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Segami

Segami's Journal
Segami's Journal
December 26, 2015

Hillary Clinton’s ‘Secret Weapon’ Could ESCALATE Campaign Rhetoric

A new and more combative phase of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign opens next month when she sends her husband out to stump for her in important early states. Waiting for him will be businessman Donald Trump, the Republican front-runner. The former president has been a low-key figure since Mrs. Clinton entered the race for the Democratic nomination in April, offering private advice and helping her raise money at closed-door fundraisers. In January, the campaign intends to showcase him in public forums in Iowa and New Hampshire, two states where the front-runner is locked in a tight race against Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Speaking to supporters recently, Mrs. Clinton described her husband as a “secret weapon.”

Throwing Mr. Clinton into the mix could further escalate the rhetoric between the Trump and Clinton campaigns. In the 2008 presidential race, the former president would bristle at criticism directed at his wife and got in hot water when he suggested Barack Obama’s victory in the South Carolina primary was less significant because of the large African-American vote. This past week saw back-and-forth volleys over whether comments Mr. Trump made about Mrs. Clinton were sexist. He said Mr. Obama “schlonged” her in the 2008 race and said her brief absence from a recent Democratic debate stage, when she was reportedly using the restroom, was “disgusting.” In an interview with the Des Moines Register, Mrs. Clinton said Mr. Trump has “demonstrated a penchant for sexism.” That drew a response from Mr. Trump on Twitter: “Hillary, when you complain about ‘a penchant for sexism,’ who are you referring to. I have great respect for women.’ ” In capital letters he then wrote, “BE CAREFUL!”

~snip~

“Hillary Clinton has some nerve to talk about the war on women and the bigotry toward women when she has a serious problem in her husband,” Ms. Pierson told CNN. Representatives for Mr. Clinton and the Clinton campaign declined to comment.

Mrs. Clinton holds a commanding lead among Democrats nationally, but polling shows the contests in Iowa and New Hampshire are up for grabs. Losses in both states could potentially alter the dynamics of a race she is dominating. In a conference call with supporters this past week, Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta said that Mrs. Clinton was in a “dog fight” in New Hampshire.

“Her greatest fear is she loses both,” said Douglas Schoen, a pollster and consultant who has advised Mr. Clinton. “Then, even though she is still on a path to win the nomination, there would be complete chaos.”



cont'

http://www.wsj.com/articles/hillary-clintons-secret-weapon-could-escalate-campaign-rhetoric-1451082017


December 26, 2015

The Sanders Campaign Is Taking Its FIGHT With The DNC To The Next Level


"....Clinton accepted the mea culpa and said she agreed on an independent inquiry. However, the Sanders adviser said the DNC is blocking efforts to review the matter.

“We have demanded a full investigation from top to bottom,” the adviser said. “Hillary Clinton agreed to it in the debate Saturday, and the DNC continues to stonewall a full investigation....”




The dustup over a data breach that briefly erupted in the Democratic presidential primary last week isn’t over as far as Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and his team are concerned. In a conversation with Yahoo News, a top Sanders campaign adviser made a series of explosive allegations about how the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and a political technology company that works with the party handled the incident. According to the Sanders adviser, the DNC and NGP VAN, a firm that has a contract with the party organization to operate a voter file, have responded to the data breach by “leaking information” and “stonewalling an investigation” into the matter.

“We have demanded a full investigation from top to bottom,” the Sanders adviser said.

Sanders’ adviser noted that a lawsuit the campaign filed in federal court about the data breach last Friday, Dec. 18, is still ongoing, and described it as an attempt to get answers despite the party’s lack of cooperation. According to a blog post published by NGP VAN, the data breach occurred on Wednesday, Dec. 16. The company said it involved a “bug” in the software NGP provides to the DNC. NGP VAN software is used by the DNC to operate a massive file of voter data that is shared by the party and all of the Democratic presidential campaigns. Both campaigns also rely on NGP to store their private files. The data in the shared and private files is essentially the lifeblood of a modern presidential campaign. It includes information vital to campaigns’ day-to-day organizing and strategy, including potential supporters they are targeting and how many voters they expect to turn out in key primary states.

Because of the software issue, members of the Sanders campaign were able to access information that belonged to Hillary Clinton’s campaign. On Dec. 17, news of the incident broke and the Sanders campaign announced it had fired its national data director, Josh Uretsky, for taking advantage of the breach to access data belonging to Clinton. The top Sanders adviser told Yahoo News one of the remaining concerns is that Uretsky was recommended to the campaign by people with ties to the DNC and NGP VAN. “It’s not as if we conjured this guy Josh from thin air. This is an individual … who was recommended to us by the DNC and NGP VAN,” the adviser said. According to the adviser, one of the references that Uretsky gave when he applied to work with the campaign was the DNC’s National Data Director Andrew Brown, who works closely with the shared voter file program. “Andrew Brown spoke to us and gave him a positive review, as did this guy Bryan Whitaker,” the adviser said. The adviser identified Whitaker as the COO of NGP VAN. Whitaker is no longer with the company. His LinkedIn page lists Whitaker as having left the firm for a job at another political data company in August of this year. Uretsky’s LinkedIn says he began working on the Sanders campaign in September.

