Guardian: It's time for the haters to get behind Hillary Clinton

[ucrdem]

Tuesday 1 March 2016 12.32 EST
Rachel Sklar

But haters: the moment has come to start putting our differences aside. Hillary Clinton is a vetted, tested candidate. She and Bernie Sanders have had numerous debates filled with intelligent exchanges on policy and principle and their respective records and proposals and visions for the country. They have pushed each other to the left where it’s counted for progressives (Keystone pipeline, Hyde Amendment, gun control) and have both been united in their conviction that the clown show on the other side of the aisle must be defeated at all costs.

They have both emerged from the fracas a little bruised – it’s the primary after all – but as the dust has cleared it is evident that the Democrats have two strong, smart, principled and dedicated public servants running for the leadership of this country. That’s no small thing. (See: aforementioned Republican clown show.)

By the end of today, though, the writing will be on the wall. The Democrats will have a pretty good idea about which candidate their party prefers for the presidency and it seems fairly likely that person will be Hillary Clinton. This is not to suggest that Sanders should drop out of the race – that would be premature, and rude – but it does suggest that the time to come together as a party behind a strong, supported nominee is nigh.

(snip)

I’m not going to hammer you with article after article after article after article about how terrific and qualified Hillary Clinton is, or even about how she’s actually pretty nice, and even cool. (You can read them when you’re ready. Grief is complicated.) I’m just going to say, it’s time to stop hating on Hillary Clinton. Because she’s probably going to be the Democratic nominee.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/mar/01/its-time-for-haters-get-behind-hillary-clinton-super-tuesday-vote

[Avalux]

1. Thanks for your concern Rachel. n/t

[Politicalboi]

2. This ain't over

And we will NEVER support her.

[amborin]

14. +100000

Rachel is shilling for HILlary.

People ought to peek at the withering comments, such as these:

because she's exactly the type of corrupt, dynastic neoliberal candidates we are protesting against. she and debbie wasserman schultz have gone so far to the right they're protecting bankers and monsanto and payday lenders



austinpratt
50m ago
8 9

As a 64 year old non- millenial, I am fed up with U.S. demockracy. Voting for Clinton is voting for a Republican. She voted for the invasion of Iraq. She is a hawk, if not a war criminal. She is bought by Wall Street. She is a liar & opportunist about her record. Her son-in-law is a hedge fund creep whose father spent time in prison for fraud (look it up). If she were a feminist she wouldn't be married to her sex-predator spouse. She is not better than Trump. Bernie Sanders is the only candidate preaching the truth about this country & where it needs to go. This country has suffered enough from the Clintons as well as the Bushes. I am through voting for the lesser of two evils. Neither party represents the middle class. To vote for Clinton is to vote for business as usual. I am not afraid of Donald Trump so no I will not be voting for HC to stump Trump.

BayAreaJoe
51m ago
6 7

First insult me - call me a "hater" - and then ask me to do something? That makes a lot of sense.


AnonForNowThanks BayAreaJoe
30m ago



In this case, it does make sense -- it reflects the mentality of the candidate perfectly.


RusticBenadar
51m ago
4 5

This is the most absurd piece of biased and corrupt political advertising I have ever seen to disguise itself as a newspaper article.

Wayner Puskuldjian
52m ago
1 2

Rachel, you should really Google up Hillary's FEC filings. Don't vote on a candidate's physical attributes or promises (Barack), vote for integrity.

[reformist2]

17. A few victories in some states Dems will never carry in November, kind very little, actually.

[Codeine]

37. Most Clinton voters supported Obama in the end, despite all the internet PUMA noise.

Most Sanders supporters will vote Clinton in the GE, despite the Reddit rage.

[PonyUp]

45. Nope. Obama wasn't a liar like the Clinton dynasty. I'll vote for a ham sandwich first. n/t

[Codeine]

46. The DU isn't the real world.

I expect most of the DU Sanders supporters will write him in, leave that slot blank, just not show up, or will vote Trump.

Thankfully DU Sanders supporters are not representative of the Democrats I know in the real world.

