Bernie Sanders Blames Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton for Trump Presidency

[PhoenixDem]

By Tommy ChristopherSep 24th, 2019, 10:38 am

Bernie Sanders agreed with one supporter who blamed former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton for Trump’s 2016 election victory, agreed with another who said he had “truly won” over Hillary Clinton in 2016, and thanked another supporter for comparing Trump’s campaign with Bernie’s.

<snip>

“I’m here tonight, and I’ve been to three towns in Iowa today, because Obama won here in 2012, Trump won here in 2016,” Sanders continued and asked “Why?”
<snip>

“I’m sorry, Obama won, he had the majority in the Senate, he had the majority in the House, did not come through on these important issues,” he continued. “I don’t care if you win, you have to help the people that put you there, or they’re not going to put you there second time.”

After determining the man’s name, Sanders said “Okay, I agree with Art. I think when people do not see government responding to their needs, we’re ignoring their needs, they become alienated from the political process or they vote the other way.”
<snip>

But extensive research has demonstrated that racial and “cultural” factors were key to Trump’s victory, and not economic anxiety. And while President Obama did lose his filibuster-proof majority after a total of fourteen legislative weeks — passing health care reform and rescuing the economy in that time — voters did send him back to the White House a second time.



So to recap: Bernie Sanders agrees that he really beat Hillary Clinton, that two of the most popular Democrats in history are to blame for Trump’s victory, and that Trump also eked out a victory by “copying” Bernie Sanders’ message. Bernie Sanders is running to be the Democratic nominee for president.


http://www.mediaite.com/news/watch-bernie-sanders-blames-presidents-barack-obama-and-bill-clinton-for-trump-presidency/

[DavidDvorkin]

1. Grr.

[thesquanderer]

119. Headline is completely wrong. People are responding without reading the article...

...or even, apparently, the excerpt of it posted in the OP.

There's no mention of Bill Clinton in the article, except when an audience member says his name and then apologizes and corrects himself, he meant Obama.

And Sanders did not actually blame Obama for anything; the closest thing to that is that he agreed with an audience member's point to the extent that, if people don't see a party responding to their needs, they may vote differently next time, or not vote.

There's no scandal here. But there are 100 posts from the usual Bernie haters who will simply believe and respond to the clickbait headline as if it's truth.

[dgauss]

123. The headline just serves as a cue for the daily 2 minutes of Bernie hate.

Accuracy is not needed for that.

[BeyondGeography]

126. Agreed. Sanders gave a very professional answer.

What was he supposed to do, tell Art to stop whining?

[RhodeIslandOne]

147. It's happening too much here

On all sides.

[stonecutter357]

2. WOW !

[George II]

3. Quelle surprise!

[Hortensis]

128. Just reading these twists and lies makes my blood pressure rise.

WHY would anyone support a person like this? I've never understood it.

[Doremus]

134. Which twists and lies would that be? The ones in the OP?

[betsuni]

138. What lies in the OP?

[dgauss]

140. Here's one:

"So to recap: Bernie Sanders agrees that he really beat Hillary Clinton."

It sounds bad, it gets people angry, but it didn't happen.

[betsuni]

141. He has said: "Some people say that maybe if the system was not rigged against me,

I would've won the nomination and defeated Donald Trump." He does think the primary was rigged.

[dgauss]

142. So that equals "Bernie Sanders agrees that he really beat Hillary Clinton" in the current thread?

[betsuni]

143. Yes.

The man at the campaign rally said, "Because people were so upset with Hillary Clinton, we thought it was skewed, that you truly won and that they, the Democratic Party skewed that." Bernie answers, "Okay, but that still doesn't explain to me why [Trump] won."

The man said it was rigged. Bernie did not disagree. He never disagrees when rigging is brought up in interviews. In 2016 he said it wasn't rigged, but his supporters, like Michael Moore, say it all the time and I think hearing it from people around him influenced him. He definitely thinks it was rigged now. The OP is correct.

[dgauss]

154. Maybe up equals down as well? Simple fact: Sanders didn't agree. The OP made that up.

But if a simple fact is inconvenient, I guess some alternate logic with the right spin will get the answer you want. And then we get threads like this.

