O’Malley hits Sanders on call to primary Obama.

[sufrommich]

Saying it is “compare and contrast” time, O’Malley, during speech at the United Food and Commercial Workers Union hall in Denison, said Sanders betrayed President Obama before the 2012 election cycle by seeking to recruit a more left-leaning primary challenger for Obama. O’Malley did not identify any of the potential 2012 Democratic candidates.

“A lot of us like Barack Obama,” O’Malley said. “In fact, when Senator Sanders was trying to get somebody to primary Barack Obama four years ago I was stepping up and working very hard for his re-election.”

After the speech the Carroll Daily Times Herald asked O’Malley directly if he thinks Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, exhibited disloyalty to Obama during the president’s re-election campaign.

“Yes, I do,” O’Malley said. “I think that the president inherited a big mountain of challenges, and what he needed was support in being re-elected. He didn’t need a challenge from the left or a challenge from within the party.”



http://www.carrollspaper.com/Content/Default/Homepage-Rotating-Articles/Article/O-Malley-reaches-for-reins-as-Obama-s-loyal-heir/-3/449/21080

[cyberswede]

1. I like O'Malley

...but primaries are part of our democratic process. Even primaries of incumbents.

[Renew Deal]

2. To be fair, Sanders is not a Democrat

To be less fair, Sanders can be viewed as a conniving politician looking to undermine the Democratoc Party repeatedly.

[NurseJackie]

8. (Like.)

[Bread and Circus]

14. It would be extraordinarily easy for Sanders to undermine the Democratic Party if he wanted to.

Last edited Tue Nov 3, 2015, 04:38 PM - Edit history (1)

All he would have to do is run as an Independent. He would still get millions of dollars and millions of votes.

The most conniving person in the race right now is Vlinton.

[AgingAmerican]

24. Sorta like DWS is doing right now?

[Skidmore]

33. He is until he isn't, according to some.

I agree with your analysis of him being a conniving politician and what he has tried to do to the Democratic Party.

[BlueCaliDem]

54. + 1000 eom

[Armstead]

60. If he were conniving,he would have ....

have run a third party spoiler campaign, and stick with it through the General Election, running against the Dem nominee as well as the GOP. . That would really fuck up the Democrats, and could well have cost them the election.

He didn't. Instead he is trying to offer the MANY disaffected Democrats an alternative to Clinton Inc. within the party.

[Armstead]

59. If he were a conniving politician looking to undermine the Demo Party he'd...

have run a third party spoiler campaign, and stick with it through the General Election, running against the Dem nominee as well as the GOP. . That would really fuck up the Democrats, and could well have cost them the election.

He didn't. Instead he is trying to offer the MANY disaffected Democrats an alternative to Clinton Inc. within the party.

[giftedgirl77]

79. Yep

[think]

86. The Democratic party does a great job of undermining itself all on it's own. The DLC is a perfect

example.

Even the Kochs got in on that action.

The Right Wing Koch Brothers fund the DLC

Do deep-pocketed "philanthropists" necessarily control the organizations they fund? That has certainly been the contention of those who truck in conspiracy theories about the Rockefeller and Ford Foundations funding liberal and neo-liberal organizations. As for the rightwing, journalists such as Joe Conason and Gene Lyons uncovered that the "vast right wing conspiracy" -- or the New Right network of think tanks, media outlets and pressure groups -- was marshalled under rightwing billionaire Richard Mellon Scaife for his Get-Clinton campaign. Prior to the work of Conason and Lyons, Russ Bellant extensively documented in "The Coors Connection" how the Coors Family, Scaife and other wealthy rightwingers have funded the New Right movement since the early '70's. Among these rightwing benefactors are the Koch brothers. But the Kochs have been working both sides of the fence. As Bill Berkowitz writes, the Koch brothers have also been funding the Democratic Leadership Council.

According to SourceWatch, a project of the Center for Media & Democracy, the brothers are "leading contributors to the Koch family foundations, which supports a network of Conservative organizations and think tanks, including Citizens for a Sound Economy, the Manhattan Institute the Heartland Institute, and the Democratic Leadership Council."

Charles Koch co-founded the Cato Institute in 1977, while David helped launch Citizens for a Sound Economy [now FreedomWorks] in 1986.

