Look at the responses to Sanders' tweet tonight about running against the Democratic establishment.

[highplainsdem]

This is the tweet, which has already been posted here:

Link to tweet

I've got news for the Republican establishment. I've got news for the Democratic establishment. They can't stop us.

Some of the responses:


John Pavlovitz:

Link to tweet

This kind of post is exactly why we'll have four more years of Trump and reminds us you're not interested in uniting people.

You're running as a Democrat. Stop attacking Democrats.

Palmer Report:

Link to tweet

This is as egomaniacal as when Donald Trump said "I alone can fix it."

Fred Guttenberg:

Link to tweet

Are you now saying you are running against both the Democratic and Republican party? If so, why are you, a life long Independent running in the Democratic primary for a nomination to represent the Democratic party?

Amy Siskind:

Link to tweet

This is a weirdly inappropriate and Trumpian thing to tweet on the eve of reporting that Russia is helping your campaign.

You should be encouraging your supporters to get behind the nominee no matter what. You’re just doing Putin’s bidding with this tweet.

[UniteFightBack]

1. It does seem pretty straightforward. Don't attack the party you are running in. nt

[DemocracyMouse]

79. What? Don't change? Do exactly same thing that isn't working?

C'mon, we can handle some self-criticism. Bernie's a Democrat. A REAL, gosh darn TRADITIONAL Democrat. He's saying "hey, let's fix AMERICA, and if it means fixing the major parties in a two party system, so be it.

I'm backing Warren, I'll support ANY Democrat in the general, but Bernie's theatrics don't scare me. He's pokin' fun at a lot of stuck establishment people on the payroll. Here's an idea: Take a good hard look at the polls showing Sanders has a double digit lead against Trump and join those of us who want to beat Trump.

[PatSeg]

81. I don't think he wants to "fix" the Democratic party

It feels more like he wants to end it as a party.

Bernie is not and never was a "real, gosh darn traditional Democrat". I am a "real Democrat" and I've known plenty in my life. None of them resemble Bernie Sanders.

[DemocracyMouse]

95. So you're all about identity. Not about thinking through how to adapt.

Stay put, keep the ol' familiar flavor, and gradually be made irrelevant by robotics and AI. And don't consider any new input that might suggest WE HAVE TO WAKE UP and push the party forward.

[PatSeg]

103. No, that's not me at all

And it is also not Bernie Sanders. Nothing about Bernie Sanders is "new input". He's been giving the same old speeches for decades, so none of it is new to me and I've been awake for a long time. Bernie would not push the party forward, he would dismantle it or burn it down.

[uponit7771]

2. Sanders is NOT saying democratic establishment and republican establishment are same ....not at all

[Jakes Progress]

20. Yeah. (Nod nod. Wink wink.) not at all.

[uponit7771]

53. Thx Jakes ... I thought my snark was pretty obvious but there's even an OP saying Putin doesn't want

... Sanders

[Warpy]

40. You're right. Either a whole lotta people on Twitter can't read

or they're party conservatives plus associated trollbots who have a vested interest in not reading correctly. He's won the first two states, making him the front runner, so they're all coming after him.

I think it's high time for a regime change within the party. I've spent my whole life watching them throw elections away becasue they didn't want to support Democrats running against wingnuts in unsafe districts. Those districts would be so unsafe if Democrats had gotten the support to run in them.

Those guys love being where they are, so expect a lot of this crap on Twitter, deliberately misreading his posts and running with it.

[uponit7771]

42. No, I was being snarky ... Sanders move was stupid the more I think about it he had everything to

... gain but a lot to lose if it came out later and he didn't generically denounce other nations active involvement

[SaveOurDemocracy]

60. Did you mean Bernie (not Biden)?

[uponit7771]

114. Meant Sanders

[Mr.Bill]

94. With tweets like that,

Bernie is coming after himself.

[Warpy]

97. I agree it was a blunder to yank their chains so hard

but most of those old boys have been stuck in the mud (and the DC social scene) so long that they no longer have much contact with reality. There needs to be a major shakeup, preferably without Koch money this time. If Sanders accomplishes that, I'll be grateful, even though I wish he hadn't run this time.

[Mr.Bill]

99. Funny you should talk about shaking things up.

When I ask people why they were going to vote or did vote for Trump, That's what the say. "He's going to shake things up".

Very few things in this world can be fixed or made better by simply shaking them up. And we have proof of that sitting in the white house. We need things put back together, not shaken up.

