Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Segami
Segami's Journal
Segami's Journal
December 7, 2015
DEM % REPUB % +/-
Sanders 45% Rubio 41% +4
Sanders 46% Carson 41% +5
Sanders 48% Fiorina 40% +8
Sanders 47% Bush 38% +9
Sanders 49% Trump 40% +9
Sanders 48% Cruz 38% +10
Clinton 44% Rubio 43% +1
Clinton 45% Carson 43% +2
Clinton 45% Fiorina 44% +1
Clinton 43% Bush 41% +2
Clinton 47% Trump 41% +6
Clinton 47% Cruz 39% +8
http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2015/12/hassanayotte-knotted-sanders-strongest-in-general.html
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/12/07/1457722/-New-PPP-Polling-for-NH-Sanders-MUCH-stronger-in-General
New PPP Polling for NH: Bernie Sanders MUCH Stronger in General
Different day, same story — Bernie does better against Republicans than Hillary in NH. Seems to be a trend. At some point, people need to decide if they’d rather have a Democratic President, or Hillary win the primary, as if that means anything if she loses. Some of these aren’t even CLOSE, between Bernie and Clinton versus Republicans. Look at my final column for +/-. Amazing. At some point, people are going to take notice of this trend: Bernie is better to run against Republicans than Hillary, because he will be better with Independents, and he will drive MUCH higher voting numbers from the left.
DEM % REPUB % +/-
Sanders 45% Rubio 41% +4
Sanders 46% Carson 41% +5
Sanders 48% Fiorina 40% +8
Sanders 47% Bush 38% +9
Sanders 49% Trump 40% +9
Sanders 48% Cruz 38% +10
Clinton 44% Rubio 43% +1
Clinton 45% Carson 43% +2
Clinton 45% Fiorina 44% +1
Clinton 43% Bush 41% +2
Clinton 47% Trump 41% +6
Clinton 47% Cruz 39% +8
http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2015/12/hassanayotte-knotted-sanders-strongest-in-general.html
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/12/07/1457722/-New-PPP-Polling-for-NH-Sanders-MUCH-stronger-in-General
December 6, 2015
He came. He spoke. He energized.
And called for a revolution in the process — political, that is. For one hour Saturday, presidential candidate Bernie Sanders held center stage at Keene State College’s Redfern Arts Center discussing his positions on a myriad of topics that had the audience of about 600 cheering, applauding and giving at least five standing ovations. Occasionally someone would shout out in agreement with the senator from Vermont, who is seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination to run for the Oval Office. “A great nation does not stand up and talk about all the millionaires and billionaires it has. A great nation focuses on the most vulnerable of our population,” Sanders said. He said that a great nation also comes together to solve its problems, but that can’t happen when people are divided and feel disenfranchised, as is the case in today’s American democracy.
~snip~
Sanders kept his remarks passionate, but to the point, making sure as many of his positions as possible were communicated to the general populous, which included an overflow crowd of about 100 across the way in the arts center’s Putnam Theater. Hundreds more waited outside to catch a glimpse of him. Over 1,000 total came to see Sanders, according campaign officials said. Such crowds have become commonplace for Sanders on the campaign trail. Inside, Sanders covered all thing progressive: From expanding Social Security benefits, to making public colleges and universities free, to reforming the criminal justice system, to making health care a human right and not a privilege, to closing the gap of income inequality, to combating climate change, to making the minimum wage a living wage. On the subject of foreign policy, Sanders said as president of the United States he would defend the country, but do so responsibly.
He described the Islamic State as “barbaric,” and said it must be destroyed. But the United States needs to learn from its past mistakes, and not go at it alone, or be “trapped in perpetual warfare in the Middle East,” he said. There needs to be a broad coalition of countries, including strong participation from the Muslim countries in the region, involved in fighting ISIS, he said.
~snip~
One of the opponents of the Northeast Energy Direct pipeline, Patricia A. Martin of Rindge, arrived early at Sanders’ event to help sell campaign T-shirts. She said it was the least she and other area residents who are against the project could do for Sanders. Sanders first announced his opposition to the high-pressure natural gas transmission pipeline on Nov. 29, and to-date is the only presidential candidate to take a firm stance for or against the project. Jess Gerrior of Antrim said Saturday she has hope after hearing Sanders’ speech Saturday.
cont'
http://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/presidential-candidate-bernie-sanders-speaks-in-keene/article_0bced05a-0fbe-53be-88d6-66660429ad9a.html
Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders SPEAKS In Keene
He came. He spoke. He energized.