This is no less stunning than if Scaife or the Coors family were funding the DLC. So do the Kochs just throw money at the DLC -- as long as the Council supports a free-market" (i.e. unrestricted/unregulated corporate power) agenda that the Kochs generally agree with. Or is it more than just that -- does this really buttress what Greens and other disaffected liberals contend -- that the DNC has just become a party of "Republicrats", thanks especially to the DLC? They would say that corporate backers like the rightwing/libertarian Kochs have co-opted the Democratic establishment -- a hostile takeover of (what was once) the opposition.

A Washington Post interview with Thomas Frank, author of "What's the Matter with Kansas?", touches on this question.

In the concluding chapter of "Kansas," Frank assigns "a large part of the blame for the backlash phenomenon" to the "criminal stupidity" of the Democratic Party in abandoning its commitment to labor and economic justice in pursuit of white-collar votes and corporate contributions. The DLC in particular, he writes, thinks that "to collect the votes and -- more important -- the money of these coveted constituencies," Democrats must stand firm on issues like abortion rights while making "endless concessions on economic issues" such as NAFTA, welfare, privatization and deregulation. The result? Democrats become Tweedledum to the Republicans' Tweedledee on the laissez-faire economy, leaving their opponents free to woo blue-collar voters with backlash issues.

Earlier in the book, Frank takes his anti-DLC rhetoric to an even higher pitch. He notes that generous contributions from the Kansas oil billionaires who run Koch Industries have propped up numerous institutions that champion laissez-faire economics, from the Cato Institute to Citizens for a Sound Economy. And he includes the DLC on his list of Koch-funded "hothouses of the right."

"That's crazy," says Ed Kilgore, the DLC's policy director. "If you can't tell the difference between the DLC and the Republicans, you're not paying attention."

Sure, the DLC took some Koch money, Kilgore says. But it has never advocated abandoning the working class or taking economic issues off the table, and it is proud of Clinton's economic record. "If you have to be self-consciously and vocally anti-business in order to be considered a legitimate Democrat or progressive," he says -- well, sheesh: That would rule out the party's current presidential nominee.

Informed of this return fire, Frank seems uncharacteristically exasperated. But his fundamental stance remains: Bring 'em on.

Has the DLC taken economic issues off the table? "Of course they haven't taken them off the table -- they've just become Republicans."

Does a Democrat have to be anti-business? "I don't think I'd call myself anti-business. . . . I'm critical of the species of capitalism that we're living under today."

Is that Koch money innocent? "Okay, it is Koch that funds right-wing organizations. And it's the Democratic Leadership Council that's been working hard for years to push the Democratic Party to the right. Not to the left. To the right."

But isn't that where the American mainstream has been heading for decades? And hasn't he positioned himself way outside it?

Frank concedes this last point, but nothing more.

The Koch brothers also fund "Triad Management", which was at the center of a Republican money laundering scandal back in 1996. In fact, this was the very first Tom DeLay scandal -- and Koch money was present back then as well. For more on "Triad", here is a PBS report on the affair.

In a related thread, Democrats.com member Bill Harding writes:

The following quotes are from today’s NYT Letters to The Editor section. They underscore how Democrats are perceived by a cross-section of readers, under our current “centrist” DLC, stand-for-nothing “leadership.”

http://www.democrats.com/node/7789

[Agschmid]

3. O'Malley thinks he can steal some Sanders voters.

This is an interesting move, he's playing for second in IA.

[rbrnmw]

10. Get under the bus Martin

smh

[Armstead]

64. He's going about it all wrong

If he wants to build a base, the only way is to win over Sanders supporters. But insulting Sanders is not the way to win them over.

A stupid move, if wants to get out of the sub-basement.

[elleng]

4. “We’re not going to solve our problems by debating the pros and cons of socialism,”

O’Malley said. “We’re not going to solve our problems by declaring that all Republicans are our enemies.”

O’Malley added, “I do believe our country is looking for a new leader, and they’re going to find it in one party or the other.”

[Armstead]

67. O'Malley is going to Screw the Pooch if attacking Sanders personally is his strategy

He is gong to need to peel off Sanders supporters if he wants to get out of the sub-basement.

Insulting Sanders on a personal level (rather than disagreeing on policy) or insulting his supporters s NOT going to win them over, if they feel they need to find an alternative. If O'Malley keeps this up, they're not likely to have warm fuzzy feelings for him.

[luvspeas]

5. Omalley has been an unwaivering supporter of the prez

I have always liked that. He would remember something like that.

[askew]

7. Yep, he has been unwavering in his support of Obama.

And the Democratic Party. He campaigned up and down the ticket more than any other surrogate in 2014 to try to help candidates.

His campaign is doing that today by trying to help out local NH candidates.

