Sanders: "Carville is a political hack!" Carville: "You bet!"

[brooklynite]

Link to tweet

Now, I'll point out that the political hack has won a Presidential Primary and a General Election, and Sanders.....has not.

[LisaM]

1. Ah, I miss Carville.

I still think one of the funniest things I ever heard was when he said the Wasilla Town Hall looked like a Louisiana Bait Shop.

[highplainsdem]

20. I miss Carville, too. And thank you for posting what he said about the Wasilla Town Hall. LOL!

Somehow I'd missed hearing that.

[Blue_true]

50. Yeah, I miss the Primary Colours line, "If a bear shits in the woods, would anyone know?".

James Carville is an original.

[LanternWaste]

2. Bemusing and ironic when a career politician calls someone else a hack.

[George II]

3. Carville knows how to win primaries and elections from coast to coast.

[aikoaiko]

35. Once upon a day.

[Scurrilous]

4. He went there.

[Iliyah]

5. LOL . . .

Snap . . .

[TwilightZone]

6. Still makes me laugh.

Sanders has some of the most blatant political hacks in the industry on his staff. Sirota has been known his entire political career for being aggressive and loose with the facts.

[Cha]

33. ...

[Aaron Pereira]

7. At least Carville owns it. He's a hack and a very good one.

No one should be ashamed of their chosen occupation.

[KPN]

8. We are where we are because of all who proceeded. That's all I gotta know. That's it in

in a nutshell. Things are at their all time worst in my lifetime. Things have gone downhill over the course of most of my lifetime. I have always been a Democrat and don't see that changing. At the same time, it's time for change. Status quo, realism/pragmatism/incrementalism/working across the aisle hasn't worked. I'm done with that. For lack of a better term, I'm done with the establishment.

Go Sanders! Go Elizabeth!

[ibegurpard]

9. Communist?

You know who else calls anyone to the left of Ronald Reagan communists? Republicans. Sounds like his marriage to Mary Matalin has influenced him way too much.

[TwilightZone]

14. It's pretty clearly hyperbole.

Just like the rest of this statement.

[sweetloukillbot]

34. Except Sanders WAS a Communist

He was a member of the Socialist Workers Party.

[Duppers]

38. Truly. Now a Dem using that term!! 😡

I thought that Bernie would be stuck with the "socialist/communist/raise my taxes" mantra from the right ...but never thought some shit like Carville would stoop so low. Now I understand that marriage.

It's that very mantra, I'm afraid, that would lose us the election.
Sigh.

[redqueen]

55. Yep. This is disturbing. nt

[DanTex]

10. And people wonder why Bernie is leading the polls...

[KPN]

11. Exactly!

[TwilightZone]

25. Because he calls other people hacks?

Hell, anyone can do that.

Lots of people have called Sirota a hack. Should the candidates they're supporting be leading in the polls because of it? We'd have a five-way tie.

[Uncle Joe]

12. James Carville; you being a political hack is being a purist,

you kneel at the altar of political expediency whether for good or bad and that decades old approach is what helped bring Trump to power in the first place.

Thanks for the thread, brooklynite.

[TwilightZone]

18. Nah.

It just means that he thinks winning is more important than ideology. Ideology and purity are meaningless if they just lead to defeat.

We can't reverse Trump's agenda unless we beat him first. You disagree?

[Uncle Joe]

22. Winning in politics is meaningless if there is no purpose other than winning,

that's just moral bankruptcy and moral bankruptcy is the environment that best fosters the rise of demagogues like Trump; grabbing women by whatever means nothing when a nation's culture or ethos has succumbed to the just winning ideology.

[TwilightZone]

24. Ah, but there is a clear purpose.

We get to set the agenda. No win, no agenda. It's not complicated in the least. All of our candidates would pursue similar goals and have similar positions on the vast majority of the issues, contrary to what many assert. There is our agenda and there is Trump's. The "our" option is a no-brainer, regardless of the nominee.

Many seemed to not understand that in 2016 and look where we are. Where did all the self-righteous purity of purpose get us then?

Meaningless protest votes and self-congratulation about purity of purpose are meaningless when the result is 30 years of activist, right-wing judges and the systematic undermining of our institutions. Anyone who still hasn't figured that out after the past three years needs to join the rest of us in the real world.

[Uncle Joe]

27. It has been 40 years of starting point pragmatism

or so called centrism despite every day realities on the ground becoming more brutal are what gave us 2016.

No real concrete agenda or powerful starting point against the corporate powers that dominate American society and winning becomes meaningless because there is no true challenge to the dysfunctional status quo.

As for the people it all becomes professional wrestling between the parties with one wearing stars and stripes trunks doing an Elvis strut and the other being the villain but its' all fake or meaningless to them, that's why the largest percentage or plurality of Americans aren't aligned with either party.

If you don't stand for your ideals, you'll fall for anything, even a benevolent billionaire "coming to the rescue."

[MontanaFarmer]

28. X1000!

Winning matters in a binary system. It especially matters when your opponent is intent on ruining all the country holds dear. Winning is all that matters with the agenda and the direction of the country, her people and her institutions on the line.

