Bernie Sanders Courts Martha’s Vineyard Donors at $37,000 a plate

[sufrommich]

dinner:




Mr. Sanders attended the annual Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee fund-raiser on the Massachusetts island, a popular gathering that draws some of the most prominent business lobbyists and fund-raisers in the Democratic Party.

One prominent attendee, a supporter of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential campaign, suggested Mr. Sanders’s appearance suggested he was more pragmatic than his rhetoric would let on.

Mr. Sanders attended the annual Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee fund-raiser on the Massachusetts island, a popular gathering that draws some of the most prominent business lobbyists and fund-raisers in the Democratic Party.

“Bernie is attracting throngs and has a wave going preaching against the one percent,” said the attendee, requesting anonymity to speak candidly. “So why would he take the weekend to spend in Martha’s Vineyard with wealthy people who are donating at least $37,000 and change to the DSCC?” (That is the minimum contribution to the Senate Democrats campaign arm in order to attend the event).



http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/07/11/sanders-courts-marthas-vineyard-donors/

[leftofcool]

1. But, but, it was horrible when Hillary did it.

[artislife]

44. Because that is the main way she rolls. nt

[giftedgirl77]

53. Wow, just wow....

I have a special cheer for you.

Give me a h, H!
Give me a y, Y!
Give me a p, P!
Give me a o, O!
Give me a C!
Give me a r, R!
Give me a i, I!
Give me a t, T!
Give me an e, E!

What's that spell, hypocr....., nope Sanders' supporter.

[ronnykmarshall]

82. Say it, say it, say it again!!!

The replies here are pure gold from the Sanders folks.

[rhett o rick]

88. That's it? That's the best you've got? How sad. nm

[giftedgirl77]

99. ....

I'm here all night & stopped taking this place serious a long time ago.

[Cha]

107. It's not "sad" at all, giftedgirl.. It's right freaking on! Well it's kinda sad

about the hypocrisy.. but not the way you pointed it out!

[giftedgirl77]

121. The only thing sad is how unwilling they are to admit their hypocrisy.

I don't think they have any concept of what a grassroots campaign is supposed to do. This doesn't help anything & just makes them look foolish.

[Cha]

122. Got that right.. it's too funny how they are.. like we've entered some orwellian nightmare.

[Florencenj2point0]

123. grassroots campaigning

is supposed to have a organized ground game. Bernie has less than three months to get his organization together in Iowa and NH. When is that going to start? He has almost no organizers in either state.

[giftedgirl77]

145. By yelling about how great he is over the intertubes

& reminding everyone that he marched with MLK before even my kids were born (& I have one getting ready to graduate high school & still plan on having more so I am in a weird age bracket).

[George II]

76. Obviously it's the way Sanders rolls, too.

[Cha]

119. Yeah, who knew bernie schmoozed with the 1%?!

LOL

[DianeK]

58. your desperation is showing....eom

[leftofcool]

100. I have nothing to be desperate about. My candidate is leading by double digits.

[Cha]

108. That's right.. you're not the who's "desperate".

[rhett o rick]

80. It's horrible when she accepts cash for her personal wealth from Goldman-Sachs, the worst

of the worse. They clearly expect quid pro quo.

[Hepburn]

2. This was a fund raiser for Bernie only?

[morningfog]

7. Nope. For the DSCC.

[sufrommich]

9. And Hillary's was for the DNC. nt

[Eric J in MN]

29. Most of the money from Hillary Clinton's event

...went to the DNC, but she also got $2,700 per donor for her presidential campaign.

I haven't seen that Bernie Sanders' got any money from this DSCC event.

[rhett o rick]

90. Not when she gave Goldman-Sachs a speech for $200,000 to her personal account. A speech where

she told them not to worry, that she wouldn't regulate them.

She chooses Corporate profits over helping those in poverty.

[Hepburn]

13. That's what I thought.

The fund raiser was not personal for him alone.

Thanks!

[George II]

26. Neither was the one on Friday night that Clinton attended personal for her alone.

[Vincardog]

35. Right she only took the maximum personal contribution per person.

[George II]

36. She was getting contributions from that DNC dinner?

[Vincardog]

38. I don't know what that DNC dinner you are refering to. See post 29 above

[George II]

39. There was a big fuss made earlier (or maybe last night) about Clinton....

....attending a DNC dinner that had a top price of $37,000. Sanders followers were up in arms about that. Now we see that Sanders did exactly the same thing.

