders calling Hillary unqualified in thousands of commercials leading up to the general election. This guy should run as an Independent at this point. This should serve as the President's cue to endorse Hillary and go out on the stump for her. Sanders disqualified himself as a Democrat by giving such a gift to the Republican Party.

[SheenaR]

6. Lol

As if the Republicans don't have a treasure trove of Hillary's own words/lies. That's priceless.

The gift to the Republican Party will be when Trump says, "Let me show you what I got for donating to Hillary's campaign".

[Trust Buster]

12. The Republicans will use that sound clip endlessly. He lost his cool and hurt Democratic efforts.

[frylock]

66. Like the 3am phone call sound clip?

[morningfog]

16. Hillary did the same to Obama in 2008, said McCain was more prepared than Obama.

[Trust Buster]

18. McCain was more prepared.

[morningfog]

19. You want to develop that or just stick to your one liners?

[Trust Buster]

22. Nothing to develop. He had far more experience. Common sense.

[revbones]

36. Why would the Republicans need it in the general against Bernie? nt

[Trust Buster]

39. Denial is not a river in Egypt.

[beedle]

47. You mean like Hillary's 3:00am ad?

Everything Clinton and her supporters complain about are tactics that if she and Bill didn't invent, perfected to an art.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. "Unfit" would have been more accurate.

[geek tragedy]

7. So you all think Barack Obama is NOT QUALIFIED.

Anyone who isn't Bernie Sanders is NOT QUALIFIED.

You all have no idea what "qualified" actually means.

[Trust Buster]

14. The Republicans are planning on spending $2 billion between no and the election.

Sanders is a total extremist. The President has shown him all the respect he deserves. Now he should feel free to campaign with Hillary.

[geek tragedy]

17. The president's response to this will be very carefuly calibrated nt

[Trust Buster]

20. I think the President's patience with Sanders has just run out after this mornings comments.

[frylock]

68. Based upon no evidence whatsoever.

[SheenaR]

24. Actually I presented a pretty clear description

of the word qualify and it's related word disqualify.

Incidentally, Barack Obama was under-qualified at best at the time of his candidacy.

[geek tragedy]

26. How was Obama underqualified?

Is your yardstick "no one but Bernie" is qualified?

[Lizzie Poppet]

31. He had a very thin resume for a presidential contender.

He still stepped up to the challenge and despite GOP stonewalling, has been a good president. Not nearly leftist enough for my taste, personally, but a damn good president.

I have no confidence Hillary could do the same...but her "unqualified" status has less to do with her resume than with her character.

[SheenaR]

34. Heck no

You keep bringing up Bernie. I was responding to Obama.

One term Senator....State Senator... Attorney... Taught law.


That is the benchmark we strive for. He was underqualified.

Not everything from a Bernie supporter is about Bernie being the Christ.

He is flawed. I admit that. The issues he is pushing are the ones I most closely align with. And I trust him

You and I disagree. Doesn't make us enemies.

[geek tragedy]

46. What candidate in the past 12 years besides Bernie Sanders

has been qualified to be President?

[beedle]

48. Ask Hillary

she was the one doing the accusations ... 3:00am phone call anyone?

[geek tragedy]

49. She endorsed him. nt

[beedle]

50. During the Primaries?

What month did that happen in?

You are aware Sanders has said he will endorse whomever becomes the nominee?

[frylock]

67. Well, Hillary stated that he wasn't quaified to be VP.

So you may want to get her opinion.

[Karmadillo]

11. A reasonable, thoughtful post. I hope you don't get in trouble for it.

[Avalux]

13. Legally, everyone running for president is qualified.

But as you point out, there are shades of qualification when we look at the details. Opening up this front was a bad move for Hillary Inc. Like you, I'm hearing the same sentiment - it's about time Bernie says something.

[Trust Buster]

15. Yeah, the Republicans will use Citizens United to spend $2 million but any Democrat that tries

to compete with Republicans are unqualified. How utterly foolish of Sanders.

[Avalux]

25. So we must play their game, right?

Hillary is acting like a Republican. It's utterly foolish of her campaign to behave like them and it will cost her everything.

