Sanders: 'Jumping the gun' on impeachment does no good

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill




BY MALLORY SHELBOURNE - 12/10/17 11:15 AM EST

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in a Sunday interview warned that “jumping the gun” in an effort to impeach President Trump is not helpful, arguing that he doesn’t “think we’re there right now.”

“But I think jumping the gun does nobody any good. You have to bring the American people onto this issue. You don’t want to make it into a partisan issue,” Sanders told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Sanders said it would be grounds for impeachment if special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe finds evidence that Trump’s campaign colluded with Russian officials. “I think there is a process that has to be followed. I think Mr. Mueller is doing a very good job on his investigation,” Sanders said, referencing Mueller’s probe into Russia’s election meddling.

“I don’t think we’re there right now. That’s what the Mueller investigation is all about,” Sanders said.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/364160-sanders-jumping-the-gun-on-impeachment-does-no-good

[itsrobert]

1. He didn't have any problems jumping the gun in calling for Al Franken to resign

Granted, he wasn't the ring leader, but he did bow to pressure of the mob.

[Me.]

4. That's Exactly What I Was Thinking

[orleans]

7. meet the press interview...

didn't quite hear him take personal responsibility for being a member of franken's lynch mob

what i did hear him say (maybe two times) was that franken WANTED to resign

(if i misunderstood or missed something please let me know)

[LisaL]

11. I would want to resign too, if most of my colleagues told me they want me to go take a hike.

[Egnever]

15. The idea he wanted to resign is false

He specifically said in his statement he had asked for an ethics investigation. Both statements.

Do not let them pretend he asked to resign.

[LisaL]

17. I know.

[Egnever]

18. I know you.do

[Thor_MN]

19. Bingo.

[yardwork]

22. My immediate thought as well.

[sheshe2]

23. Quote from the link.

“I think there is a process that has to be followed. I think Mr. Mueller is doing a very good job on his investigation,” Sanders said,

A process for Trump...but not for Franken?

[DRoseDARs]

31. I was a Sanders supporter during the primaries and not afraid to say this: Shut up, Bernie.

Gillibrand was craven in her eagerness to jump on Franken because she saw political advantage in it being a junior senator and I'm sure others felt the same, but what's YOUR excuse?

[TomCADem]

36. Bernie is Holding Franken Accountable. Don't Blame Bernie or Risk Alienating His Followers...

...and if we do the Democrats will have no one to blame, but themselves if Trump wins.

Bernie is just trying to hold Democrats to a highers standard such as when he criticizes them about their acceptance of campaign contributions from the rich. Likewise, Bernie is demanding that Franken be held accountable.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/11/04/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-progressives-agenda/93241200/

WASHINGTON — Sen. Bernie Sanders and his supporters are making one thing clear to Hillary Clinton if she is elected president on Nov. 8: There will be no honeymoon.

Building on lessons learned from 2008, progressives say they won’t idly watch another Democratic administration name executive branch appointees backed by Wall Street, as they say President Obama did. And though Sanders is actively campaigning to help his former rival for the Democratic nomination defeat GOP nominee Donald Trump, he says he’s with them — grass-roots activists — the day after the election.

"We’ve got to do everything that we can to elect Secretary Clinton," Sanders said at a Thursday rally in Raleigh with the former secretary of State. "And on the day after the election, we’re gonna go back to work to make this country what we know it can become."

Progressive groups say “personnel is policy” and their first test for Clinton if she wins will be whether she appoints officials who will carry out the agenda Sanders fought for in the Democratic Party platform, one he calls "the most progressive agenda of any major political party" in the country's history.They are already focused on the types of appointees they will accept — or oppose.

[world wide wally]

37. You noticed that too, huh?

WTF is wrong with these people?
It must be kill a Democrat month... And the entire GOP stands behind a pedophile. The difference is that now the pedophile will win and once again, we lose.
Do we have anyone with a fucking brain?
So what if Trump is dumb if we are dumber.

[Hortensis]

39. Please do not confuse me with silly zealots who simply

cannot understand, and never will, why they shouldn't be attacking whatever Democratic wrist or ankle comes within reach.

They are they, and that's how they're wired, election after election, decade after decade, and as we can see, no matter how the situations changes -- they don't.

And btw, THEY are far outnumbered by more sensible mainstream Democrats in various factions, who, when they think of this noisy faction at all, wonder what the hell's wrong with them. They are actually something of a uniting factor because they attack, insult and offend all others.

[agincourt]

2. I wish Sanders would have made the point about not allowing Mueller to be fired

I can smell that thing coming, just like the Franken resignation and the Moore election victory.

[NastyRiffraff]

3. Oh dear oh dear

The demigod has spoken and it's not good. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth throughout the land.

[Me.]

5. ...