[calguy]

4. Bernie just needs to go away

[NurseJackie]

10. Yes please.

[trueblue2007]

153. i also echo the YES, PLEASE.

[jrthin]

16. Yes, he does. nt

[WinstonSmith4740]

62. True that!

Now how do we convince him?

[onetexan]

82. +1 -K&R

[Celerity]

90. yes he does nt

[Tipperary]

117. Yes!

The sooner the better.

[BlueMississippi]

163. Yes!! nt

[still_one]

5. and that is why he is now running third in most polls

[Me.]

6. WHAT?

Is there something seriously wrong with him, this just doesn't make sense.

[NurseJackie]

9. Many people share your feelings.

[George II]

32. Bazinga!

[RockRaven]

8. Imma let you finish with their splinters,

but deal with your log first, bro.

[secondwind]

11. Obama had all three branches for a very short period of time, and he gave us

THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, among other things.

Starting to really dislike Sanders.

[LiberalFighter]

95. You are right. Sanders seems to be repeating incorrect info.

[SCVDem]

12. Well bless his heart!

I guess he missed the memo.

Do not attack fellow Dems, especially the most popular and successful!

C'mon Man!

[George II]

20. So much for the Unity Pledge. And between Clinton and Obama, he skipped right over...

...the eight years of baby bush.

[mcar]

35. All of this!

[Cha]

76. omg.. smh.. excellent point.

[SCVDem]

105. Originally I had that noted

I didn't want to get alerted for bashing so I softened the tone.

It's the Democratic Party! Up yours Kennedy! (MTP)

We can't have a part time Dem.

[MustLoveBeagles]

13. Wow

Seriously Bernie?!

I honestly don't know what to say to that.

[Cha]

14. NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO. BS is Wrong.

[peggysue2]

15. No, No & No!

If Bernie Sanders thinks this is a winning approach, he should just drop out now. Blaming Democrats for Donald Trump is positively . . . Republican in twisted logic. He truly won over Hillary Clinton in 2016? No, he lost by millions of votes, not to mention the delegate loss. And what Democratic candidate in their right mind would say, 'Trump eked out a victory on my message.'

So, it's all Bill Clinton and Barack Obama's fault??

Just guessing here but I don't think that's going to play to Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters. Just saying.

[George II]

21. Especially if we go to a second ballot and all the Super Delegates get to weigh in.

They may have their shortcomings (in the eyes of some, but not me), but if they have nothing else they are LOYAL to fellow Democrats.

[NurseJackie]

26. It's disgusting.

I mean seriously... WTELF?!

[George II]

17. And the Unity Pledge goes just a little bit deeper in its grave.

[NYMinute]

122. It has been in the grave since May

It has fully decomposed already and in a couple of months, not even the bones will remain.

[OAITW r.2.0]

18. I think it is Bedtime for Bernie.

I see some personality traits that he shares with Trump

[George II]

23. Kinda like "Weekend at Bernie's", on North Hero perhaps?

[Fresh_Start]

94. Exactly, Bernie shares many personality traits with Trump nt

nt

[Hortensis]

131. Yes. I have for a long time.

Very different people, but in vying for many of the same followers it's more than personality traits they share..

[brush]

19. This is why this non-Dem is sinking fast. O accomplished quite significant things despite the...

Last edited Wed Sep 25, 2019, 12:50 AM - Edit history (1)

constant repug obstruction and a non-contiguous and short-term majority in the Senate.

And what the hell did Clinton's admin, four terms removed from 2016, have to do with him LOSING? He still can't help himself from bashing actual Democrats.

[WinstonSmith4740]

63. Non Dem is right.

All policies aside, this has always been my biggest issue with Bernie. If he wants to run as a Democrat, he can damn well become a Democrat. Otherwise, he needs to run as an independent.

[JI7]

22. why didn't Sanders himself pass anything while he was there ?

and he has been there a lot longer than Obama was.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

43. He sponsored a couple of bills naming post offices.

[Wawannabe]

24. Bernie can

Go away!

[question everything]

27. And not a moment too soon

What a sourpuss he is. Say good night Bernie. Your time is over.

[aikoaiko]

135. Some people won't like it, but there is some truth to what Bernie said.

[BlueMississippi]

144. What truth? That Barack Obama and Bill Clinton did nothing?

Please elaborate what truth is there in BS's statements. Give details instead of a hit and run post.