And called for a revolution in the process — political, that is. For one hour Saturday, presidential candidate Bernie Sanders held center stage at Keene State College’s Redfern Arts Center discussing his positions on a myriad of topics that had the audience of about 600 cheering, applauding and giving at least five standing ovations. Occasionally someone would shout out in agreement with the senator from Vermont, who is seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination to run for the Oval Office. “A great nation does not stand up and talk about all the millionaires and billionaires it has. A great nation focuses on the most vulnerable of our population,” Sanders said. He said that a great nation also comes together to solve its problems, but that can’t happen when people are divided and feel disenfranchised, as is the case in today’s American democracy.
~snip~
“Those people don’t own America, you own America. Your job is to take it back,” he said.
Sanders kept his remarks passionate, but to the point, making sure as many of his positions as possible were communicated to the general populous, which included an overflow crowd of about 100 across the way in the arts center’s Putnam Theater. Hundreds more waited outside to catch a glimpse of him. Over 1,000 total came to see Sanders, according campaign officials said. Such crowds have become commonplace for Sanders on the campaign trail. Inside, Sanders covered all thing progressive: From expanding Social Security benefits, to making public colleges and universities free, to reforming the criminal justice system, to making health care a human right and not a privilege, to closing the gap of income inequality, to combating climate change, to making the minimum wage a living wage. On the subject of foreign policy, Sanders said as president of the United States he would defend the country, but do so responsibly.
“We don’t need tough foreign policy. We need smart foreign policy,” he said.
He described the Islamic State as “barbaric,” and said it must be destroyed. But the United States needs to learn from its past mistakes, and not go at it alone, or be “trapped in perpetual warfare in the Middle East,” he said. There needs to be a broad coalition of countries, including strong participation from the Muslim countries in the region, involved in fighting ISIS, he said.
“While the United States and other western nations have the strength of our militaries and our political systems, the fight against ISIS is primarily a struggle for the soul of Islam and countering violent extremism,” he said. “Destroying ISIS must be done primarily by the Muslim nations.”
~snip~
One of the opponents of the Northeast Energy Direct pipeline, Patricia A. Martin of Rindge, arrived early at Sanders’ event to help sell campaign T-shirts. She said it was the least she and other area residents who are against the project could do for Sanders. Sanders first announced his opposition to the high-pressure natural gas transmission pipeline on Nov. 29, and to-date is the only presidential candidate to take a firm stance for or against the project. Jess Gerrior of Antrim said Saturday she has hope after hearing Sanders’ speech Saturday.
“His message rings true. It speaks to my spirit, and it really came across as sincere,” she said.
Will Appleton of Keene said Sanders seemed to be a real progressive coalition candidate. “What the political revolution is about is I need you — this country needs you — not just up to the election, but we need you the day after the election,”
“A lot of the things he said hit me,” he said.
Will Appleton of Keene said Sanders seemed to be a real progressive coalition candidate. “What the political revolution is about is I need you — this country needs you — not just up to the election, but we need you the day after the election,”
“A lot of the things he said hit me,” he said.
cont'
http://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/presidential-candidate-bernie-sanders-speaks-in-keene/article_0bced05a-0fbe-53be-88d6-66660429ad9a.html
December 6, 2015
Another one to the Egyptian Prime Minister
But the family members as you know, told them it was by a film maker, you told them you would go after the film maker...this is what they said....(video footage)
George Stephanopoulos: Did you tell them it was at the film and what's your response?
Hillary Clinton: No,......you know look, I understand the continuing grief at the loss, the parents experienced with the loss of these four brave Americans........
But Hillary said this beginning at 8:28 of video:
This Week's George Stephanopoulos CONFRONTS Hillary Clinton On Benghazi
George Stephanopoulos:"...they point to emails you sent, the night of the attacks, one to your daughter Chelsea Clinton saying
"Two of our officers were killed by an Al Qaeda-like group"....
