Sen. Reid Calls for People to 'Lay Off' Bernie Sanders

[Purveyor]

Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS

BY ERICA WERNER
AP CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday that people should "lay off" Bernie Sanders, sending a message to restive Democrats increasingly anxious to see the party unite behind Hillary Clinton.

Reid is personally close with the Vermont independent senator and presidential hopeful. Last week he disclosed that he'd spoken with Sanders to voice concerns about unruly protests by Sanders supporters at the Nevada state Democratic convention, and subsequently voiced his disappointment over a defiant statement Sanders issued in response.

On Tuesday Reid had a different message, signaling to fellow Democrats that pressuring Sanders is not the way to go.

"I've had conversations with Bernie, he's a good person, he's doing his best to effectuate what he believes in, and I have no criticism of Bernie at this stage," Reid said.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_DEM_2016_SANDERS_REID?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-05-24-16-39-57

[LiberalArkie]

1. K&R with a dash of WTF is going on?

[JonLeibowitz]

8. "Lay off" has two different meanings. I think we both made the same mistake at first.

[Betty Karlson]

81. Finally: decency from a top Democrat. eom

[lewebley3]

108. Yes, more decency than Sanders bullies have had

[Betty Karlson]

110. projection reaching indecent levels there...

[bjo59]

15. Wasn't it yesterday or the day before that news came out about Dem Senators meeting behind closed

doors to come up with some sort of plan to "contain" Bernie or "reel back in" Bernie supporters or something like that? Apparently they all chose Reid to do something about it (at least that's what the news article that I read said).

[notadmblnd]

32. This one?

How Senate Democrats are trying to deal with Sanders
By Alexander Bolton - 05/19/16 06:00 AM EDT

Suspicion is growing among Democrats that Sanders might be setting the increasingly pugilistic tone for his campaign himself.

“The ‘burn it down’ attitude, the upping the ante, everything we saw in that statement released [Tuesday] by the campaign seems to be coming form Sanders himself. Right from the top,” wrote Josh Marshall, a prominent left-leaning journalist, who cited “multiple highly knowledgeable, highly placed people.”

Democratic senators have given Sanders a wide berth so far, treading carefully on the question of whether he should drop out of the race due to Clinton’s overwhelming delegate lead.

But patience is beginning to wear thin.

Colleagues are growing more frustrated that an independent whom they welcomed as one of their own into the caucus is now wrecking havoc in the party. http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/280445-how-senate-democrats-are-trying-to-deal-with-sanders

[jomin41]

54. HAVOC! I tell you, HAVOC! GAAAAAHHHHHHH!!

"Patience is beginning to wear thin" We the people know about that. We're so scared.

[notadmblnd]

63. They'll rue the day!

[passiveporcupine]

66. this is part of the Hillary campaign tactic

to try to make Bernie look like he supports violence. It's a Brock meme.

[rpannier]

67. Who they welcomed as one of their own

They knew they couldn't beat him in VT so they gave up that idea
LIEberman said and did worse things while campaigning for McCain and they (Democratic Senators) pretty much shut up about that

[modestybl]

16. Someone is reading the GE polls...

... Bernie Sanders will be the winner this year, regardless of who gets to be POTUS..

[billhicks76]

83. The Ignorant Don't Realize

They should be nicer to Bernie because he ran as a Democrat. They say he should stay out of the party? Are they insane? If he ran as an independent Hillary would have no chance in the general and Trump would maybe lose to Bernie not her. And drop out??? Hillary can't win enough pledged delegates to secure the nomination even if she is ahead. It will be too close anyway. With 250 pledged delegates separating them now with CA and the remaining states that lead could become razor thin.

[billhicks76]

84. Math Says Clinton Cannot Win Till Convention

Virgin Islands has 7 delegates. Puerto Rico has 60. South Dakota has 20. North Dakota 18. New Jersey 126. Montana 21. California 475. Washington DC 20. That's 747 delegates. Bernie has 1448 now and Hillary 1750. That a lead of 301. To tie Bernie would need to win 524 to 223. Improbable maybe but it could certainly happen. That would be 69.9% to 30.1%. She still doesn't have enough to secure the number agreed to to get the nomination before the convention. That's a fact.

[samson212]

97. Agree, but your numbers are wrong

According to the green papers, Clinton has 1,770 pledged delegates, Sanders has 1,500, and 781 remain. That's a gap of 270. To tie, Bernie would need 526 / 781 = 67. 3%. Not to nitpick, or anything.

