It’s time for the Sanders campaign to stop grifting and start negotiating

[NCTraveler]

To paraphrase Donald Trump roadkill Marco Rubio: Let’s dispense once and for all with this fiction that Bernie Sanders is going to come from behind and snatch the Democratic presidential nomination from the white-knuckled death-grip of Hillary Clinton.

This will not happen. You know it. I know it. And Bernie Sanders knows it.

snip

Still the Sanders campaign soldiers on, asking contributors to pony up another $27 while laying off staffers — but still paying campaign manager Jeff Weaver and consultant Tad Devine and others some serious cash.

snip

Right now the Sanders campaign is basically a gym selling $27 memberships to the gullible while the elliptical machines are being repossessed through the backdoor by the bank.

http://www.rawstory.com/2016/04/its-time-for-the-sanders-campaign-to-stop-grifting-and-start-negotiating/

Some solid advice in there for the Sanders campaign. I'm sure Weaver keeps thoughts like this as far away from Sanders as possible. It has become abundantly clear who the leader of the Sanders campaign is. Sanders it's not. Weaver has turned it into a campaign for his personal ego.

[tonyt53]

1. When Weaver grows up he want to be Jim Carville

[frylock]

37. WDS

[berni_mccoy]

2. Elections aren't done yet. Even Hillary agrees it's fine for Sanders to continue

[Betty Karlson]

17. Despair - it's what drives camp Clinton these days.

They spent most of their time trying to rig the game against Sanders (t least the DWS part of the campaign did that) and it didn't work. Belittling and antagonising and smearing Sanders' supprters: nope, didn't work either. Negotiating with them? When Hell freeze over maybe.

And yet, Sanders kept winning. He's still in the race, and may well end up with more pledged delegates than Clinton. Her inevitability is riunning out of runway fast. Hence the constant moaning about Sanders' need to stop (which has been issued at various times for about ten different reasons so far). For once, California will matter - unless Sanders decides it doesn't.

Not gonna happen. California will matter. It will stop Clinton.

[LexVegas]

3. Tad and Jeff make more $$. nt

[frylock]

38. TDS + WDS

[bkkyosemite]

4. Go to hell RawStory...it's not done yet.

[Armstead]

5. A response

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511939175

[NCTraveler]

9. There are two lines in that op that I really would like to take issue with.

But I like the overall tone you put forward and understand where you are coming from in your op. I will just leave it at that.

I also like the way you wrapped it up. It was a short, non-offensive, and somewhat cute shot directed at a number of the comments you knew you would get. Including one I would have probably left. I like the way you ended it.

[Armstead]

11. Actually I think the the cat looks a little like Bernie

(But don't tell anyone I said that)

[NCTraveler]

14. Your seceret is good with me.

I really do like the way you made that point at the end. I actually felt it was directed at me yet didn't feel the scorn of a million suns behind it.

[KingFlorez]

6. The campaign needs to offset their debt as much as possible

Ads likely are not going to be run in California, so that indicates some cash troubles. He going to have to cut a deal with Clinton to pay off his campaign debt.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

7. negotiate with the bank lobbiest writing the Dem party platform...

I'm sure barney frank will be totally open to his suggestions

[AgingAmerican]

8. I discount OPs from people whose t-page is showing

[NCTraveler]

10. No, you don't. nt.

[reddread]

12. whats that smell? making me hungry!

who's got the ketchup?

[RiverNoord]

13. You know, Sanders supporters aren't idiot pyramid scheme con victims.

In fact, your 'snips' and follow-up statement just led me to another $50 donation.

We know full well what is happening. Have you ever met Bernie Sanders? He's not the kind of person who would insulate himself from straight, hard facts via a campaign manager.

He's made commitments and he's following through on them. You may not like it, 'TBOGG' writing a Raw Story opinion piece may not like it, but he's doing exactly the thing that told his supporters, repeatedly, that he would do.

So, no, there's no 'grifting' going on here. That may start later, if we have a Clinton or Trump presidency.

[aikoaiko]

15. Team Weathervane needs to do what they do best -- be pragmatic

[dchill]

16. The gall. The nerve. The projection...

To call Sanders a grifter. I'm aware of what you're doing, and why. You're just not.