Another one to the Egyptian Prime Minister
"We know that the attack in Libya had nothing to do with the film, it was a planned attack, not a protest"
But the family members as you know, told them it was by a film maker, you told them you would go after the film maker...this is what they said....(video footage)
George Stephanopoulos: Did you tell them it was at the film and what's your response?
Hillary Clinton: No,......you know look, I understand the continuing grief at the loss, the parents experienced with the loss of these four brave Americans........
But Hillary said this beginning at 8:28 of video:
"...This has been a difficult week for the State Department and for our country. We've seen the heavy assault on our post in Benghazi that took the lives of those brave men. We've seen rage and violence directed at American Embassies over an awful Internet video that we had nothing to do with....."
December 6, 2015
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) devastated the Republican argument against keeping the weapons of the hands of criminals with common sense on CBS’s Face The Nation.
Sanders said:
I was just at a press conference the other day talking about the need for increased gun control. I don’t think anybody believes that it’s a magic formula. Clearly, though, there is an obvious common sense consensus, though, John, in this country that guns should not be falling into the hands of people who should not be having them.
And obvious, that goes without saying, I don’t think this is very hard to understand that terrorists, or potential terrorists, should not have guns. People who are being barred from flying on airplanes should not have guns.
I believe we must improve and expand instant background checks. I believe we’ve got to do away with this gun show loophole. About forty percent of the guns in this country are sold outside of the purview of the instant background check process. I think we need. I agree with The New York Times. I think it does not make sense to me that we have guns designed for military purposes that can kill enormous numbers of people in a very short period of time being sold and distributed in the United States, and I support a ban on assault weapons.
I think we need to do away with the strawman provision so that people can legally buy guns and then give them to criminals. And I think we need a revolution in mental health. And that revolution is about making sure that the many thousands of people who are walking the streets of America today who are suicidal or homicidal get the help they need, and they get it now, not two months from now.
Not all, but many of the deaths from mass shootings are preventable by doing exactly what Sen. Sanders suggested. It is common sense. Guns should not be easily legally available to those individuals who have violent records and mental issues. Military grade weapons that are capable of killing dozens to hundreds of innocent people in a few minutes should not be easily available to all who want them.
A background check system is worthless if nearly half gun sales transactions are happening outside of the system. Suspected terrorists should not be able to legally buy guns.
No one is talking about destroying the Second Amendment or taking away everyone’s guns. Sen. Sanders also defended his one vote against a gun control bill, but by this point in the campaign, it should be clear to everyone that Bernie Sanders is not a friend of the NRA.
cont'
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/12/06/bernie-sanders-devastates-republicans-common-sense-guns.html
Bernie Sanders DEVASTATES Republicans With Common Sense On Guns
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) devastated the Republican argument against keeping the weapons of the hands of criminals with common sense on CBS’s Face The Nation.
Sanders said:
I was just at a press conference the other day talking about the need for increased gun control. I don’t think anybody believes that it’s a magic formula. Clearly, though, there is an obvious common sense consensus, though, John, in this country that guns should not be falling into the hands of people who should not be having them.
And obvious, that goes without saying, I don’t think this is very hard to understand that terrorists, or potential terrorists, should not have guns. People who are being barred from flying on airplanes should not have guns.
I believe we must improve and expand instant background checks. I believe we’ve got to do away with this gun show loophole. About forty percent of the guns in this country are sold outside of the purview of the instant background check process. I think we need. I agree with The New York Times. I think it does not make sense to me that we have guns designed for military purposes that can kill enormous numbers of people in a very short period of time being sold and distributed in the United States, and I support a ban on assault weapons.
I think we need to do away with the strawman provision so that people can legally buy guns and then give them to criminals. And I think we need a revolution in mental health. And that revolution is about making sure that the many thousands of people who are walking the streets of America today who are suicidal or homicidal get the help they need, and they get it now, not two months from now.
Not all, but many of the deaths from mass shootings are preventable by doing exactly what Sen. Sanders suggested. It is common sense. Guns should not be easily legally available to those individuals who have violent records and mental issues. Military grade weapons that are capable of killing dozens to hundreds of innocent people in a few minutes should not be easily available to all who want them.
A background check system is worthless if nearly half gun sales transactions are happening outside of the system. Suspected terrorists should not be able to legally buy guns.
