Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
 

lumberjack_jeff

(33,224 posts)
Wed Oct 14, 2015, 01:18 PM Oct 2015

Interesting phone call last night.

It was from my 23 year old (not particularly politically active) diesel mechanic son. In fact, I don't think he's ever voted.

"Hi Dad! Did you watch that?"
"Watch what?"
"The debate! I watched the whole thing! It was awesome!"
"How so?"
"Bernie wiped the floor with them - Hillary and... the other three."
"Chaffee, O'Malley and Webb"
"Yeah... Webb... fuck that guy. Anyway, Bernie was awesome! When he was asked a question, he'd think about it for about a second and then answer it, he didn't do that politician redirect thing, you know, tell a story that wasn't related to the question at all. You remember that speech by that Mario guy... 'throw your bodies on the gears...'"
"Mario Savio?"
"Yeah, that guy - he sounded like him - passion and excitement and sincerity. He actually reminds me a little bit of you too."
"Thanks!"

I haven't watched the debate, but find the postgame show to be pretty predictable; The TV machine saying that Hillary totally won, the grass roots donating in mass numbers to Bernie and sentiment at DU entirely polarized because everyone with half a brain knows that Mighty Mouse would totally beat Superman, because speaking in absolutes about the inherently subjective is one of our specialties.

34 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Interesting phone call last night. (Original Post) lumberjack_jeff Oct 2015 OP
Speaking in absolutes about the inherently subjective is one of our specialties!!! elleng Oct 2015 #1
And it isn't peculiar to DU. nt Snotcicles Oct 2015 #11
that's just, like, your opinion man. Warren DeMontague Oct 2015 #18
And when I see the media doing it I can only think of one thing. zeemike Oct 2015 #2
I'm afraid you may be right. SusanCalvin Oct 2015 #30
I watched it and Mr Sanders is the right choice to lead this country iamthe99 Oct 2015 #3
"....because speaking in absolutes sarge43 Oct 2015 #4
HUGE K & R !!! - THANK YOU !!! WillyT Oct 2015 #5
Yeah.... Webb, fuck that guy! Awesome response! YabaDabaNoDinoNo Oct 2015 #6
It's exciting to hear young people engaged. yardwork Oct 2015 #7
I am confident he will. lumberjack_jeff Oct 2015 #9
Sanders is awesome. yardwork Oct 2015 #10
This Bernie supporter SusanCalvin Oct 2015 #31
I care, because the difference is stark. I will do everything I can to make sure we get the right sabrina 1 Oct 2015 #23
That's fine during the primaries. yardwork Oct 2015 #25
Not to an overwhelming number of voters. Again, see the last two mid terms and listen to what sabrina 1 Oct 2015 #26
Bernie's momentum shifted into hyper-gear last nite. Gmak Oct 2015 #8
The next polls should show that! Helen Borg Oct 2015 #13
KICK for Mario Savio mountain grammy Oct 2015 #12
Indeed-- that's pretty awesome! Fast Walker 52 Oct 2015 #14
I'm surprised he remembered that bit lumberjack_jeff Oct 2015 #15
I can't claim to be a great parent.. mountain grammy Oct 2015 #27
Excellent, lj Aerows Oct 2015 #16
Cool that a 23 year old would know about Mario Savio. panader0 Oct 2015 #17
He said something else interesting. lumberjack_jeff Oct 2015 #24
I'll Call BS On This One! Gamecock Lefty Oct 2015 #19
So... Superman would own Mighty Mouse. Good for you. n/t lumberjack_jeff Oct 2015 #21
Sorry, unbelievable anecdote is unbelievable. reformist2 Oct 2015 #28
My lifelong republican, Fox news watching father caught me off guard last night. pinstikfartherin Oct 2015 #20
Yep. People are so sick of politics, so sick of capitalism. They want new ideas that make sense. reformist2 Oct 2015 #29
K&R! Original Post and Replies.... KoKo Oct 2015 #22
Heeeyyyyyy! ChisolmTrailDem Oct 2015 #32
"Speaking in absolutes about the inherently subjective is one of our specialties" Nye Bevan Oct 2015 #33
Kicked and recommended to the Max! Enthusiast Oct 2015 #34

zeemike

(18,998 posts)
2. And when I see the media doing it I can only think of one thing.
Wed Oct 14, 2015, 02:22 PM
Oct 2015

Tbe fix is in...and they are laying the ground work for it.

sarge43

(28,939 posts)
4. "....because speaking in absolutes
Wed Oct 14, 2015, 02:25 PM
Oct 2015

about the inherently subjective is one of our specialties."