[Warpy]

100. While I agree with that, I'm not so sure the stick in the mud conservatives

making policy at the DNC are up to the job. People out there beyond the beltway know that and now Sanders is in the lead.

Fortunately, he's not another Orange Blob. He knows how government works, at the very least, and won't be trying to turn huge agencies into micromanaged skeleton crews of rabid loyalists with no qualifications for their jobs. Whether or not he's effective in the job, he is unlikely to be destructive.

Of course, he''ll be fighting people making false equivalency statements on Twitter and elsewhere throughout the campaign.

[Mr.Bill]

102. If you think the people running the DNC

are stick in the mud conservatives, there's no point in continuing a conversation with you.

Good day.

[LudwigPastorius]

88. The statement reeks of "If I don't win the nomination, don't vote for the Democrat".

Which is what over 20% of his supporters did last time around.

[uponit7771]

113. Yep

[Cha]

118. Yeah it does.

[Iliyah]

3. Is he the 3rd party . . .

which means, t-rump walks in.

[sheshe2]

4. No comment on the grounds that I would be banned. NT

[dware]

73. Good call sheshe2,

I think if I said what I want to say, I would be joining you for the pizza party next to the tombstone.

[sheshe2]

98. ...

[msongs]

5. small timer from a provincial backwater cannot handle a bigger picture (and I dont mean Pete) nt

[SMC22307]

112. Brooklyn is a provincial backwater? (n/t)

[madamesilverspurs]

6. Criminy.

Just yesterday I was in a conversation about how Sanders and Trump seem to be the heads and tails of the same coin. Now it feels like Sanders has set out to prove exactly that.


.

[BlueIdaho]

14. They are both Populists...

Their philosophies may be different, but their tactics are the same.

[jg10003]

30. That's why Sanders can beat trump

He appeals to the same anti-establishment frustrations that trump does. That is why in 2016 many trump supporters said they would vote for Sanders, even though they had opposite positions on most issues. The difference is that trump exploited people’s frustrations by inflaming their fears, anxieties, and prejudices. Sanders addresses people’s frustrations by giving them hope and offering real solutions.

[BlueIdaho]

34. Populists are dangerous

Populists can be very un-democratic.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/09/07/the-populists

[jg10003]

35. Only when they are unscrupulous.

Some use populism to gain power (trump). Others use populism to achieve change (Sanders).

[uponit7771]

55. What do you call staying selfishly silent about Russia helping his campaign ?! Sanders could've

... denounced Russia's helping his campaign without going into classified info.

[MasonDreams]

90. How would you define that word? Un-democratic?

When the person with the most votes doesn't win. Al Gore in Florida, Hillary in 2016, Bernie in Iowa, Stacey Abrams in Georgia.

[radius777]

41. People will choose the real thing over an imitation

and Sanders would get crushed.

Trump has the market cornered on white populist anger.

Russ Feingold - a liberal populist - lost to 'globalist' Ron Johnson.

Because it really isn't about 'populism'. White voters simply choose the GOP due to racial tribalism, and love Trump because 'he says the quiet parts out loud' that Reagan/Bush/etc whispered.

The Obama/Clinton wing is still the majority of the Dem party, and has the best balance of positions to solve problems. Obama would've achieved more, but was obstructed by the Teaparty that rose to power due to racist backlash.

[Chemisse]

48. At this point perhaps we'd like to see the "establishment" restored.

Like appropriate heads of departments, full staffing, respect for the division of powers, actual accountability and respect for presidential norms, like don't hire your entire family and all your crook friends.

I wonder if an upheaval candidacy will have a lot of appeal this time around when we are currently reeling from the granddaddy of all upheavals.

[LudwigPastorius]

89. This!

[hangaleft]

107. I have nothing but the utmost respect for Barack Obama, the person

He served with dignity and respect for the Office he held.

But the “They go low, we go high” philosophy, while dignified, was a failure politically.

Obama should have taken the gloves off when turtle refused to hold hearings on Garland’s nomination to the Supreme Court.

How? Weekly press conferences, taking it directly to the people. The DNC bombarding the airwaves, internet and print media with ads pointing up the unconstitutionality of turtle’s refusal to hold hearings on the Garland nomination.

I’ve said many times in many posts that we’re in a cold civil war. And the Garland fiasco was its Fort Sumter. Our failure to respond then has led us to where we are now.

