Don't blame Weaver or Tad. It's all Bernie.

[kstewart33]

Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo:

For months I'd thought and written that Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver was the key driver of toxicity in the the Democratic primary race.

But now I realize I had that wrong.

Over the last several weeks I've had a series of conversations with multiple highly knowledgable, highly placed people. Perhaps it's coming from Weaver too. The two guys have been together for decades. But the 'burn it down' attitude, the upping the ante, everything we saw in that statement released today by the campaign seems to be coming from Sanders himself. Right from the top.

This should have been obvious to me. The tone and tenor of a campaign always come from the top. It wasn't obvious to me until now.

This might be because he's temperamentally like that. There's some evidence for that. It may also be that, like many other presidential contenders, once you get close it is simply impossible to let go. I don't know which it is. That would only be my speculation. But this is coming from Bernie Sanders. It's not Weaver. It's not driven by people around him. It's right from him. And what I understand from knowledgable sources is that in the last few weeks anyone who was trying to rein it in has basically stopped trying and just decided to let Bernie be Bernie.

Sanders speech tonight was right in line with his statement out this afternoon. He identified the Democratic party as an essentially corrupt, moribund institution which is now on notice that it must let 'the people' in. What about the coalitions Barack Obama built in 2008 and 2012, the biggest and most diverse presidential coalitions ever constructed?

Sanders narrative today has essentially been that he is political legitimacy. The Democratic party needs to realize that. This, as I said earlier, is the problem with lying to your supporters. Sanders is telling his supporters that he can still win, which he can't. He's suggesting that the win is being stolen by a corrupt establishment, an impression which will be validated when his phony prediction turns out not to be true. Lying like this sets you up for stuff like happened over the weekend in Nevada.

As I said, it all comes from the very top.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/it-comes-from-the-very-top

[workinclasszero]

1. A fish rots from the head down

As some smart Hill fan said the other day.

[JustAnotherGen]

2. He should be stating the same thing about the Republican party

Many of his supporters are Indies who can go either way -

So why only is our Party on the chopping block?


If he is successful in his bid - I will not be pressing the button for Sanders.

I won't do it.

I've been a registered Democratic Party member since 1992 and he's deliberately pushing me away and telling me I'm not welcome, I'm corrupt, etc. etc.

So since he doesn't like me or what I've been voting for since 1992 - then I won't vote for him.

[Treant]

12. It's fortunate

that he will not win and has already carpetbagged right back out of the Democratic party that he carpetbagged into in October.

Because I feel the same way as you. This level of toxicity doesn't incline me to vote for him and, at this point, it would be an effort to do so. A severe effort, where I have to argue against my own ethical standards.

Compared to Trump, I could probably make myself do it, but I wouldn't be happy with the dissonance it would cause me.

[BlueCaliDem]

14. Sanders is counting on Democrats to vote for him even if we don't want him.

Unlike his loudest, most obnoxious followers who yell "Bernie or Bust!!!", Sanders is secured that if he can only get Super-Dels to his side, he'll get all Democrats to vote for him in the G.E. We've been saying this for nearly a year now, so he feels secure that all he has to do is win the primary - in whatever way possible since it's not through the popular vote - we Democrats, unlike the wishy-washy fly-by-nighter Dems following him, will swallow our grievances and vote for him.

Since it's safe to say that NO Super-Dels will switch (unless it's to switch over to Hillary, as a couple have already done) to Sanders, I can state here and now, due to the violence, threats, the ugly Paulite-antics of his followers in California and Nevada, I will not vote for him and neither will any of my group of 41.

[SharonClark]

3. There really is enough blame to include Weaver and Devine

They have apparently not done enough to rein in their delusional and hateful candidate. If they had any integrity, they would resign.

[wildeyed]

4. He has been lying to them all along.

I started reading his press releases and campaign tweets a while back, and it all comes from the campaign. All the non-predictive polls that they love to bang on. The divisive, rude buzzwords. OMG, I fucking HATE the word "oligarch" now. Superdelegate rage. That was him too. People who have never actually voted before this year, no idea how the system functions, just RAGING about superdelegates. Fucking "Confederate state voters don't matter" "The Establishment".

Here is what does matter. Sanders is LOSING the popular vote. Because more people think Hillary Clinton is a better choice. To ignore that is to ignore the will of the people and tears at the very underpinning of democracy.

[Jitter65]

5. I blame Bernie and Weaver. They are both still stumping and pumping disruption and destruction. nt

[Tarc]

6. I think it comes down to Sanders' delusions of himself as an actual revolutionary

Like, not just a wear-a-Che-Guevara-shirt type but an actual beret-wearing, plotting-the-revolution-in-the-jungle type.

[sufrommich]

7. I think Tad Devine leaves the Sanders campaign after California.

He's got to be worried about his reputation and career at this point.

[kstewart33]

8. I'd wager that Tad is getting a lot of phone calls from influential Dems.

His consulting firm depends on Democratic clients.

[Stuckinthebush]

13. He will be black balled

I'm quite certain. You'll see him again running some state-wide race in Vermont or Oregon but his work on the national level is probably done.

[Koinos]

10. There's no reason for Tad to stick around. TV ad commissions are drying up.

[liberal N proud]

9. They are not very good advisors if they can't provide input into the message

They are all to blame for the fiasco BS has created.

[Koinos]

11. His top advisor, who can't find the tax returns, may be as delusional as he is.

[TwilightZone]

15. Can't I blame all three? haha

I really thought that Weaver and Devine were just giving Sanders horrible advice (and they were), but it's pretty clear now that the problem goes all the way to the top.

[Fla Dem]

16. I think Jane has a hand in it as well. By the way #showusyourtaxesbernie

[yallerdawg]

17. You can see what he wants in California.

Focus on big campus rallies!

Adulation and a final confirmation that your life was not a waste on the fringe.

What a drug this must be!