Did Tad Devine jump ship?

[Tavarious Jackson]

He has not tweeted in 2 weeks. Other SBS Staffers have left. I think Bernie is taking a turn they do not approve of and left.. what do you all think?

[JI7]

1. i can't see him leaving unless he was fired

Because of the money.

It would help Sanders to get rid if him and Weaver.

[Tavarious Jackson]

2. He seems not involved.

I know Tad was calling for Bernie to drop out and Weaver was pushing to stay in. I can see him leaving if he suspects a nasty turn to save his career. Thoughts?

[Hortensis]

16. I now strongly suspect Devine left to dissociate himself

from what Sanders is planning. The others too.

Plus, some still with the campaign seem to be trying to protect their reputations by leaking word to the press that all decisions come from Sanders himself.

[Tavarious Jackson]

19. Yes. I suspect that too

Makes me wonder what Sanders has planned?!

[Hortensis]

24. After Nevada revealed Sanders' ominous intentions,

or "sinister" as the Nevada Democratic Party called them -- oh, yes! Aren't we all wondering what he has planned, and to what purpose.

He could merely be trying to blackmail the party into changing the rules to give more advantage to radicals, as he has already indicated he wants (tho not in those words of course), including being able to bring in floods of voters from the right whenever useful. Or could he plan worse? He despises the Democratic Party, we know. What would he do if he couldn't change it the way he wants?

In any case, I no longer hope that he genuinely wants to improve it in ways that mainstream Democrats would approve. Big no to conservative reactionaries helping choose our candidates! Too bad, but for all its faults I'm kind of fond of our 225-year-old party. We'll survive as we always do, but I don't care to see it abused and kicked around by some radical indulging the typical righteous conceits, and possibly long-simmering hostilities.

[Tavarious Jackson]

25. I don't know why he is issuing ultimatums

When he is not in control. I don't get it. I think he wants to burn down the party but I see BIG people getting involved so hopefully he will be booted out. He has no unity intentions anyway.

[Hortensis]

26. The big question for me is, is he primarily

motivated by his intentions to "improve" the party to empower other radicals like himself to come in and be elected, and perhaps other, real improvements, or are more negative motivations pushing his behavior now that he is losing and near the end?

As for power, his followers have power and right now they are still giving it to him to wield. Subtract the conservatives voting for him to make mischief for the Democrats and the hostile anti-Democrat far-lefters, and you still have a very large bloc of mainstream liberal Democrats whose wishes must be considered.

His promises for reform are really just taken from liberal mainstream doctrine after all, (the big difference was that he promised to smash through institutional apathy and corruption to make reform happen fast), and most of the liberals attracted by his promises are from the Democratic Party's mainstream.

I'm sure you're right that division and rancor are his big weapons, unity of no use to his plans, but I'm also pretty sure this bloc is a huge weak spot for him. If they come to see him as a troublemaker endangering the party's chances, their support could just melt away faster than it came, and with it their power.

[Sheepshank]

38. Yes, yes, yes....I agree with you 100%

His consistent and deafening beat to demolish everything the Dem Party has built up, and his rebuilding scheme totally pisses me off.

I honestly don't know why he chose to go in this direction rather than building on the Socialist party, or creating his own or re-tooling the Republican Party.

[Hortensis]

50. Well me, how do you feel about being "purged," Sheepshank?

Might as well laugh.

Bernie has to know far-left parties have not had much influence or survived long historically. My best guess (given his focus on open primaries, etc.) is that he really does hope to open the rules and procedures doors for a takeover (realistic or not) of the very entrenched and solid 225-year-old Democratic Party by a new set of more radically oriented operators.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

20. There is a two week lull in the campaign. Should be fun!

[joshcryer]

18. Tad was calling for a tone shift which Weaver didn't like.

And he's been radio silent since.

I doubt he's out, because he makes way too much money on media.

[NCTraveler]

45. Joining DU has nothing to do with getting involved.

The thought some think it does speaks volumes.

[auntpurl]

3. For Bernie's sake, I hope so.

He is getting terrible advice.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

4. He has likely been pushed aside by John Weaver and the BOBs

His future as a Democratic consultant is likely over.

[Tavarious Jackson]

7. Today Bernie said something disturbing

" I'll be damned if I let the status quo continue." What does he mean and how does he intend to stop it?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. We will learn shortly whether he is a small d democrat or not.

[Hortensis]

21. Whatever he is, my guess it's neither a small nor a large D.

We know he registered strictly for expediency after proudly and publicly rejecting the Democratic Party for decades.

[Demsrule86]

5. I have come to believe

That the hatred towards the Democratic Party and Hillary is all Bernie. Tad should jump ship and not be besmirched by Bernie's refusal to face the reality of his situation...looks like he is trying to throw the election to Trump.

[Tavarious Jackson]

6. I agree

I think Tad jumped ship. I think the others did too.

[Demsrule86]

40. It is beginning to look that way

We have heard nothing from Tad.

[merrily]

11. LOL! You should look at some of the posts here from the 2008 primary.

[Hortensis]

22. Yes, extreme and nasty behaviors were here

long before Sanders decided to run. Besides our far-left's tendencies, we also shouldn't forget that a very significant block of Democrats are conservatives of all types, notably including the world's biggest group of bigoted troublemakers, social conservatives. Some of them may vote Democrat for some down-ticket slots but virtually always all vote Republican for president. Lots of hilhate from that wing.

[merrily]

23. Du doesn't have many far left posters. People who can't refer to the left without adjectives are

playing game in which I have zero interest.