No one is talking about destroying the Second Amendment or taking away everyone’s guns. Sen. Sanders also defended his one vote against a gun control bill, but by this point in the campaign, it should be clear to everyone that Bernie Sanders is not a friend of the NRA.
cont'
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/12/06/bernie-sanders-devastates-republicans-common-sense-guns.html
December 6, 2015
Old Ties TANGLE Hillary Clinton’s New Agenda
~snip~
Now, Mr. Emanuel is the mayor of Chicago and is embroiled in an uproar over his handling of the death of a black teenager shot by a white police officer and the delayed release of a video that showed the killing. The crisis facing his administration, unrolling against the backdrop of Mrs. Clinton’s focus on criminal justice overhauls and race relations in her presidential campaign, has proved the latest twist in the decades-long relationship between two of the biggest personalities in Democratic politics. Mr. Emanuel is now relying on the support of the former first lady, with whom he clashed in the White House and whom he scorned by not endorsing in the 2008 Democratic contest against Barack Obama, for whom he later went to work. That puts Mrs. Clinton, who is famously loyal to old friends, in the tricky position of protecting a longtime, but not always obliging, one. Asked at a news conference on Wednesday, as calls for his resignation intensified, whether he had Mrs. Clinton’s support, Mr. Emanuel told reporters, “I don’t know. You’d have to ask her.” He added, “The question of whether I continue to have her support is up to her, but I feel pretty confident that I do.”
Hours later, under intense pressure to denounce the city’s handling of the shooting of Laquan McDonald, a “deeply troubled” Mrs. Clinton broke with Mr. Emanuel and called for a Justice Department investigation into the police department’s tactics. “He loves Chicago, and I’m confident that he’s going to do everything he can to get to the bottom of these issues and take whatever measures are necessary to remedy them,” Mrs. Clinton told reporters on Friday. Republicans jumped to accuse Mrs. Clinton of not forcefully denouncing Mr. Emanuel’s handling of the situation because of her longtime relationship with the mayor, but the friendship is more nuanced than that. Mr. Emanuel first worked on Mr. Clinton’s 1992 campaign in Little Rock, Ark., and he and Mrs. Clinton have orbited each other ever since, as he went on to have his own political career as a member of Congress. He remained neutral in the 2008 primary, but then became White House chief of staff in the Obama administration, where he played a crucial part in persuading Mrs. Clinton to serve as secretary of state. “He was making it impossible for me to say no,” she has said.
And while Mr. Emanuel said “mistakes” had been made in the handling of the episode, he said a call by the attorney general of Illinois, Lisa Madigan, for a Justice Department review into police tactics was “misguided.” He later said in a statement that he was “open to anything that will help give us answers.” Mrs. Clinton’s decision to take Ms. Madigan’s side and call for a federal investigation did not go far enough for many in the Black Lives Matter movement. The activists, with whom Mrs. Clinton has assiduously tried to connect in her campaign, have pushed for Mr. Emanuel’s ouster. Brian Fallon, a spokesman for Mrs. Clinton said she was not calling for Mr. Emanuel’s resignation. Her main Democratic rival, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, unencumbered by an old friendship, had terse words for Mr. Emanuel on Friday. “Any elected official with knowledge that the tape was being suppressed or improperly withheld should resign,” Mr. Sanders said in a statement, without specifically naming the mayor.
cont'
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/06/us/politics/old-ties-tangle-hillary-clintons-new-agenda.html?_r=0
Now, Mr. Emanuel is the mayor of Chicago and is embroiled in an uproar over his handling of the death of a black teenager shot by a white police officer and the delayed release of a video that showed the killing. The crisis facing his administration, unrolling against the backdrop of Mrs. Clinton’s focus on criminal justice overhauls and race relations in her presidential campaign, has proved the latest twist in the decades-long relationship between two of the biggest personalities in Democratic politics. Mr. Emanuel is now relying on the support of the former first lady, with whom he clashed in the White House and whom he scorned by not endorsing in the 2008 Democratic contest against Barack Obama, for whom he later went to work. That puts Mrs. Clinton, who is famously loyal to old friends, in the tricky position of protecting a longtime, but not always obliging, one. Asked at a news conference on Wednesday, as calls for his resignation intensified, whether he had Mrs. Clinton’s support, Mr. Emanuel told reporters, “I don’t know. You’d have to ask her.” He added, “The question of whether I continue to have her support is up to her, but I feel pretty confident that I do.”
