NYT: Bernie Sanders a Virtual Unknown Among Black Voters

[ucrdem]

By PATRICK HEALY and JONATHAN MARTIN - JUNE 24, 2015

Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont is climbing in the polls in Iowa and New Hampshire, and he has drawn thousands of people to rallies for his presidential campaign recently in Denver and Minneapolis. But the shooting last week in Charleston, S.C., has highlighted a daunting obstacle he faces in the Democratic primary contest: Black voters have shown little interest in him.

Even his own campaign advisers acknowledge that Mr. Sanders is virtually unknown to many African-Americans, an enormously important Democratic constituency.

Though he led sit-ins as a civil rights activist in the 1960s, helped the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. pull off a surprising campaign victory in Vermont in 1988, and espouses liberal policy ideas broadly popular with many Democrats, Mr. Sanders has had little direct experience with black voters as a politician in a state that is 95 percent white. And they have been largely absent from his campaign events so far.

Mr. Sanders, 73, had planned to start introducing himself to larger numbers of African-Americans last Sunday at a large gathering in Charleston, but he quickly postponed the event after the church killings. The massacre also revived debate over a highly charged issue on which Mr. Sanders has a mixed record: gun control.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/25/us/politics/bernie-sanders-lags-hillary-clinton-in-introducing-himself-to-black-voters.html

[DCBob]

1. Not surprising.

I doubt he will ever connect with minority voters.

[ucrdem]

2. Bernie's billionaire theme seems weirdly out of touch

as does his TPP fixation. Perhaps he hasn't noticed that Obama has been busting his chops 24/7 for seven years to clean up the mess Bush and Cheney made, and it's been working? Harping on TPP as some kind of billionaire boondoggle betrayal of American workers is 90% ODS and 10% (Bill) Clinton fatigue and when you get down to it it's offensively negative.

[msongs]

7. criticizing the TPP is "offensively negative" to the corporations & republicans who created and

are promoting it

[ucrdem]

8. It was created by several signatories before we ever entered the picture.

But don't let me get in the way of a good wikileaks meme.

[Bluenorthwest]

41. Let's look at one of the oringinal signatories, Brunei. The Sultan sought to build the TPP with

three other countries to tap into the globalized market. As the talks have continued, the Sultan has established increasingly harsh religious laws, which include prison and death for gay people. The Sultan says he is establishing such authoritarian law for his people to protect them from the forces of globalization, which of course are forces he sought out himself. The Sultan and his vice laden and corrupt family are of course exempt from these religious laws.
So to recap, original signatory sought globalization then established harsh laws to 'protect' the people from that globalization, laws which will include death for gay people, laws which will not hinder the pleasures and lavish spending of the Sultan and his ruling elite.

It's fairly unconscionable.

[Omaha Steve]

26. Senator Warren is fighting TPP

I guess you want her to change her endorsement from Hillary to Bernie because she has a TPP fixation?

Labor too has a TPP fixation. You don't want their help either?

[Rockyj]

33. Totally WRONG!

Typically talking point! They're also saying Bernie doesn't have the support from Latinos and LGBT communities.
Its pitiful it looks like they're grasping @ straws!

[leftofcool]

34. He doesn't have the support from Latino or LGBT communities.

He might get it if he stops ranting about billionaires long enough to notice that they exist.

[Omaha Steve]

37. Perhaps you should tell America's Leading Gay News Source

Maybe you should read a little before making a statement with no link.





Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) touted his record on LGBT issues. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

http://www.washingtonblade.com/2015/05/15/sanders-touts-lgbt-record-in-white-house-bid/

Sanders touts LGBT record in White House bid

May 15, 2015 at 9:28 am EDT | by Chris Johnson

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernard Sanders wants you to know he’s had a strong record on LGBT issues during his nearly 35 years as a public servant.

In an exclusive interview with the Washington Blade on Thursday in his Senate office, Sanders touted that record when asked why LGBT voters should support him in his recently announced bid for the Democratic presidential nomination over fellow ally Hillary Clinton.

“All I can say is I think I have one of the strongest, if not the strongest record, in the United States Congress on LGBT issues,” Sanders said. “My record speaks for itself, and I will compare it to any candidate who is out there.

” Indeed, the self-avowed “democratic socialist” has a long history of public service. In the 1980s, he served as mayor of Burlington, Vt. Afterward, he represented the state from 1991 to 2007 in the U.S. House. Since 2007, he’s served in the U.S. Senate. -

FULL story at link.