Just for the record, I was not here during the 2008 primary. However, DUers who now purport support Hillary most were calling her a "crypto-fascist" and calling her other names that I have ever thought of posting.

[Demsrule86]

39. I am not talking about the posts here

I am talking about the candidate himself and his intentions.

[merrily]

44. This what you posted.

"That the hatred towards the Democratic Party and Hillary is all Bernie."

And I'm telling you there was plenty of criticism of, and hatred toward, Hillary before Bernie said a word about her. The posts here alone are evidence of that. There is plenty of other evidence of it, too. And the same for criticisms of the Democratic Party which you probably perceive as "hatred."

IOW, your statement could not be more contrary to reams of evidence.

[Ino]

9. I think Brock doesn't pay people to think.

[Tavarious Jackson]

12. Here is a new article from Mother Jones

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2016/05/decline-fall-bernie-sanders

[Hortensis]

51. Interesting, thanks. I've wondered if the stresses

of the campaign and doing as well as he has only to be losing may have exacerbated attitude issues that already existed.

Trump is another I wonder about, but far, far more. Respected mental health professionals have informed the public that he has a serious personality disorder even though they haven't been able to examine him personally. How might his disorder react, morph, progress as a result of extreme, ego-damaging stresses during the the GE and presidency?

[merrily]

10. LOL. Great thread idea: Let's all pretend we can read minds based on how much we support Hillary

and hate Bernie.

Sure recipe for a craptastic thread.

[Tavarious Jackson]

13. Some people act like the NV violence

was an anomaly. We have seen the threats to super-delegates and Hillary surrogates for months now. It's not new. Some Bernie supporters have been doxing and threatening for a good while now.

[merrily]

14. First, what the blooming eff does violence have to do with what I posted or what the OP posted?

Second, with all those cops lined up, how many people were arrested for violence?If zero, why do you suppose the arrest count was zero?

The only arrest for violence I am aware of was a Hillary supporter.

[Tavarious Jackson]

15. Did you see how scared that Langer lady was?

She is in fear for her life. I think there will be arrest.

[merrily]

17. You just want to keep posting crap to me that has nothing to do with the OP or my posts?

Stop wasting my time with your nonsense.

[Hortensis]

52. "Some people act like the NV violence

was an anomaly." Tavarious was responding to your deflection to nonsense.

Actually, The Sanders Campaign (legal name) and/or the insurgency it encourages has disrupted or threatened trouble to some degree at political events in a number of states, including threatened lawsuits, fraudulent claims of election fraud have become routine with all primaries he does not win, and there are many reports and threats of plans for major destructive hooliganism in Philadelphia.

The deliberately disruptive behavior at the Nevada convention is very much part of an escalating pattern. There are credible reports that it was planned by the Sander Campaign and directed on scene by Sanders Campaign staffers. That is why it is being discussed everywhere.

LA Times: Early in the campaign, Sanders talked about the need to keep Democrats unified and sometimes admonished supporters at rallies not to boo when he mentioned Clinton's name. In recent weeks, however, he has appeared reluctant to call out pugnacious supporters who cross the line from political activism to harassment. Sanders has frequently said that he believes the election is stacked against him by Democratic Party leaders who want Clinton to be elected. His campaign has alleged voting irregularities in several primary states.

NONE have proved true. But the lies about being cheated that he tells his supporters to keep them very angry are repeated in every speech.

[merrily]

53. Your post is so full of half truths and falsehoods, starting with "violence" that I don't

know where to begin.

I've often posted that a lie of one sentence can take a page to refute and, quite frankly, my opinion of you and your post doesn't warrant my using my posting time that way. Even if I did, you'd only come up with more, so it would be both pointless and unenjoyable. I choose otherwise. Have a great day.

[myrna minx]

34. Brocktastic!

[merrily]

36. +1

[winter is coming]

27. I think the talking points are getting started awfully early today. n/t

[LexVegas]

28. Getting out before the whole campaign burns down. nt

[uponit7771]

29. I thought this after I saw Weavers response to NV, Divine is either sick or out of the mix

[Tavarious Jackson]

30. I think he got out because he knows Bernie is planning something bad nt

[aspirant]

35. What bad thing is he planning?

[merrily]

37. Whatever made Devine leave, except no one actually knows that Devine left.

What an ass-scratching thread!

[aspirant]

46. This isn't even scratching the surface

[merrily]

47. LOL!

[merrily]

49. See Reply 33. Devine hasn't even left. The OP is bs. Shocker.

[DCBob]

31. I wouldnt be surprised.

Who would want to go down with a sinking ship?

[sufrommich]

32. He claimed the Sanders campaign would "reassess" the campaign

after their crippling loss in NY and Weaver immediately denied that there would be any reassessment. My guess is that Devine lost his power within the campaign when he injected too much realism into it. He's been relegated to the back burner.

[ViseGrip]

33. No, he's still there. The change is the tougher message, it must come from Bernie himself.

I agree. Bernie will lead people into uncharted, much needed waters.

Tad can't do that. They'll want constant clarification from Bernie.

So, Bernie will do most of the talking here, and a little from Weaver, the campaign manager and 'spokesperson'.

Tad is there, for sure.

[merrily]

48. And it took 33 posts to come up with Fact One on this thread pertinent to the OP. Amazing.

And, it shows the OP is baseless. Why am I not surprised?

[azurnoir]

41. we can only hope- maybe Hillary will offer him a lifeboat ?