[Vincardog]

109. Sanders did not take the first $7,500 of each donation. He did it to help the Democratic Party not

Himself. Definitely not the same thing as HRC did.

[George II]

116. So you say.

[Vincardog]

117. What do YOU say? Do you have a point to make?

[Weidman]

3. Yes, he's horrible and everything.

Not.

[Chitown Kev]

4. Yes.

One prominent attendee, a supporter of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential campaign, suggested Mr. Sanders’s appearance suggested he was more pragmatic than his rhetoric would let on.

That's long been my impression of Sanders...and that's not a bad thing.

[George II]

27. Not pragmatic at all.

[freshwest]

70. Agreed. As Barney Frank said:

Last edited Mon Nov 16, 2015, 03:19 AM - Edit history (1)

"The opposite of pragmatism is not idealism," he said. "It's wishful thinking."

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/10/11/1430614/-Barney-Frank-has-a-message-for-Bernie-Sanders-supporters-they-won-t-like

Frank was great on all the issues Bernie and Hillary fans both like. There are so many, I'm just going to post the link:

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/b/barney_frank.html

Some people might be surprised at his positions on many things. I like him even better reading those.

[99th_Monkey]

5. Funny. If Sanders had 'snubbed' the event, he'd be called 'disloyal' to Democrats -nt-

[yeoman6987]

33. He is the one saying he isn't taking money from the money peeps

Hillary would never say that. It will be interesting if he wins the general and not accepting money from PACS. I wonder what he will do?

[Vincardog]

37. He raised money for the Democratic party not his personal PAC.

[99th_Monkey]

51. Do you know this happened back in July, 4 months agp?

why is this so suddenly of interest to Clintonistas?

Hell, this is a fund-raiser FOR Senate Democrats to retain control of the US Senate.

Why shouldn't he attend? If he didn't he'd be accused of "not supporting Dems
retaining control of the US Senate."

Why is this suddenly being plucked out of the distant past? to 'prove' what
exactly, except a new level of desperation to find something .. anything ..
to accuse Sanders of "being also in the pocket of big donors"

It's pathetic really.

[okasha]

61. Chill.

No one is accusing the Senator of anything. He did nothing wrong.

And neither, of course, did Hillary, but you'd think she was a raging monarchist the way some of Sanders' peeps took on.

[99th_Monkey]

64. "No one is accusing the Senator of anything" .. except for this

One prominent attendee, a supporter of HRC, suggested Mr. Sanders’s appearance suggested he was more pragmatic than his rhetoric would let on.

Which is the whole crux of the OP.

But I won't be loosing any sleep over it, so no worries.

[okasha]

68. Oh, blather.

That's a compliment, not an accusation.

[99th_Monkey]

86. Like I already said, no worries here. -nt-

[rhett o rick]

89. This story doesn't say he is taking any money, it just implies it. The story is a piece of crap

from the Corp-Media that loves the Corp-Candidate.

When you have a lot of money, you think you don't have to play fair. Those that play fair are losers. Sad that some Democrats side with the billionaires. IMO that's not being a Democrat. It's Republicons that side with big money.

[morningfog]

6. So not for Sanders' presidential campaign?

But rather the DSCC and the races in te senate the DSCC sees fit.

Yawn.

[DanTex]

14. And neither was Hillary's. That didn't seem to stop the Hillary-haters from bashing...

[Hekate]

8. THE HORROR! THE HORROR! He took filthy money at an event I can't afford to attend! NOOOOOOO!

There, do I have the right tone?

[sufrommich]

12. I think you've got it.

[morningfog]

10. You posted in the wrong forum. This is not GDP material.

It has nothing to do with the dem pres primary.

[brooklynite]

16. Disagree - attitudes towards party structure and financial strategies are in bounds

If elected President, Sanders will be expected to help fund the Party, and $40/head won't cover it.

[sufrommich]

18. Wait,what?

He attended while running for president for the same reason as Clinton did here:


http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=805837

[onehandle]

20. LOL! nt

[ronnykmarshall]

83. Then alert it.

[morningfog]

93. I did. Nothing doing.

Not the first or last time the hosts disagree with me.

[ronnykmarshall]

95. good for them

[DanTex]

11. Heads explode everywhere! Or they would, if Hillary-bashers weren't so accustomed to hypocrisy.

[Sheepshank]

47. Well done....hammer met nail. Nt

[JTFrog]

87. Bingo. n/t

[cosmicone]

15. shhhhhhh Those were "good" oligarchs

not to be confused with Hillary's donors who are "bad" oligarchs.