[Xyzse]

53. I think that's a great thing.

Better than what Debbie Waserman Schultz is doing.

[Agschmid]

72. We did that as well today, it was fun to help the locals.

[upaloopa]

6. Well there goes O'Malley under the bus

[rbrnmw]

11. Yep

They are going to need another bus it's getting crowded under there.

[upaloopa]

31. At some point Bernie will be under his own bus

[SunSeeker]

37. Yup. When he endorses Hillary.

[Starry Messenger]

9. I wonder why Sanders didn't run himself, if he felt so strongly about it?

[Eric J in MN]

25. Apparently, he didn't feel strongly about it.

At most, Bernie Sanders thought it would be nice to have a more liberal voice than Obama's in the 2012 presidential race. But he didn't feel strongly enough about it to run himself.

[Starry Messenger]

27. That seems to lack conviction.

Why make a public statement like that unless you are serious?

[Armstead]

66. Because he was making an honest obseration. I guess you don't understand that concept

I know straight talk like a real human is not something we're used to from politicians.

Sanders was not out there with a bullhorn "Primary Obama"

He simply made the observation that he thought it would be good to have an actual discussion of issues during the campaign, for the issues to be discussed. What a novel concept.

[Starry Messenger]

71. He made it to the media, it wasn't a remark to his wife.

However, since you've decided to make this personal, there isn't any reason this is worth discussing.

I guess it will remain a mystery to Bernie supporters why this issue is going to work against him.

[AgingAmerican]

28. Sanders is running

Because he feels so strongly about it

[Starry Messenger]

29. He could have run in 2012, in a primary.

Why didn't he?

[AgingAmerican]

32. You will have to ask him

nt

[Starry Messenger]

34. I'm pretty sure I know why.

[AgingAmerican]

35. Then please tell us

What does your crystal ball say?

My guess is he was busy with other stuff at the time, that and he didn't want to screw up the election. I agree that Obama should have been primaried to force him to keep his campaign promises to his base.

[Starry Messenger]

43. He wasn't busy enough to keep from suggesting

to have Obama primaried. Who was he thinking of to put forward in his stead?

I don't think Obama should have been primaried. Everyone should have been focused on getting the first Black President reelected, and not giving an inch to the right wing.

[AgingAmerican]

44. To drive Obama to the left, as Obama promised

You seem to have a problem with democracy, small d

[Starry Messenger]

46. Not at all.

I suggested that Bernie ought to have gone and done it himself, if he felt that strongly about it.

[AgingAmerican]

49. He is running now

He is running now to drive the right wingism out of the Democratic party. If you are satisfied with the way things are now, then by all means back Hillary. If you think American can do better than 'right wing' then vote for Sanders.

[Starry Messenger]

51. The OP is about 2012.

I know he's running now. In 2012, he was a lot of talk.

[AgingAmerican]

58. I don't expect Hillary supporters to acknowledge understanding anything about Sanders

Or small d Democracy for that matter.

Have a nice day.

[Starry Messenger]

70. Airy wave noted.

Keep up with the plan.

[Agnosticsherbet]

81. Sanders ran for his second term as Senate in 2012, and could not have run an insurgant primary

campaign for President while trying to be elected Senator.

Bernie Sanders: Obama Primary Challenge From A Progressive Would 'Enliven' 2012 Debate

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said in an interview this week that President Barack Obama facing a primary challenge from the left could serve to "enliven" the race for the White House in 2012.

In an interview on New York-based radio station WNYC, Sanders tamped down speculation that he might be considering challenging Obama himself. However, he then went on to endorse the idea of the president having to defend himself on Democratic turf.

"But if a progressive Democrat wants to run, I think it would enliven the debate, raise some issues and people have a right to do that," Sanders said. "I've been asked whether I am going to do that. I'm not. I don't know who is, but in a democracy, it's not a bad idea to have different voices out there."

[Starry Messenger]

83. So, just musing aloud?

He had no real reason to say it, except because it sounded pleasing to him. Gotcha.

[Agnosticsherbet]

88. Actually, I think he believes that.

The reason why he is doing it now is that his Senate seat is not up for grabs until 2018.

