Earl Ofari Hutchinson: Democrats Shun Hillary at Their Own Peril

[portlander23]

Earl Ofari Hutchinson: Democrats Shun Hillary at Their Own Peril

California governor Jerry Brown, former Democratic National Committee chair Howard Dean, and Democratic presidential candidate Martin O’Malley have said publicly what a bevy of Democratic party officials have said privately.

And that’s that they are worried about, have misgivings about, or are outright hostile to Hillary Clinton as a presidential candidate. This doesn’t even count the legions of Democrats who fervently back Clinton’s Democratic rival Bernie Sanders.

Many of them rail harder at Clinton for her alleged pro war, pro Wall Street, and corporate stance, than any of the GOP presidential candidates. They have flatly said that if Clinton is the Democratic nominee they’ll stay home on Election Day.

Then there’s Vice President Joe Biden. There’s really only one two reasons that a sizeable number of Democrats are imploring Biden to jump into the presidential race. And that’s because of their open or thinly camouflaged disdain of Clinton. The other ties back into the first. Either they don’t want or believe that Hillary can win. Or, that she is such damaged goods that she’d be a liability as the party standard bearer and an even bigger liability in the White House.

The RNC and the endless anti-Clinton GOP front websites have loudly announced that they’ll step up their anti-Clinton assault. They know what many Democrats don’t seem to grasp and that’s that a Clinton-less Democratic ticket will be a ticket that can be far easier to beat. Why because Sanders, despite his compelling, energetic, even inspiring campaign, is a socialist and an atheist and that almost alone renders him not electable.

Interesting read, but obviously I disagree. I find it hard to imagine a more polarizing general election candidate than Mrs. Clinton. Her candidacy would energize the opposition regardless of the fact that their opinion of her is not based on fact.

I believe Mr. Sanders is not only better on policy, but also gives the Democrats the best shot to win in 2015.

[HassleCat]

1. Way over the top

This article maintains we have no business supporting any candidate other than the one chosen for us. Not buying it.

[bigdarryl]

3. I didn't know Sanders doesn't believe in god

That is a problem (IF TRUE)whether we like it or not.No wonder there trying to get Hillary out of the way.I think I know what the game plan is get the person who will be the hardest to beat out of the way and get Sanders to the General election.Don't believe this bullshit Ann Coulter is saying that Sanders will be the hardest to beat.They don't believe that

[Luminous Animal]

13. I don't believe he has ever said he doesn't believe in god. He has said that he is not a practicing

Jew. That is all I have ever heard him say about his own personal beliefs. My mother believed in god to the end of her days but hadn't gone to a service in 50 years.

[restorefreedom]

17. amen, LA

they are trying to conflate his non practicing status with atheism, which he has never espoused. he sticks to the political issues.

i personally don"t care what he does or does not believe in. and my guess if asked by a reporter, is he will (politely) say none of your fucking business.

i am sick of a proscribed view of spirituality in ourselves and our public officials.

[left-of-center2012]

22. his non practicing status with atheism

Maybe to make him sound more like a "commie".

[restorefreedom]

23. no doubt. playing to the birther crowd. nt

[upaloopa]

6. No it doesn't it says Bernie can't win in the general

election. Support who ever you want.

[bunnies]

2. And theres the new meme.

ATHEIST!

[upaloopa]

4. Please explain in as much detail why in the

general election Sanders would defeat which ever repub he would go up against.
And please don't tell me that the majority of Americans support his platform because that is not the case.

[Daemonaquila]

8. You first.

Please explain (without causing laughter) how Hillary would do that when she's tanking her own campaign - AGAIN - against an uppity guy who "never had a chance." It's pure desperation when the only argument for a candidate being trumpeted is "OMG, she can win but OMG the other guy probably can't!" If she can't win against him on her own merits, I have no faith that she'll do any better against the GOP.

[upaloopa]

25. Why would I ask a Bernie supporter to give

me a critique of Hillary's campaign?

[Bucky]

24. You gotta look at the numbers. Her numbers are dropping like a hot potato

Since launching her candidacy this summer, Clinton's numbers have tumbled hard & fast. In April she was polling over 60% of Democrats. She was down to 55% in July, dropped below 50% in August, and now is in a free fall. It's just mid-September and her support is at 43% while she's still running against a remarkably weak field of gadflies like Sanders, Webb, and Chaffee.