[leftofcool]

23. LMAO

[treestar]

134. ROFL

[bravenak]

17. Were any banksters there, and did he arrest them if so?

[CoffeeCat]

41. Wow, a few of you Clinton supporters...

...have really backed yourselves into a corner as Democrats, haven't you?

Yucking it up about the oligarchs and the corruption of the big banks.

Mind blowing.

[bravenak]

49. The oligarchy just forced me to post that

[CoffeeCat]

55. Do you receive your commands...

...via text message or do they have a bat signal?

[ronnykmarshall]

85. We can't tell you that

[bravenak]

115. Mostly through texts.

[msrizzo]

127. My phone is breaking

So I have to rely on telegrams. It's slow, which is why I'm sometimes late to the party.

[bravenak]

129. Better get a land line.

The NSA ensures that all of my calls from the oligarchy get through in a pinch.

[msrizzo]

130. Lucky you...

I'm still trying to figure out what all my oligarchy perks are.

[bravenak]

131. I still haven't got my Hillary operative check.

[freshwest]

92. Ow, ow, ow! Buh-bye!

[bravenak]

114. LOL

[treestar]

133. And corporatists. Don't forget the corporatists!

and Oligarchs. There must be plenty of them on Martha's Vineyard.

[bravenak]

135. Oh yeah. Can't forget them!

I hope he yelled at each and everyone of them. Just lined them up and told them off one by one to their faces like they deserve.

[brooklynite]

19. I had dinner with Bernie and his wife at this event (2011) just four of us at the table...

...I have no issues with his approach to financing his campaign...including his joint funding agreement with the DNC. It's the holier-than-thou attitude of his supporters that gets annoying.

[John Poet]

21. Your headline is misleading.

Makes it appear that Bernie was holding his own fundraiser at $37,000 a head, which is obviously untrue.

[sufrommich]

22. It does no such thing. nt

[John Poet]

24. It did for me.

I was expecting to read about Bernie holding a fundraiser at $37,000 a plate. I clicked because it seemed out of character for him.

[azmom]

25. Me too. Bernie was just in attendance.

Misleading title.

[Douglas Carpenter]

42. yes, that is pretty obvious. To suggest that this headline was not worded in a way to intentionally

deceive is insulting to intelligence.

[artislife]

45. Typical tactic by h supporters. nt

[rhett o rick]

91. But that's what you were going for. Clinton loses a battle of truths. It's called Swiftboating.

You've got the corps on your side and the billionaires and Wall Street. Not so much the People. Apparent they don't matter so much. The hell with 50 million Americans living in poverty. Put their by the politics of conservatives both Republicon and Democrat.

If Goldman-Sachs is elected president, the poverty rate will climb as their profits do. I hope you can live with that.

[Eric J in MN]

28. Bernie Sanders wasn't the guest of honor.

There wasn't one.

The event was called, "Summer Retreat with Senators Baucus, Sanders, and Coons."

http://www.scribd.com/doc/77157563/DSCC-Summer-Retreat-with-Senators-Baucus-Sanders-and-Coons

The article doesn't say that any of the donations went to Sanders' campaign. It may have all gone to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

[brooklynite]

59. .,..and none of the DNC funds go to Hillary Clinton

[Eric J in MN]

102. Her campaign is getting $2,700 per donor for that event.

http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/11/13/hillary-clinton-plans-event-to-tap-big-dollar-donors-for-democrats/

[brooklynite]

112. ...only if they haven't already maxed out to the Clinton campaign.

I'm willing to bet every one of them has.

[okasha]

66. Sounds like three guests of honor to me,

of whom Sanders was one.

Next you guys will be telling us he was only there to help out the oppressed dish-washers.

[freshwest]

97. At least they didn't make him wash up the pots and pans like poor Paul Ryan:

I'm happy Bernie signed on with DWS to do fundraisers.

[okasha]

111. Me, too.

I think he did great. For the freaking life of me, I can't think why anyone would take exception either to his doing this or to an article about it.

This place has gotten veddy, veddy strange.

[treestar]

136. It's not that it's wrong, it's that it was declared wrong

when Hillary did essentially the same thing.

[okasha]

138. Exactly.

[Eric J in MN]

104. OK, so Bernie Sanders is 1/3 as indebted

...to those donors as if he were the sole guest of honor.

