Opinion: Democrats looked ready to unify. And then Hillary Clinton had to go and raise her hand

[Uncle Joe]

On Monday, the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates — who have run a pretty chill primary, all things considered — linked arms at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day rally in South Carolina. Their message was clear: Even as the race narrows and the Iowa caucuses loom, the field is joined in common purpose. Or enough common purpose to keep things civil.

It was a nice twenty-something hours. Because this morning, former candidate Hillary Clinton popped up to zing Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders — even demurring on whether she’d support him were he to win the nomination. In an upcoming Hulu series, Clinton says Sanders “was in Congress for years. He had one senator support him. Nobody likes him, nobody wants to work with him, he got nothing done.” When asked if that assessment still holds, Clinton told the Hollywood Reporter, in an interview published this morning, “Yes, it does.”

(snip)

Meanwhile, the current candidates, including Sanders, have largely kept their messages to the issues. When Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s campaign circulated the rumor that Sanders had said a woman could not win the presidency, Sanders denied the exchange, all while praising Warren as a candidate and a person — an exceptionally difficult line to walk. When a prominent Sanders supporter published an op-ed last week saying that Biden represented Washington, D.C., corruption, Sanders immediately went on television and said, “It is absolutely not my view that Joe is corrupt in any way. And I’m sorry that that op-ed appeared.”

As for Clinton, Sanders has mentioned her precisely once in recent memory — to praise her, and to emphasize his commitment to supporting the Democratic nominee.

(snip)


https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-01-21/democrats-unify-hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders

[TwilightZone]

1. "Sanders has mentioned her precisely once in recent memory "

His surrogates have mentioned her repeatedly. His pal Tulsi is running more against Hillary than she is any of the Dems actually running.

[BannonsLiver]

3. Exactly.

I guess there are some who expect everyone to fall for the gaslighting.

[still_one]

12. As with Gabbard, it appears Hillary's assessment is right on target

[BannonsLiver]

16. Spot on. Thus the rage from the Sanders followers.

[still_one]

20. Yup. Having Sirota, Turner, and Gray on his team speaks volumes

[Uncle Joe]

4. There's more

(snip)

It’s mind-boggling to see a woman against whom “likability” was so ably weaponized argue that Sanders is unlikable. It’s particularly absurd for Clinton, who was so frustrated by Sanders’ late support of her as the Democratic presidential nominee, to say that she’s unsure if she would support him should he get the nomination. (I’d vote for a sentient sock should it win the Democratic nomination, or even former Vice President Joe Biden, should it come to that, which is to repeat myself.) It’s wild to accuse a competitor’s campaign of relentless negativity while being relentlessly negative three years later about that same campaign.

(snip)

“Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by 3 million votes,” Sanders said in the most recent presidential debate. “How could anybody in a million years not believe that a woman could become president the United States? And let me be very clear: If any of the women on this stage or any of the men on this stage win the nomination — I hope that’s not the case, I hope it’s me — but if they do, I will do everything in my power to make sure that they are elected in order to defeat the most dangerous president in the history of this country.”

Having learned from the fractious infighting in the 2016 primary, this year’s candidates have taken pains to clarify early and often that they’ll unite behind the eventual nominee, whoever he or she may be. And while heated arguments have occurred, they’re making serious efforts to demonstrate that the field is unified in its values. Meanwhile, Clinton’s reading aloud from her burn book. We’re tired. We’ve read it already.

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-01-21/democrats-unify-hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders

[George II]

48. Yes, he rarely talks about his opponents. That's the job of his high level staffers and surrogates..

That's why he got so upset at the debate last week.

He was confronted with his comments to Warren and he had no one to turn to and say, "you handle this." He had to handle it himself.

[Cha]

2. And, then BS had to go and say this...

Link to tweet

[Uncle Joe]

10. Here was some more criticism of the Democratic Party

Link to tweet

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287434278

[BannonsLiver]

15. A nice attempt at whataboutism.

I give it a 7.

[Uncle Joe]

19. A nice attempt at hypocrisy.

I give it a 10.

[BannonsLiver]

27. I wish I could give your comeback a 10.

But I'm gonna go with a 3.

Can you post pics of Bernie in the 60's again?

[Uncle Joe]

28. Here you go.

[BannonsLiver]

37. There it is! Right on cue!

[Uncle Joe]

38. You asked for it, I can get more if you want.

[BannonsLiver]

42. Nah.

They might be mistaken for something that is actually relevant.

[Cha]

29. lol.. smh

You're generous.

[BannonsLiver]

31. Maybe some random quotes from Killer Mike?

[Cha]

33. ..

[BannonsLiver]

34. I mean that's the same as having actual civil rights bonafides, right?

[George II]

49. Irrelevant to this discussion.

[Uncle Joe]

57. Horse dookie.

[nolabear]

50. Oh honey, I love my people, but puh-leeeeez.

There are many people who are fine, kind, liberal leaning folks, far more than most at DU think. But racism is woven into the fabric of White Mississippi. Fifty percent would be generous.

[Skid Rogue]

56. What?!

Obama only winning 10% shows exactly how racist they are. Here in AL it was 8%. BS has always been completely clueless about any issue that doesn't fit neatly into his magic economic scheme.

[Squinch]

5. Did they look ready to unify before or after the lies about SS?

The Bros are a lot more guilty of divisiveness than Hillary's single statement. And don't look now but she doesn't owe anyone anything.