Here's the source ==> http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster/2016-national-democratic-primary

In the boxing world, that's what they call a glass jaw--looks hard but shatters on impact. People are turning to Biden before he even announces. Sorry, but Secretary Clinton for all her experience and worthy service to the country, is a pisspoor campaigner. I'm glad we're finding out now instead of after the nomination.

[upaloopa]

26. Why can't you just answer my question without

talking about Hillary? Maybe I really want to know the answer if there is one.

[Bucky]

28. Oh, I don't know about Sanders. I agree he's not a strong general election candidate

Frankly, the 2016 election is ours to lose. And I fear that's exactly what we're going to do.

[bigdarryl]

5. Hutchinson announced on Al Sharpton's show that he was supporting Sanders for President

[Daemonaquila]

7. Puke!

Heard that about Kerry, too. Worked out really well, didn't it?

If you have to fearmonger to get people to take a look at your candidate, your candidate has already lost. I'm not interested in who their alleged "winning" candidate is. I will vote for the person who is best suited to govern this country, and that person is not either Clinton or Biden. Those who are trying to get Biden to run are the most deluded of all. But they can go ahead, split the timid party-first vote with Hillary, and help Bernie on to win.

[mak3cats]

9. There's a world of difference, in my opinion...

...between not trumpeting your spiritual beliefs as a political mechanism, and being an atheist.

The new meme, indeed.

What Sanders himself has to say:

“I’m proud to be Jewish,” the Independent from Vermont – and candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination – responded Thursday at a press breakfast hosted by the Monitor. Though, he added, “I’m not particularly religious.”

Source of quote:

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/monitor_breakfast/2015/0611/Bernie-Sanders-I-m-proud-to-be-Jewish

[Chitown Kev]

10. For this black man

if Bernie Sanders IS an atheist (and he'd better not say that) that would be a point in his favor for me...so sick and tired of the churchified and the sanctified in politics (my suspicion is we just might have one in the WH right now).

[JI7]

11. i have heard that about obama a few times

His relationship with the church seems more of a black cultural one rather than personal faith in some being.

You will see this among many groups where church/temple etc is more about getting together with a community . This was most seen when he spoke after the church shooting. It wasn't about faith as much as black experience.

I'm an atheist also so i can understand.

[tularetom]

12. Don't know who the hell this guy is but when he makes a claim that is easily disprovable

(namely that Sen. Sanders is an atheist), everything else he says has no credibility.

Besides his argument is "Yeah, she sorta sucks but she's our only chance to win", and that falls flat as far as I'm concerned. To the contrary I believe that nominating Clinton is a sure means of guaranteeing a republican will occupy the white house for the next four years.

I don't know how good Sanders' chances are, but I know that Clinton has zero chance.

[Chitown Kev]

15. Hutchinson is a long-time black political commentator and academic

He's been writing posts over at Huffpost for over a decade.

[tularetom]

19. You would think that someone with his background would do some research before he makes a statement

like "Sanders is an atheist".

When considered in the overall context of his column, its obvious he strongly favors the nomination of Sec. Clinton, so his labeling of Sanders just looks like a cheap shot.

Personally, I don't give a rats ass if Sanders, Clinton, or anybody else is an atheist, but Mr Hutchinson obviously believes that is somehow a bad thing.

[Chitown Kev]

21. Hutchinson might have researched it

and talked to people who know that. You don't know.

I wouldn't go away from what Bernie has said for the public record, though.

[99Forever]

14. Please explain to me....

....why I should give a shit what some clown I have never heard of says or why would for second change my opinion because of his asinine fear mongering?. It's my vote pal, I'll use as I damn well please.

[Warren DeMontague]

16. Holy FUCK!!! An "ATHEIST"!?!??

[restorefreedom]

18. "sanders is unelectable" volume 12,314

yawn.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

20. EEEK!! "....is a socialist and an atheist.."!! Hide your children!!

He'll take away your yachts and piss off the One True God...well, the One True God that people finance every week.

[frylock]

31. Socialist + Atheist = Godless Commie

[MisterP]

27. nice inverse logic on the calls for Biden to run, there!

[olddots]

29. Earl just lost me

on this and it makes me sad .

[PowerToThePeople]

30. Dumb is dumb

Trashing this.