[GreenPartyVoter]

20. I know! The Clintons OWN that word!

[dchill]

22. Yes. We may be looking at a copyright infringement.

[GreenPartyVoter]

24. Wonder if they will sue?

[dchill]

25. If there's money involved, they'll be there.

[GreenPartyVoter]

32. Agreed!

[frylock]

40. A grifter who grifts things done!

[GreenPartyVoter]

43. Perfect!

[uponit7771]

18. I can here team use car salesmen saying to Sanders "don't quit... You owe us 3 more million"

[dchill]

23. You can here, but can you sea?

[timmymoff]

19. It's simple

stop begging, you look like damn fools. Hillary stayed in against Obama. Bernie is going to stay in as long as she did. While you may whine and moan that we interfered in the coronation of Her Corporate Majesty. You are worried about what Sanders is doing when right now and as early as last weekend Hillary sought out money from both Jeb Bush mega donors and Ted Cruz donors. Your continued whining about someone who is supposed to be vetted and tough is getting old. But deep down, we know our Goldwater girl's biggest problem is that she has been vetted for 25 years or more. It's the vetting of Hillarity that is causing her problems, not Bernie.

[Warren Stupidity]

21. "Grifting"

[bjo59]

26. Blah, blah, blah, blah. Reading the pro-Clinton comments on here is like listening

to the adults talking in a Charlie Brown special.

[highprincipleswork]

27. it's not up to you to tell the Sanders campaign to do anything. They are trying to represent a clear

and honest voice in American politics. Many of us support that. Bernie so far is promising to soldier on and represent that voice further. I'm following the voice he represents as far as it will go. To the convention even. Beyond even.

I far prefer that to the hypocritical, going to sell us out on Social Security and other things voice that I hear from Hillary and DNC.

In any case, quit your worrying and just live with it. I hope Bernie takes it to California, even to the convention, and even beyond that. He represents my values, traditional values of the Democratic Party, and the party elite including Hillary does not.

[Vinca]

28. Grifting? You actually said grifting?

Until his supporters - the ones sending the money - complain, I suggest you put a lid on it.

[Akicita]

29. NCTraveler, you should join the Moaners For Hillary superpac that Andrea Mitchell is setting up.

[GreatGazoo]

30. Time for the Clinton campaign to put up

You post an article from 3 weeks ago. Same old same old about how Sanders can't win *cough Michigan * and it was written before the blow out in West Virginia.

So when is Clinton going to put this thing away? When does Camp Clinton stop blaming Bernie for her lack of put-away-ness?

[Orsino]

31. Some's still pretending not to know what a convention is for...

...or why some people are still donating. Math includes calculus as well as mere arithmetic.

[leftynyc]

33. Actually

Weaver has turned it into a campaign for his personal WALLET.

[frylock]

41. WDS

[leftynyc]

44. Feel free to waste

your money any way you please. Makes zero difference to me.

[frylock]

45. Feel free to mind your own fucking business.

[PufPuf23]

34. I don't think Sanders needs solid advice in the form of monkey poo. Thank you in advance eom.

[Waiting For Everyman]

35. More projection from the Grifter's camp.

Corruption is Hillary's skill-set. Maybe her camp should be keeping a better eye on what she's up to.

[Bluenorthwest]

36. You're soaking in it.

It's sad to see that people who think they have already won are willing to employ the lowest of classic dog whistles. I want nothing to do with this sort of rhetoric.

[rock]

39. "Not while my donors have"

"a penny they can contribute!", said a defiant Bernie Sandsers at a rally today.

[frylock]

42. Fresh take.

[Demsrule86]

46. Very good article

Spot on. Bernie has already lost influence by staying past New York...and every time he insults Clinton or the party he worsens his situation. Every primary brings us closer to the end of his campaign. He won't get 80% of remaining delegates and he won't win over the supers. He must know that which is why I think he is wrong to ask for money. He is not the guy we thought he was...just another pol with a big ego in my opinion. He claims to care for the poor among us...then why does he risk a Trump presidency? The poor would suffer mightily and many would not survive a Trump president. Kids already go to bed hungry thanks to the GOP Congress...can you imagine what they would do if they controlled the entire government? Personally, I believe he thinks the GOP and the Dems are the same...and doesn't care who wins the general...oh he pays lip service to the 'we must stop Trump' argument, but in the end, actions speak louder than words.

[myrna minx]

47. Today's "Brock the record" word: Grift.