Or here: http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2015/05/bernie-sanders-touts-record-on-lgbt-issues-in-white-house-bid/



And ...http://hispanic-talk.com/bernie-sanders-its-time-for-immigration-reform/

[Comrade Grumpy]

49. You have this strange idea that everything is about Obama (and residually, about Clinton).

American workers have good reason to be skeptical of secret trade agreements. Bernie Sanders eloquently articulates those reasons. It's not about Obama, hurting or helping him, it's about policy. Lots of us think the TPP is bad policy, even if Obama does it.

I do respect the way you stick up for the much maligned billionaire class, though.

[misterhighwasted]

5. Agree. He connects with a particular demographic but it is exclusive.

But bless his heart for stepping up & motivating people to participate in the 2016 election year.

Minorities however are with him in small numbers.

[Bernie 2016]

30. Oh really? A Lousiana zydeco legend just told off Jindal not to use his music

and backs Bernie.

That's Buckwheat Zydeco, and he's one of the many minorities who now knows about Bernie and backs him, and will sing the praise of Bernie to his people, and it will then grow.

[misterhighwasted]

32. OKaaay. And..so what.

Like I said, "small numbers", of course he will have some minorities. Good for him getting people interested in the election. That's necessary.

[Autumn]

48. And bless your heart too for being so kind to Bernie

Actually Bernie is stepping up & motivating people to vote for him to win the 2016 General election.

[kath]

3. This article was already posted here two days ago

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026895591

(On edit, changed "yesterday" to "two days ago" and added link)

[ucrdem]

4. I searched the first 2 pages of LBN, GD, and GDP

and didn't find a match.

[Trajan]

6. Dont worry ...

Im sure you will find some other sordid, hateful crap to post ...

DU? .. is your oyster ... Dive !

[ucrdem]

9. Here's a nice positive thread for you to rec.

Dive away.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026891423

[misterhighwasted]

10. Understood. As congested as GD gets it is easy to miss Posts.

That is why its necessary to have this Forum for Primary info.
Appreciate your posting or re-posting this here as it makes an important point.
Thanks.

[ucrdem]

11. Looks like NYT changed the title too.

And thanks!

[misterhighwasted]

15. Yes it appears they did. Explains why your search showed nothing.

K & R and enjoy your day!

[kath]

12. You've posted here quite a bit in the past two days, and you really didn't see a thread with

More than 100posts that repeated the HRC campaign's memeof the week - "Bernie Sanders doesn't like black people"??

mkay.

[misterhighwasted]

14. Well, this is the new GDPrimaries Forum. Fresh Start and all.

I see nothing wrong with this, but can understand why a Sanders fan may not want it posted.
Trust me, as a Hillary fan, I definately know where you're comin from..lol.
Welcome to GDPrimaries, where a lot of this same stuff will be posted, picked apart & detonated until the season is over.
I'm guessing this Forum wil be a bit contentious at times, & I'll be happy just hanging out in the Hillary Forum, with fellow supporters.

I am grateful for GDPrimaries Forum, all things considered.

[misterhighwasted]

13. Yes it was posted in GD. This, thankfully is GDPrimaries where all Election posts belong.

GD can return to its varied News posts, without getting buried in Primary bickering.
What a Great Idea, don't you think?

[greatauntoftriplets]

47. Dupes are prohibited only in LBN.

[stonecutter357]

16. K&R!

[leftofcool]

17. K&R

[Dustlawyer]

18. They will get to know him, don't worry.

[CanadaexPat]

19. 'Bernie has nerve to campaign in first states first'

[CanadaexPat]

21. I can't wait to see the meme once he starts

getting numbers in South Carolina. 'sanders only appeals to minorities in coastal states' is the obvious first one.

[morningfog]

20. Great to hear. There are blocks of voters from which Bernie can continue to build support.

He's not hit his ceiling yet. But Hillary has.

[pnwmom]

22. Hillary has not. If Biden formally takes himself out of the race

he is likely to endorse Hillary, and many of his supporters would choose her over Sanders. They're both Democrats of a similar mold.

[Bernie 2016]

31. Yes she has. Campaigning for about 20 years....

She's been banging at her ceiling for awhile now, but now people are starting to hear and learn about Bernie, she now can gently glide down or crash down. Her choice.