[aikoaiko]

135. Some people won't like it, but there is some truth to what Bernie said.

[NYMinute]

146. Please expand on what "some truth" is

inquiring minds want to know

[BlueMississippi]

162. Looks like we'll never know what you meant by "some truth" nt

[sheshe2]

25. Barack Obama's fault?

Sorry, Bernie. This is not a winning strategy nor was your call to primary him. He is a beloved President.

3. March 23, 2010



After a long and bitter legislative fight, Obama achieved what several Democratic (and some Republican) presidents had tried and failed to do — the largest expansion of health care coverage for the American people in a generation. As Vice President Biden put it, this was a "big f--king deal," and one of the crowning domestic achievements of Obama's presidency. Although the Supreme Court would uphold the law in 2012, it now appears to be in peril due to Republicans and the incoming president's pledge to repeal it.

4. May 1, 2011



The president's peerless comedic performances at the annual White House Correspondents Dinner has already become the stuff of legend, but this riff on the track record of then-reality star Donald Trump, who had been waging a very public crusade to prove that Obama was not an American citizen, may have been his most biting and significant barb. Obama started off by saying he had recently watched an episode of "Celebrity Apprentice" in which the men’s team "did not impress the judges from Omaha Steaks" during a cooking challenge. Some had suggested that a humiliated Trump became inspired to seek the presidency himself that night as an act of revenge. Either way, he appears to have gotten the last laugh.

7. Aug. 23, 2013




While commemorating the 50th anniversary of the civil rights March on Washington, Obama paid homage to a classic Martin Luther King, Jr. quote, but added his own aside, pointing out that any successful reform movement requires foot soldiers, not just leaders. It was a theme he would return to throughout his presidency.


https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/president-obama-the-legacy/15-most-telling-quotes-obama-s-presidency-n703081

[W_HAMILTON]

36. I actually have insurance through Obamacare right now while I am on a leave of absence...

...from workplace to be a caregiver for my elderly mother. Coincidentally enough, it is even better insurance than what I had through my prior employer, and cheaper to boot.

How dare Sanders agree with someone that says Obama accomplished nothing.

[sheshe2]

38. I was on Obamacare for several months after losing my job.

I was old and in the way. It got me through, low cost, just fine for a year until I went on Medicare.

My heart goes out to you doing mom care. I was not able to go back to the workforce because there are just two of us doing 24/7 care for mom. It is hard work and after two years, frankly I am exhausted and have no idea how I will see it to the end.

Hugs to you and your mom.

[W_HAMILTON]

47. Aw, thank you.

Yes, it is very difficult. I had hoped to just do a temporary leave of absence and get my mom in better shape so that she could be more independent and look after herself, but over a year later, I don't think that's going to happen. I know that providing care for someone else can be a very frustrating at times. I wish you the best in your caregiving endeavors and thank you for the kind comments and for replying back!

[sheshe2]

48. Best to you and yours.

[susanr516]

69. Hugs to you

24/7 caregiving is tough work.

[susanr516]

67. Hugs to you, sheshe

Caregiving for elderly/disabled family members is long, hard work 24/7. I have a mentally disabled adult grandson who lives with me, and I can't do anything on the spur of the moment. Everything must be carefully planned as he can never be left unsupervised. I can't imagine how much more difficult it would be if he had a physical disability.

[liberal N proud]

28. And he wants me to call him a Democrat?

[SergeStorms]

39. He wants all of the prestige and clout the Democratic Party offers....

but when push comes to shove, it's hooray for Bernie and screw the Democrats, I'm out to get my own. I really wish they didn't let Bernie caucus with the Democrats all of those years, and I really wish he would just go away.

[ehrnst]

100. It's far easier to appropriate the infrastructure and resources of a successful entity

than it is to do the hard work of building ones' own.

Especially when one is nearing the end of one's career, after having alienated so many who could have been allies.

It must be very frustrating.