You speak great truth.

yardwork

(61,418 posts)
7. It's exciting to hear young people engaged.
Wed Oct 14, 2015, 02:46 PM
Oct 2015

I hope that your son - and everybody on DU - will vote for the Democratic nominee in the general election.

I don't care if it is Hillary or Bernie. We need to win the White Hiuse. The stakes are incredibly high.

 

lumberjack_jeff

(33,224 posts)
9. I am confident he will.
Wed Oct 14, 2015, 02:59 PM
Oct 2015

One of the highlights he mentioned was when Sanders was questioned about Hillary's emails...

"... and Sanders said; 'STFU about the damn emails!'"

Obviously that was paraphrased, but all in all the debate left a big impression on him.

yardwork

(61,418 posts)
10. Sanders is awesome.
Wed Oct 14, 2015, 03:11 PM
Oct 2015

As a lifelong Socialist who has always lived in red/purple states, I've always had no choice but to vote Democratic. Sanders brings a welcome leftward pressure to the Party.

My fear is that if Hillary is the nominee, angry Bernie supporters will stay home on Election Day, handing the White House to a Republican.

There is a huge difference between the parties. I am old enough to remember 2000, hell, I'm old enough to remember 1968.

SusanCalvin

(6,592 posts)
31. This Bernie supporter
Wed Oct 14, 2015, 11:40 PM
Oct 2015

Could never get angry enough to not vote. There's always at least a bad choice and a worse choice. And I was raised to always vote.

That said, the corporate dems and their corporations need to knock off the crap, and not even *think* of trying to steal it directly (for which the mechanism is still in place).

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
23. I care, because the difference is stark. I will do everything I can to make sure we get the right
Wed Oct 14, 2015, 04:24 PM
Oct 2015

person, which is Bernie, elected.

People are not going to hold their noses anymore, that should be obvious from the last two mid terms. What they did do was to focus on local elections, putting forward the candidates THEY chose and getting progressive issues on local ballots and WINNING.

The entire system IS rigged, and people will no longer contribute to that.

If the Dem party wants to stay relevant, they will make sure to listen to the people. They did not for the last two midterms, continued to push candidates whose only claim to being Dems is the letter after their names. The people rejected them.

Once wasn't for the Dem leadership, they did it again, and lost US both the House and the Senate.

People really are busy now working to end the corrupt system that gave us the terrible policies that created the mess we are now in.

There is no way people are going to participate in perpetuating that anymore.

And if the people get the idea that the leadership of the Dem Party works against Sanders, as they are doing that will only confirm what they already know.

Telling them in advance 'well if we don't get who we wanted, well, okay, we'll take whoever YOU want' is just about the worst strategy ever. The people need to have as much strategy as the Professional political class has now. And that is what is happening.

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
26. Not to an overwhelming number of voters. Again, see the last two mid terms and listen to what
Wed Oct 14, 2015, 05:37 PM
Oct 2015

voters had to say. As I said, Political LOSE, not because of the voters. They lose when they ignore the people. Even if every DUer, out of rear of violating rules here on an internet blog, were to vote for the Corporate candidate, it wouldn't make a bit of difference, would it?

Maybe instead of using fear tactics, the party started listening, we would still be in control of the House and Senate.

