Bernie cancels his meetings with minority activists after being confronted by #BlackLivesMatter

[Cali_Democrat]

By Arit John

As bad as Senator Bernie Sanders uncomfortable encounter with Black Lives Matter protesters on Saturday may have been, the reaction from his followers may be doing the real damage.

<...>

After protesters cut short his discussion with Jose Antonio Vargas, an immigration activist, at the liberal conference Netroots Nation on Saturday, Sanders argued that he’d been fighting for civil rights for 50 years, “but if you don’t want me to be here, that’s OK.” He later cancelled several scheduled events that day, including a meeting with minority activists. Meanwhile, as the news of the encounter spread online, Sanders supporters started tweeting in the candidate’s defense, noting that he participated in the March on Washington and was arrested protesting housing segregation.

But what Sanders supporters don’t get is that many African Americans know about Sanders’ history fighting for civil rights. The question is what Sanders will do next, and, more importantly, whether he’ll be able to connect with black voters who think his fight against income inequality ignores racial injustice.

<...>

Instead of attempting to end the debate over whether Sanders is addressing minority issues, he said, Sanders supporters should listen. “Maybe it speaks to a certain insecurity in his supporters,” Morrow said of the reaction, but in the end this could make him a stronger candidate.

Part of running for president, Morrow said, involves addressing the concerns for the different factions of your constituencies. When Obama was running for president he said he was for civil unions, but not same-sex marriage, and the LGBT community “held his feet to the fire on that issue,” Morrow said.

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-07-20/what-berniesoblack-can-teach-bernie-sanders-and-his-supporters

[arcane1]

1. For a guy who has no chance of winning, you waste a lot of your precious time on him

Time you will never, ever get back

[daleanime]

3. Time we should just gift....

to our Overlords?

No thank you, have a great day.

[arcane1]

5. I don't follow...

I was just sharing my amusement at how much effort the anti-Sanders people spend on him despite the "conventional wisdom" that he can't win.

He must be doing something right

[daleanime]

7. Sorry, totally misread your post....

been reading too much....stuff I guess. Time for a break.

Again, sorry about that.

[arcane1]

10. No worries! If I had a dollar for every time I misread a post...

I wouldn't have to read DU at work!

[leftynyc]

39. I can't speak for anyone but myself

but I've never thought Bernie couldn't win the nomination. I just feel he has zero chance in the general. You need to make that distinction while being amused.

[SunSeeker]

4. If DUers cared about time we "will never ever get back," we wouldn't post on DU.

[arcane1]

6. Touche'!

[BainsBane]

32. This is far more important than Sanders candidacy

It has to do with the dismissal of key segments of the population by white "progressives." None of this is funny at all. It's shameful. What is especially shameful is the way those Black Lives Matters activists have been denounced by people claiming to be leftist.

https://twitter.com/elonjames/status/623212800110825472

[SunSeeker]

2. Yes, listening would have been a good start. nt

[seveneyes]

8. Listening to dozens chanting at your speaking event is pointless

It serves no purpose for any involved party.

[SunSeeker]

16. Of course. Listening to your base serves no purpose.

[seveneyes]

21. There was no base speaking

If there was a clear message, it has not been identified yet.

[JaneyVee]

30. How about the cancelled meeting.

[seveneyes]

33. No sense in going to speak if you just get shouted down

To do so would be inefficacious.

[BainsBane]

37. How about going to LISTEN?

A politician should be able to listen to his constituents. He seems to think his role is talking at people rather than seeking to understand the lives and concerns of the electorate. That is a troubling characteristic. Elected office of any kind should not be all about the politician. His responsibility is to represent citizens, which requires trying to understand what their major concerns are. Also he cancelled an entire slate of events that day due to an encounter with protesters. The Presidency is a serious of tense situations, one after another. A president has to be able to take heat, and black lives matters protesting doesn't constitute real heat. Heat is the thread of nuclear war, building tensions with Russia, troops amassing in the Balkans, what to do when ISIS kidnaps Americas and beheads them. If he is so easily rattled by some protesters, that doesn't bode well for his capacity to serve as president.

While O'Malley initially flubbed his reaction, he apologized and talked afterward with the protestors. He sought to enter into dialog with them. It appears that O'Malley wanted to understand, whereas Sanders left the forum and cancelled his events for the day. Someone could have the best of intentions, the greatest ideas in the world, but if he can't handle the pressure of the presidency, he shouldn't serve.

[MuseRider]

9. Personally I think he will listen

as we supporters should. Sometimes it is good and best to cancel, spend time reflecting away from where you were going and listening to what is being said. Then meet with the people you need to talk to so that you come to the meeting with a clearer idea of what you need to do or how you might best respond to their requests. He was caught off guard. Not a good moment.