[Hoyt]

29. Warren bashing Obama/Clinton over TPP and European trade also contributed. Sorry.

[Wawannabe]

80. Don't be sorry

For calling a spade a spade ...
Warren got her start in Obamas era.
She actually owes him a lot

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

30. Boo.

I'll be so glad when Bernie finally drops out and stops acting like the skunk at the Democrats' picnic. I'm beginning to regret ever having supported him at all. Dissing Obama is way over the line.

[oasis]

31. Not good. What does Bernie think he'll gain?:

[Skidmore]

158. Heckling privileges??? IDK. nt

[keithbvadu2]

33. Bernie gave us Trump by taking votes from Hillary... BS is another self-important Ralph Nader.

Bernie gave us Trump by taking votes from Hillary... BS is another self-important Ralph Nader.

[katmondoo]

97. That is how I view Bernie, he gave us Trump

[Ace Rothstein]

104. This makes no sense.

Bernie didn't run in the general election.

[keithbvadu2]

109. Bernie got some votes - in the name of Trump

Bernie Sanders supporters switched their allegiance to Donald Trump in large enough numbers last November to sway the election for the real estate billionaire, according to an analysis of voter data released Tuesday by the blog Political Wire. Since Trump's shock victory over Hillary Clinton, much discussion has focused on the degree to which passionate Sanders supporters' refusal to embrace Clinton led to the Republican winding up in the White House.

https://www.newsweek.com/bernie-sanders-trump-2016-election-654320

[Ace Rothstein]

112. So now candidates are responsible for how their primary election voters vote in the general?

That's a stretch to me.

[treestar]

149. While literally true, some number of his supporters

were so fired up for Bernie that the could not transition. And Bernie didn't do much to get them on board. He campaigned for Hillary but was not as strong as Hillary was when she backed Obama in 2008. I still remember her at that convention, saying she did not do all that work to see a Republican in the WH. Bernie did not come off that way at the convention. Not being a Democrat, maybe he did not feel as strongly about it.

[mcar]

34. Ugh

[LakeArenal]

37. I honestly thought this would be the Onion.

[MustLoveBeagles]

51. I wish it was

I'm so disappointed in him.

[NNadir]

40. Yes, I know that greatest thinker of all time, the genius of geniuses, the real winner of the...

...2016 election, and for that matter, the 2012 election, the 2008 election, the 2004 election, the 2000 election, the 1996 election and many elections before he was even born is the perfect person of all exalted people to rule on Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, FDR, Abraham Lincoln, John Adams and George Washington.

I really think that Bernie should declare himself President by acclimation.

There's another guy of the same sort around, and they sort of each remind me of the other.

[NoMoreRepugs]

41. I am undecided about who will be my candidate.... I can

state that after these comments by Bernie it will ABSOLUTELY not be Senator Sanders.

[Doodley]

42. When BS fails to get the nomination, he will run as an Independent.

[Cha]

46. He'd better not.

[Celerity]

91. I truly do not think he has the jacobs to do that

He would go down in history as one of the most hated POTUS candidates in history, as it would probably deliver Rump a reelection. I think the Democratic Caucus in the Senate would expel him too, as long as it doesn't cost them the majority.

[BlueMississippi]

145. If he isn't already.....

He may not have the jacobs but he has the ego .. I suspect he truly believes that only "he" can fix things.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

49. By that time it will be too late for him to get on most states' ballots.

[ehrnst]

101. He was talked out of doing that the first time.

The biggest argument was over running as a Democrat. Over and over, Bernie Sanders said he didn’t want to. He’d spent his whole life purposefully outside the Democratic Party. He treasured his status as the longest-serving independent in Congress. Running as a Democrat wasn’t who he was. He didn’t want to do it that way.

His longtime consultant Tad Devine and the rest of the group came down hard: this is never going to have a chance of working unless you get over it. Suck it up, they told him.

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/03/bernie-sanders-2016-inside-213692

I think that he'd rather try to use his influence over his die hard supporters, however few they may be at that point, as leverage to gain some power as a party leader who calls the shots. Besides, Democrats can afford a private plane and cover expenses for him in order for him to endorse the winner, where he can stand before crowds and continue to give his stump speech. He wouldn't have any of that as an independent. Besides, it would be too late to declare as a candidate on many state ballots.

That said, I think that even he knows at this point that being the Democratic candidate isn't possible, but senses that there are other benefits to him and his goals to be wrung out of staying in the campaign as long as possible.