The Sanders adviser described the fact Uretsky was recommended to the campaign by people with links to the DNC as astonishing in light of what happened. Specifically, the adviser pointed out that the campaign was slammed by Clinton’s team for the breach and punished by the DNC.

“I just think it’s utter hypocrisy on their part,” said the adviser. “I mean here we are being attacked for the behavior of an individual, which we ultimately fired. We agree he acted improperly, but it’s just amazing to me that this … individual that actually caused this trouble in our campaign was recommended by these guys.”


The adviser suggested the DNC and NGP VAN are “ignoring their own responsibility,” arguing that Uretsky’s references from people linked to the party and the company show both the DNC and NGP VAN “bear responsibility” for the incident. The world of progressive political consulting is a small one, and, as in other professions, it’s common for people to provide recommendations for those in their network. Still, given what happened with the breach, the adviser suggested Brown’s recommendation of Uretsky could be evidence of a conspiracy. “I don’t know how you can more centrally connect this thing than those two entities,” the adviser explained. “Here we are being attacked by both of those entities when, in fact, they recommended this guy to the campaign.” Though Sanders’ team has not denied there was wrongdoing by members of its staff, it has objected to the fact Clinton’s team went public with its concerns. Sanders’ campaign also has described the DNC’s decision to close it out of the shared file as draconian and part of a pattern that shows the party is unfairly working to help protect Clinton’s frontrunner status in the primary. According to the adviser it was ”outrageous” the Clinton campaign was given the audit logs that it showed to the media and Sanders’ team was not. The adviser said these logs were unquestionably given to the Clinton campaign by NGP VAN or the DNC.



cont'

https://www.yahoo.com/politics/the-sanders-campaign-is-taking-their-fight-with-200738611.html
December 25, 2015

The Des Moines Register LTTE- To Iowa: Sanders CAN WIN If You Help Him Succeed


THE DES MOINES REGISTER

Letter To The Editor

December 25th, 2015



To Iowa: Sanders can win if you help him succeed

Iowa: You might very well hold the future of our country in your hands, so I’m asking you to believe, one more time, that you can actually make a difference. Believe that we don’t have to have the same political game where politicians tell the people what they want to hear and then pass laws for the 1 percent. We’ve had enough lies, and you can feel that people are sick and tired of the game.

There are only two unscripted candidates — Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. Please defy the pundits, the pronouncements from mainstream media, and the powers that be and vote for the person you would really like to see in the White House.

I understand the appeal of Trump, but Sanders’ message is to our better nature, and his words explain real policies that will help real people. Just as importantly, we really, really know what we will get. He has been in office for years, and his message has not changed. He won’t support trade deals that undermine U.S. manufacturing jobs and environmental rules. He’ll work to make college available to everyone. He’ll work tirelessly for a living wage for all, because you should be able to support your family.

Iowans, please vote with your heart, not for the person that everyone says can win. Because if you do vote for Sanders, he might just win.



— Jamie Wagner,

St. Louis, Mo.


http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/readers/caucus/2015/12/25/iowa-sanders-can-win-if-you-help-him-succeed/77511828/
December 24, 2015

Bernie Sanders "VERY DISTURBED" By Plans To DEPORT Central American families




Bernie Sanders on Thursday said he is “very disturbed” that the Department of Homeland Security is considering plans to commence large-scale raids to deport Central American families that have come into the U.S. seeking refuge.

“I am very disturbed by reports that the government may commence raids to deport families who have fled here to escape violence in Central America,” he Democratic presidential candidate said in a statement released by his campaign.

DHS’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement team could begin executing its raids next month, targeting hundreds children and adults who have been ordered to leave the U.S. by an immigration judge, if not more, according to a Washington Post report.

“Our nation has always been a beacon of hope, a refuge for the oppressed,” Sanders continued. “We cannot turn our backs on that essential element of who we are as a nation. We need to take steps to protect children and families seeking refuge here, not cast them out.”


Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley also denounced the proposal Thursday.


http://www.politico.com/story/2015/12/deport-bernie-sanders-central-america-217128




December 24, 2015

15 Fundamental DIFFERENCES Between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton

Over at Huffington Post, political writer Brian Hanley contrasts the fundamental differences between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. I often hear people stating that there is little difference between the two major democratic candidates. That’s not true. There are vast differences in policy between the two candidates. Brian Hanley has compiled a list of fifteen major differences which he is sharing. I don’t think he would mind my passing them along to you as he is obviously ‘feeling the bern’