Hours later, under intense pressure to denounce the city’s handling of the shooting of Laquan McDonald, a “deeply troubled” Mrs. Clinton broke with Mr. Emanuel and called for a Justice Department investigation into the police department’s tactics. “He loves Chicago, and I’m confident that he’s going to do everything he can to get to the bottom of these issues and take whatever measures are necessary to remedy them,” Mrs. Clinton told reporters on Friday. Republicans jumped to accuse Mrs. Clinton of not forcefully denouncing Mr. Emanuel’s handling of the situation because of her longtime relationship with the mayor, but the friendship is more nuanced than that. Mr. Emanuel first worked on Mr. Clinton’s 1992 campaign in Little Rock, Ark., and he and Mrs. Clinton have orbited each other ever since, as he went on to have his own political career as a member of Congress. He remained neutral in the 2008 primary, but then became White House chief of staff in the Obama administration, where he played a crucial part in persuading Mrs. Clinton to serve as secretary of state. “He was making it impossible for me to say no,” she has said.
And while Mr. Emanuel said “mistakes” had been made in the handling of the episode, he said a call by the attorney general of Illinois, Lisa Madigan, for a Justice Department review into police tactics was “misguided.” He later said in a statement that he was “open to anything that will help give us answers.” Mrs. Clinton’s decision to take Ms. Madigan’s side and call for a federal investigation did not go far enough for many in the Black Lives Matter movement. The activists, with whom Mrs. Clinton has assiduously tried to connect in her campaign, have pushed for Mr. Emanuel’s ouster. Brian Fallon, a spokesman for Mrs. Clinton said she was not calling for Mr. Emanuel’s resignation. Her main Democratic rival, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, unencumbered by an old friendship, had terse words for Mr. Emanuel on Friday. “Any elected official with knowledge that the tape was being suppressed or improperly withheld should resign,” Mr. Sanders said in a statement, without specifically naming the mayor.
cont'
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/06/us/politics/old-ties-tangle-hillary-clintons-new-agenda.html?_r=0
December 6, 2015
HOW Would (House & Senate) Republicans Vote If…
What if all corporate, banking, political & religious organizations including lobbyist donations & contributions ceased immediately for both House and Senate Republicans?
Would Republicans continue to vote the same on issues or will they change their positions and vote differently?
Would Republicans continue to vote the same on issues or will they change their positions and vote differently?
December 5, 2015
Why The League of Conservation Voters Was WRONG To Endorse Hillary Clinton
"...It is the responsibility of organizations like the League of Conservation Voters to push candidates to adopt strong stances, and to help guide the climate movement to elect the leaders we need. However, LCV has cut short the mobilizing process of democratic engagement and endorsed a candidate whose climate platform it knows full well is insufficient...."
Last month, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Action Fund took the unprecedented step of endorsing Hillary Clinton for president, after only one debate between the Democratic candidates and months before the first vote in the Democratic primaries will be cast. That was a big mistake. It’s far too early in this primary for the nation’s most powerful environmental political organization to endorse. In 2004, LCV’s endorsement of John Kerry before the New Hampshire primary was unprecedented in its early timing, but at least came after Kerry’s strong victory in the Iowa caucuses. There is no such defense today. Furthermore, by LCV’s own metrics, Clinton has the weakest environmental record of the Democratic candidates. Bernie Sanders is the highest rated candidate on the LCV scorecard, as well as the scorecard put out by my organization, the Climate Hawks Vote PAC. Martin O’Malley was the first and so far the only candidate to release a comprehensive presidential climate agenda. LCV is a good political organization — one the best in the country working on any issue. The millions of dollars it raises and spends each year and the millions of voters it reaches with a pro-climate message are a crucial bulwark against the radical Republican agenda. Nine times out of 10, the group does great work — but this time it grossly miscalculated.