[PonyUp]

48. All the ones I know in "the real world" won't vote for her either. Thankfully. n/t

[Kelvin Mace]

3. Let's see, just today

She backtracked on a moratorium on drilling on public land and her fixer DWS introduced legislation to protect the loan sharks in the pay day lending industry.

Yeah, not voting for her. Sorry.

[choie]

4. and we should give a shit

about what Rachel Sklar says because.....?

[JonLeibowitz]

5. "She is [...] the most likely to win big on Super Tuesday. So why wait to support her?"

Because her stances on almost all of the important issues are wrong.

Pretty simple answer to the question. Surprised Rachel couldn't figure that one out.

[highprincipleswork]

6. Hammer all you want. We get to feel how we get to feel, and hold true to things we believe in.

[Bjornsdotter]

7. In 2008 Hillary

...suspended her campaign in June. I think we have a long way to go.

[angrychair]

8. NOT OVER

Almost no one has voted yet. No, really -- almost no one has voted.

After Saturday, 4% of all Democratic delegates -- the voted-upon ones, at least -- have been decided. Ninety-six percent of the primary season still lies ahead of us.
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5-ways-the-media-is-grave_b_9340218.html

[drthais]

9. I'm not a hater

but I just don't like her.

I'd LIKE to like her, given that she will PROBABLY be the nominee

but she makes me squirm
and it is hard to watch these primaries

I live in Louisiana
this means that, primary or general, my vote will never count.
I will vote in the primary for Bernie
I will vote in the general for Hillary if I have to.

but she sucks all of the enthusiasm out of the room

[artislife]

22. Being in LA, you won't have to vote for her

Your state will go red no matter...

[Matariki]

10. June.

And for the sake of the planet it will hopefully be Clinton supporters getting behind Bernie to defeat Trump.

[Ruby the Liberal]

11. Dear British Paper:

4% of the country has voted.

Buckle your seatbelts.

[renate]

12. the comments are not as Rachel would have them be

Her opinion is not a popular one.

[catnhatnh]

13. This:

"By the end of today, though, the writing will be on the wall. The Democrats will have a pretty good idea about which candidate their party prefers for the presidency"

Oh well, except in 1776 most people had a "pretty good idea" that King George was about to kick some colonist ass. The difference was commitment and dedication.

[RobertEarl]

15. ucr, just so you know

The haters are ALREADY behind Hillary.

The lovers of democracy are behind Bernie.

[artislife]

23. Hee! nt

[Betty Karlson]

36. I'm not a hater: I love the chance to make a positive difference.

I love fighting for what I believe in.

And I love your sigline too. Thumbs up, artislife.

[marions ghost]

24. +++ ditto

[delrem]

16. Some people care about the victims of war profiteering con artists.

Others don't.

It has nothing to do with "hate".
It's a difference between having a moral sense and not having one.

Some people want wars of choice to stop, because wars of choice are always for private profit. Some people want to see an end to war profiteering, or at the very least some minimal regulation put on it.

Who would imagine that?

Some people want to see all the countries of the world put people first, ensuring universal healthcare, regardless of the lost profit of private insurance companies who've learned how to use pain and death as a lever to extract dividends, and who're now told they can't do it anymore.

Some people just want a fair minimum wage for plain ordinary daily toil.
Imagine that.

[AgadorSparticus]

18. I think it's too early for this kind of talk. It is almost offensive. A lot of people haven't voted

Myself, being one. But aside from that, it almost feels like you are rubbing it in. Don't do that. Nerves are raw enough.

[delrem]

21. I don't think anyone more will be getting behind Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Whether she wins the primary contest or not.

I think everyone understands exactly where she's at.

[AgadorSparticus]

33. And I don't understand that. To equate HRC to the likes of trump or Cruz is unfathomable to me.

While I will vote for Bernie in the primaries, I will vote for whoever wins and goes on to the GE. I have read the comments about some Bernie supporters adamantly not partaking in the movement to the right by abstaining to vote. But here's the rub: by not voting and someone from the clown car wins, you're contributing to that outcome. You are contributing in that movement to the right whether you like it or not. I am sick of the establishment as well. I am tired of the extensive corruption in American politics that is killing the middle class. It is reaching its tipping point. But ignoring it and not voting for HRC inthe GE doesn't make it, or her, go away. That is just wishful thinking.