[still_one]

8. +++

[Thekaspervote]

14. Exactly!!

[Sloumeau]

25. +1

[still_one]

6. They were ready to unify until sanders entered the picture with David Sirota, Nina Turner, and

Brianna Joy Gray, along with his periodic dissing of what HE terms as “establishment” Democrats, along with other derogatory comments about the Democratic Party

His misrepresentation and slurs against Warren, Harris, Biden, Mayor Pete etc speak volumes about him and his campaign

[TwilightZone]

7. "Democrats looked ready to unify"

Only someone who has either not paid any attention at all to the primaries or is being willfully ignorant would make this claim.

It's laughable.

[Indykatie]

9. Unify My A** - Bernie's Advocates Are Still Attacking Other Dems

and I hold Bernie responsible.

[KayF]

17. you forgot the P

PUMA. That was 2008. There was no PUMA in 2016.

[Thekaspervote]

22. And will continue. Bernie chose to go negative again. Now he's paying the price.

Hillary spoke the truth and voters have a right to know.

[yardwork]

11. Lol.

[TwilightZone]

13. Another by the same author: "we've entered the 'Bernaissance'"

Ah, no bias there.

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2019-11-21/democratic-debate-confirmed-feeling-the-bern-bernie-sanders

[BannonsLiver]

18. good catch.

Given the OP, I knew there was almost certainly a bias. Oh well, it's still an improvement over the Common Dreams anti Dem propaganda

[Cha]

23. Oh shite.. I knew it had to be from

someone not paying attention.. deliberately or otherwise.

What a bunch of ********.

[scheming daemons]

21. Fake News.... you forgot all the "#NeverWarren" stuff by Bernie supporters over the past week

[W_HAMILTON]

24. LOL, what made this author think that?

Sanders backstabbing his long-time ally by trashing Warren with his campaign's official talking points?

Sanders running stories in his newsletter about how corrupt Joe Biden is, on the eve of the impeachment trial of the most corrupt president we have ever seen?

Quite the contrary. It looks like the campaign that prevented unity last election was becoming even more unhinged and lashing out as their election hopes in this primary falter.

[squirecam]

26. Oh please...

HRC shouldnt have said it.

But Bernie surrogates/staff have been About everything but unity.

[NCProgressive]

30. Let's punish both Hillary and Bernie

Let's not vote for either of them.

[ChubbyStar]

63. Welcome to DU

How did we manage without you?

[bunny planet]

32. I don't see how these statements from Hillary were helpful

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jan/21/hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-attacks-netflix?CMP=share_btn_tw&fbclid=IwAR2gKO8GVu2JKlWzpgEfryO2Ux80o53jY_78QzuQlCORDtFYgpPyBY15K2E

[Uncle Joe]

36. Thanks for the addition bunny planet.

[Me.]

35. Well Damn That Woman For Expressing Her Opinion Of BS

What makes her think she has a right to tell things as she sees them. Anf hey, it's not the first time we've heard he isn't like much. Golves were on last time around, off now.

[BannonsLiver]

39. I do give Bernie some credit here.

He didn't mansplain to Hillary as far as when it is and isn't okay to air her grievances with him. Like he did with Warren after the debate.

[Me.]

43. There's Still Time

[Kurt V.]

40. i suppose she's still angry which is surprising.

[Gothmog]

45. I was at the National Convention and I know exactly why Clinton is angry

sanders and his vetted delegates behaved poorly at the national convention

[Kurt V.]

46. agree. it was about the delegates.

[Gothmog]

47. It was about sanders and his delegates horrible conduct

sanders played a big role here

[Kurt V.]

52. it was about seeking delegates after clinton was surely the nominee. Their behavior

was secondary imo

[Horizens]

41. I'm with Hillary

Sanders is responsible for those on his campaign staff and their comments about other candidates have been anything but unifying. The culture in his camp is a cesspool

[Gothmog]

44. sander was very unlike to be the nominee of the party in the real world

sanders has a very hard ceiling of support that he has reached and the polling shows that sanders would be very unlikely to get even a plurality of the delegates in the real world. There are far too many real Democrats who have good memories and who will not forgive or forget

[underthematrix]

51. I tweeted this to HRC cause i'm black and unafraid of her truth.

Link to tweet

[Agschmid]

53. Two things...

- Nobody is ready to unify, the first vote hasn’t even been cast yet.
- Hilary comments are just foolish IMO, why make them?

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

54. Yes, so much for a unifying message.

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[StevieM]

55. Hillary already proved her commitment to unity.

In 2008 when Obama narrowly outdistanced her she rallied behind him and worked tirelessly to help ensure his election.

She would have done the same for Obama in 2016, had he been the nominee, and she will back whoever the nominee is--including Sanders--in 2020.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

58. No, read Hillary's statements.

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[StevieM]

59. I read her tweet.

She said she would back the nominee.

All she said in that video is that she didn't want to talk about the ultimate nominee when the primary race was ongoing.

If you have any doubts just read or watch her speech at the 2008 Democratic Convention in Denver in support of her former opponent.

Your speculation that she will not endorse Sanders is about as merited as your earlier speculation that she was planning to enter the race.

[TwilightZone]

62. You clearly didn't.

"I'm not going to go there yet. We're still in a very vigorous primary season."

[bluedye33139]

60. I voted for her in 2016, and I'm pissed at her now.

It's like she has an ax to grind here. This is supremely unhelpful.

[Uncle Joe]

61. Thank you for sharing bluedye.

[bluedye33139]

65. You're welcome.

I find this primary season is becoming very unpleasant, and I really hate all of the forces trying to drag us back to 2016. Let's move on.

[Yeehah]

64. We are facing down a fascist republican party that is destroying everything good about America

I do not appreciate Mrs. Clinton's comments.

[MrsCoffee]

66. Better Believe It!