This morning, I minimized the impact of this data breach

[MineralMan]

on the campaign. I spoke too soon, it seems. Since my earlier post, a Sanders spokesperson came out and gave a blustering press conference blaming the DNC for the whole thing.

In the meantime, it appears that more data may have been viewed and perhaps saved by Sanders campaign staffers. Right now, an investigation into network activity is underway, which will show clearly who accessed what and when. Network logs are wonderful things, since they record all activity in some detail, and are accessible for anyone wanting to go through them.

The Sanders campaign has fired their data manager over this business, but there may be others on the staff who used this temporary data breach to access proprietary data from other campaigns. It's a genuine kerfluffle at this point.

Sanders' spokesperson took an aggressive accusatory tone in his press conference, which is sure to get the media fired up to find out more. That may have been a serious mistake on his part. In fact, it may have been a disastrous mistake. Did he consult with Senator Sanders before going on the accusation trail? Who can say. It's an important question.

Why was the data exposed? Well, an IT firm was doing something and left the permissions open for access to the data. They say it was just for 40 minutes. That's not long, but long enough to create some interesting lists or reports from data you didn't have access too before. While the data may not have been savable, the report lists might well have been savable. I don't know, since I have no access to that network.

Here's the problem: Tomorrow, there's this Democratic primary debate. By holding an accusatory press conference, the Sanders campaign has ensured that moderators for that debate will raise this issue during the debate. How will the candidates respond. Is blustering the official approach the Sanders campaign will take? If so, Clinton will listen and say something about waiting until all the facts are available. If not, then both candidates may attempt to minimize the whole thing.

One thing's certain: We go into a debate weekend with a possible scandal in the news. That will make the debate much more interesting. What will happen? We will see.

Will DNCGate become the defining moment of this primary campaign? Could be. My interest level just rose. I was going to watch the debate anyhow. I'm betting more people than had planned to will as well. I'm thinking the Sanders campaign presser was a mistake - a mistake that may become a costly one for Sanders, especially if he tries to bluster his way out of the situation.

My earlier posts? Well, they're obsolete now. Now, we have a new game afoot. Things are getting interesting again.

[workinclasszero]

1. Interesting times

we are living in MM

[MineralMan]

2. It is a popcorn moment, isn't it?

[Chitown Kev]

21. Salted and heavily buttered popcorn moment, too.

[RKP5637]

3. Well said! It was an exceptionally poorly handled press conference. My hope is this does not

become the main topic of the debate overshadowing everything else. The investigation should reveal all, but that will likely take sometime IMO.

[1StrongBlackMan]

32. It will only reveal what one is willing to accept ...

Those currently pressing conspiracy theories, will get nothing; and, those who it anti-Bernie, i.e., the gop, will want more.

[MineralMan]

7. That depends on how the Sanders campaign behaved

while the window of access was open, really. That we don't know for sure just yet. We will. I can wait.

[Chitown Kev]

13. The sanders campaign would be responsible

for downloading data that they weren't supposed to download.

And this already reminds me of the reason why a former boss of mine set up her own internal systems for tracking various data in the company as opposed to relying on systems that everyone else in the company used.

[Chitown Kev]

17. I didn't say that the Sanders campaign IS responsible

I said that they WOULD be responsible IF they downloaded the data.

[JaneyVee]

19. "Incompetence of the DNC", riiiiight....

What Bernie's staffer admitted to is akin to robbing someones house to alert them they left their door open.

[jeff47]

26. The vendor was alerted to the security hole three months ago. The hole is still not fixed.

Also, the DNC would like you to hand over your credit card information and all sorts of other personal data. So they can be stored. By vendors who do not fix security holes for at least 3 months.

That is incompetence of the DNC.

[JaneyVee]

28. No one forced Bernie's staffers to steal data.

[comradebillyboy]

33. The fact that the Sanders Campaign stole data does not

imply that the DNC is actually competent. The 2014 election fiasco is a tribute to DNC incompetence.

[Enrique]

5. get ready to be more disappointed

when that mean old Bernie Sanders takes poor little DNC to court.

[MineralMan]

8. Hmm...we shall see, I suppose.

If it is ever heard. Not everything "taken to court" is heard in court. Lawyers know that.

[Dawson Leery]

6. Bernie did not want to answer foreign policy questions.

Will he do the same regarding a question of his campaign's integrity.

Tomorrow's debate better not become a press conference about his issue.
I want to hear about policy matters and how they will deal with a hostile, militant right wing.

[MineralMan]

10. I don't know, but I'm now sure it will come up.

We'll see how it is handled. If Bernie blusters, it won't be his best performance. He'd better be absolutely sure of his facts, I think.

[elleng]

9. Oh gee I HOPE the moderators don't bring up this issue at the debate!

There are OTHER matters, important to the nation and the world, and the public must hear from the 3 candidates on them. If it's raised tomorrow, there will be back and forth between hrc and bs, leaving out MO'M AGAIN. We CAN'T have that.

Let the media play it's 'he said/she said' games during the 24/7 media 'days' down the road, forcing the candidates and spokespeople to play with the 'facts' that they may or may not have available as time goes on.

[tishaLA]

12. they almost have to bring it up

and unless Sen Sanders himself addresses it today--not surrogates--in depth and honestly, it will only continue to grow.

[NCTraveler]

11. His campaigns reaction has been horrendous.

I couldn't imagine worse optics. A fired higher up making contradictory statements to the campaign itself. Taking the party to court when they should be looking deeper into their own staff. This is the great leader we have been hearing about?

[tishaLA]

15. worse optics: the candidate himself standing behind the microphone...

threatening to sue the DNC because one of its staffers viewed and, according to the staffer, downloaded a rival campaign's data.

[tishaLA]

22. It depends how long it goes on

When I woke up this morning and read about it, I figured this would be worked out by the end of the weekend. That, I think, would have been no big deal. But if both sides get entrenched, and that appears to be where we are going, it could be crippling to the campaign and will look very bad even though the staffer has already admitted to viewing and downloading data from a rival campaign.

[MoonRiver]

24. No they are protecting the other violated candidate.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

14. Politics-as-usual. A Gotchya moment well worthy of a massive....*shrug*.

[ismnotwasm]

18. Yup

I thought it much ado about not a damn thing-- but the response, well, apparently it *is* a damning thing.

Interesting to see how it plays out

[jeff47]

23. The DNC just announced to the country that they hire incompetent vendors

to hold your personal data.

The DNC would also like you to hand over your credit card information for donations.

I'm sure the first statement will have no effect on the second.

DWS going to the press was really, really, really, really, really, really stupid. Do these people think at all beyond "must help Clinton!"?

[MineralMan]

25. The DNC has none of my information.

At least none supplied by me. I suppose I'm listed as a DFL precinct chair somewhere. I don't every donate to national Democratic organizations, though, so my info is irrelevant to them.

[jeff47]

27. Because you're the only person in the country, and the DNC does not do fundraising.

[MineralMan]

30. No fundraising, eh?

https://my.democrats.org/page/contribute/help-elect-democrats-demsdotorg

That's the DNC's official website with a link to their donation page.

[MeNMyVolt]

29. I pretty much agreed with you this morning...

... and do so now as well. Actually, I was kind of hoping the earlier prognostications would turn out to be what would eventually happen. Don't like this type of drama within our party.

[enid602]

31. turnabout

Maybe HRC will say 'I'm sick of hearing sbout his damned staffers.'

[Gothmog]

34. Statement of the Clinton campaign