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frazzled

(18,402 posts)
5. In what way did the DNC favor Hillary?
Mon Nov 28, 2016, 03:37 PM
Nov 2016

Kurt Eichenwald debunked that myth quite effectively in his post-election Newsweek piece.

The Myth of the All-Powerful Democratic National Committee

Easily the most ridiculous argument this year was that the DNC was some sort of monolith that orchestrated the nomination of Hillary Clinton against the will of “the people.” This was immensely popular with the Bernie-or-Busters, those who declared themselves unwilling to vote for Clinton under any circumstances because the Democratic primary had been rigged (and how many of these people laughed when Trump started moaning about election rigging?). ...

Start with this: The DNC, just like the Republican National Committee, is an impotent organization with very little power. It is composed of the chair and vice chair of the Democratic parties of each state, along with over 200 members elected by Democrats. What it does is fundraise, organize the Democratic National Convention and put together the party platform. It handles some organizational activity but tries to hold down its expenditures during the primaries; it has no authority to coordinate spending with any candidate until the party’s nominee is selected. ...

The first big criticism this year was that the DNC had sponsored “only” six debates between Clinton and Bernie Sanders in some sort of conspiracy to impede the Vermont senator. This rage was built on ignorance: The DNC at first announced it would sponsor six debates in 2016, just as it had in 2008 and 2004. ... Still, in the face of rage by Sanders supporters, the number of DNC-sponsored debates went up to nine—more than have been held in almost 30 years. Plans for a 10th one, scheduled for May 24, were abandoned after it became mathematically impossible for Sanders to win the nomination.

Notice that these were only DNC-sponsored debates. There were also 13 forums, sponsored by other organizations. So that’s 22 debates and forums, of which 14 were only for two candidates, Clinton and Sanders. Compare that with 2008: there were 17 debates and forums with between six and eight candidates; only six with two candidates, less than half the number in 2016.

Next, the infamous hack of DNC emails that “proved” the organization had its thumb on the scale for Clinton. Perhaps nothing has been more frustrating for people in the politics business to address, because the conspiracy is based on ignorance. Almost every email that set off the “rigged” accusations was from May 2016. (One was in late April; I’ll address that below.) Even in the most ridiculous of dream worlds, Sanders could not have possibly won the nomination after May 3—at that point, he needed 984 more pledged delegates, but there were only 933 available in the remaining contests. ...

Sanders voters proclaimed that superdelegates, elected officials and party regulars who controlled thousands of votes, could flip their support and instead vote for the candidate with the fewest votes. In other words, they wanted the party to overthrow the will of the majority of voters.

More at: http://www.newsweek.com/myths-cost-democrats-presidential-election-521044


Bernie Sanders was treated with kid gloves and all the respect due any candidate, and rules were not changed with respect to any recent Democratic primaries. Do you believe the RNC favored Donald Trump among its 16 candidates?
I don't accept the notion that Sanders "split the party...." mike_c Nov 2016 #1
You're welcomed to not accepting it.. JHan Nov 2016 #2
He lost the primary. He got over it. Some of his voters didn't. LisaL Nov 2016 #18
to be fair, the corrupt DNC chairperson had her thumb on the scale.... mike_c Nov 2016 #19
Why didn't Sanders move like Obama in 2008? Oh right, Obama prepared himself.. JHan Nov 2016 #22
yeah well, one thing we do know with certainty... mike_c Nov 2016 #24
Bingo! sfwriter Nov 2016 #29
I recommend you take a look at Kurt Eichenwald's post mortem in Newsweek emulatorloo Nov 2016 #28
I've read it... mike_c Nov 2016 #30
No, he's disaffected with BoB's. As you know most Bernie primary supporters aren't BoB's emulatorloo Nov 2016 #33
I think you really underestimate just how many/much people disliked Hillary, and it wasn't all from jmg257 Nov 2016 #3
Agreed, also sexism. JHan Nov 2016 #8
I didn't like Comey's stunts back in July or whenever and I didn't appreciate two weeks before.. JHan Nov 2016 #10
Agreed...he chose to inject himself is a great way to put it. jmg257 Nov 2016 #13
I agree on everything heaven05 Nov 2016 #4
In what way did the DNC favor Hillary? frazzled Nov 2016 #5
I agree with him on the basic facts but there was the appearance of favoritism.. JHan Nov 2016 #7
Can you explain what you mean by "appearance" frazzled Nov 2016 #9
I mostly gathered it from people's perception of it .. whether true or not.. JHan Nov 2016 #12
Yet all those things you mention have been debunked as provably false frazzled Nov 2016 #14
I agree ...no arguments from me. JHan Nov 2016 #15
Donna Brazile fed at least one debate question on Flint to Hillary. Qutzupalotl Nov 2016 #11
Recommended. Very well written, and I agree with much of your analysis. guillaumeb Nov 2016 #6
thanks :) JHan Nov 2016 #17
Very thoughtful and well written........ suston96 Nov 2016 #16
Dude, his economics didn't add up for you. And I'm pretty sure Sanders JCanete Nov 2016 #20
I'm not a dude. JHan Nov 2016 #21
Sorry about the "dude" thing. I'm not questioning your motives, I'm saying that I think that JCanete Nov 2016 #23
Oh I think it's worth discussing though.. JHan Nov 2016 #27
Brazile's granted, minor bias towards a candidate hardly turned the primaries. It is simply JCanete Nov 2016 #35
Sanders is an alt-left whiner. radius777 Nov 2016 #25
JHan - thank you for the honest introspection Red Oak Nov 2016 #26
Thanks Red Oak :) JHan Nov 2016 #31
Those were my reservations as well (though whiner is a bit cruel ;) ) JHan Nov 2016 #32
You said... ms liberty Nov 2016 #34
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