Yes, It’s OK To Be Angry At Elizabeth Warren: Stop Stigmatizing Sanders Supporters For Wishing...

[WillyT]

Yes, it’s OK to be angry at Elizabeth Warren: Stop stigmatizing Sanders supporters for wishing she endorsed
Sanders supporters have been pilloried for criticizing the Senator's inaction during the primary
Daniel Denvir - Salon
Monday, Mar 7, 2016 04:57 AM PST


Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders (Credit: Reuters/AP/Jonathan Ernst/Susan Walsh/Photo montage by Salon)

<snip>

Some Bernie Sanders supporters are angry at Elizabeth Warren for not endorsing him before the Massachusetts primary. And so begins the newest episode in Hillary Clinton partisans attempting to smear everyday Sanders supporters—who, truth be told, mostly seem to be pretty nice and progressive-minded people—as pathologically sexist. In reality, Sanders supporters have every right to be angry and to express that anger. Warren is far closer to Sanders ideologically than to Hillary Clinton. Her endorsement would likely have put Sanders over the top in Massachusetts, which he narrowly lost. Warren is a U.S. Senator and a tribune of the Democratic Party left. She’s fair game for criticism.

As Shane Ryan points out in an overview at Paste Magazine, the ostensibly threatening or sexist comments posted on Warren’s Facebook page are in reality by and large thoughtful and impassioned pleas from people who think Warren is an incredibly important figure.

One commenter, for example, wrote:

“Extremely disappointed by the lack of courage you displayed by not endorsing Bernie Sanders. Still a fan but somewhat disillusioned at the moment. Very sad…you could have made a big difference in the Mass primary.”

That said, Warren no doubt has her own reasons for withholding an endorsement. She probably wants to maintain leverage and to avoid the definite wrath of the Clinton machine and the possible wrath of a President Clinton. There is also a strong chance that either Sanders or Clinton would tap Warren as their running mate. Sanders would do so because Warren is the next most high-profile Democratic politician on the party’s left wing. And it wouldn’t hurt, especially given Clinton’s history-making potential, that she’s a woman—not only for the small number of internet-based haters who have spied sexism behind every Sanders supporter but more importantly for voters in general who rightly want to see women break new barriers.

As for Clinton, she could very well choose Warren because there would be no better way to soothe angry Sanders supporters should he lose. Sure, it won’t change my opinion that Clinton is a corporate-aligned and out-of-touch elite irreparably geared toward disastrous foreign policy misadventures. But then again, I’m not the average Sanders supporter. For most, tapping Warren would no doubt make it easier for them to hold their nose and pull the lesser-of-two-evils lever.

<snip>

Link: http://www.salon.com/2016/03/07/yes_its_ok_to_be_angry_at_elizabeth_warren_stop_stigmatizing_sanders_supporters_for_wishing_she_endorsed/

[ibegurpard]

1. I'm not angry at Elizabeth Warren

In fact I oppose a movement to ask MY OWN Senator to endorse Bernie Sanders. They should all stay out of it.

[warrprayer]

2. Kick

And rec

[tularetom]

3. If Warren was inclined toward accepting a VP slot with either candidate

She would have made more of a noise about running for president.

Look, the woman is very happy and very effective right where she is. She probably could have been elected president if she had entered the race. She didn't do that. What makes anybody think she would give up her Senate seat for the obscurity of the VP office. She's cut out for something better than attending funerals for foreign leaders.

On the other hand suppose the Democrats nominate Clinton and after the convention the hammer comes down and she is indicted on a variety of security and corruption charges. Wouldn't it be nice to have Elizabeth Warren on the ticket already?

[Kalidurga]

4. I am on record saying Warren should stay out of this.

It's already a circus around her. We don't need that we need her to be able to focus on issues. If she endorses it doesn't matter who it's gonna make that situation a whole lot worse.

[TM99]

5. I think she should stay out

AND I think she should be direct and communicate that she will not endorse until the primary is won.

And if she is Clinton's VP, I don't see that changing my opinion of Clinton but it sure will of her.

[ecstatic]

6. It's OK, but it's silly. Which new voters would her endorsement bring to Sanders?

I like EW, but her endorsement wouldn't affect me one way or or another.

Anyone who could be swayed towards Sanders based on EW's endorsement is probably already for Sanders, don't you think?

[farleftlib]

7. I'm not angry

This is the way it's supposed to be done. This sounds like more Bernie Bros bashing based on bogus beliefs.

[brooklynite]

8. Nobody has suggested that Sanders Supporters criticizing Warren is "sexist"...

They've suggested that it's juvenile and counterproductive.

[mythology]

9. It's the insults some Sanders supporters hurl that I object to

It's not just enough to be disappointed that she didn't endorse Sanders, but some are accusing her of being phony and some are threatening to primary her over it. As somebody who lives in Massachusetts, fuck them for threatening her seat. She's a damn good Senator.