[uponit7771]

54. +1

[Squinch]

7. He's believing his own spin about a revolution when there

is no evidence whatsoever that a revolution exists.

And PS, this is how he deals with opposition? No thanks.

[Cha]

8. Retweeted! Mahalo, hpd!

Link to tweet

[DENVERPOPS]

67. Makes me wonder about this:

How much campaign money would he get from the Republican Party if he joined their caucus?

How much campaign money would he get if he ran as an independent?

How much campaign money is he getting from the Dems for aligning himself with them??????

He wants the Dem money, the Dems debates, he wants a pulpit which as a Dem candidate he gets.

It seems he wants the Dem campaign money, he wants the dem votes, but that is about it.......

Maybe the dems should send him over to the Republican Party and he can caucus with them.......

I gotta tell you, in talking to a Bernie supporter or a Trump supporter there isn't much difference.
They both are seemingly oblivious to anything but their thinking and unwavering loyalty to their candidate.

[HarlanPepper]

12. This!

[AlexSFCA]

10. BS is a bigger threat to Dem party than GOP and trump

He is determined to get the nomination at any cost.

[McTwisty]

32. Oh please. Just stop right there.

[Chemisse]

49. I know. Because that says it all, really.

BS has essentially promised a big fight at the convention, which will fragment the Party and help Trump win, even as he knows that is what Russia wants too.

He doesn't care.

[dware]

75. Why?

It is, after all, the truth.

[HarlanPepper]

11. Bad idea to poke the bear, Bernie.

[SunSeeker]

13. Bannon is pleased...

Link to tweet

[czarjak]

22. Vlad did it!

[aikoaiko]

15. Those are stupid responses trying to appear clever.

Thanks for pointing them out for ridicule.

[Cha]

17. Sez you.. I think they're exactly right.

[hangaleft]

24. If that's the way you feel, I suggest you change your preference from Warren to Sanders

I doubt that Liz would comment on this tweet, but there’s no doubt in my mind that in her head she’s thinking to herself, “Bernie, if that’s the way you feel, get the fuck out of the contest for the Democratic nomination and run as a Green or independent.”

[aikoaiko]

47. Imagine Warrens's thoughts all you want. And I'll support who I want.

I’m for Warren in this primary but I still like what Bernie is doing. I’ll defend him when I think he deserves it.

[MontanaMama]

16. Good gawd.

I don’t see a lot of difference between the cult of Sanders and the cult of trump. I never thought we would be here. Russia supports both candidates. Guess whichever of these two wins...Russia wins. It is unbelievable.

[dalton99a]

59. +1. The similarities are numerous

[Hermit-The-Prog]

85. There's the bottom line. I can hear Putin cackling from my house.

[NNadir]

86. TWITtle dumb and twittle dumber. N/t

[nini]

18. Not surprised

But he does seem to be getting a bit more vocal with his insults of the party he continues to use at his convenience. This quote speaks volumes after the Putin news too.

Again, not at all surprised.

[subana]

19. lately he's been doing several things that remind me of trump!

Are you now saying you are running against both the Democratic and Republican party? If so, why are you, a life long Independent running in the Democratic primary for a nomination to represent the Democratic party?

good question!!!

[czarjak]

21. Stop thyself, Senator...

[evertonfc]

23. He has always been self serving

He's leading us off a cliff.

[DallasNE]

25. Sanders Is Pretty Tone Deaf

If this is his usual fare. It certainly makes things more difficult after the convention to put the party back together again so his purpose evades me.

[peggysue2]

26. These comments cannot be explained away

Which is something diehard Bernie supporters are so quick to do. These words come directly from the Senator from Vermont and are a clear indication that there will be no unifying, healing or any other kind of restoration under Bernie Sanders. And yes, they are inappropriate and very Trumpian in nature.

A simple flip of the coin.

Vlad must be smiling.

[question everything]

27. And will lose the down ballots

This is exactly what he and the “squad” want to accomplish. Why do so many Democrats go along is beyond me.

Oh, and of course Trump and the turtle will continue to shape the judiciary system for generations to come.

RBG will not be able to hold for four more years.

[centrarchus]

28. I can't stomach this. BS is making this life long democrat angry. nt

[Mersky]

31. Uhm, no. WTH, Bernie?!!

How the fuck is this supposed to help Democrats like me remain understanding or charitable towards your intentions?

Cannot accept another hotheaded tweeter in office. Good grief.