I truly believe Bernie started a movement. And if people truly believe in that movement, it should not end with the GE should BErie lose. That momentum needs to be channeled in a more constructive way than just "I am not going to vote for Hillary no matter what".

People clearly can and will do whatever they want. But it seems really short sighted, almost petulant to me to take your toys and go home like that. Game not over. There is still work to do.

[RunInCircles]

41. It is my pesky morals

I think Hillary's war hawk policies and delight in killing other countries leaders is morally wrong.
How could you ask somebody to support the lesser of two evils? Why have any principles at all?

[AgadorSparticus]

42. Pesky morals? Because you are the only ones with them?

To be clear, we all have our own set of morals. Life is hard enough. I am not going to engage in the battle of the morals. If you would like to get off your high horse and discuss this nicely, I don't mind discussing it. Otherwise, not so much.

Life isn't black and white. I don't agree with everything my best friends says. And I certainly don't expect to agree with everything that comes out of a politician's mouth. As for Hillary's war hawk policies, it seems to me that they are damned if they do and damned if they don't. If she was soft, people would be criticising her for compromising America's safety. I am not going to defend everything she has done. But one thing, I know about being an effective leader is that everybody's got an opinion. So you do the best you can. What it comes down to is whether you TRUST that person to represent you well ENOUGH. But what are our choices?

[RunInCircles]

50. I don't do grey very well.

You said
What it comes down to is whether you TRUST that person to represent you well ENOUGH.
There we go. You do I don't.

[AgadorSparticus]

54. No. I don't. She is an establishment politician. I know what she is.

I don't trust her but she represents me well enough compared to my other options which is batshit crazy. There is a splintering of both parties going on. And it is not a bad thing.

Until there is a 3rd party established, I am going to vote for whoever is the democratic nominee because I can vote and I should vote. I feel like we all have an obligation to vote. Besides, it gives us bitching rights afterwards.

[alarimer]

63. This is why I think the primary system is unfair.

Voters in later states hardly get a say in the nominee. Why should states in the deep south, which will never vote Democratic anyway, get to determine the nominee, while reliably Democratic states like California, do not? Is there an issue with holding all primaries/caucuses on the same day? Maybe that is logistically difficult, but that's how they do regular elections.

But, yeah, this kind of talk is offensive. It just gets my back up makes me not want to vote for her. I'm sure there are similar articles every single election, but I guess my memory is short.

[hobbit709]

19. All the haters have been behind Clinton all along.

[appal_jack]

20. Stick it up your own behind, Rachel.

Only a tiny percentage of the Democratic electorate has yet cast a vote. So stick it up your own behind, Rachel.

-app

[TransitJohn]

25. "Haters"? Pfffffffft.

Jesus Christ.

[desmiller]

26. I say "Bullshit!!"

My support for Sanders will not waver!!

[closeupready]

27. Nope.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

28. Pffft. Who is this silly person?

And f*ck her for calling people who oppose Hillary "haters." I don't hate Hillary; I just don't want her to be my President. What a dumbass commentary.

[bunnies]

29. I'd rather eat glass.

And I'm not alone. Has Hillary the anointed released her feb. numbers yet?

[Betty Karlson]

35. Has she released her transcripts yet?

[basselope]

30. Chances of me pulling a level for Hillary Clinton = 0

[jillan]

31. Oh NOES!! She thought it would be a clean sweep for Hillary tonite. Poor thing.

[earthshine]

32. Sanders supporters have issues!

Clinton supporters have ... preferences.

Everybody loves the vote for the winner.

[Betty Karlson]

34. I won't stop hating what Clinton represents, and the party elite will nominate her at their peril.

The writing is indeed on the wall: every time Clinton camp said "just you wait, after such-and-such a date Sanders will be knocked-out, Sanders campaign was alive and well and raking in millions of campaign contributions. Pretty telling, eh?