[Gothmog]

44. ARGGH

[MustLoveBeagles]

52. Well said

[njhoneybadger]

45. I was just wondering if Mr Sanders has ever blamed himself for anything.

[comradebillyboy]

55. No, of course not. He is without sin...

[Tarheel_Dem]

70. Nope, and that's something else he has in common with the current resident. n/t

[betsuni]

50. Talking points:

The 2016 primary was rigged.

Bill Clinton abandoned the unions because they'd been weakened during the Reagan years so he turned to Wall Street to finance his campaigns and the Democratic Party has been beholden to Wall St. ever since, ignoring the working/middle classes.

Democrats could pass progressive legislation if they fought hard enough. (Of course ignore all the times Republicans have been in control of Congress. Ignore the fact that things don't get passed without enough votes, or that to get enough votes, compromises must be made. In fact, go ahead and ignore Republicans altogether.) If a Democratic president cannot get enough progressive things done, it means they do not want to (same as Republicans).

Obama had a majority for two years and did not transform anything. (Of course ignore that he had a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate for all of four months and ten days.)

Bernie does everything first, everyone copies him.

[WinstonSmith4740]

68. And when you get right down to it

60 Democrats is not filibuster proof...herding crickets and all that. The Republicans would have never been able to get away with the filibuster shit they did without help from some Democrats during that time.

And, like you mentioned, those 60 votes weren't there that long...I read somewhere that the Senate was in session for something like 92 days after Al Franken was finally seated.

[Cha]

85. Excellent wrap up, betsuni..

like Chuckie said to Sen John Kennedy today.. ".. don't gaslight us, sir..".

Obama had a majority for two years and did not transform anything. (Of course ignore that he had a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate for all of four months and ten days.)

Just where does he think he's going with this?

[betsuni]

86. Right! Just where does he think he's going with this?

Residue.

[Cha]

87. ..

[melman]

53. Tommy Christopher

lol

[comradebillyboy]

60. Holly Otterbein's twitter feed confirms all of this.

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[betsuni]

84. Bernie Sanders

lol

Auto kill-the-messenger.

[Cha]

88. That's right..

Tommy Christopher..

Link to tweet

[LanternWaste]

111. "This is troubling for Bernie..."

"Not a very good look."

"Bad optics."

"Disqualifying!"

"I'm concerned..."



lol, indeed.

[NYMinute]

54. K&R nt

[BlueMississippi]

56. BS is not a Democrat ... so I am not shocked

He actually wanted to primary Pres Obama in 2012.

It boggles my mind how anyone calling oneself a Democrat can support sedition.

[emmaverybo]

57. When you run again, you need to have gotten over having lost previously. Otherwise, your current

run is marked by bitterness, blame, vindictive whining. What a turn off!

Bernie overshadows his own message with his constant bitter look backwards. Fails unity pledge, fails loyalty test, fails to move the hell on into the future and fight for we, the people,
instead of re-fighting his personal war against “establishment democrats.”

This time, blaming Obama and Clinton for Trump, he may have gone too far.

I will be holding my nose if I have to vote for this B.S.

[PhoenixDem]

59. +1 n/t

[SunSeeker]

58. Oy.

[Starry Messenger]

61. The country's most visible internet troll

[jg10003]

64. Very misleading headline and Video. Watch the part of the video the OP doesn't show.

If you click on the link and open the video, the video will start at 50:43. However if you rewind 30 seconds, and start from 50:13 you will see just how misleading this article is.

Sanders was not bashing Obama and Clinton. He was asking the audience their opinion as to why Iowa voted for Trump after voting for Obama. And that is a very important question.

[betsuni]

72. How is it misleading?

He asked the question and agreed with the answer. The guy said that Clinton didn't do anything for labor and Obama didn't come through and if you don't help people they're not going to vote for you. Bernie says, "Okay, I agree with Art."

The real answer (one of them) for why Trump won is provided in the article. Not economic anxiety or that Democrats disappointed anyone.

[TlalocW]

65. I haven't really been paying attention to Bernie Sanders

Because he's not going to be the democratic nominee, but now Sanders can go fuck himself.

