Ouch !!! - 'Sorry, Hillary, But We’re Done' - Salon

[WillyT]

Sorry, Hillary, but we’re done: Keep repeating racist myths and praising Kissinger and the Reagans. I’m switching to Bernie Sanders
I assumed she'd be best candidate against Trump or Cruz. But now she's made herself almost impossible to support
Paul Campos - Salon
Tuesday, Mar 15, 2016 03:00 AM PDT


Hillary Clinton (Credit: AP/Tony Dejak)

<snip>

I’m sorry Hillary, but I just can’t do this anymore.

If the 2016 presidential campaign were a football game, the Democrats would be heading into it as two-touchdown favorites. Facing a Republican Party that seems to have collectively lost its mind, America’s purportedly liberal party only needs to put forth a minimally competent candidate to win an election in which that candidate will face either a reality TV star who combines ranting racist rhetoric with a bottomless ignorance of every policy question under the sun, or an extreme right-wing religious fanatic.

With the presidential election all but being handed to them, the Democratic Party’s powers that be have almost unanimously decided that Hillary Clinton is liberal America’s best hope to keep the nation from being taken over by right-wing maniacs. (In terms of endorsements, FiveThirtyEight.com’s formula currently has Clinton ahead of Bernie Sanders by a total of 478 to six. Even the much-reviled Donald Trump has more support among Republican power brokers than Sanders has from Democratic pooh-bahs).

The problem with this decision is that it’s becoming clear that Hillary Clinton is a really bad candidate. I say that not as a Bernie Sanders supporter: my attitude toward the Democratic primary has been that just about the only relevant consideration is the question of whether Clinton or Sanders would be more likely to win the general election, given how catastrophic a GOP win would be.

Until recently, I was assuming that Clinton would be a stronger challenger to either Trump or Cruz, so I was hoping she would win out against Sanders. But I’ve changed my mind about that. Clinton keeps making serious mistakes – and these mistakes follow a pattern that reveal why she’s making it increasingly difficult for even mildly progressive voters to support her.

Clinton’s latest blunder was her bizarre claim that Nancy and Ronald Reagan played an important role in getting Americans to talk about AIDS in the 1980s:

<snip>

More: http://www.salon.com/2016/03/15/sorry_hillary_but_were_done_keep_repeating_racist_myths_and_praising_kissinger_and_the_reagans_im_switching_to_bernie_sanders/

[artyteacher]

1. campos may be done...

But she isn't.

[gcomeau]

3. To all our detriment...

[Yurovsky]

6. You and I, certainly. The 1% would do quite well...

the fox will be in charge of the henhouse. I'm sure Hillary doesn't give a rat's ass what Goldman Sachs does as long as she gets a ta$te...

[mathewsleep]

37. They always do

...don't they. If only someone could be a danger to them.

[marew]

51. +1! n/t

[Alfresco]

4. Yes, she is well on her way.

[gcomeau]

8. I keep seeing Clinton supporters cheering this...

...and then I ask them why and it's crickets. Will you be the exception?

What policy based objectives do you have that Clinton will champion more than Sanders such that you think it's cheer-worthy that she will get the nod?

[closeupready]

13. It's not about policy; it's about Patronage.

You know what that means, yes? If she wins, she AND her supporters get the spoils.

[nashville_brook]

65. her supporters *think* they get spoils...they don't

not unless they're in the rarified classes of the Kissingers, Rubins, Dimons.

[LiberalLovinLug]

53. As usual

[rhett o rick]

55. I almost alerted on your post. It's really unfair to ask a Clinton supporter about issues.

You know how their hands are tied. She doesn't even know what her positions are from day to day, how the hell do you expect them to? I have suggested only to receive derision in return that they simply put this in their signature lines, "I support Clinton and all of her positions on issues, whatever they might be, so don't ask."

[SusanaMontana41]

95. They can't show ONE instance of Clinton championing an issue when championing it wasn't cool.

Empty suits.

[SusanaMontana41]

78. I dare you to name one policy Hillary supported before supporting it was cool. JUST ONE.

Surely a Hillary fan can come up with something.