Every time camp Clinton said "OK, maybe he will do well in such-and-such a state, but in all other states..." Bernie Sanders did better than expected and won in a few more states. We went from "maybe Vermont but none else" to "OK, maybe NH as well" to "but after Nevada it will be over" to "SC will knock him out" to "just wait until super tuesday" to... What is the current common wisdom expiration date for Sanders' campaign? Where have the goalposts moved this time?

Mene mene tekel ufarsin.

But by all means: feel free to ignore that Hebrew line, just like you ignore the Jewish senator from Vermont.

[Cobalt Violet]

38. what makes her think that "time" will ever come?

It certainly isn't now, if ever . She lives in a fantasy world.

[RiverLover]

39. "vetted, tested" and is a purchased, conservative, third way rightwinger who is fine with

unregulated fracking, off shoring American jobs, monopolies, unaffordable healthcare, charter schools, off shore drilling, low minimum wage, and of course WAR! We are supposed to get excited and support the opposite of our principles now? For someone swarmy enough to be the first high level govt official EVER to set up a PRIVATE server to hide things & dodge the FOIA & accept money from foreign countries & companies while helping them as SoS?

This is too much.

The Guardian is spewing shit.

[Nanjeanne]

40. What's a Rachel Sklar?

[Bluenorthwest]

58. A person we can be grateful is not a US voter. She's a blogger/pundit who specializes in

high gloss presentations of famous persons with public image glitches to address. Like most of her work, this piece tells us about her, gives her opinions about the flaws she sees in other people, those sinners, but if you note she does not actually discuss any policy or issue for which she favors Clinton. She evades actual content and trades in characterizations.

[LexVegas]

43. Give them a little more time. Most will get in line when Bernie endorses HRC. nt

[bigwillq]

44. No, thanks. (nt)

[whatchamacallit]

47. Haha go to hell, Rachel

[Vinca]

49. Here's a hot flash for Rachel.

If you want your opponents to support your candidate, you don't begin by calling them haters. So, thanks just the same, but I'm still feeling the Bern.

[tymorial]

51. No.

[Octafish]

52. If she's so qualified, why did she always resort to war as first resort?

Time and time again, she sided with the Imperialists over the common people: Iraq, Honduras, Haiti, Libya, Syria...

[Jester Messiah]

53. HAHAHA no. n/t

[Bluenorthwest]

55. The comments are hilarious, Sklar is such a P.R. flack, her piece about Zuckerberg's baby was

a thick coat of high gloss varnish....
"I suspect that Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan are spending a lot of time just gazing at their new baby girl, in awe that she exists and filled with the fierce drive to love and protect her, and to make her world a better place. Lucky for us it’s our world too. "
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/dec/02/chan-zuckerberg-initiative-philanthropy-change-the-world

Lucky for us! Good lord.

[Kip Humphrey]

56. What a bizzare plea! Haters? Really? What a fact-free fail.

[GreatGazoo]

57. What an odd turn of phrase at the end

So, it’s time to get behind her. Because, just like “uterus” you can’t spell “White House” without a “u” and an “us”.

If a man had written that... (!)

Is this the best writing and logic that Goldman Sachs' money can buy?

[Blue_Tires]

59. That will never happen

the haters will either defect to Trump or stay home...

This will be where we find out who the real Dems are, and who's just play acting...

[gordianot]

60. A contest between Clinton and Trump will result in the most despised newly elected President.

Trump is an off the rails fascist appealing to the worst elements in America. What he actually believes is anyones guess. Clinton perpetrates her fraud on the left but the Goldwater girl never went away. Either way they both will be loathed and I will end up voting for the lesser of two evils. Any candidate willing to share the room with Henry Kissinger and supports the disasterous trade deals is not a real Democrat.

[alarimer]

61. Nope.

"Haters"? GFY, Rachel.

For the record, Hillary is not principled.

[casperthegm]

62. So I guess Sanders supporters should just give up...

Then you don't know us at all. As Clinton has found out, we are not about settling. We are not ok with Wall Street bribery. We are not ok with hiding transcripts. We are not ok with the Iraq vote, no-fly zones, opposition to reinstating Glass-Steagall, and we are not ok with her referring to Sanders as a one issue candidate. When I vote, even if Clinton has what appears to have an insurmountable lead (which she does not) I will vote my conscience. A vote has to be earned.