TlalocW

[OldRed2450]

73. It was racism.

In my opinion, this is an attempt to white wash the angst of racist coming out wanting Mexico to pay for a wall.

[Lotusflower70]

74. Imagine that

BS is full of BS. Shocker. Not. He blames everyone but himself.

[greatauntoftriplets]

75. wtf???

[True Dough]

77. This is disqualifying!

And downright atrocious.

[NurseJackie]

96. THIS is yet another reason that I can't support him...

This is disqualifying!

THIS is yet another reason that I can't support him. There are many, but this ranks among the top in my view.

My opinion of him has declined even further.

[Lulu KC]

78. Any candidate who knocks Obama

with Democrats is just not thinking.

[Wawannabe]

79. I would go further than that

Bernie is not fit to lick Obamas shoes and I’m talking about the soles!

[NurseJackie]

92. Perfect.

[ehrnst]

107. But there is a big group of people on the far left who would totally buy a book about

how they were right, and Obama and Bill Clinton and Hillary and the DNC are the bad guys who "sold out."

So there's that.

[randr]

81. Bernie has made himself a footnote in history

[NYMinute]

89. K&R nt

[lark]

98. In other words, Bernie is totally disloyal to Democrats, it's all about him and him only.

This is why I believe he will not be our general candidate, even though he does have some good policies. His basic disloyalty and selfishness are obvious to most Dems. I voted for him in the 2016 primary, but would never vote for him in the 2020 primary. I will vote for him if he's our general candidate because he is better than drumpf (any person would be better) full stop.

[ehrnst]

99. Sounds like a hail mary in an attempt to make himself look more mavericky than

Elizabeth Warren.

[Zambero]

102. And all those Bernie-or-Busters that voted for tRump or sat it out?

A swing of 70-some thousand votes within three historically blue states would have precluded the current daily horror show. It's reassuring to know that Bernie could not have possibly done anything more to affect the outcome!

[nykym]

103. Not that I was going to vote for Sanders anyway

Now its definite, You want to run as a Dem act like one or get lost.

[ehrnst]

106. Like the community theater actor who says that they "weren't that impressed" with Meryl Streep's

performance in Sophie's Choice, because clearly, that means they have a much much higher standard of craftsmanship than everyone who just applauds like sheep.

[redstatebluegirl]

108. When is he going to stop bashing Democrats!!!

He should just start his own damn party. He does us more damage than good.

[Politicub]

110. This may be a preview of how BS would conduct himself in office.

If it is, he would never admit his responsibility when something goes wrong, and would point the finger at everyone else instead of trying to get to the root cause.

[PhoenixDem]

113. Fortunately, the odds of that are nil. n/t

[Politicub]

120. Oh, you.

[Duppers]

114. Dangerous ground.

What else was Pres. Obama suppose to do for the Iowa farmers?

[ismnotwasm]

115. Hmm.

The Fox & the Grapes

A Fox one day spied a beautiful bunch of ripe grapes hanging from a vine trained along the branches of a tree. The grapes seemed ready to burst with juice, and the Fox's mouth watered as he gazed longingly at them.

The bunch hung from a high branch, and the Fox had to jump for it. The first time he jumped he missed it by a long way. So he walked off a short distance and took a running leap at it, only to fall short once more. Again and again he tried, but in vain.

Now he sat down and looked at the grapes in disgust.

"What a fool I am," he said. "Here I am wearing myself out to get a bunch of sour grapes that are not worth gaping for."

And off he walked very, very scornfully.

http://www.read.gov/aesop/005.html

[lillypaddle]

116. Too bad I can't alert

on BS for not supporting Democrats.

[Blue_Tires]

121. No great shock there...

St. Bern has been very open about his hatred for Obama and the Clintons for years...

And once again his campaign will have the unmitigated gall to question why they aren't doing better with black voters

[Joe941]

124. Don't take what bernie said out of context.

[BlueMississippi]

139. lol -- it is "out of context" now

[Otto Lidenbrock]

125. Bill Clinton is seen as a liability by a lot of young democrats

I am a big Bill fan and think his presence, charisma and intelligence made him a terrific president and even hearing him muse on issues of today show he's still got it.

