We Sanders supporters need to recognize that his brand is damaged now

[Tom Rinaldo]

96. You are right. She did build those relationships over many years. She earned them

She deserves full credit for that. Hillary was always present, on and off camera, and she always maintained open warm lines of communication. Hillary backed her inclusive message with ongoing relationships that legitimately fostered loyalty.

Hillary has been a leading national figure since 1992, which provided her with a natural vehicle to establish a national web of personal relationships, but not everyone in her position would have followed through and sincerely done so as consistently as she did. For much of that time Bernie was a congressman in a small mostly rural and largely white state. Hillary was in her fourth national campaign in 2016, Bernie was in his first. Bernie had some ties to leaders within the Black community, such as to Jessie Jackson who he endorsed for President when he ran, one of precious few white politicians at the time to do so. Sanders seems on good terms with Reverend Al, Ben Chavis campaigned for him etc, but I absolutely agree that Sanders "didn't have long-term relationships with community leaders, congressional, and local reps, as Clinton had." Not anywhere to the same extent.

I also agree that Bernie was stubborn in his own messaging about race issues in America, in that he always hesitated to give it as unique and prominent a focus as it deserved which left him vulnerable to unfair accusations against him. In my opinion Hillary showed some weakness in how she articulated and sold her economic justice message, though she always was a committed advocate of it. In an odd inverse way, Bernie had the same type of weakness in how he articulated his racial justice message, though it has always been a core part of his personal principles also.