~snip~
I’ll leave it to others to speculate what, in fact, motivated LCV to endorse Clinton. No matter the reasons, the decision deprived the group of a crucial chance to push her on climate throughout the primary. And its decision made it harder for the rest of the environmental movement to do so too. Not good for the climate, and not good for Clinton. Let’s be clear: Hillary Clinton, like Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley, has the ability to be a powerful climate leader, unlike any of the corrupt and dangerous Republican candidates. But the reality of the climate crisis is uncompromising. Our challenge is to elect fierce, uncompromising climate hawks. LCV has declared Clinton the best despite the fact that she has the weakest, most mixed record on climate and the environment of any of the three candidates. As secretary of state, Clinton promoted the internationalization of fracking and oversaw the State Department’s initial support for the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. The one major climate accomplishment she touts, the Copenhagen Accord, is considered by climate activists to be a huge failure. Clinton is the only candidate with deep ties to the financiers and lobbyists of the fossil-fuel industry, on Wall Street and beyond. Clinton supports the continued exploitation of our nation’s public carbon reserves, while Sanders has introduced legislation that would put an end to fossil-fuel leases on public lands. Sanders and O’Malley actively support the climate divestment movement, while Clinton — whose campaign and super PAC accept funding from fracking investors and fossil-fuel industry lobbyists — has not taken a position.
cont'
http://grist.org/climate-energy/why-the-league-of-conservation-voters-was-wrong-to-endorse-hillary-clinton/
~snip~
I’ll leave it to others to speculate what, in fact, motivated LCV to endorse Clinton. No matter the reasons, the decision deprived the group of a crucial chance to push her on climate throughout the primary. And its decision made it harder for the rest of the environmental movement to do so too. Not good for the climate, and not good for Clinton. Let’s be clear: Hillary Clinton, like Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley, has the ability to be a powerful climate leader, unlike any of the corrupt and dangerous Republican candidates. But the reality of the climate crisis is uncompromising. Our challenge is to elect fierce, uncompromising climate hawks. LCV has declared Clinton the best despite the fact that she has the weakest, most mixed record on climate and the environment of any of the three candidates. As secretary of state, Clinton promoted the internationalization of fracking and oversaw the State Department’s initial support for the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. The one major climate accomplishment she touts, the Copenhagen Accord, is considered by climate activists to be a huge failure. Clinton is the only candidate with deep ties to the financiers and lobbyists of the fossil-fuel industry, on Wall Street and beyond. Clinton supports the continued exploitation of our nation’s public carbon reserves, while Sanders has introduced legislation that would put an end to fossil-fuel leases on public lands. Sanders and O’Malley actively support the climate divestment movement, while Clinton — whose campaign and super PAC accept funding from fracking investors and fossil-fuel industry lobbyists — has not taken a position.
cont'
http://grist.org/climate-energy/why-the-league-of-conservation-voters-was-wrong-to-endorse-hillary-clinton/
December 5, 2015
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren said she’s in no rush to endorse a 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, even if it makes her the only female senator in her party not to back Hillary Clinton. “It’s just not time for me to do that yet,” Warren said last night during a Main Street holiday lighting ceremony in Melrose. Warren was glaringly absent at a Clinton fundraiser earlier this week in which 13 of the 14 Democratic women of the U.S. Senate backed the former U.S. secretary of state.
Warren’s endorsement — representing the progressive base of the party that Clinton has feverishly been courting — could be a game-changer in the showdown between Clinton and Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders. Asked when she thinks she might make an endorsement of any candidate, Warren was noncommittal: “I don’t know.” But she rejected the idea that Sanders is losing popularity, as Clinton holds on to a large lead in the national polls.
cont'
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/2015/12/elizabeth_warren_not_ready_to_endorse_a_presidential_candidate
Elizabeth Warren Not Ready To Endorse A Presidential Candidate But Says Sanders TALKS FROM THE HEART
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren said she’s in no rush to endorse a 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, even if it makes her the only female senator in her party not to back Hillary Clinton. “It’s just not time for me to do that yet,” Warren said last night during a Main Street holiday lighting ceremony in Melrose. Warren was glaringly absent at a Clinton fundraiser earlier this week in which 13 of the 14 Democratic women of the U.S. Senate backed the former U.S. secretary of state.
Warren’s endorsement — representing the progressive base of the party that Clinton has feverishly been courting — could be a game-changer in the showdown between Clinton and Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders. Asked when she thinks she might make an endorsement of any candidate, Warren was noncommittal: “I don’t know.” But she rejected the idea that Sanders is losing popularity, as Clinton holds on to a large lead in the national polls.