[Alfresco]

83. Good Morning. Did you enjoy your evening?

[Marr]

92. Really? You're going to respond to *that* question with empty gloating?

Talk about proving the point.

[SusanaMontana41]

94. Mission accomplished. nt

[SusanaMontana41]

93. "When you don't have an answer, change the question." — anonymous nt

[dchill]

5. Maybe not, but it IS time...

to turn and baste.

[revbones]

2. More people are waking up and realizing how bad she is... nt

[NWCorona]

7. Ouch indeed!

"The problem with this decision is that it’s becoming clear that Hillary Clinton is a really bad candidate. I say that not as a Bernie Sanders supporter: my attitude toward the Democratic primary has been that just about the only relevant consideration is the question of whether Clinton or Sanders would be more likely to win the general election, given how catastrophic a GOP win would be.

Until recently, I was assuming that Clinton would be a stronger challenger to either Trump or Cruz, so I was hoping she would win out against Sanders. But I’ve changed my mind about that. Clinton keeps making serious mistakes – and these mistakes follow a pattern that reveal why she’s making it increasingly difficult for even mildly progressive voters to support her. "

That's then thing, you don't have to be a Bernie supporter to understand that she's a very flawed candidate. Hillary had to abandon all her supposed strengths and clone Bernie's positions to even get this far.

Hopefully Bernie will make some strong gains today!

[jillan]

9. Clone Bernie's positions to the point that SNL did a perfect spoof on her & yet Hillary had the

balls to say that Bernie isn't for anything during her interview with tweety yesterday.

She has become impossible to support.

[NWCorona]

14. Yup! that skit is why I used clone

It should be obvious by now and equally more so that she will evolve once again before the year is out.

[pdsimdars]

64. You didn't finish your sentence

She has become impossible to support for anyone with a thought between their ears.

[SheilaT]

29. Back in 2008 she was also a really bad candidate.

What we haven't had in this go around are shakeups in her campaign staff and stories about how awful she is to her staff. She may have hired a better crew this time, and maybe she's behaving better also. I have no opinion on either, but it is an interesting difference.

However, she is a very bad, very flawed candidate. And she'd be a very bad, very flawed nominee, and if elected (do you sense a theme here?) a very bad, very flawed President.

[cosmicone]

10. Campos, HA Goodman et al

will need lots and lots of paper towels to wipe the eggs off their faces.

[Betty Karlson]

80. I've got to hand it to you: at least you didn't try to shoot the messenger this time. eom

[Skwmom]

11. Anyone who thinks that she would be the best candidate is clueless.

[Betty Karlson]

81. And probably well-off too.

[Faux pas]

12. K N R-ed

[SixString]

15. "This week she engaged in some good old-fashioned red-baiting,

criticizing Sanders for opposing America’s sordid history of dirty wars in Latin America, which she mischaracterized as his support for Communist dictatorships."

http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/03/10/responding-clinton-barb-sanders-blasts-us-imperialism-latin-america

In a series of intermittently sarcastic tweets Wednesday night, investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill blasted Clinton and her supporters for taking a revisionist view of Latin American foreign policy.

Bernie should be ashamed of himself for being on the opposite side of every single thing Henry Kissinger stands for.

— jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) March 10, 2016

I bet commie Sanders was even against Reagan's humanitarian mining of Nicaraguan waters & supported subsequent war crimes judgement vs. US

— jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) March 10, 2016

The US sponsored deaths squads that massacred countless central and Latin Americans, murdered nuns and priests, assassinated an Archbishop

— jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) March 10, 2016

The Hillarybots attacking Sanders over Nicaragua should be ashamed of themselves.

— jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) March 10, 2016

Have any of these Hillarybots heard of the Contra death squads? Or is it just that whatever Hillary says must be defended at all costs?

— jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) March 10, 2016

We don't have the right to dictate how people resist US-backing of death squads and dictators in their own countries.

— jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) March 10, 2016

[ljm2002]

27. Wish I could recommend this post...

...but then, I've always had a bit of a crush on Jeremy Scahill! Brains, conscience and good looks, what's not to love?

