"I mean is Cthulhu an option for the lesser of two evils?" IOWA phone banking story

[retrowire]

This is a direct quote from a gentleman whom I surveyed on the phone while making calls for Bernie.

That was his response when I said... "Who is your second choice to Bernie?"

He had no second choice, so he made that statement comparing Cthulhu to Hillary before sighing and said, "Hillary I guess."

I took the moment to comfort him though, I told him hey, I'm feeling the bern too but I've been reading Bernie's autobiography lately and he's been in our shoes. He has stated that even if it's just the same old crap of voting for the lesser of two evils, its still important to make that vote anyways.

So I just wanted to say, from what I'm gathering in my phone calls, I'm getting the feeling people really don't like Hillary and are seriously disenchanted by the idea of having to vote for her.

In other words, I'm pretty sure Bernie's got Iowa in the bag. Lots of love for Bernie, lots of indifference for Hillary.

[LiberalArkie]

1. If Bernie wins the nomination the question will be is how bad the campaign run by HRC was?

Will some of the ads hurt Bernie in the long run like they hurt Obama (Thinking Kenya stuff).

It was talked about for years about the Kennedy ads against Carter back in 1980.

I do not believe that Bernie would ever run an ad to hurt Hillary. But a Republican SuperPac could do it. And it would hurt both of them. I don't even know if Bernie could sue to stop it running.

[retrowire]

2. Nah, Bernie will be fine. nt

[Jim Lane]

10. I don't understand your point about ads.

You write:

I do not believe that Bernie would ever run an ad to hurt Hillary. But a Republican SuperPac could do it. And it would hurt both of them. I don't even know if Bernie could sue to stop it running.

In 2008, Clinton ran the infamous "3 a.m. phone call" ad, trying to paint Obama as being inexperienced and unreliable in case of a major crisis. The Republicans did indeed pick that up in the general election campaign. I don't know if they used Clinton's exact footage but it would have been easy to re-create. Certainly they got some benefit from all the money Clinton had spent attacking Obama, because the idea was out there and they could build on her attacks on him.

Are you wondering whether a Sanders ad in this campaign might similarly be used against Clinton if she wins the nomination? If it happened, there'd be a certain poetic justice to it, but I can't see it as likely.

It could happen if Sanders dropped a few million bucks on ads that essentially accused Clinton of taking legalized bribes through the Clinton Foundation, or the like. I don't see that happening, though. Sanders's points so far have all been ones that the Republicans would be unable to pick up in the fall: the Iraq War Resolution, cracking down on Wall Street misdeeds, raising the minimum wage, etc.

The only exception might be the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Although most issues divide along predictable partisan lines, the TPP (and the vote to fast-track it) split both parties. Sanders voted against fast track and was an early TPP opponent. Clinton was a longtime TPP advocate who, AFAIK, was silent on fast track and who somewhat tepidly opposed the TPP in the course of the campaign. I could see Sanders running ads on that theme. Then the Republicans might be able to use them if Clinton is the nominee. For example, Cruz initially opposed fast track but ended up voting for it. Trump has denounced the TPP. In a Clinton versus Trump race, any anti-TPP ads that Sanders chooses to run now might have some effect of hurting Clinton in the general.

Is that the sort of thing you mean?

[LiberalArkie]

12. Well since a super pac can not have any communication with the candidates, it can't be

from a candidate (by law). So someone (anyone with money to burn) could present an ad bashing Clinton big time with all sorts of fraudulent information and just end with "Citizens for a democratic socialist government"

Who ran the ad? Who would get blamed? Who would be hurt the most?

[Jack Rabbit]

15. The Republicans don't need a theme from Hillary to run on against Bernie

They'll go full Joe McCarthy on him. They'll be talking like all socialists are Communists and all Communists are clones of Joe Stalin or Chairman Mao.

They won't get anywhere near the mileage from that that they think they will.

Bernie's socialism is in the vein of Clement Attlee or Olaf Palme. At worst, he's comparable to Jeremy Corbyn. None of the leaders could be confused with a totalitarian communist. Republicans in their Birch based bubble might not know the difference, but the rest of world does.

[CoffeeCat]

3. I'm in Iowa too..

...and thank you for volunteering and spending your free time working for Bernie.

Are you hearing this underwhelming Hillary support across the board, and in general?

I really wouldn't be surprised. In effect, we rejected her in 2008. She came in third. She was a horrible campaigner here, unable to connect with us. She seemed unwilling.

I think a second time around in Iowa is a big gamble for her. Seems like Iowans would rather support...anyone else.

Regardless, it's going to be a fun season and I can't wait for it to ramp up. The caucus is a month later this cycle and I'm anxious to get this thing in high gear.

[retrowire]

4. yes that had been the general consensus

there have been many that are pro Bernie all the way let's get this party started enthusiasm.

there have been very few Hillary supporters and all of them that I have talked to at least just didn't know any other candidate. and those supporters weren't as enthusiastic.

[CoffeeCat]

5. Makes total sense...

Thanks for the recap--and for volunteering!

I agree with those other Bernie supporters, let's get this party started!!

[Kalidurga]

6. I haven't done any phone banking yet.

But, your story is very close to how real life conversations I have had play out. My daughter is reluctantly pro Clinton for now. She is in the Clinton can more easily beat Republicons camp. I see a change in her future if Bernie wins in Iowa.

[retrowire]

8. yeah, winning Iowa would certainly turn the tide

and I'm pretty certain that's going to happen.

[MisterP]

7. staggering endorsement, there--"it's important to vote for a beating with a lead pipe than

a beating with an industrial fire extinguisher"

important

important!

that's what we're being handed, a chance to choose awfulness for ourselves! to buy a shit sandwich for a buck instead of ten! and then to endorse the damn thing!

[Javaman]

9. at least Cthulhu never flip flopped...

a good choice after Bernie.

[Jeff Murdoch]

11. Vote Cthulhu. Why choose the LESSER of two evils?

[retrowire]

13. LOL That was good. nt

[JDPriestly]

14. My experience talking to voters on the street in California is the same.

People say Hillary because they have been told she will win. But their hearts and first choices are with Bernie.

Feel the Bern!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

16. What's funny is there are Dems who would rather go here,...

,...than vote for a socialist.

[Warren DeMontague]

17. Easy for him to say, he's like WAY far the fuck away from the ocean.