I have no idea what he is thinking or doing but he had better do something and he will. I can't imagine that this will not become a positive as he listens and talks with leaders about this. At least that is what I am hoping. I will not have an easy time supporting him if he does not so give some of this up to wishful thinking.

As for Sanders supporters, yes. This was a kick in the gut but it is time to let go of that. Let him do his thing. Let BLM do their thing and listen. Let the people who would poke at you go.

It is early, this could go really badly or it could end up being a terrific thing for both sides.

[Cleita]

13. How would they know if he cancelled anything unless they have access to his calendar.

Meh. I smell a rat.

[MuseRider]

20. I have no idea.

There are most certainly rats around but the problem still stands. Rat or not, this is a problem. I am hoping we can all learn from it.

[dsc]

23. mabye because the people with whom he was supposed to meet had calendars

or do you all think they can't write.

[arcane1]

26. If they had a meeting planned for after, then why would they shout him down before?

Seems a bit backwards to me

[Cleita]

27. So how would Bloomberg have access to their calendars?

I mean it's a throw away statement. It would have had more credibility if names and places were mentioned, like "Sanders canceled a meeting with John Doe of Blah Blah organization." Then you could verify it.

Sorry to be so picky, but when a conservative money rag does political pieces like this, I tend to pick through the weeds and I need a lot more information.

[dsc]

31. my guess is the people whom he cancelled on were upset and went to the press

I wouldn't have been terribly happy. But that said, you have a point that the article should state how they know even if it were an anonymous source.

[hedda_foil]

24. They'd know because the people he cancelled on would have told them.

Wouldn't you if you had gone through considerable difficulties booking a meeting with a major presidential candidate cancelled at the last minute when he needed your group's vote?
Hopefully he's now willing to listen and learn from them.

[Cleita]

28. Read my reply above. eom

[snagglepuss]

34. Berniw and O'Malley were willing listeners and BLM trashed that

opportunity. With their attitude why should anyone believe dick all that they say?

[Cleita]

11. Another Bloomberg biased hit piece.

No thanks.

[peacebird]

12. Nowhere in the article you link does it say Bernie cancelled meetings with minority activists..?

Perhaps there is another link? Or it has been editted?

[Cali_Democrat]

17. I highlighted the text. nt

[peacebird]

25. Thank you!

[jeff47]

14. I wonder who BLM's media consultant is.

They have better access than Procter and Gamble.

[mmonk]

15. If so, I believe this means suicide for our campaign.

Guess politics within the constraints of the political parties and system as is, is not for me any longer. I will just agitate on the local level and the Washington DC level as my political contribution to this train wreck of a country. I will write books as well. At least being without hope a change in the system will come in my lifetime given my advanced age, I will do my best for the average American but more importantly to me personally, my children. My day is done. Maybe next time. Of course, I could look at O'Malley but to tell you the truth, I'm getting old and tired. I'll try to find comfort in the small things in life. Also, to accept whatever world out there faces my children who are disabled, and know I gave it a shot. Or did I miss read the post and they are not talking about the near future?

[elleng]

18. How about DISCUSSING and EXPLORING issues, as Martin O'Malley does.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/18/politics/martin-omalley-all-lives-matter/

http://dailycaller.com/2015/07/18/omalley-apologizes-for-saying-all-lives-matter-video/

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=473565742825306&id=268311603350722&_rdr

http://bluenationreview.com/breaking-martin-omalley-sits-down-with-goldie-taylor-immediately-after-netroots-nation-call-out/

[jeff47]

19. If he wins the nomination, the all lives matter apology will be his

"I voted for it before I was against it".

It's absolutely perfect for a 30-second ad from an anonymous PAC to strip away all context and beat him with it. Show a few disabled white, Latino and/or Asian vets, claim O'Malley doesn't think their lives matter. Bonus points if you convert the O'Malley video to black and white or add some noise to make it appear "hidden-camera-ish".

[99Forever]

22. .....

[BeyondGeography]

29. Good for Bernie...BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors had a bullshit agenda

She wasn't prepared to be reasonable and neither were her followers.

Cullors told This Week host L. Joy Williams that she felt neither O’Malley nor Sanders were “humble enough” during their town hall appearance...

http://www.rawstory.com/2015/07/blacklivesmatter-co-founder-warns-presidential-candidates-we-will-shut-down-every-single-debate/comments/#disqus

No examples of lack of humility were provided.

[Indepatriot]

35. HE DID NOT CANCELL MEETINGS with activists. His surrogate attended, as was ALWAYS the plan

[BainsBane]

36. Do you have a source to back that up?

Because really, if he is so easily rattled, that would be a great concern.

[Cha]

38. Yes, he CANCELLED.. all the reports say so. You have a report that backs up your story.. bring it.