[Starry Messenger]

90. Always good to have a backup plan.

[EndElectoral]

12. Oh for god's sake. How about a real issue?

[FSogol]

17. How about a real issue? Take your pick:

15 Goals to Rebuild the American Dream
https://martinomalley.com/category/15-goals/

Addiction treatment and prevention
https://martinomalley.com/policy/addiction-treatment-and-prevention/

Criminal Justice Reform
https://martinomalley.com/policy/criminal-justice/

Making College Debt Free for all Americans
https://martinomalley.com/policy/make-college-debt-free/

Holding Wall Street Accountable
https://14d2r744okfe40r1ug1oqm6y-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/OMalley-Wall-Street-Reform.pdf

Expanding Social Security
https://martinomalley.com/the-latest/expanding-social-security/

Homeland Security
https://martinomalley.com/vision/homeland-security/

Immigration
https://martinomalley.com/the-latest/immigration/

National Service
https://martinomalley.com/national-service/

Environment
https://martinomalley.com/climate/iowa/
https://martinomalley.com/climate/
https://martinomalley.com/climate/agenda/

Foreign Policy
https://martinomalley.com/policy/truman-national-security/

Gun Reform
https://martinomalley.com/policy/preventing-and-reducing-gun-violence/

Trade Policy
https://martinomalley.com/policy/trade-policy/

Campaign Finance Reform (Restoring our American Democracy)
https://martinomalley.com/the-latest/restoring-our-american-democracy/

Why We Need a Constitutional Amendment to Secure the Right to Vote:
https://martinomalley.com/the-latest/news/right-to-vote/

Tax Reform
(Coming Soon)

All of them are fully posted here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/12813600

[Stellar]

65. Thanks for sharing...... O'Malley!

[Armstead]

73. O'Malley should stick with that, instead of screwing the pooch by insulting a potential base

[FSogol]

76. Sorry, but you don't understand the media. He can talk for hours and the only thing they'll

report is something that can be stretched into an attack on someone. Don't fall for the catfight/horserace nonsense from the media.

[Armstead]

78. THe last thing I wwant to see is a catfight, as he's been my preferred alternative

Which is why I hope O'Malley keeps his "compare and contrast" to the real issues, instead of this stuff

[msrizzo]

13. Compare and contrast time!

More than one can play at that game!

[EndElectoral]

15. Hey, I like the Orioles too.

[msrizzo]

30. Better luck to the O's next year.

And the Ravens too, while I'm at it. Not expecting much of a season this year.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

16. I agreed with Sanders. Still do.

[JaneyVee]

18. K AND R!

[winter is coming]

19. Screw that. It's a 4-year term, not an 8-year one.

I don't have a problem with anyone suggesting an incumbent should face a primary challenger.

[William769]

20. Kick & recommended.

[Eric J in MN]

21. Maybe Bernie Sanders asked an unnamed person

...to run for president at an unnamed time in 2010 or 2011.

Or maybe not.

Not many specifics to this accusation, but if it's true, I still plan to vote for Bernie Sanders.

[WillyT]

22. Yep... O'Malley Is Running For VP... Just As I Suspected...

[questionseverything]

36. omalley's sole purpose is to split the anti hc vote

[WillyT]

42. Yep... He And DWS Make Quite The Team, Eh ???

[Armstead]

63. If so, O'Malley is doing a SHITTY JOB of it

He has "split off" a hair's breadth little sliver

[riderinthestorm]

23. I don't understand why HRC supporters think this is so terrible

Its our process.

I don't understand why this is interpreted as this huge slam on BS.

So what? He called for a primary on Obama. I happen to think the process works better when there's a push and pull of ideas.

[deutsey]

26. Puzzles me, too n/t

[SunSeeker]

38. Yes. Of Course. Bernie should proudly recount his call to primary Obama.

It will really help Bernie with the AA votes he so desperately needs.

[riderinthestorm]

41. HRC actually did primary Obama and made some pretty awful racist statements

and AAs aren't letting that stop them from voting for her now.

But this will make them hate BS?

Sorry but I don't get it.

I'm really heavily leaning towards O'Malley right now so I'm not heavily invested in this for BS, I just don't think it's a big deal.

If AAs can forgive HRC's primary run against Obama, BS calling for a primary in 2012 hardly seems that heinous in comparison.

[SunSeeker]

48. She did not primary Obama. She was running months before Obama even announced.

And Obama was not President when they competed for the 2008 nomination. AA voters understand the difference. Really.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/20/AR2007012000426.html

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/02/10/obama.president/

[aikoaiko]

39. Bernie likes and liked Obama too. Is OMalley afraid Obama couldn't handle it?

[SunSeeker]

40. K & R

[AgingAmerican]

45. Small d Democracy

...is not all the rage these days

[NCTraveler]

47. Sanders loves to throw red meat to his base.

He is good at it.