Gmak

(88 posts)
8. Bernie's momentum shifted into hyper-gear last nite.
Wed Oct 14, 2015, 02:49 PM
Oct 2015

I hosted a debate watch party in the heart of Rush Limbaugh land and tho there were only 5 of us, everyone was racking their brains about how we can get his message out in our area. I have 2 grandsons in early 20s who are ready to vote for Bernie, one may even try to get a job with the campaign later this fall, and the dabate and response following it convinced my progressive youngest son, age 51, who has been skeptical that there was a path to the nomination for Bernie, with the Dem establishment against him, that he is the real thing and there is plenty of support for him out there that just hasn't been tapped into yet, due to the mainstream media black-out. I plan to go to IA and canvass for Bernie at least a week in Nov. and again in Dec. One of my guests is talking about setting up his vacant rental house here as a voter registration location in a depressed part of town. We'll see what happens, things could cool down, but don't bet on it! I have never seen folks as fired up about a politician.

 

lumberjack_jeff

(33,224 posts)
15. I'm surprised he remembered that bit
Wed Oct 14, 2015, 04:03 PM
Oct 2015

I showed him that speech when he was about 15.

He obviously listened better than I thought he did at the time.

 

Aerows

(39,961 posts)
16. Excellent, lj
Wed Oct 14, 2015, 04:08 PM
Oct 2015

It sounds like you raised a son who can think for himself and doesn't need pundits to tell him what to think.

Kudos to you both, and thank you for sharing that!

panader0

(25,816 posts)
17. Cool that a 23 year old would know about Mario Savio.
Wed Oct 14, 2015, 04:08 PM
Oct 2015

It sounds like your son is becoming politically active.

 

lumberjack_jeff

(33,224 posts)
24. He said something else interesting.
Wed Oct 14, 2015, 04:36 PM
Oct 2015

"Who is that one guy... the old gray haired guy?"
"Besides Sanders?"
"Yeah - the skinny one."
"Lincoln Chaffee?"
"Yeah, him - I really didn't like him, especially all that political redirect crap"

I thought it interesting that the 62 year old Chaffee was "the old guy".

Gamecock Lefty

(698 posts)
19. I'll Call BS On This One!
Wed Oct 14, 2015, 04:12 PM
Oct 2015

"Bernie wiped the floor with them?"

Not even close and certainly not true for anybody that actually watched.

By the way, my Grandma (not even interested in politics) called me last night and asked me if I watched the debate. She said Hillary wiped the floor with those imposters. She even went to a restaurant afterwards wearing a newly-purchased Hillary button and EVERYBODY in the restaurant started clapping and asking how they, too, could get one.

See how easy that was for me to write?

reformist2

(9,841 posts)
28. Sorry, unbelievable anecdote is unbelievable.
Wed Oct 14, 2015, 07:30 PM
Oct 2015

Grandma, not interested in politics, watched the debate, then bought a Hillary button (where?), then went to a restaurant, and was applauded by EVERYBODY?

LOL!

pinstikfartherin

(500 posts)
20. My lifelong republican, Fox news watching father caught me off guard last night.
Wed Oct 14, 2015, 04:13 PM
Oct 2015

He and I, no matter whether we disagree or not, have always been able to talk about politics and religion in a sane, calm manner, completely different from the rest of my right wing family. A while back he told me that when I was a teen and went through my "goth" phase, he initially was put off because of stereotypical thinking, but it also opened his eyes and made him see things differently. Recently, we began talking about politics. We believe many of the same things (disagree on many others), but we don't always agree on how to get there. Last night we spoke after the debate about how everyone did, their responses, etc. He got quiet at one point and said: "I'm going to be honest with you" ...long pause... "why not Bernie?"

Jaw hit floor. It gives me hope that Bernie can reach the sane people who, let's face it, lean left or right depending on the issue.

It's a nice contrast to my mother who loves to throw at me "be glad I'm was pro-life" when she had me at 15. Yep, that's why we don't have a close relationship, mom.

Nye Bevan

(25,406 posts)
33. "Speaking in absolutes about the inherently subjective is one of our specialties"
Thu Oct 15, 2015, 12:52 AM
Oct 2015

That is unequivocally 100% incorrect. Period.

Latest Discussions»Retired Forums»2016 Postmortem»Interesting phone call la...