Bernie Sanders' "fearful?" Not bloody likely. Shame on TIME (Yes, it still exists.)

[merrily]

Fearful of risking exclusion from a major national debate against Hillary Clinton, or elevating some of his lesser rivals, Sanders’ campaign has said he will not debate unless all the Democratic candidates for president are on the stage.

http://time.com/4010576/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-debate-martin-omalley/

Bernie Sanders has risked his life for what he believes in.

Warner C. White, a white minister who was a civil rights activist in Alabama and Mississippi, said during an interview:

North of the border

White's band of clergymen were never attacked. Did his skin color offer him protection?

"Oh no — I don't think so, at all," he said. "Lots of white people were attacked. Heavens: look at the number of murders there were back then."

Was he ever fearful for his safety?

"Yes, absolutely."

Where was that?

"Back in Chicago," White answered. "That's where I met the real hostility from whites."



http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/news/

Under such circumstances, as a student at the prestigious University of Chicago, Bernie Sanders was a student organizer for SNCC. He also became a leader of the Congress of Racial Equality, aka CORE, at a time when most civil rights leaders were African American.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12809672


Sanders is not fearful. He does not shy away from a fight and he fights hard. However, if you do get into a fight with Sanders, do NOT expect to be hit below the belt. He is honorable and he plays by the rules, apparently, even when the rules themselves seem considerably less than honorable.


And then TIME "treats" us to "expert" analysis, aka mindreading, of Sanders by someone from the Annenberg Public Policy Center in Pennsylvania, apparently because she knows Senator Sanders' innermost thoughts. (Did Sanders refuse any request from TIME to comment on his own behavior? If he did, the article does not so indicate.)

“It is not in Sanders’ self-interest to give up the possibility of debating Hillary Clinton,” said Kathleen Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania.

id.

Um, no. Self-interest is not his motivation, either. As an extremely popular politician in Vermont, he refused to run for the Senate until a Vermont US Senate seat was vacated, even though being a US Senator is more prestigious and secure than being a Representative. When Jeffords, a Republican turned Indie who caucused with Democrats retired, then Sanders ran and won easily--as he would have had he chosen to challenge Jeffords. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernie_Sanders

Cowardice and self-interest are not the things that guide the behavior of Senator Sanders. This article is projection and laughable bullshit, very bad journalism and yet another example of how utterly disgraceful msm is being toward Sanders.

[Hortensis]

1. It's about DNC rules, not "fear." He's CONCERNED ABOUT, if that sounds better,

being excluded from, one of the national debates with the other candidates if he goes against the rules by participating in more local debates.

[merrily]

6. He is neither "concerned" nor frightened, simply fighting hard, but by the rules, as always.

As my OP stated:

Sanders is not fearful. He does not shy away from a fight and he fights hard. However, if you do get into a fight with Sanders, do NOT expect to be hit below the belt. He is honorable and he plays by the rules, apparently, even when the rules themselves seem considerably less than honorable.

[smokey nj]

3. This group is for supporters of Bernie Sanders.

[msrizzo]

4. Sorry...

It's early. Didn't see the tag. I will delete.

[merrily]

7. Thanks. Have posted in the wrong group myself, then self deleted, too, as soon as I realized.

[merrily]

5. Thanks, smokey nj.

[Zorra]

8. The antagonism of the DNC and MSM toward Bernie is going to cost the Dem party

much of the "lesser of two corporate evils vote" if Clinton gets the nomination.

Lots of IRL lifetime Dems I talk to are done. They are sick of their democratic electoral rights repeatedly being manipulated and won't take being held hostage by the oligarch owned DNC and MSM year after.

[merrily]

9. So say many on social media and some in my range of family and acquaintances.

Not so much because of the undemocratic stances that the party has adopted or the anti-democratic memes it has sold. They say Democrats are hypocritical and they can't quite identify why. Maybe it's the campaign promises that don't come to fruition? I'm not sure because they can't seem to articulate it. These are lifelong Democrats whose parents and grandparents were also Democrats.

