LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bernie Sanders predicted Monday that the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia could be “messy” as he pushed the party to adopt his progressive agenda, but added: “Democracy is not always nice and quiet and gentle.”
The Democratic presidential candidate said in an interview with The Associated Press that his supporters hoped to see a platform at the July convention that reflects the needs of working families, the poor and young people as opposed to one that represents Wall Street and corporate America.
The Vermont senator said he will “condemn any and all forms of violence” but his campaign was bringing in newcomers to the process and first-time attendees of political conventions. He said the Democratic party could choose to be more inclusive.
“I think if they make the right choice and open the doors to working class people and young people and create the kind of dynamism that the Democratic party needs, it’s going to be messy,” Sanders said. “Democracy is not always nice and quiet and gentle but that is where the Democratic party should go.”
Inclusive of non-Democrats? I am so sick of his grandiose bullshit. This guy, who hates Democrats, has always said he would never be a Democrat, and who’s been a Democrat, what, all of six months, is making pronouncements and is going to start fights? Fuck you, go start your own goddamned party. He will “condemn any and all forms of violence BUT” … “but” meaning, he’s not going to do a damn thing to stop it.
I can’t wait until he gets his ass kicked June 7.
Huge disappointment in Sanders here as well. Used to like the guy. Frankly I think a lot of his motivation is the money. Certainly Weaver and Devine are in it for the cash.
His followers are not working class, they’re mostly young privileged white men. If they want change they need to do the hard work first – the organizing and working on a local level.
It’s a fair criticism to ask whether Bernie is a Democrat or not, but the same question can be leveled at Hillary, for different reasons. All I see here is the “hard work” of building a Clinton defeat in November laying each brick of ally alienation brick by brick by brick . . .
I am disappointed. I thought better of you.
If ever I were to have changed my mind about voting the democrat, as I did for Obama, the Clinton Surrogates have disuaded me of that notion. As it stands, I won’t vote the democrat even if Sanders tops the ticket.
Another fifteen year investment in the trash. Damn.
I can understand the frustration of Sanders continued attacks and his desperation at the end of a long primary campaign. (Remember that Hillary stayed in the 2008 race all the way to the end too.) Hillary ran a better, more organized campaign and will certainly win the nomination. The race will all be over soon and I think we’ll see a lot less of Bernie after California’s vote on June 7.
BUT — just because we are irritated with the man and tired of his screeching about injustices doesn’t mean we should discount all of his ideas. He’s had some good ones, and some of his ideas have really excited parts of the Democratic Party base. I hope Hillary can see that and adopt a few more going forward.
The new compromise in the slate of candidates writing the party platform seems to be leading to some good choices by both Clinton and Sanders. I’d like to see this cooperation continue, and I’m optimistic that it will.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-idUSKCN0YE2IH
Forsker, good comment but one small point: Clinton actually had *more* of the popular vote than Obama in 2008. She was not some 3,000,000 behind. There’s a reason she stayed in. And you’ll notice that when it was clear who the Dems planned to nominate, she didn’t try to move in on the platform or appoint his Cabinet.
Bernie is, to use old language, taking massive liberties It’s very hard not to see that as plain old contempt of a hugely qualified female candidate.
What, non-Democrats. Independents even? “…working families, the poor and young people…?” Horrors, the smelling salts, please.
BTW, look at who the Clinton dominated DNC put on the Dem Convention host committee:
A number of the members of the Philadelphia host committee are actively working to undermine progressive policies achieved by President Barack Obama, including health care reform and net neutrality. Some… are hardly even Democratic Party stalwarts, given that many have donated and raised thousands of dollars for Republican presidential and congressional candidates this cycle.
IOKIYAR?
This is a struggle about who owns the Party. The interpersonal strife is just noise. The big bucks won by 3 million votes. Not a source of much solace.
Quixote, Clinton was holding back maybe cuz she knew she was going to be sec of state and was already positioning for her next run. Bernie is old and will be dead soon enough. He’s just going for broke. Absurd to think he is in it for the money either. If so, he woulda cashed in a long time ago, like the clintons have. I doubt he would be a good prez, but I voted for him anyway cuz anyone named Clinton or Obama deserves to sweat it out to the bitter end.
If Bernie splits the party so that we have an alternative to republican lite in a few years, so much the better.