“Bernie is doing what Bernie always does — he’s out there talking from the heart, raising the issues that he’s raised for decades now,” said Warren. “That’s just who he is.”
cont'
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/2015/12/elizabeth_warren_not_ready_to_endorse_a_presidential_candidate
December 5, 2015
We already examined Clinton’s biggest super PAC supporters earlier this week, Priorities USA Action and Ready PAC, plus her official campaign PAC. Now we’re going to dive deeper into the dark money supporting Clinton: the money in groups that don’t have to disclose their donors, and the money that moves from those groups to super PACs that support Clinton.
The groups we’re looking at here are all founded by David Brock, a Clinton enemy-turned-ally who runs a number of liberal super PACs and nonprofits. Some of these groups are directly supporting her; others aren’t, but have donated to the groups that do support her. In addition to the groups we’ve outlined here, Brock is also on the board of Priorities USA, and he’s president of a group called the American Independent Institute, which funds “individual journalism projects, with an emphasis on exposing the nexus of conservative power in Washington.” Just a few weeks ago, Brock bought the progressive news site Blue Nation Review, which will now be headed by Peter Daou, Clinton’s former digital strategist and founder of the Hillary Men project. In 2014, Brock became chairman of the board of the ethics watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), which is now located at the same offices as all the groups listed below.
All the groups listed below are located in the same offices: 455 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. For this post, we used Sunlight’s Real-Time Influence Explorer, which allows you to view campaign filings as soon as they hit the Federal Election Commission. We also looked at various groups’ IRS 990 forms, which often only become available more than a year after they’re filed.
cont'
http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2015/12/03/behind-the-clinton-campaign-dark-money-allies/
Behind The Clinton Campaign: DARK MONEY ALLIES
"....there’s still a lot we don’t know about these groups’ finances: We won’t have the relevant FEC filings for the second half of 2015 until January. And the 501(c)(4) nonprofits involved in the campaign won’t file 990 forms covering this cycle until likely 2017, well after voters have cast their votes. Even then, we still won’t know who donated to those groups because 501(c)(4)s don’t have to disclose their donors. And while the FEC is gridlocked, any enforcement action is unlikely. All of this leaves voters in the dark about exactly who is spending some pretty big money to support Hillary Clinton..."
We already examined Clinton’s biggest super PAC supporters earlier this week, Priorities USA Action and Ready PAC, plus her official campaign PAC. Now we’re going to dive deeper into the dark money supporting Clinton: the money in groups that don’t have to disclose their donors, and the money that moves from those groups to super PACs that support Clinton.
The groups we’re looking at here are all founded by David Brock, a Clinton enemy-turned-ally who runs a number of liberal super PACs and nonprofits. Some of these groups are directly supporting her; others aren’t, but have donated to the groups that do support her. In addition to the groups we’ve outlined here, Brock is also on the board of Priorities USA, and he’s president of a group called the American Independent Institute, which funds “individual journalism projects, with an emphasis on exposing the nexus of conservative power in Washington.” Just a few weeks ago, Brock bought the progressive news site Blue Nation Review, which will now be headed by Peter Daou, Clinton’s former digital strategist and founder of the Hillary Men project. In 2014, Brock became chairman of the board of the ethics watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), which is now located at the same offices as all the groups listed below.
All the groups listed below are located in the same offices: 455 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. For this post, we used Sunlight’s Real-Time Influence Explorer, which allows you to view campaign filings as soon as they hit the Federal Election Commission. We also looked at various groups’ IRS 990 forms, which often only become available more than a year after they’re filed.
cont'
http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2015/12/03/behind-the-clinton-campaign-dark-money-allies/
December 4, 2015
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) suggested on Friday that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel may need to resign amid the raging controversy over how city officials handled the release of videotape showing the police killing of Laquan McDonald, a 17-year-old African-American shot 16 times by white police officer Jason Van Dyke. Though Van Dyke killed McDonald in October 2014, the video of their encounter wasn't made public until last month, after a Cook County judge ordered its release. Emanuel's critics allege that he squashed release of the video to prevent a politically calamitous flare-up ahead of his campaign for a second term as mayor. He ultimately prevailed in his re-election bid after winning an April runoff election.