But, as long as LOTE voting keeps them in office, politicians from both parties will not rock the boat.

[SoapBox]

12. I am convinced daily, that Bernie may be our last hope for true change.

If we miss this opportunity, another may not appear in my lifetime.

I think it's terrifying.

[merrily]

14. All the party has been doing to undermine him has exposed a lot.

I think even more Democrats will stay home on election days and/or vote third party. Or, someone could be smart enough to offer a viable alternative. Bernie's message is resonating with many Democrats, former Democrats, "disaffecteds" and even Republicans.

Lincoln's run for President marked a re-alignment of many voters to a then new Republican Party. Many who were on the moral high road then became Repubican. Another re-alignment occurred during the Civil Rights era and its aftermath. Maybe the next re-alignment is due soon? I don't think it will happen overnight. The civil rights era re-alignment took a few decades. But, if something is done very intelligently, I think it could draw the people I mentioned in the prior paragraph.

Apparently, the steps taken to forestall this seem to consist largely of (1) expecting unconditional loyalty to anyone and anything (D), even if it's distasteful, like delaying debates and diluting the vote of rank and file Democrats via super delegates; and (2) demonizing everyone else, be they Republicans, those to the left or those considered merely not 100% loyal. If you dare not tender unconditional loyalty, it's because you are evil in one or more ways.

We've seen it before and it doesn't usually end well.

[daleanime]

10. So he's too smart to fall for it?

And that means he's scared?

[merrily]

15. Running as a Democrat, he is going to play by the rules, even

if the Party is being unfair to him. That is my take.

[senz]

11. There's more to this article than meets the eye. Read it again.

Yes, of course Bernie is the most courageous candidate out there because he is the only one taking on the powers that be.

I started a reply based on the OP, but since Kathleen Hall Jamieson interests me, decided to read the Time article. I think we're misunderstanding it. What they're saying, I believe, is that Bernie is refusing O'Malley's offer for non-official debates because Bernie wants to debate Hillary.

“Sanders holds all the cards,” the source continued. “But right now he’s not playing.”

Think about that. It is sooo good. He wants to bypass extra non-official debates and instead take on Hillary directly. What this tells me is that he knows his current strength and he knows his main opponent is Hillary. She's his target. He doesn't want to dilute his strong position by debating the also rans.

This should make us all very happy.

Jamieson acknowledges Bernie's strengths in her full comment:

“It is not in Sanders’ self-interest to give up the possibility of debating Hillary Clinton,” said Kathleen Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. “His advantage is to be in the same stage as her, demonstrating that he can hold his own. He is doing well enough in the polls that forgoing that would be foolish.”

This is not a put-down on Bernie, merrily. It's good news for all of us. Looks like he knows how to play his cards.

[merrily]

13. Except that Jamieson pulled that straight out of her ear.

I know Sanders knows his stuff. That's obvious. But "fearful" and "self interest" are not typically said to flatter people. Besides, I don't agree. The more people hear him, the more people are likely to vote for him--and, so far, the media has done a very biased job of covering him--mostly by either ignoring him or condescending to him. Free TV time could help him.

You're certainly allowed your view of this article, though--and I mine.

[mother earth]

16. MSM represents their corporate bosses, no journalistic talent needed as it is not their aim.

The talking points for their corporate sponsors are the aim.

Merrily, I have to say, love the title line & TY for answering my question pre-emptively!
I feel the Bern!

[merrily]

17. Hi, mother earth! Thanks. Glad I answered your question pre-emptively.

Maybe I could set up a booth offering answers to questions no one asked me for 5 cents a pop.

Sort of a variation on

[mother earth]

18. You'd have to change the name, obviously, to Psychic Help, then it just might work.

[merrily]

19. Good one! Wish I'd thought of that.