[kas125]

36. Me, too! When I was in St. Paul to protest/march against the RNC in 2008

I was in the coffee shop that we were using as our headquarters. I got up to stand in line to get a drink and realized that he was standing in line right in front of me. I was almost too excited to even speak to him, but I managed and hoped I didn't sound like some kind of teenage fangirl, lol.

[ljm2002]

38. Oh lucky you!!

Given my age, though, there is little chance I'd be mistaken for a teenage fangirl! But I would still have had to stop myself from swooning!

[KoKo]

40. ....! Thank You!

[fbc]

16. I like the football metaphor... She's basically Mark Sanchez

butt fumble!

[erlewyne]

17. WOW!!!

I used to like her. She was my choice before Obama showed up.
She was my choice before Bernie showed up. Her detriment to
me was Bill Clinton. Now she is a detriment.

[warrprayer]

18. K&R

For sanity.

[senz]

19. K&R -- thanks, Willy!

[billhicks76]

20. Yep

Too bad blinders on for many here.

[shawn703]

21. And under the bus goes Paul Campos

[NCTraveler]

22. because it had some bad writing and simplistic thinking.”

http://abovethelaw.com/2011/08/the-tenured-law-professor-turned-scamblogger-reveals-himself/

[erlewyne]

23. Hey WillieT, I just got a tip.

In Ohio DNC voters are voting on the GOP ticket for Trump.
They are not allowed to vote for BERNIE and they do not like Hillary,

[cabineer]

57. Why can't they vote for Bernie Sanders?

I don't get it..

[erlewyne]

60. Bernie is an Independent.

It is rhetoric.

In the DNC's case BERNIE was not allowed to run.

He was disqualified.

So, if you follow the DNC you cannot vote for BERNIE.

The DNC disqualifies true democrats.

So, we have the tea party democrats who choose Trump over Hillary.

Go Figure.

[dlwickham]

71. I'm glad you explained that

because I had no bloody idea what the poster meant

[hopemountain]

77. this makes no sense

how can i verify this "tip"?

[CalvinballPro]

24. Oh please. Salon has been in the tank for Sanders since before the New Year.

They keep one pro-Clinton author on board, Amanda Marcotte, and then literally hire any white male writer who can toss together an anti-Clinton piece in five minutes. I remember the whole list. Ben Norton, Sean Illing, HA Goodman, Walker Bragman, Daniel Denvir, Andrew O'Hehir, to name a few. Those were the regulars, and that doesn't include the journeyman writers they brought in randomly to add even more anti-Clinton flair to their front-page. Their bias is why I stopped reading Salon, because they became a caricature of themselves.

Salon didn't post a single article about South Carolina after Clinton blew out Sanders there. Not one. It was like they pretended politics didn't exist for a whole week. But they live-tweeted New Hampshire before that. I wonder why...

[Ichingcarpenter]

28. You love Bush, Kissinger, and Cheny

Like they do......... because she has gotten that love.

I don't get it why you deny your own eyes and neither can the professor or me

Its over.

[CalvinballPro]

33. Is this what passes for progressive argument these days? No wonder you're stuck on the fringe.

[Ichingcarpenter]

35. My Fringe...... was FDR and JFK

not your third way shit.

[Amimnoch]

91. Interesting that you mention FDR and JFK.

Since both were absolutely 1%ers of their own time in their own right. Hell the Roosevelt's were as close as it came to American Aristocracy and the Kennedy's as close as it came to American Royalty.

Neither was a political outsider. Both had long and very established ties and networking within the Democratic Party.

Especially FDR, He'd just about built the 73rd congress he wanted. The 73rd congress.. that congress that passed the 100 days of legislation that made the new deal..

The Senate:
59 Democrats (most hand picked by FDR)
1 Independent (backed by FDR)
36 Republicans (scared shitless of FDR)

The House of Representatives:
313 Democrats (many hand picked by FDR, most linked to FDR and his administration)
117 Republicans (scared shitless of FDR)
5 Independents (haven't found a link yet, but since they went along with the New deal I'm guessing had at least some link to FDR)

Sorry, Bernie might have lofty visions that are new deal'ish, but he's done nothing to get the congress he would absolutely have to have to make it happen with.

I want world peace, especially in the middle east. I'd like to see cures for HIV, and cancer. I'd like to see world poverty and hunger eliminated. Vote for me as President.