Your conclusion is basically correct, though. In order to win before the convention, Hillary would need to pick up another 613 delegates, which comes to about 78.5% of the remaining delegates. So, it's possible. Seems pretty unlikely.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

2. Harry knows Bernie will do the right thing when the time comes.

Harry knows Bernie knows that as bad as Hillary is compared to him on some stuff, Drumpf is so bad there wont be a country to argue about if he gets in.

[JDPriestly]

33. Harry needs Bernie's vote in the Senate. That's what Harry knows.

Bernie polled 86% support from Democrats in Vermont in the presidential primary.

Harry needs people like that in the Senate.

[Chicago1980]

49. Harry is going to be retiring.

Who else was Bernie going to vote with, the republicans?

[Number23]

60. I think this is a very shrewd move on behalf of the Dems. Reid apparently spoke to Sanders

a week or two ago to voice his concerns with how off the rails the Sanders campaign has become and in response, Sanders released that universally panned press release where he basically blamed "enthusiasm" for supporters' behavior and conveniently mentioned the bullet that was found in his office four months ago.

I know that other Dems, including Durbin, have has also tried to reason with Sanders lately. Now, with lots of moves being made to gently (but definitely) ease Sanders out of the race, suddenly Reid, who just a week or so ago was dismayed by the Sanders campaign, is now telling people to back off of Sanders. It seems pretty clear to me that this is all a part of the charm offensive to calm his supporters the hell down and get Sanders out of the race. And I think it's pretty clever.

[cui bono]

78. Oh sure. Except that Bernie's campaign isn't "off the rails" at all.

And your cute use of "enthusiasm" is completely unwarranted. We all know the chair incident was a lie and that Lange corrupted the democratic process by stifling the people's votes. The campaigns that are "off the rails" are the ones who use SuperPacs to hire internet trolls and the ones who belong to a TV reality show actor.

And when you say people try to "reason with Sanders" what you are really saying is the establishment is trying to figure out how to get him to stop giving the people a reason to believe they really can have a govt that represents them rather than continually having to choose between two candidates who will both toe the corporate line.

It is truly amazing how many people simply do not want a democratic process and do not want a candidate who is obviously the only one who is not beholden to big money. This is what the Democratic Party is supposed to be about but unfortunately Bill Clinton corrupted it with corporate money by embracing the DLC.

.

[hopemountain]

85. ^^^exactly+++ nt.

[Dustlawyer]

88. +1!!! ^^^This^^^!!!

[samson212]

98. Well said!

[Dont call me Shirley]

103. Bernie is the only candidate on the rails. The rest derailed years ago and are rusting in the yard.

[bvar22]

109. Excellent Post.

I agree 100%.

Koch Brothers money helped get Bill Clinton elected.

Koch Industries gave funding to the DLC and served on its Executive Council
http://americablog.com/2010/08/koch-industries-gave-funding-to-the-dlc-and-served-on-its-executive-council.html

[BeyondGeography]

102. Good post

You're right, which makes the usual people angry.

[Number23]

111. They're angry about everything anyway. As angry as they are astonishingly uninteresting.

Supporting a candidate who is not only losing the campaign but his integrity and reputation along the way is clearly very upsetting.

[elleng]

3. people should "lay off" Bernie Sanders; I have no criticism of Bernie.

"I've had conversations with Bernie, he's a good person, he's doing his best to effectuate what he believes in, and I have no criticism of Bernie at this stage," Reid said.

[Bjornsdotter]

4. Maybe Reid has seen poll numbers?

[zeemike]

6. Yep

And they tell him it is not working.

[Jester Messiah]

45. Seems likely. n/t

[AntiBank]

5. Good for Reid, always like to unexpected fairness

[JonLeibowitz]

7. LOL, I have to say I had a different interpretation of "lay off Bernie Sanders" than Harry intended.

Fortunately reading the article rectified that misunderstanding.

[Nirgendwo]

9. And once again,

NO chairs were thrown. None. Nada. I'd be happy if they'd just stop the lying. At this stage in the 2008 primary season, Hills was refusing to concede to Obama's lead. What are she and her supporters so afraid of? Democracy is messy. Welcome to the Thunderdrome.

[OnDoutside]

14. They're afraid that Sanders will push this all the way to the Convention, wasting yet more time.

He's playing with fire in screwing about like this.

[djean111]

18. Really? How so?

How, exactly, is he "playing with fire"?

