This message was self-deleted by its author

[Tom Rinaldo]

44. Nice rry, but... gong

"at the same time that he dismissed Ossoff as "not a progressive" (afterward admitting he hadn't bothered to even check)"

Sanders literally passed on proclaiming who is and is not progressive regarding Ossoff. He made no such dismissal.

"When asked Wednesday whether Ossoff is a progressive, Sanders said to the Wall Street Journal: "I don't know."

"If you run as a Democrat, you're a Democrat. ... Some Democrats are progressive and some Democrats are not," he said."

He could have handled that impromptu question better but Sanders proclaimed nothing. That is the opposite of passing judgement.

Later he did this:

"Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) endorsed Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff on Friday after he took criticism for refusing to call the candidate in the high-profile House election "progressive."

"Let me be very clear. It is imperative that Jon Ossoff be elected congressman from Georgia's 6th District and that Democrats take back the U.S. House," Sanders said in the statement released by his political office.

"I applaud the energy and grassroots activism in Jon's campaign. His victory would be an important step forward in fighting back against Trump's reactionary agenda."

While the statement puts Sanders behind Ossoff in his bid against Republican Karen Handel, Sanders didn't reverse earlier comments about Ossoff that drew ire from national Democrats. "
http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/329927-sanders-endorses-ossoff-but-wont-call-him-a-progressive