15 Fundamental Differences Between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton


1. Sanders has served as an elected official for over 34 years. Clinton has not.

2. Sanders has supported gay rights since 40 years ago. Clinton has not.

3. Sanders wants to end the prohibition of marijuana. Clinton does not.

4. Sanders wants to end the death penalty. Clinton does not.

5. Sanders wants to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Clinton does not.

6. Sanders wants to break up the biggest banks. Clinton does not.

7. Sanders voted against the Wall Street bailout. Clinton did not.

8. Sanders introduced legislation to overturn Citizens United. Clinton did not.

9. Sanders refuses to accept money from super PACs. Clinton does not.

10. Sanders supports a single-payer healthcare system. Clinton does not.

11. Sanders refrains from waging personal attacks for political gains. Clinton does not.

12. Sanders considers climate change our nation's biggest threat. Clinton does not.

13. Sanders opposed the Keystone XL Pipeline since day one. Clinton did not.

14. Sanders voted against the Patriot Act. Clinton did not.

15. Sanders voted against the war in Iraq. Clinton did not.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brian-hanley/15-fundamental-difference_b_8845540.html


I will also add the differences in their support of the TPP. Bernie has lead the opposition to the TPP, while Hillary has been a major supporter until just a couple of months ago.


http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/12/24/1463322/-15-Fundamental-Differences-Between-Bernie-Sanders-and-Hillary-Clinton



ps- Print this cheat list and keep it around your dinner table throughout this Festive week to discuss with your republican relatives.....lol!
December 24, 2015

WAPO: A Political BOMB Is About To Blow Up In The Democrats’ Faces

This scoop from Jerry Markon and David Nakamura is going to scramble the politics of immigration in the presidential race, and it may create more problems for Democrats than for Republicans:

The Department of Homeland Security has begun preparing for a series of raids that would target for deportation hundreds of families who have flocked to the United States since the start of last year, according to people familiar with the operation.

The nationwide campaign, to be carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as soon as early January, would be the first large-scale effort to deport families who have fled violence in Central America, those familiar with the plan said. More than 100,000 families with both adults and children have made the journey across the southwest border since last year, though this migration has largely been overshadowed by a related surge of unaccompanied minors.

The ICE operation would target only adults and children who have already been ordered removed from the United States by an immigration judge, according to officials familiar with the undertaking…The adults and children would be detained wherever they can be found and immediately deported. The number targeted is expected to be in the hundreds and possibly greater.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/us-plans-raids-to-deport-families-who-surged-across-border/2015/12/23/034fc954-a9bd-11e5-8058-480b572b4aae_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_immigration-920pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory



Read the rest for the details, but the short version is that there has been vigorous internal debate inside the Obama administration about this policy, and it has not been signed off on officially. The administration has long signaled that families crossing over illegally who do not qualify for asylum will be deported. But advocates have been urging the administration to treat these migrants as refugees, because experts believe that violence in Central America is a key reason for their efforts to cross the southern border.

In a preview of more to come, a leading immigration advocate, Frank Sharry of America’s Voice, told me that there will be intense pressure on the Democratic presidential candidates — particularly likely nominee Hillary Clinton — to denounce the new policy. Sharry pointed out that this could force Clinton to decide whether to align with immigration advocates and Latinos, as she’s been doing in hopes of winning the Latino vote by a huge margin in the general election, which would mean breaking with the Obama administration and adopting a position that Republicans will attack as weak on immigration enforcement.

“This will be a political nightmare for the Democrats,” Sharry told me. “The specter of raids picking up families and sending them back to violent countries is going to put Hillary Clinton in a difficult position. She’ll have to choose between protecting refugees from Central America, a demand of the Latino community, or standing with the law-and-order position of Obama and Republicans.”


Clinton has faced a similar predicament before. In 2014, when the crisis of unaccompanied children crossing the border dominated the news, Clinton triggered an outcry from immigration advocates when she suggested that they should be “sent back.” Clinton subsequently clarified her position, arguing that the process should be improved so those children who are genuine refugees would be recognized and treated as such. But the episode called into question whether Clinton can take Latino support for granted.



cont'

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2015/12/24/a-political-bomb-is-about-to-blow-up-in-the-democrats-faces/
December 24, 2015

Bernie Sanders Newday CNN FULL Interview.



Bernie Sanders Newday CNN FULL Interview.
December 24, 2015

CBS This Morning: Trump WARNS Clinton to "Be Careful" After Sexism Charge



Hillary Clinton is using Donald Trump’s own words to rally female support for her presidential campaign. She referred to his "sexism" after he used a vulgar term to describe her 2008 primary loss. Trump came back with a warning on Twitter, telling Clinton to "be careful as you play the war on women card." He later tweeted, “I have great respect for women" and again told her to “BE CAREFUL!” Julianna Goldman reports.





MSNBC Panel WARNS Hillary: 'Be Careful' With Donald Trump




Morning Joe panel warns Hillary Clinton about her charges of sexism.
December 24, 2015

Bernie Sanders RALLY Chicago



Bernie Sanders Rally Chicago last one before Holidays

December 24, 2015

Bernie Sanders RALLY Chicago



Bernie Sanders Rally Chicago last one before Holidays

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