[TheBlackAdder]

19. Waisting what time? The Convention date is fixed. This keeps the base energized.

[greiner3]

20. And all the lies Hillary spouts

Is time well spent Your question is "when Hillary is I indicted will she waste the time trying to cry on tv while doing the perp walk or just explode knowing she'll never be president"

[tazkcmo]

50. Cute.

What fire? What's the DNC going to do? Strip him of committee chairs? Oh yeah, Dems don't control anything anymore. Make him sit in time out? Or even collude against him during his re-election campaign? They have no power and Sen Sanders has 10 million people watching his back.

I re-read your post and I assume "he" is Sen Sanders. If "he" is actually Sen Reid, I apologize for the tone and agree!

[Enthusiast]

57. Nice!

[Gore1FL]

68. Democracy is such a waste of time

People having opinions and voting is so inconvenient.

[Feeling the Bern]

73. That's why we have superdelegates to correct the misinformed voters and get the right result

And the right result is the result the owners of the Democratic Party want.

Oops. . .I said something bad about the Democratic Party. I must be punished by not being a good Democrat. After all, party over principles.

[cui bono]

79. Why would that be a waste of time? Do you understand why he is doing it?

[wallyworld2]

48. Another smear job

A few days before the Georgia primary, influential Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed published a column on CNN.com praising Hillary Clinton and ripping her opponent, Bernie Sanders. Reed attacked Sanders as being out of step with Democrats on gun policy, and accused him of elevating a “one-issue platform” that ignores the plight of the “single mother riding two buses to her second job.”

But emails released from Reed’s office indicate that the column, which pilloried Sanders as out of touch with the poor, was primarily written by a corporate lobbyist, and was edited by Correct the Record, one of several pro-Clinton Super PACs.
https://theintercept.com/2016/05/06/hillary-super-pac-draft-oped/

[Enthusiast]

58. I am clear done with Reed.

[Duckfan]

72. Many of us were done with Harry long ago.....

When he allowed a vote to back dubya on evesdropping, or some other "we gotta get the terr-ists" legislation.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

70. ...ugh

[bemildred]

10. Now you're talking.

[w4rma]

11. Anyone who attacks Bernie has it backfire back onto themselves. This is just an admission that their

smears won't work on Bernie.

[JDPriestly]

34. If you read his book, you learn that, yes, those who attack Bernie lose. Over and over.

[leftofcool]

90. Bernie is irrelevant. No one cares enough to smear him.

[askeptic]

12. Maybe he found out the reported violence was a fabrication

and was reminded that Hillary isn't calling for Bernie to quit nor did she drop out in 2008 against Pres. Obama. It shows the party respects the process and knows we can't be treating each other as enemies if there's to be any kind of unity after the convention.

started by one local reporter and repeated by the MSM without corroboration. Several have since retracted the so called "chair throwing" since video evidence did not support the allegations.

To me, this wasn't Hillary or her campaign, but rather it shows how quickly a fantastic lie can be repeated by the MSM competing to report the news - 1st! Trump knows this and uses it daily to his advantage.

[bucolic_frolic]

13. Harry Reid

always issues what seem to be lightweight statements

but behind them is this lifetime of political experience and reasoning

Democrats on both sides should embrace the process, we're generating
energy and headlines in a healthy democratic way

unlike the GOP primary conflicts

[fasttense]

92. Harry talks a good game but always does what the establishment wants

Remember all the talk about changing the filibuster rules? It never happened. There were many ways to fix that system so that the minority party cold still use it, yet not control the whole Senate.

So why did Democrats NOT change the rules? Think about it. Obama got fast track but he couldn't get Harry to change the filibuster rules. Something smells.

[Nyan]

17. Funny how it's been all about the fabricated "violence"

and not about the problem with NV dem's "paperwork."
He's supposed to be one of the good guys now that their rigging of the system's no longer an issue.
He's defending us because what, we're on the defense? As if we did something wrong?
This is good cop bad cop, people.

[edbermac]

21. LEAVE BERNIE ALONE!

[99th_Monkey]

26. Your mockery is most unseemly

Esp in light of what Reid's request.

[Person 2713]

29. Minority Leader Harry Reid is not usually high drama or a cry baby politician if you have followed

his senate minority leadership if anything he is too low keyed IMO

[Chicago1980]

52. His followers however, are a different story.

[Gore1FL]

69. Harry Reid has wild followers?

Do tell.