In a statement Friday, Sanders joined fellow Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Martin O'Malley in urging a federal inquiry into the Chicago Police Department's practices. But Sanders went a step further by calling for "any official who helped suppress the videotape of Laquan McDonald's murder [to] be held accountable." While Sanders didn't mention Emanuel by name, he added, "[A]ny elected official with knowledge that the tape was being suppressed or improperly withheld should resign. No one should be shielded by power or position."
Emanuel remains adamant that he won't resign, saying on Wednesday, "We have a process called the election. The voters spoke. I'll be held accountable for the decisions and actions that I make." But the pressure on the mayor is unlikely to let up anytime soon. Emanuel sought to deflect further attacks on his administration with his stunning firing on Tuesday of police chief Garry McCarthy, citing "the undeniable fact that the public trust in the leadership of the department has been shaken and eroded." Yet McCarthy's departure has only redoubled the focus on Emanuel, and the mayor faced a new headache by Wednesday, when former State's Attorney Anita Alvarez denied that her office had blocked release of the McDonald video, as city officials had maintained in explaining the year-long delay.
Absent explosive new revelations, it's unlikely Clinton will join Sanders in implying Emanuel may need to go. The mayor has longstanding ties to the Clinton family, dating to his tenure as an aide in President Bill Clinton's White House. Last year, as Clinton promoted her State Department memoir Hard Choices in Chicago, Emanuel interviewed her for a question-and-answer session filled with friendly banter. It is notable, however, that in calling for a federal civil rights investigation of the Chicago Police Department, Clinton is starkly at odds with Emanuel, who has come out against such an inquiry.
cont'
http://mic.com/articles/129773/bernie-sanders-just-took-the-boldest-stance-of-any-candidate-on-the-laquan-mc-donald-case#.xU3FxeRJi
Bernie Sanders Just Took the BOLDEST STANCE Of Any Candidate On The Laquan McDonald Case
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) suggested on Friday that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel may need to resign amid the raging controversy over how city officials handled the release of videotape showing the police killing of Laquan McDonald, a 17-year-old African-American shot 16 times by white police officer Jason Van Dyke. Though Van Dyke killed McDonald in October 2014, the video of their encounter wasn't made public until last month, after a Cook County judge ordered its release. Emanuel's critics allege that he squashed release of the video to prevent a politically calamitous flare-up ahead of his campaign for a second term as mayor. He ultimately prevailed in his re-election bid after winning an April runoff election.
In a statement Friday, Sanders joined fellow Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Martin O'Malley in urging a federal inquiry into the Chicago Police Department's practices. But Sanders went a step further by calling for "any official who helped suppress the videotape of Laquan McDonald's murder [to] be held accountable." While Sanders didn't mention Emanuel by name, he added, "[A]ny elected official with knowledge that the tape was being suppressed or improperly withheld should resign. No one should be shielded by power or position."
Emanuel remains adamant that he won't resign, saying on Wednesday, "We have a process called the election. The voters spoke. I'll be held accountable for the decisions and actions that I make." But the pressure on the mayor is unlikely to let up anytime soon. Emanuel sought to deflect further attacks on his administration with his stunning firing on Tuesday of police chief Garry McCarthy, citing "the undeniable fact that the public trust in the leadership of the department has been shaken and eroded." Yet McCarthy's departure has only redoubled the focus on Emanuel, and the mayor faced a new headache by Wednesday, when former State's Attorney Anita Alvarez denied that her office had blocked release of the McDonald video, as city officials had maintained in explaining the year-long delay.
Absent explosive new revelations, it's unlikely Clinton will join Sanders in implying Emanuel may need to go. The mayor has longstanding ties to the Clinton family, dating to his tenure as an aide in President Bill Clinton's White House. Last year, as Clinton promoted her State Department memoir Hard Choices in Chicago, Emanuel interviewed her for a question-and-answer session filled with friendly banter. It is notable, however, that in calling for a federal civil rights investigation of the Chicago Police Department, Clinton is starkly at odds with Emanuel, who has come out against such an inquiry.
cont'
http://mic.com/articles/129773/bernie-sanders-just-took-the-boldest-stance-of-any-candidate-on-the-laquan-mc-donald-case#.xU3FxeRJi
Profile Information
Member since: Tue May 13, 2008, 03:07 AMNumber of posts: 14,923