[relayerbob]

46. I don't think anyone said there's no other purpose than winning

It's a matter of setting priorities. We can all agree or disagree on whatever agenda we like, but if we lose, it will be moot. Suggesting that anyone who disagrees with one candidate's agenda is "morally bankrupt" is already pretty far down the road to demagoguery.

[Quixote1818]

13. Not sure if owning the term 'political hack' is a good strategy.

1. political hack - a politician who belongs to a small clique that controls a political party for private rather than public endspolitical hack - a politician who belongs to a small clique that controls a political party for private rather than public ends

https://www.thefreedictionary.com/political+hack

[TwilightZone]

17. Terms have more than one meaning.

In Carville's case, it's generally meant that winning is more important than purity, ideology, or personal conviction. In this particular election, winning would seem to be paramount, so I'm not sure he's entirely wrong.

We can't stop Trump and reverse his agenda if we don't win first.

[brooklynite]

19. There's a different meaning, self-referential to political operatives.

David Axelrod and Mike Murphy have started a HACKS ON TAP podcast, looking at the election from the campaign manager perspective.

[msongs]

15. two hacks going at each other. sounds like something for pay per view nt

[R B Garr]

16. Carville was right!

This is the exact kind of handling that is needed! Go Carville! You speak for us

[redstateblues]

31. +1000. Tell it like it is

[LexVegas]

21. pwned. nt

[melman]

23. "Now, I'll point out that the political hack has won a Presidential Primary and a General Election''

I'll point out the political hack endorsed Michael Bennett.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

26. Touche!

[MontanaFarmer]

29. Cue the pearl-clutching!

It's ok to call your opponents "status-quo," or "corrupt," or "part of a failed system," and beat on folks over a progressive purity test in the fever swamps of Twitter, but if someone calls it like they see it regarding their chosen candidate, the world is unfair.

[True Blue American]

30. Carville

Brought Clinton back when he was on the verge of defeat and won.

[riversedge]

32. I rather miss the ol hack.

[brooklynite]

37. I see him once or twice a year and meetings sponsored by AMERICAN BRIDGE.

[oasis]

36. Bernie is not a communist so stop saying that!

[Butterflylady]

39. Get use to hearing it over and over.

The Republicans will use over and over till everyone believes it.

[oasis]

42. I was channeling "Bob Boudelang". His rants were a DU Home Page feature

years back. Bob B. was famous for ending statements with "so stop saying that". Kind of a tongue in cheek finish to a point he was making.

I was hoping a few old timers would pick up on it.

Btw, your reply about how Bernie will be characterized by the Trumpists is 100% correct.

[Zolorp]

51. Since he was on the ballot as one, it might be tough to run away from that attack

[Kurt V.]

40. the ragin cajun has always had that ego that makes passing thru doors difficult.

[yaesu]

41. its a shame carville is anti progressive, never could stomach him

he is just another entertainer on corporate canned tv.

[Historic NY]

43. The Raging Cajun

[Joinfortmill]

54. 👍

[Awsi Dooger]

44. I never understand the absurdity of being a purist

Frankly it is a laughable concept. When I visit certain sports sites I know immediately how certain posters will argue. They will twist every single variable and every single topic in favor of that team or organization. Hilarious benefit of a doubt. It never even occurs to them that an opposing viewpoint is even slightly interesting or valid.

Likewise on political sites. I joined here in fall 2002 and there was a thread rattling off every single senate seat up for grabs that year. We were going to win all of the hotly contested ones. One poster after another was chirping the same thing.

When I started pointing out that...uh, some of those states have 45% self-identified conservatives, we're not going to come close to winning that race...I was instantly called a troll.

Fine. I also collected on those wagers. Nearly 20 years later and we're still not going to win those states with high percentage of conservatives.

All of that reminds me of political candidates who can think and argue from only one direction. It is so pathetic. Bill Clinton was a master because he could take a topic around the block. No kidding a James Carville would respect and work for Clinton while laughing at a fool like Bernie Sanders.

I'm sure those old white folks I was listening to on the shuttle bus in Naples last November will be tripping over themselves to vote for Bernie Sanders.

[BlueIdaho]

49. Imagine the audacity...

A political advisor that wants to win an election! What a hack! I’m afraid the political zealots don’t understand that there are no participation trophies in politics. Them’s that win, pass the laws, appoint the judges, set the budget, and control the military. They also set the tone in the country. Hope or Hate - they decide. Them’s that don’t sit on the sidelines. Me? I’d rather win - especially if it means Trump exits stage right.

[relayerbob]

45. Not much of a Carville fan

but interesting that a career politician like Sanders would use such a phrase.

[Scurrilous]

47. ...

[honest.abe]

48. Sanders has now created a shit storm with one of our foremost Democratic political strategists.

Bernie needs get off his high horse and go back to Vermont where he belongs.

[redstateblues]

52. Having a thin skin will not be an asset against Trump in the GE

[Joinfortmill]

53. Oh, boy, duck everyone!

[redqueen]

56. Carville is probably just grouchy cause he's not as relevant as he used to be..

The Obsolete Politics of James Carville
https://newrepublic.com/article/156523/obsolete-politics-james-carville