[dalton99a]

33. Disgusting.

[concreteblue]

36. The people attanking Sanders here are doing Putin's work for him.

"
John Pavlovitz
✔
@johnpavlovitz

This kind of post is exactly why we'll have four more years of Trump and reminds us you're not interested in uniting people.

You're running as a Democrat. Stop attacking Democrats."

Irony meter broken, John?


Palmer Report
✔
@PalmerReport

" This is as egomaniacal as when Donald Trump said "I alone can fix it."
Uhm, NO.
IT.
IS.
NOT.
Please note Trump says "I"
Bernie says, an ALWAYS says "We".


Fred Guttenberg
✔
@fred_guttenberg

"Are you now saying you are running against both the Democratic and Republican party? If so, why are you, a life long Independent running in the Democratic primary for a nomination to represent the Democratic party?"

Bernie said no such thing.
Is the Republican establishment against him and/or his policy proposals?
Demonstrably so.
Is the Democratic Party establishment against him and/or his policy proposals?
Also demonstrably so.
This does NOT equal "=".
The "Democratic Party establishment" is NOT the Democratic Party.
Democrats tearing their front runner apart.
Why?

Amy Siskind
"This is a weirdly inappropriate and Trumpian thing to tweet on the eve of reporting that Russia is helping your campaign. "

See response to Pavlovitz.
Trump says "I"
Bernie says "We".
And THAT is what scares both the Democratic AND Republican "Establishment"

"You should be encouraging your supporters to get behind the nominee no matter what. You’re just doing Putin’s bidding with this tweet."
Please let us know when Senator Sanders fails to implore his supporters to NOT vote for the Dem nom.
Amy's Irony meter also needs calibration.

Are all of you attacking Bernie Sanders going to vote for him if he wins the nom?
If not, YOU are doing Putin's bidding.
Just sayin.....

[MrsCoffee]

50. He isn't getting the nom.

Sanders is done. He has done enough damage.

[Sloumeau]

62. So, when people criticize Sanders, they are doing Putin's work for him?

Then what about when Sanders attacks other Democrats? Wouldn't that be doing Putin's work for him too?

[concreteblue]

119. Candidates attacking each other's policies is part of the campaign.

That being said, let me note I hold "attacks" and "disagreements" as separate things. Words matter.
Democrats attacking Democratic Party candidates between whoever they are, and no matter in which direction, are definitely doing Putin's work.
Policy disagreements are to be expected.

[wisteria]

37. Wow.

[Ellen Forradalom]

39. Matt Boxer on the tweet

Link to tweet

It's up to any political campaign to make the sale. If the campaign fails, it's not the fault of the DNC, the Establishment, or the billionaires. It just didn't close the deal with voters.

[Cha]

44. I like his tweet..!

[Ellen Forradalom]

83. That's the crux of it.

Sell your message to the voters. If not enough of them go for it, it is not the fault of someone else.

[Mike Nelson]

43. I think this is a mistake...

... equating the "Republican establishment" and the Democratic establishment" equates Bernie with Trump.

[we can do it]

45. Stop this BS now. Vote for an actual Democrat.

[druidity33]

46. I think he is referring to...

the 500 Super Delegates. The Dem "establishment" is already openly talking about keeping him from the nomination if he doesn't win a decisive majority after the first ballot. If he goes to the convention with only a slim lead in Delegate count, it will indeed be the Democratic Party apparatus that chooses the nominee.

[Chemisse]

51. Which is the format he agreed to participate in when he rejoined the Democratic Party.

Those are the rules. Maybe he should be trying to win a larger majority and/or showing the 500 delegates that he can win, rather than attacking the very body that will have to make a decision at a split convention.

[Hav]

52. He's using Trump's playbook on several issues

and it's amazing that more people don't see that and realize how dangerous and divisive it is. I hope the Dem electorate is smarter than the Repub one and sees through this bs. It's easy to get voters on your side with propaganda and pointing at supposed enemies.

And as he's railing against the "Democratic establishment" (whatever that is), how does he plan to get any of his plans through Congress? By attacking the party he uses to run for President? The only party that could realistically be on his side to get his plans implemented?

[Cha]

117. Kick

[mcar]

56. Kick

[cstanleytech]

57. Hmmm, not as stupid as most Trump tweets but still not exactly a smart tweet either because

we do need to be united if we want to defeat Trump and attacking other Democrats is not going to unite us.

[Peacetrain]

58. I know, I know...

I am so past shocked..