Sadly as far as being a first pick surrogate or go to for advice actually he was ignored in the 2018 mid terms. Obama, Biden and even Carter hit the stump for candidates. Bill was on the sideline.

[BlueMississippi]

130. Attacks on Bill Clinton were initiated by one of the candidates.

His squeaky-clean foundation which did great work was called "corrupt" by the subject of this OP. Then Trump ran with it and maligned Bill Clinton. I blame one person for this.

[betsuni]

132. "Do I have a problem when a sitting secretary of state and a foundation run by her husband

collects many, many dollars from foreign governments -- governments which are dictatorships? Yeah, I have a problem with that. Yeah, I do."

[samnsara]

127. sigh......

[Sapient Donkey]

129. The headline is a bit sensational

Bernie is Bernie and he has his stances on policies, and him agreeing with his supporters that his policies are what's needed and we should have gone further with implementing them seems like a reasonable response. However, I think he should have acknowledged that Obama and even Clinton did do positive things for the country even if he thinks they could have done more or done things differently. From there he could have went forward with discussing what he wants to do and why his ideas are the best path.

Maybe I didn't watch far enough in, but I didn't see him say that Clinton and/or Obama are to blame for Trump. I can see how someone can read it that way if they really want to, but I didn't get that impression myself. Then again, I may be naive in the way I give people too much benefit of the doubt. And just to be clear, I am not on team bernie. I mean, I would be if he gets the nomination, of course. But I would prefer other candidates over him.

[BlueMississippi]

133. Excuses excuses ... if any other candidate had done this, their supporters would be taken aback. nt

[Sapient Donkey]

137. I don't think I am making excuses for anyone.

Like I said, I think Sanders should have started his response with acknowledging the positive aspects of the Obama administration and the Clinton administration since he too was brought up. However, Sanders has his views on where we as country should go and how to get there. Some of them overlap with what the majority of us want, and some of it goes off in a direction different than where we'd like to go. One thing I think we all (as in liberal democrats) want is to improve the lives of Americans and be good citizens of our planet. Bernie and his supporters have their version of how to get there, and you have yours, and I have mine, as does everyone else. Them discussing their vision and how they want it done isn't hostile. Discussing why they don't like specific policies such TPP, healthcare, immigration, education, or whatever it may should be welcomed. I wish everyone was more open to just discussing all ideas rather than simply defending/attacking specific policies based primarily on which "team" they are on. The "my solution is the panacea that solves everything and has zero drawbacks, and your solution is awful and will kill us all" method of argument is tiresome, because people just shut everything else out and stop exploring ideas.

I am ranting and going off on a tangent, but this is just something that irks me. Can we stop attacking each other and just focus on developing good ideas together? And in cases where there is philosophical differences, just acknowledge that but give the other side credit for doing what they think is best? I mean, unless it's pure crazy nonsense like we get from these republicans, particularly the Trumpublicans.


*This, of course, applies to the more aggressive and hostile Sander's supporters such as sirota who I find to be extremely dishonest. I wish Bernie would speak up more against these sorts people within his own camp. I also think that those of us outside of his camp should lead by example.

[NurseJackie]

159. You're absolutely correct! There's NO excuse for something like this...

... yet time and time again, free passes are handed out like candy at halloween.

[BlueMississippi]

160. It is amazing isn't it?

No matter what the criticism is, no matter how valid it is, not a single BS supporter ever says, "Yes, this was wrong but it doesn't sway my vote." The response is always, "nothing wrong here."

It is almost like some candidates are conceived by immaculate conception.

[nini]

148. He's a piece of work

I despise him and his bullshit anti-democrat propaganda.

His cult is either as bad or severely politically naive.

Just go away Sanders.

[NurseJackie]

150. Many people share your opinions and views (myself included) ... and ...

Many people share your opinions and views (myself included) ... and that appears to be an EVER GROWING number as well. (Thank goodness!)

[betsuni]

155. +1

[Cha]

156. Thank you, nini!

[Hortensis]

157. One of the worst things I can say about him is that I believe

he does believe all this deeply offensive stuff he's been spouting for 50 years.

[Tiggeroshii]

151. "Did not come through on the important issues..."

What about the "damn bill" he keeps saying he wrote?

[NYMinute]

152. Kick nt

[betsuni]

161. Kick