[Hortensis]

40. Lol. I suspect he's afraid to really try to rein in

his followers, even when he might wish they'd calm down, for fear they'll turn on him and go find another. He knows how to speak extremely clearly and authoritatively when he wants, and this bears no resemblance.

It may be that the premature impeachment yammering is getting troublesome enough that the leadership asked him to issue a call for forbearance and got this very modest, hedged murmur. Which we can fully expect to be ignored.

[Chitown Kev]

48. lol

[SHRED]

6. Because we just don't have enough evidence

[leftofcool]

8. I wish he would just be quiet.

[still_one]

9. Gee, where are the Pelosi haters when she said the same thing?

[EllieBC]

10. Both Pelosi and Sanders are correct.

I know it's 2017 and everything is On Demand. But life actually isn't On Demand. Watergate unfolded slowly. This has to as well. Unless you want a half cooked case that fails.

[still_one]

26. Exactly my point

[George II]

12. They were out in force when she said something similar (but she wasn't as explicit as Sanders)

[Lucky Luciano]

13. Its not off the table. Thats a good thing.

Conditionally speaking of impeachment is good though. Ie - if he did what he is being investigated for (Russian collusion, money laundering, sexual assault though I don’t think mueller is investigating that), then he should be impeached. Good to use the word a lot and get people accustomed to it.

[Me.]

14. But She's Not Saintly Enough To Defend

[mcar]

24. She has been slammed mercilessly here

for saying the same thing. Bit of a double standard.

[elleng]

27. THANKS, still_one;

my thought exactly.

[still_one]

30. I just hope we can all come together in 2018 to take back Congress

[Egnever]

16. This statement seems silly after jumping the gun on Franken

I wonder if they are starting to understand how badly they screwed up yet.

[lunamagica]

20. With friends like Sanders, who needs enemies

[Skittles]

21. omg

is he for real?

[we can do it]

25. STFU Bernie

[murielm99]

28. Now are we going to

jump all over Bernie, primary him, call for his resignation, just like people have been doing to Pelosi when she said the same thing?

[joanbarnes]

29. The American People have be in on it since November 8, 2016.

[4now]

32. He makes a good point

[JustAnotherGen]

33. I'm glad he has taken Pelosi's position on this

Hopefully his followers will understand why Nancy took the position she did.

Folks - they can't get this wrong.

[Skittles]

35. too bad he didn't take the same position with Franken

what hypocrisy

[JustAnotherGen]

50. It is what it is

We can't undo it.

And - I loved Franken and will continue to believe and THINK he was one of the best we've ever had.

[Skittles]

55. I really hate that expression

[tavernier]

34. Yes, we should observe the process.

But only with republicans, is that what you’re saying Senator Sanders? I’ll remember that when they come for you.

[Owl]

38. "Jumping the gun" on Senator Franken was helpful?

[lindysalsagal]

41. There is value in putting impeachment in the news, regardless of the vote. Give the news

a reason to ask questions and get the idea out to the public.

[BlueWI]

42. It's also a good idea to build ties with impeachment

advocates in the House. Maybe a common strategy can be forged - imagine that!

[orangecrush]

43. ...

[rainin]

44. The republicans don't worry about public impressions.

The repeat it until people believe it. How many obamacare repeals did the house pass? Democrats need to stand for something and stop trying to play 3 dimensional chess. Pass 50 impeachment bills. By doing that, the democratic party will grow. There is support for democrats who fight back.

[Dr_Pretorius]

45. We don't have the votes.

Idiot republicans control the House and Senate, and the rotten fascists always rally around their "strong leader," at the behest of their billionaire masters.

[onenote]

49. Based on Rep. Green's impeachment resolution, we don't even have the reasons

A lot of folks here were upset that Rep. Green's impeachment resolution was tabled. But I suggest people read that resolution and ask themselves if they think the country likely would get behind an impeachment effort based on the grounds cited in that resolution.

Impeachment and the Mueller investigation are tied. The former can't happen without the latter.

[Jack-o-Lantern]

46. Oh my, too early to Condemn tRump to impeachment.

Yeah, Clinton was impeached for making one untrue statement (albeit he was under oath), yet tRump has told multiple lies every day (some jeopardizing the security of the nation) since he declared his cadency.
But Oooo, it’s not time yet to talk impeachment as he hasn’t done anything egregious enough yet to warrant even the suggestion of impeachment.
Maybe when he starts a nuclear world war III we can consider such a move.

[Maven]

51. LOL! The same guy who said HRC wasnt qualified and Trump voters werent racists

And that Franken should resign immediately.

OK Bernard.

We see you.

[Blue_Tires]

52. That's the first thing he's said that made sense in a good long while...

[Le Gaucher]

53. Bernie is a Russian plant obviously

[workinclasszero]

54. But lets jump the gun on liberal democratic Senator Al Franken, Bernie?????????????????????

WTF??