[Sloumeau]

61. K&R! nt

[Cheviteau]

63. I'm Confused

Sanders is briefed that Putin is aiding his campaign.

Sanders says neither the Republicans nor the Democrats "stop us now".

Is the "us" his voters and backers? Or is it him and Putin?

Can someone clarify this for me?

[handmade34]

65. "as egomaniacal as when Donald Trump said "I alone can fix it."

[c-rational]

66. I finnd this comment distressing, iIt shows less concern with the electorate and more concerned

with an undefined us. Remeber what Plato said. We do not want leaders seeking the position, or those filled with passioins.

[NurseJackie]

69. This is disqualifying. TOTALLY DISQUALIFYING. He needs to withdraw now.

I mean... it's bad enough that he was keeping secret his knowledge of the fact that RUSSIA IS HELPING HIM... that alone is disqualifying!!!

But now this? ON TOP OF everything else.

We can do better.

[NurseJackie]

72. Oh, hello there, you! 😂

#BernieKnew
#RussianInterference

[George II]

91. "Who was that masked man?"

[Cha]

108. lol!

[ehrnst]

74. Well, you got the "sowing discord" right, even if you aren't getting the number of Bernie's

wins right. Even after being corrected.

[NurseJackie]

76. I guess the conversation is over.

[ehrnst]

84. Why yes, yes it is.

[Blue_Tires]

71. I've gotten in trouble for asking what

side St. Bern is truly on, but maybe if other people ask it...

[Laelth]

77. Interesting. Thank you.

I am calling this an unforced error on Bernie's part. It's not the end of the world--neither for Bernie's campaign, nor for the Democratic Party.

But it was an unforced error.

-Laelth

[liberal N proud]

78. They will burn the country to the ground if their man doesn't win

[Farmer-Rick]

80. He did not say he was running against the Democratic establishment.

He said they couldn't stop him.....big difference.

[bluedye33139]

82. Communicative efficiency: a statement does not contain every premise supporting it

If I say that you cannot stop me, that implies that you are opposed to me.

The tweet clearly says that the Democratic establishment is his enemy.

Communicative efficiency means that we do not always articulate every premise and sub-premise behind every statement we make.

[dominic savio]

92. Corporate repug... corporate Dem _- Corp control

Most unfortunately, Bernie is the only candidate to side with the people (health insurance, climate crisis, prison profit reform, etc.). I would love to support another candidate that was more refined and photogenic than Bernie, but he is the only one to advocate for the changes we need now...

[peoli]

93. When the establishment + all candidates say they will not vote for the person who has the most votes

What do you expect ????!!!!


He could win the votes and lose the nomination.

Is that democracy?

[LudwigPastorius]

109. You sure you want to do away with the Democratic party's convention process?

Because, Bernie is currently tied in second place among superdelegates who have endorsed a candidate. If he keeps wining, his standing will only rise.

[blue-wave]

96. It's what we all knew all along

Bernie wants to destroy the Democratic Party and it seems, America in the process. He's doing Putin's and tRump's bidding by attacking Democrats. Gee, if Bernie's not the nominee (or even if he is), I wonder how many of his supporters will vote for tRump this time?:


"Fully 12 percent of people who voted for Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., in the 2016 Democratic presidential primaries voted for President Trump in the general election."

https://www.npr.org/2017/08/24/545812242/1-in-10-sanders-primary-voters-ended-up-supporting-trump-survey-finds

[leftwingbias]

101. Maybe he realizes that neither party is incredibly

popular right now and is making an appeal (that is consistent with his brand) to people who might have interest in him, but not an interest in party politics or government?

[Progressive dog]

104. By his own words in that tweet, Bernie joined the Democratic party to destroy it.

[ehrnst]

105. I guess he thinks that it's mavericky...

[wundermaus]

106. Who the cap fits

Let them wear it.

The power brokers, the lobbyists, the corporate funders, the corruptors, the agent provocateurs, let them wear it.

[musette_sf]

110. ....

[bucolic_frolic]

111. It was a very divisive comment that won't be forgotten by Democratic Party members

Bernie's platform won't get much help in the Congressional heavy lifting department.

[Azathoth]

115. I'm not a Bernie Bro, but how is this different from the "Democratic Wing of the

Democratic party" line? Every insurgent candidate runs against "the establishment", and in Bernie's case, the establishment really is gunning for him.

[budkin]

116. It was a stupid tweet

I supported him in 2016 but shit like this does nothing but cause more chaos within the party.