[Chicago1980]

77. Was referring to Senator Sanders.

Probably should have kept my mouth shut, but impulse...

[AlbertCat]

30. Hey!

I got banned from the Hillary Cave way beck in the early spring for posting this exact same thing about Hillary when the mean ol' GOP was saying something stupid about her and her cult was all "How can they do this to Hillary?' "I wish they'd stop being mean to poor put upon Hillary".

So you posting it now in this context is so perfectly ridiculous! And illustrative.



When the GOP go after Hillary if she manages to win (iffy).... it'll be, 24/7...

LEAVE HILLARY ALONE

Oh the irony!

[SammyWinstonJack]

42. Oh, ha ha. Aren't you the clever one...

[SusanCalvin]

53. I'm sure Senator Reid had his good reasons. nt

[Enthusiast]

64. Maybe his conscience is getting to him.

[DCBob]

22. Reid knows what going on and is more patient than many of us.

But I think its good he said this although I do think what Bernie is doing is pointless and doing more harm than good but in a couple of weeks it will all be over so I guess we just have to deal with it for a bit longer.

[JDPriestly]

35. It won't be over.

I've been registering voters at colleges in LA. The young people want Bernie, not Hillary. They are not ready to play the usual game.

We shall see, but if the higher-ups in the Democratic Party think this year is like all the past elections, they may well be mistaken in my opinion.

These young people want to see economic change, and they see Bernie as the only one talking about the changes they want. The young people want corporations out of elections and also the money of very wealthy people out of politics. They are well educated and intelligent and know what they want.

It's going to take more than what Hillary has been doing to persuade a lot of Democrats who back Sanders to vote for her.

There was far less difference between Obama and Hillary in terms of policy and direction than there is between Bernie and Hillary.

It's not going to be so easy.

[DCBob]

39. Yeah.. it wont be over for the Berners but the primary will be over.

It's impossible for Bernie to catch up and he will concede soon after June 7th.

[Enthusiast]

61. Exactly.

The higher-ups in the Democratic Party know this election year is different. They created many of the conditions that caused this mess. I think they should just surrender. They know our side is right. They have lost their principles. There is so much money influencing this process we can't even imagine it. It seems everyone has their price, from what I can determine.

[Dont call me Shirley]

104. The DLC should just surrender now. They have lost and they are desperate.

[Number23]

82. Reid is clearly playing "good cop" here and trying to get Sanders out of the race and his

supporters to a happy place. And judging by how excited they are about this OP, it's clearly having the exact effect it was intended.

[madokie]

23. Bernie will be our next President

count on it

[JDPriestly]

36. I agree.

[Duckfan]

74. Please dear gawd, let that be the case!

This country is so fractured and screwed up already it ain't funny.

[Enthusiast]

62. I can't accept any other conclusion.

[kiva]

24. I've seen several lifelong Dems in NV

- some of them recognizable to the state party - posting on their social media and it's not supportive of the state party. The criticism of Jon Ralston continues.

Reid is a smart politician who has no desire to see the NV state party shattered, so is trying to pour oil on troubled waters.

[jomin41]

25. No matter what, Bernie and his supporters

Are NOT going away. Get used to us. We are now the most exciting and energetic and determined segment of the formerly moribund Democratic Party. You're welcome.

[99th_Monkey]

27. +27

[AlbertCat]

31. ^^ this ^^

....

[JDPriestly]

37. Yes.

[SammyWinstonJack]

43. +1000000!

[d_legendary1]

44. Couldn't have said it better

A big shout out to DWS for legitimizing Sanders thanks to her efforts to derail his campaign.

[Gregorian]

47. Just for that

I'll have a bit of sour flower.

[dchill]

56. +1,000,001

[JEB]

59. Ab-so-fucking-lutely correct. nt

[JudyM]

71. And we couldn't care less about Reid and his piss poor get-nothing-done leadership.

[cui bono]

80. Exactly.

And if you're not supporting Bernie, you're standing in the way of progress, justice and equality and will find you were on the wrong side of history in due time.

.

[Person 2713]

28. Another call a few days ago from Nancy Pelosi saying Sanders a positive force for the dem party

https://www.rawstory.com/2016/05/nancy-sanders-praises-bernie-sanders-hes-a-positive-force-in-the-democratic-party/

[SusanCalvin]

55. Yep. They're not stupid. nt

[PoliticalMalcontent]

38. Credit where credit is due.

[wisteria]

40. Then Sander's needs to lay off talking nasty about Dems and Clinton .

[Vincardog]

46. Please post any link to Sanders " talking nasty about Dems and Clinton " Please child, Bless your

Heart.