This is a solid move by O'Malley. Every time he has directly mentioned Sanders or Clinton he has done so in a well thought out manner. I wouldn't be surprised to hear more of this from O'Malley. The party is truly important to him and he has a history showing just that.

[sufrommich]

50. I think he's most likely the true dark horse in this campaign.

He's quietly building his ground game and his organization.

[NCTraveler]

52. I think people are going to be shocked in Iowa.

Not calling a win for him but he is doing great work on the ground. I do see a solid second for him. That could elevate him to become more well known moving forward. That is a great thing.

[NurseJackie]

55. I would like that very much!!

[sufrommich]

56. I agree.Would not be surprised at all.

Martin O’Malley announces leadership teams in 21 states


Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley announced Tuesday that he has leadership teams from 21 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, supporting his Democratic presidential bid.

The groups showcase long lists of supporters, including former mayors who have come out to back the one-time Baltimore mayor. They include former Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman, former Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy, and former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz.

The list also includes former presidential candidate Gary Hart, whom O’Malley worked for, and former Montana Gov. Brian Scwheitzer, who recently signed on as a national co-chair for the campaign. And it includes six legislators from Puerto Rico, where O’Malley was an early voice on the territory’s debt crisis.

O’Malley has struggled to get out of his low-polling rut, but hopes a winnowed Democratic presidential field — which has been cut in half in the past two weeks — will give him the attention he needs to succeed. And he’s maintained a robust campaign infrastructure that has staff quietly working on the ground in early states and securing endorsements from political leaders.


http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/martin-omalley-announces-leadership-teams-21-states

[Agschmid]

75. Yup.

[Armstead]

62. THis shit is shooting himself in the foot

Sanders has a large base of supporters, and undecideds who like Sanders. If Sanders becaomes a non-viable alterative, they'll be looking to O'Malle.

But if O'Malley starts digging out the playbook of personal negativity, he's going to alienate a lot of the potential supporters he will need if he wants to get out of the sub-basement.

[NCTraveler]

74. He hasn't said anything that could alienate anyone.

If something like this or his past statements would alienate someone, it is a direct reflection of that person, not O'Malley. It's a great point he made in a manner that truly couldn't alienate anyone who isn't looking left and right to be alienated.

[Armstead]

80. No actually, I've been looking at O'Malley as a possible alternate choice -- but...

not if he gets into that kind of stink-pit politics.

Sure Sanders said it, And I've got no problems with Sanders saying it. hee mde an observation, and knew full well there was a 100 percent Obama was going to sail through the nomination even if someone ran a prrimary.

But if O'Malley is not going to win over Sanders supporters by dredging up and misrepresenting him in that way.

[NCTraveler]

87. Here.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=763149

[FloridaBlues]

57. There's a lot of people who feel the same way as O'Malley glad he brought it up

[Armstead]

61. Not wise by O'Malley, if he's trying to build up his campaign

It's one thing to cite disagreements on policy with Sanders. But gratuitous slams like thos is not going to predispose Sanders supporters to joining or supporting his campaign.

Stick to the high road Martin.

[Flying Phoenix]

68. O'Malley just eliminated himself

from my consideration. He didn't do his homework as to why Bernie suggested a primary for Obama in 2012.

[elleng]

69. His 'homework' would have taught him what?

[Armstead]

85. THat Sanders made a casual observation about a President who he knew had absolutely....

no threat of not being nominated. "Primaried" is not what he was suggested.

Sanders was not saying Obama should not be reelected. He just said it might be e good idea to a discussion if issues and for people to have an opportunity to do what Obama himself said should be done and keep him accountable.

O'Mally is going to Screw the Pooch if he keeps that stuff up. He's alienating a very large block of potential supporters.

[99Forever]

77. Ahhh Marty ...

...not a smart move.

[Kalidurga]

82. Good

Primaries are good things. It gives us an opportunity to talk about issues. We should do that every four years. It doesn't matter if the challenger doesn't go very far. It gives the incumbent an opportunity as well to show what they have done in four years and to get more support for what they want to do in the next four years.

[jfern]

84. Unlike O'Malley, Bernie never ran against the candidate he supported in 2008

And I think Bernie just wanted some token opposition for Obama in 2012, but never supported not renominating him.

[tishaLA]

89. Has anyone asked Sen Sanders about this in one of the debates?

Or why, in light of his interest in someone running against Pres Obama in 2012, he didn't do it himself? I'd like to hear his response to that. Maybe I'll tweet Maddow and suggest she ask him

[frylock]

91. Who?