[Bradical79]

75. What the fuck is wrong with you?

In an argument over policies that led to death and murder, all you can do is whine about their coverage of the South Carolina primary.

[bobthedrummer]

30. Bullshit. Welcome to DU.

See you around.

[AlbertCat]

42. any white male writer who can toss together an anti-Clinton piece in five minutes.

It must be easy..... so I'm sure a girl could do it too....




BTW juries: ... ...

[maggies farm]

43. Amanda Marcotte?

The social justice warrior that endlessly defended Jackie's lies at UVA? She has a fine batting average. Tragic that people elevate Amanda Marcotte, Lena Dunham, and Hilary Clinton.

Amanda Marcotte is the Pete Santilli of the left, both smug, both driven with ideology, and both enablers of bullshitters.


BTW....war, global hegemony, neocolonialism is as about anti-feminist one can be. These people never wake from their cognitive dissonance.

[sulphurdunn]

48. Every interesting.

Also, utterly irrelevant. Either Hillary has done the things the writer claims or she has not. While it is fair to consider the messenger biased. The messenger bears no logical relationship to the truth or falsehood of the message. So, let's have a rebuttal and not an ad hominen dismissal.

[John Poet]

76. ad hominen dismissal

is all they got

[bvf]

50. Too funny. Especially the phony whine about SC. n/t

[nashville_brook]

66. hahahahaha!

[SoapBox]

25. Total K & R!

No...More...Clintons.

[Motown_Johnny]

26. Why would anyone assume Hillary would be a strong challenger to Trump or Cruz?

This makes no sense at all.

She has only won 2 elections in her entire life. Both her carpetbagged Senate seat in a blue state with huge media markets to saturate with ads.


Most any well funded (D) could have won those elections.


I see no reason to assume she is a strong candidate for anything.

[AlbertCat]

47. This^^^^^

Her "greatest achievements" were handed to her: 1st Lady and SoS... and she thought this would be handed to her too.

And I don't see that she was so successful in any of those positions.

She has her husband's name tho'.

[Lorien]

63. Bill Clinton's own advisor lays out just how weak she is

one of the best cases yet for backing Bernie, even if you are a right of center "Democrat": http://www.salon.com/2016/03/08/hillarys_inevitability_lie_why_the_media_and_party_elites_are_rushing_to_nominate_the_weakest_candidate/

[marions ghost]

74. Gotta agree with that

I don't really see the vision or wisdom needed for the presidency in Hillary.
In many cases, not even the competence.

[Betty Karlson]

82. VERY good point.

[Rebkeh]

31. Damn!

..a sprained ankle is preferable to a heart attack.

[sarge43]

54. A sprained ankle is an inconvenience, easily healed

Better would be, COPD is preferable to a heart attack.

[Uncle Joe]

32. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, WillyT.

[Enthusiast]

34. Kicked and recommended!

[AlbertCat]

39. Well, that summed it up succinctly.

I'm sure this will be labeled (if not already) as an "attack".

But it is merely a catalogue of events.

And THAT is the problem!

[PatrynXX]

41. I'd actually had never heard of Salon

until my dad (tea party) brought it up and assumed I followed their liberal news. I don't consider Salon that Liberal this it was never on my radar until he brought it up. So if she loses Salon now she's facing problems. Possibly faster ouch than with Obama.

[Duval]

44. K&R!

Ouch is right! Thanks WillyT.

[vintx]

45. K&R

[TIME TO PANIC]

46. K & R!

[Paladin]

49. Not surprising that this article is so popular in GD:P.

Salon has devolved into a Hillary-bashing outlet. Given that, and how clunky and ad-heavy the site is, I find it increasingly easy to skip over it.

[gcomeau]

56. Yes, in the OPEN discussion area of DEMOCRATIC underground it is certainly popular.

How not surprising.

[HenryWallace]

52. Thanks, but no thanks!

My first impression after reading.........

(Hackneyed football metaphor, anything but the scary Republicans, etc.)

It minimizes the issues of this campaign where her real weakness lies, it denigrates Sander's ability to stay on message, articulate a vision and inspire.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

58. This is what happens when Bill and Hill hang with Dubya and Daddy.

[democrank]

59. Kickin` for the Bern Man

Go Bernie!
The real deal

[kgnu_fan]

61. slowly, it became obvious....