[zentrum]

41. Wish Reid had

…always been this clear and progressive.

[Xyzse]

51. Good for Senator Reid.

Though quite more than a little late, glad to hear it.

[PFunk1]

65. Sounds like damage control to me

It's now starting to dawn on Reid (and the DNC dems) that attacking Sanders only makes his supporters along with independents not support Clinton among other things (that train has already sailed IMO).

[Duckfan]

75. You may be right.

A good analysis of how this may be playing out.

[trudyco]

76. If he really means it then he, DWS and Boxer should all apologize

For exaggerating what happened in NV and blaming Bernie for it. Either he is a great guy and their friend or he isn't. Maybe this was a DWS idea, the egging Sanders supporters by flaunting party rules, and then twisting the narrative to make them sound dangerous. Maybe that's why they are talking about retiring her. Or maybe it's a concession to Sanders.

Either way, if Boxer and Reid are really Bernie friendlies then they should apologize for their behavior and comments. DWS, too, even though I believe there is no love lost between the DINO and Bernie. Otherwise Reid is just blowing hot air.

It's not just apologizing to Bernie, it's apologizing to his followers. Many of us are Democrats who care about our party and would never cause violence but do believe in fairness within the party, following the rules, and protesting when appropriate. We are already angry with the establishment but Nevada and the videos and the MSM smear campaign coming from Reid and Boxer and DWS... it is divisive and wrong.

[leftofcool]

91. Weaver already called Boxer a liar. That should be enough for Bernie

He also cinched CA for Hillary.

[hopemountain]

86. reid ready to make nice...

hope bernie told him that the media was feeding off reid's criticism of the bernie campaign and that reid was adding to the dws & brockian meme. hope bernie pointed out to him that trump will be president if he and dws and the brockians continue disenfranchising the working class.

[downeastdaniel]

87. BOOOOO!!! Lay off Reid...really...how undemocratic.

[Odin2005]

89. Thank you, Senator!

[Skwmom]

93. Hey Reid: You should start with yourself.

[Lancero]

94. Looking at some posts, it's apparent that some haven't bothered to actually read this article.

These are the bits the title is referring to

On Tuesday Reid had a different message, signaling to fellow Democrats that pressuring Sanders is not the way to go.

"I think we should just kinda lay off Bernie Sanders a little bit, OK?"

Reid's comment comes as Democrats, including in the Senate, grow increasingly vocal with their impatience over Sanders' continued presidential candidacy.

Reid seems determined for now to try to keep Sanders in the fold without alienating him and his backers.

In context, he's telling all the Dems who are rabidly demanding he drop out to stfu and let him run his campaign.

[DrBulldog]

95. Here's what really happened: Reid initially believed the "violence" BS about Bernie supporters . . .

. . . and shot his mouth off - and then got the truth (there was NO VIOLENCE AT ALL) and was embarrassed by his stupidity.

[Sunlei]

96. Unlike the Republicans 'stage full of wannabes', neither of 'our Ds' are Quitters.

[GoneOffShore]

99. Harry Reid getting ready to abandon USS Weathervane?

One can only hope.

Perhaps he's finally realized the full extent of the grift that's been going on for the last 30 years.

[blackspade]

100. So Reid backtracks after it's proved that there was no violence at the NV Convention....

He went from "disappointment" to "no criticism" PDQ.

[Snotcicles]

101. They all probably got word from CA Democrats.

"SANDERS BY A LANDSLIDE OF BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS!"

[Dont call me Shirley]

105. Reid is simply put "doing damage control" for the DLCs brazen lies about NV Bernie delegates and

the outright theft from Bernie of the NV convention. Their media lie blitz was like an exploding cigar blowing up right in their faces. Now it's damage repair time for the DLC. Bernie supporters see through that shit, not ready to make nice with DLC Bully Brigade.

Reid and Pelosi both, Senate and Congressional Minority Leaders Doing Damage Control because they both know they have gone too far with their lies, cheating, smearing and unethical behavior!

[L. Coyote]

106. I support our great candidates.

This is what Harry is really saying:



And this is what the ticket may look like in November!

[Douseeme]

107. Harry will be back under the bus in a few days

Wait until he says something nice about Hillary again (whom Reid supports).