[cherokeeprogressive]

30. Was it difficult to find this story, which was posted in JULY?

[Jim Lane]

31. Does this mean the "Bernie isn't a Democrat" line is on hold for a day or two?

He helped the Democratic Party raise hundreds of thousands of dollars. And, because it's the DSCC, they probably won't spend a penny of that money helping him in any future election. (Clinton raised money for the DNC, which will be helping her if she wins the nomination.)

Between that and voting with the Democrats to organize the Senate, he's done more for the Democratic Party than upwards of 99.9% of the people who have a "D" after their name.

[R B Garr]

32. Who else has been waiting for this bait and switch??

It's so obvious it was all headed here.

[freshwest]

98. Nothing has changed. Before Bernie announced, he said on MSNBC that he would run as a Democrat in

order to get the advantage of the organization and the funding of the Democratic Party. That is exactly what he said.

This shows he is serious about this no matter what Jane says. More important is that he promised to not run third party or anything like that which would give the White House to a far right Republican. Exact wording same interview. He said he would do nothing that would allow that to happen.

I think this is great, he will be able to get his message out to more people. If he wins the nomination, I'll vote for him. But he does not convince Democrats to nominate him, he will endorse Hillary just as she did Obama. Because the cause is more important than just one person's win.

I am looking forward to the convention to see them on the stage and hear them support keeping the White House in Democratic hands for the next four or eight years.

I think all our candidates have the stamina for eight years. We will need that to keep from falling into a rightwing sponsored civil war. Either Bernie or Hillary will not let that happen. And the world will have some dangerous years, even moreso than Obama has had, if one can concieve of that.

[Eric J in MN]

105. I'm waiting for Hillary Clinton to switch

...and support the TPP or similar trade deals.

Not expecting Bernie Sanders to support trade deals with Investor State Dispute Settlement (special courts corporations can use to hurt the environment, but environmental groups can't use to help the environment).

[FloridaBlues]

34. He's a politican first. Perhaps not as pure as supporters claim

[MineralMan]

40. So, Hillary did this and got attacked for it.

It's OK for Bernie, though? I'm finding a disconnect here somehow. Sanders signed the same agreement Hillary did with the DNC and its subsidiaries. He'll be holding more of these high-priced fundraisers, too.

Can we try to balance criticism or not criticize Hillary for things Bernie is doing too? That'd be great. Fairness is good.

[merrily]

43. LOL! If we had posted about each of Hillary's fundraisers, we'd have broken the internet.

Kim Kardashian, eat your heart out!

[reformist2]

46. If Hillary supporters want to help demonize excessive fundraising, that's great!

Just know that your candidate will be hurt 1000x worse than Bernie by going down that road...

[UglyGreed]

50. I believe if Bernie

refused to add to the coffers of the DNC then he would found it very hard to run for the nomination. Still these 37,000.00 a pop meet and greets just proves that money talks and BS walks. I don't like at all.

[Rose Siding]

48. Not that there's anything wrong with that

[William769]

52. "Let them eat cake"

[freshwest]

96. 'What was served with the cake at $37k a pop?' Signed, Nosey Rosie...

Last edited Mon Nov 16, 2015, 03:11 AM - Edit history (2)

Why don't they invite MEEE, Bill?

[rhett o rick]

54. Who says the Corp-Media doesn't love Clinton. A very misleading hit piece from

the NYT. Sen Sanders didn't court anyone. He attended an event that raises money for ALL senators like a good Democrat.

The NYT wants to smear Sen Sanders.

[UglyGreed]

60. Yep he did it so

he could run as a Democrat most likely.

[rhett o rick]

79. He always attends these events. nm

[Florencenj2point0]

124. oh come on

the corporate media has never done anything but tear Hillary apart and leave Sanders alone. Do you really think they don't have all kinds of trash on Bernie? They do and I do, but when I posted it here some "committee" of all Sanders supporters, no doubt, decided it was hurtful. Hell yes it is hurtful....... to women and to Mexicans if he is ever elected.
The corporate media is trying like hell to make sure Bernie is the nominee so that he can be beaten by the republican. He is their only hope. To think anything else is just wishful thinking.

[rhett o rick]

143. This was clearly a hit piece by the NYT. The big money that backs HRC also owns the

corp-media. Side with the big money and you'll pay the price. Their backing isn't for free.

[BootinUp]

56. Apparently the attendee did not see Bernie's halo. nt

[mythology]

57. Good for him

I'm a fan of things that can help the party.

[brooklynite]

62. In all fairness...

...the $37,000 includes TWO dinners, two breakfasts, a lunch...and a boat ride (at least the year I went).