[Ivan Kaputski]

62. K & R

[tabasco]

67. The future is too important to let Clinton screw this up.

I'm voting for Bernie.

[FlaGranny]

84. I voted for Bernie

yesterday in Florida even though it was pretty certain he wasn't going to win. My husband refuses to vote for Hillary and I certainly don't want to. I don't know if he'll skip the presidential or vote for someone else. Don't know if I will either. I'm feeling very sad and frightened of the voters in this country. It's a sad state of affairs when the candidate with the best platform (lied about, and now mimicked by Hillary) is the target of the DNC. Why do people not understand their own best interests. I'm expecting a very low Democratic turnout in November. There is little enthusiasm in the country for Hillary. I haven't spoken to anyone, even in Florida, who doesn't have reservations. I've heard many people are voting for her because they think Bernie can't win. Wonder who gave them that idea?

[noretreatnosurrender]

68. Disgusted Liberal Here

America’s “overcompensated and underperforming elites.”

I love this line. I'm gonna steal this one and use it. lol

How many votes does she think she’s going to get from (increasingly imaginary) “moderate Republicans” as a consequence of this 1990s-style triangulation? Not nearly as many as she’ll lose among disgusted liberals, who remember that the Contras were terrorists, that Kissinger is a war criminal of the first order, that Reconstruction didn’t cause the virulent racism that undermined it, and that the Reagans’ silence regarding AIDS contributed to countless unnecessary deaths.

She IS a terrible candidate.

[WestSeattle2]

69. I crossed that threshold years ago. It was so disappointing to see the DNC and DWS

conspire with the Clinton campaign to anoint her. Neither she or the DNC will be receiving any financial support from me this cycle, but with all of her Wall Street backing, my $1,000 won't be missed.

[merrily]

70. Hillary's Alzheimer's/stem cell "correction" was just as wrong.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027676365

That seems to get a lot less play. However, until they had selfish reasons to support stem cell research, they didn't--and to hell with anyone else it might have helped.

[Dont call me Shirley]

72. KnR!

[Doctor_J]

73. Hillaryvs. Trump in November. Well over half of those who bother to vote will be voting

against a candidate instead of for one. The end of the American experiment

[Betty Karlson]

79. YES! My sentiments exactly!

[johnlucas]

85. Bernie or Bust. Either we get him as nominee or you perish

The UNDERGROUND is speaking right now.
It's time for the DEMOCRATIC to sit in the back seat.

One way or another this Democratic Party is going to change.
Either we get Bernie Sanders as Democratic nominee & set the stage for a flourishing party for decades of elections on all levels...
...we DON'T get Bernie Sanders as Democratic nominee & set the stage for the Democratic Party's destruction.

Hillary can't beat Trump.
She is compromised & Trump will pick her apart in the general election.
Only Bernie has a foolproof way of beating him & the entire Republican Party structure.

You Hillary supporters so hellbent on voting her in, just recognize that you are actually voting for Trump.
He will DEMOLISH her.
So make a wise choice because 2016 will definitely be the end of one party, the Republican Party.
Make a bad choice & 2016 will be the end of BOTH—Republican AND Democratic.

John Lucas

[randome]

86. Sterling political analysis.

I think we've got this, thanks.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]You should never stop having childhood dreams.[/center][/font][hr]

[johnlucas]

87. No you don't. The DEMOCRATIC can't win without the UNDERGROUND.

You screw us & we'll screw you.
BERNIE OR BUST.
And I MEAN it.

John Lucas

[Progressive dog]

88. Hillary lost one more self styled supporter,

just millions to go.

[chwaliszewski]

89. Hillary Hasn't Lost Me...

she never had me to begin with. And JohnLucas is right. Hillary won't beat Trump.

[johnp3907]

90. "Sorry, Sanders, But You're Done."

[TheFarS1de]

98. So are the Democrats .

They just don't realise it yet . Keep chuckling .

[BainsBane]

97. When I saw this yesterday morning

I took it as a sign it would be a good day for Hillary.