[Trust Buster]

29. Their game ? Citizens United is the rule of the road. To handcuff Democrats while Republicans

spend $2 billion would not only be a disaster in the Presidential election but in congressional races as well. How do you expect to start a revolution when our government is controlled by Republicans ?

[Avalux]

32. With the people. n/t

[Trust Buster]

45. The people ? In my state of Ohio, a Koch funded group is assassinating the character of

Ted Strickland on a daily basis. He's running against incumbent Republican Senator Rob Portman. Strickland doesn't have the money to fight back. It's taking it's toll in the polls. You Sanders people are so naive.

[Avalux]

51. I understand where you're coming from and no, we're not naive.

Hell, I've lived in Texas since Shrub was governor and I've seen what the GOP does to Dems here.

But as we're seeing in Bernie's campaign, mobilizing of ordinary people and our cash works. No one thought it could happen.
That absolutely has to be the model we move towards. It won't happen immediately down ticket, but it will happen.

I am confident Bernie will win the GE even without gobs of PAC money.

[Trust Buster]

53. He can't raise $2 billion. The Koch's know the value of negative ads.

[Avalux]

56. Ok well, you keep on believing that gobs of money and negativity wins.

I am choosing, this time, to follow a different path and millions of others are doing the same. There really is no other alternative if we are going to salvage what's left of our democracy.

[Trust Buster]

58. Well, you keep believing that we can win the White House, reshape the Supreme Court and reverse

Citizens United while we're spending a pittance and the Republicans are spending $2 billion. This is a heck of a time to get religion over campaign spending. The risk is a Republican president, a Right leaning Supreme Court and Citizens United for a generation. The wealthiest Republicans will spend whatever they have to in order to make that a reality.

[revbones]

38. Good thing she only implied it over and over again about Sanders.

By your logic, imagine if she had actually said the word and he had to face the Republicans in the general!!!! Oh noes!

[Motown_Johnny]

41. Doesn't that make CNN the "liar"?

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/4/6/1511446/-Clinton-s-Next-Strategy-Slash-and-Burn-Then-Worry-About-Party-Unity-Later

^snip^

New York (CNN)Hillary Clinton's campaign is taking new steps to try and disqualify Bernie Sanders in the eyes of Democratic voters, hoping to extinguish the argument that he is an electable alternative for the party's presidential nomination.

As Sanders took a victory lap following a 14-point triumph in Wisconsin, Clinton took fresh aim at the Vermont senator as part of a three-part strategy before the New York primary on April 19: Disqualify him, defeat him, and unify the party later.

[itsrobert]

60. You did not name a source

Just like your CNN link did not name the source. Doesn't look like there is one.

[Motown_Johnny]

61. Again, doesn't that make CNN the liar?

If there is no source then CNN is the one lying.. right?

[Ron Green]

27. Untie your shorts. The campaign heats up, that's all. n/t

[Motown_Johnny]

28. I tend to agree, but....

I think it would be more accurate to say that she is not qualified to be the Democratic Party's nominee because of the things he listed.


Hopefully this will be the way the Sanders campaign moves. Yes, legally she is qualified to be President. What she is unqualified to be is the leader of a Progressive movement.

[seabeyond]

30. Clinton measured, Sanders reactionary.

[SheenaR]

37. Wouldn't the Clinton team's Destroy and Disqualify

be reactionary to his current momentum?

Not very measured.

[frylock]

69. I AM SO SICK OF THE SANDERS CAMPAIGN!!!

Measured!

[seabeyond]

70. Her "tone" bothered you?

[frylock]

72. Well, I'm a sexist, so why wouldn't her "tone" bother me?

[seabeyond]

71. ‘I’m So Sick of the Sanders Campaign Lying About Me’

If you are doing a quote, do it right. Kinda what Sanders ass is on the frying pan now. You quote, provide the proper quote.

[frylock]

73. Right, but it wasn't the Sanders campaign lying about her.

It was Greenpeace dropping a truth bomb on her lying ass.

[seabeyond]

74. Per the Washington Post’s factchecker, it’s a lie. Three Pinocchios

The Sanders campaign is exaggerating the contributions that Clinton has received from the oil and gas industry. In the context of her overall campaign, the contributions are hardly significant. It’s especially misleading to count all of the funds raised by lobbyists with multiple clients as money “given” by the fossil-fuel industry.