[pnwmom]

42. As the 2nd choice of many of Biden's voters, the polls say she hasn't hit her ceiling.

Biden has been campaigning even longer, by the way.

[Vinca]

23. Apparently people don't know about Bernie's civil rights work because newspapers

like the New York Times are not reporting on it. One half of one paragraph does not a story make.

[yeoman6987]

28. Well in a way you are right

However, I would imagine doing work in the 60's is great to know but most voters would want to know what he has done for African Americans since 40 years ago like what has he done in the last six years?

[JackInGreen]

24. Weird...

My girlfriend and her wife are both black, community active, and both know and support Bernie. Maybe it's because they pay little attention to the MSM.

[TBF]

25. On DU we are political animals -

but out there on the street the average person has no clue who represents them in Congress. This is where Hillary Clinton (and any former first lady for that matter) has an incredible advantage in terms of name recognition. It will be up to Bernie and his team to work hard in every primary state to meet people and generate positive press. That is why most of us who support him know that he is a long shot, but that when people actually do tune in and hear his message they support him because he's telling the trust about America in 2015.

[raouldukelives]

27. Hopefully they will have a chance to get to know him.

Lot of people have a lot of money tied up in corporations doing all they can to assure they never will.

[1StrongBlackMan]

29. There is a huge difference between ...

(being a Virtual Unknown Among Black Voters

And,

Black voters have shown little interest

[catnhatnh]

36. Just exactly what you said...

Now the Clinton camp is downplaying NH and Iowa as "small rural states" which is their way of saying "few minorities" and implying Sanders cannot appeal past a white majority. The whole point of NH and Iowa as early states is to push "retail politics" where a virtual unknown can compete with the name recognition of a known national figure. Now that Sanders seems to be heading toward an ass-kicking of the inevitable one their only possible defense is to say those states don't matter. I think to a degree it may come down to South Carolina-if Sanders can connect with that black population I believe Clinton may be toast. But I also believe the reason they perceive he doesn't get black support is he hasn't even spoken to them yet...

[1StrongBlackMan]

45. aps, we are looking at different ends of the elephant ...

This Opinion Piece is talking about Bernie's failure to catch on with the African-American electorate. Bernie's camp is saying it's because African-Americans don't know who he is (though DU seems a bit confused on this, as they have been saying that it is the HRC pushing that narrative). The OP, also, indicates that African-American's DO know who Bernie is (which Bernie's DU supporters, also, indicate), but African-Americans are showing little interest (which Bernie's DU supporters, deny ... despite the polling).

I do not see how being down some 15+ points in "retail politics" states, that are stocked with a candidate's (apparent ... at least for now) target audience, can be seen as winning ... especially, when the needle hasn't moved (much) for other important parts of the base, that he doesn't feel the need to address directly?

[geek tragedy]

38. That means there's upside in his numbers.

He can win them over. But he has to win them over.

His record is exemplary--moreso than any candidate in recent memory. But primary politics has a big element of "what have you done for me lately?"

Not enough to refer people to roll call votes. He has to build a connection with the voters.

[Smarmie Doofus]

39. He'll do fine. He has impeccable credentials on issues of particular concern...

to AA citizens dating back to 1960. He was leading sit ins at U of Chicago against segregated campus housing.

What were the Clintons doing then? I mean.... can you PICTURE it?

He's had the disadvantage of representing Vt.... a basically all-white state ... and being ignored by the national corporate media because of his economic analysis and prescriptions. (i.e socialism. No shock there.)

When AAs hear and see him they'll come around like just about every other demographic is starting to do.

No reason to think otherwise... near as I can tell.

[BumRushDaShow]

46. "He was leading sit ins...

at U of Chicago against segregated campus housing."

In 1962. The year that I was born. There have been at least 2 generations who have been born since, who are of voting age.

What has he done lately?

The irony being that Santorum had his hypocritical ass sitting up in the Charleston AME church last Sunday yet Bernie cancels a visit that he had already scheduled (meaning he would have had every right to be there without being accused of just doing a photo-op like Santorum).

[fadedrose]

40. I wonder if he's got Detroit

in his campaign plans. Lot of Dems there who could use his kind of governing...

I admire any candidate who goes there because the town needs attention from all candidates.

Gees, if only the auto plants would ALL come back so that those skilled workers who last jobs when autos left the country could again take their place in society.

[Bonobo]

43. Yeah, that's what we told you. When did you forget? nt

[William769]

44. Kick & recommended.