[freshwest]

94. Why no second lunch? Ummm. n/t

[brooklynite]

101. Friday night through Sunday morning.

Last edited Mon Nov 16, 2015, 12:20 AM - Edit history (1)

[freshwest]

103. Thanks, makes sense. n/t

[sheshe2]

63. Lol~ KnR

[freshwest]

65. Excellent news for the Sanders' campaign! Glad the HRC person had a good word for him. n/t

[AgingAmerican]

67. None of it went to Sanders

And Hillary's campaign people were in attendance.

[okasha]

69. Gotta love some of the responses on this thread.

Sanders did absolutely nothing that wasn't commendable, and the article is "a hit piece" made up of "accusations"

Ding, ding!

[MohRokTah]

72. OLIGARCHS & CORPORATISTS!!!!! THE 1% HAS BOUGHT OUT SANDERS!!!!!!!!

[TBF]

73. Not a fundraiser for Bernie - this was DNC

but good try. False equivalency.

[Eric J in MN]

106. DSCC (NT)

NT

[TBF]

118. Thank you -

similar type of group, but not the same. Thanks for the correction.

[MaggieD]

74. LOL!

You mean Bernie is just a politician like any other? Say it ain't so!

[madfloridian]

75. This was to raise money for Democratic senate candidates.

It was not money for Bernie. He was helping to fundraise for candidates for Senate.

And don't jump me because some criticized Hillary for raising funds for the DNC. I did not do it, and it is how the groups raise money for candidates.

Trust me it would have really been news if Bernie had refused.

This place is crazy and lacking common sense sometimes.

[George II]

78. .....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251805837

[madfloridian]

81. Please note I am not in that thread.

[Major Hogwash]

84. No shit.

Look at all of the cheerleaders for Hillary making mockng posts in this thread alone, just because it has Bernie's name in it.

[George II]

77. So?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251813438

[Beacool]

110. I wouldn't have had a problem if this fundraiser had been for his presidential campaign.

It's naïve to think that candidates don't need money from top donors and that they are going to have enough funds to be competitive by only accepting donations from the "little people".

Please, these candidates are not running for class president.

[okasha]

113. Jayzus.

You'd think the only acceptable way to raise money was standing in the freezing rain with a tin cup, begging passersby for bus change.

[Skinner]

120. Supporting the DSCC

Good for Bernie.

[Florencenj2point0]

125. I agree

It is what he should be doing and what we have been waiting for. I give him all the credit in the world.

[KingCharlemagne]

126. This smear is jaw-droppingly PATHETIC and should result in OP being

banned from site.

[brooklynite]

137. Seriously?

Is this factually untrue? No

Is this pejorative? No.

All this appear to be is a challenge to the illusions you've created about your candidate.

Bernie Sanders is a politician. He's willing to work with the Party establishment. Good for him.

[KingCharlemagne]

139. The headline of the OP rewrites the Times' headline to

suggest Sanders is raising the funds for his presidential campaign (implying Sanders is hypocritically contradicting one of his campaign themes to refuse big money) WHEN HE IS DOING IT ON BEHALF OF DEMOCRATIC SENATORIAL CANDIDATES!

You and the OP should be ashamed.

[brooklynite]

140. No it doesn't...

You go to an event like this in part to meet and mingle with people who may support you in the future. "Courting" is an appropriate term.

[KingCharlemagne]

141. do you know how to read? did you read the headline of

The times article? Did you read the headline of the OP?

You are further Emfurthering yourself. what slimey tactics will u and the HRC ccoterie come up with next?

[brooklynite]

142. The irony is that nobody on the Clinton side has any issue with his showing up here...

...as I mentioned before, my wife and I had dinner with Bernie and his wife at one of these events. A very nice guy and very interesting conversation (and no money changed hands). The only people who seem offended are Sanders supporters for whom "hobnobbing" appears to be a forbidden activity.

[KingCharlemagne]

144. evade, deflect - it's all you know how to do. FACT: OP tried to smear

Sanders. FACT: you are defending the OP's smear.

And you think this will convince Sanders supporters to vote for HRC in the GE???

I have a bridge for sale in your neck of the woods.

[Thinkingabout]

128. Sanders is not as he appears, he declared he was going to tax the rich, he comes out with a plan to

Increase income tax, it puts a tax on low incomes and leaves the 1% out of a tax increase. He has a proposal to give free college tuition to everybody, this gives to the 1% their kids do not need this program. Take away from the low income and give to the rich, it is not proposals I think of when "making the rich pay".

[Lil Missy]

132. Oh dear, this is awkward. n/t