2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumCuomo to Sanders: "Have some water. It's free."
or something like that. Right before one of the commercial breaks at the town hall tonight. Is it just me, or was that a tone deaf joke to make to the first serious Jewish candidate?
nc4bo
(17,651 posts)I believe he said it twice.
What a moron.
Joe the Revelator
(14,915 posts)Barack_America
(28,876 posts)...and I rather he think he did.
I can't think of another reason to make such a comment.
Joe the Revelator
(14,915 posts)and it kind of worries me that some of you guys do.
Reasons he could have said it that have NOTHING to do with Bernie being Jewish:
*Socialist
*Democrat
*Free Stuff
*No super pac
*Small donors
Not everything is a boogeyman.
Barack_America
(28,876 posts)...but when I hear someone offer something and announce it's free, I only hear the suggestion of "cheapness", regardless of race, religion, etc.
So I'm left wondering why he insinuated Bernie is cheap. But, yeah, reading over your list again, I guess I can see other intentions, particularly a suggestion of poverty.
I'm still left only seeing this as an insult. I guess I should keep my day job.
Joe the Revelator
(14,915 posts)thesquanderer
(11,993 posts)...and really, it could even be some off-hand levity that had nothing to do with ANY Bernie-specific attribute.
OTOH, there is something historic about a Jewish candidacy... And it did seem to be on Cuomo's mind... he went back to the "what are your religious beliefs" question from the earlier CNN forum, seeming to be expressing some dissatisfaction with the perfectly good answer he gave then. He seemed to really want to pin him down on his religious beliefs, asking "Is there a higher power? What do you believe in?"
And if you had to think of one behavioral stereotype about Jews, almost certainly the most common one would be something having to do with money. I think in a situation like this, I would expect a moderator to out of their way to avoid anything that could be (mis-)interpreted in that way. You know, like you wouldn't expect him to make a joke about going out for fried chicken if there were a black candidate, even if there were other perfectly good rationales for the line having nothing to do with the candidate's color. You just don't go there, you know? That's what I mean about "tone deaf" which I think is actually a pretty generous reading of the line.
George II
(67,782 posts)....and then go on about Jewish stereotypes and ultimately interpreting (or projecting) that on others. In this case, all the brouhaha is a huge over-exaggeration, almost as if some want to find anything to "blame" on the fact that Sanders' candidacy is faltering.
By the way, not last night that I caught, but Clinton has been asked about her faith as well during this campaign.
thesquanderer
(11,993 posts)At this one, as I said, Cuomo actually referenced Sanders' earlier answer, apparently finding it not quite satisfactory. He was presumably disappointed that he got essentially the exact same answer again. I don't know why he didn't like it the first time, it seemed like a perfectly good answer to me.
I don't think any of this reflects poorly on Sanders, and this little exchange certainly has no impact whatsoever on his campaign, so no, I'm not looking for something to "blame." I was just taking note of what seemed like an awkward Cuomo moment.
Art_from_Ark
(27,247 posts)Or "Democrat", for that matter, since Cuomo himself is, ostensibly, a Democrat?
No, the remark was clearly meant as a veiled insult, whether it's in regard to Bernie being Jewish, or the meme about him wanting "free stuff".
dimple
(56 posts)bobbobbins01
(1,681 posts)Red scare and antisemitism all in one!
Nah, I think the guy is just an oblivious idiot. I doubt he's that clever.
njlib
(891 posts)a reference to the "free stuff" meme?
George II
(67,782 posts)thesquanderer
(11,993 posts)Vote2016
(1,198 posts)Jitter65
(3,089 posts)You are correct.
Agschmid
(28,749 posts)But I don't think it has anything to do with his religion, and I think that's a stretch.
thesquanderer
(11,993 posts)Agschmid
(28,749 posts)I browse on mobile, no way for me to know what post it it.
I'm skiing, I'll check back later.
thesquanderer
(11,993 posts)TheLogicalSong
(44 posts)He won't feign offense and lecture people on this stuff.
He knows the American people have bigger fish to fry than microaggressions.
Dem2
(8,168 posts)but I never thought of his religion. The fact that you thought that is just as if not more odd to me than what the MC said.
thesquanderer
(11,993 posts)jillan
(39,451 posts)azmom
(5,208 posts)Juicy_Bellows
(2,427 posts)Would you like some water? That's about all that needed to be said.
JackRiddler
(24,979 posts)You may be assuming too much to think that this dumb-dumb even gets the potential anti-Semitic undertone.
grossproffit
(5,591 posts)Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)thesquanderer
(11,993 posts)UglyGreed
(7,661 posts)Cuomo
Cheese Sandwich
(9,086 posts)Moderators at these debates aren't supposed to be comedians making fun of the candidates.
It was only very slightly demeaning but since the platform is so huge you multiply that slight jab by the number of eyeballs watching to count the true effect.
Cuomo should not host future forums like this.
Yes the joke did have a double meaning hitting from both sides at once. Sanders the cheap old jew, and Sanders the socialist who wants to tax everyone and give free water away to poor people.
You can't win.
ladjf
(17,320 posts)condescending in general. nt