Basically, what Sanders did was count any small donation coming from someone working in the oil and gas industry — including janitors, secretaries, or interns — and calling that a contribution “from the industry.”

The second problem the Washington Post factchecker had with Sanders’ claim is that the donations aren’t “significant” at all. They’re a very small percentage.

As our colleague Philip Bump noted, about 0.15 percent of Clinton’s campaign and outside PAC money is from the “oil and gas industry,” compared to 0.04 percent of Sanders’s contributions. So it’s pretty hard to describe that as “significant,” as Sanders did in his interview

More Pinocchio time....

http://americablog.com/2016/04/factchecker-3-pinocchios-sanders-clinton-oil-gas-donations.html

[frylock]

75. Yeah, sorry, but the WaPo has shown itself to be yet another propaganda organ..

for the Clinton Machine. They can shove their Pinocchios up Capehart's ass.

Washington Post Ran 16 Negative Stories on Bernie Sanders in 16 Hours

[seabeyond]

76. Mmmmm. Lol.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

40. He's right, of course. That's what the entire campaign has been about.

It's why her campaign has been tanking. It's what most of we Sanders supporters have been saying. Of course she's not qualified to be President. She lacks honesty and she lacks any grounding. No one can tell you what her core positions are because they're all fluid. So this is nothing more than what many of us have been saying all along. We don't want her anywhere near the White House. Did you think we weren't serious? Did you think it was all rhetorical flourishes? No.

(note: I'm speaking to Clinton supporters in general, in support of the OP)

[Lucinda]

42. Link to the Clinton campaign saying they were going to "destroy and disqualfy" ?

Some CNN correspondant said it was the new tactic, but when did anyone from the campiagn actually say it?

[CrowCityDem]

44. What happened...

is that Hillary raised questions about Bernie, and then Bernie outright lied and said Hillary had called him "unqualified". She had done no such thing.

Bernie is an irrefutable liar at this point.

The arguments are starting to miss that fact. As bad as calling a fellow Democrat unqualified is (and it's very, very bad), lying about someone just so you can do it is downright despicable.

[pdsimdars]

62. You forgot the sarcasm smiley. . . .

I mean, anyone supporting Hillary Clinton, of all people, calling someone ELSE a liar. THAT IS RICH!

[KPN]

52. K&R!

Conflict of Interest = Disqualified

It's as simple as that.

[drokhole]

55. I'm hoping it brings more attention to their positions on the Panama Papers/Free Trade Agreement...

...since it's something that Bernie mentioned in his critique.

[Rebkeh]

63. +1 and something else too

We are not talking about the issues, are we?

They want Bernie on the defensive and since Bernie is better on the issues, this is what we get. It reeks of desperation, to be honest.

[frylock]

64. I thought that Hillary was tough as nails?

Yet she crumbles under such mild criticism.

[KelleyD]

77. Bernie took the bait and Bit it bad...amateur! He and his minion did not do the research..big fail!

[earthmanneil]

78. Sanders' statement good tactical move, not a blunder

Sanders showed that he will fight back hard if the panicking Clinton campaign tries the "destroy and disqualify" maneuver. In this way, he partially inoculated himself from such a strategy. It also had the effect of bringing in the legion of Democratic Party "peacemakers" who, while biased against Sanders and the grassroots revolt he represents, will try to tamp down the hostility. If Clinton's panicky strategy of going negative is even somewhat neutralized, it will work to Sanders' benefit. By explaining his proposals---break up the TBTF banks, single payer healthcare and education as rights, expanding social security, dismantling the prison-industrial complex, and many others---Sanders has shown that he resonates more and more with an electorate that can distinguish between his true transformative vision and Hillary's weak and opportunistic echo of a progressive platform. Clinton may be "qualified" for office using some formal criteria, but she is not qualified to represent the interests of so many Americans, not to mention a huge swath of the Dem's grassroots. Sanders should attack her on the many odious positions she's taken and the big money interests she's long been in bed with! This is a decisive fight for the future of this country and its imperiled democracy, not a coronation waltz.

[Martin Eden]

79. In my book, Hillary disqualified herself in October 2002 ...

... when she voted to give GW Bush authority to invade Iraq.

Since then, she has done very little to redeem herself and much to reinforce the disqualification.