Sen. Reid Calls for People to 'Lay Off' Bernie Sanders
Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS
BY ERICA WERNER
AP CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday that people should "lay off" Bernie Sanders, sending a message to restive Democrats increasingly anxious to see the party unite behind Hillary Clinton.
Reid is personally close with the Vermont independent senator and presidential hopeful. Last week he disclosed that he'd spoken with Sanders to voice concerns about unruly protests by Sanders supporters at the Nevada state Democratic convention, and subsequently voiced his disappointment over a defiant statement Sanders issued in response.
On Tuesday Reid had a different message, signaling to fellow Democrats that pressuring Sanders is not the way to go.
"I've had conversations with Bernie, he's a good person, he's doing his best to effectuate what he believes in, and I have no criticism of Bernie at this stage," Reid said.
Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_DEM_2016_SANDERS_REID?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-05-24-16-39-57
LiberalArkie
(15,731 posts)JonLeibowitz
(6,282 posts)Betty Karlson
(7,231 posts)lewebley3
(3,412 posts)Betty Karlson
(7,231 posts)bjo59
(1,166 posts)doors to come up with some sort of plan to "contain" Bernie or "reel back in" Bernie supporters or something like that? Apparently they all chose Reid to do something about it (at least that's what the news article that I read said).
notadmblnd
(23,720 posts)How Senate Democrats are trying to deal with Sanders
By Alexander Bolton - 05/19/16 06:00 AM EDT
The burn it down attitude, the upping the ante, everything we saw in that statement released [Tuesday] by the campaign seems to be coming form Sanders himself. Right from the top, wrote Josh Marshall, a prominent left-leaning journalist, who cited multiple highly knowledgeable, highly placed people.
Democratic senators have given Sanders a wide berth so far, treading carefully on the question of whether he should drop out of the race due to Clintons overwhelming delegate lead.
But patience is beginning to wear thin.
Colleagues are growing more frustrated that an independent whom they welcomed as one of their own into the caucus is now wrecking havoc in the party. http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/280445-how-senate-democrats-are-trying-to-deal-with-sanders
jomin41
(559 posts)"Patience is beginning to wear thin" We the people know about that. We're so scared.
notadmblnd
(23,720 posts)passiveporcupine
(8,175 posts)to try to make Bernie look like he supports violence. It's a Brock meme.
rpannier
(24,345 posts)They knew they couldn't beat him in VT so they gave up that idea
LIEberman said and did worse things while campaigning for McCain and they (Democratic Senators) pretty much shut up about that
modestybl
(458 posts)... Bernie Sanders will be the winner this year, regardless of who gets to be POTUS..
billhicks76
(5,082 posts)They should be nicer to Bernie because he ran as a Democrat. They say he should stay out of the party? Are they insane? If he ran as an independent Hillary would have no chance in the general and Trump would maybe lose to Bernie not her. And drop out??? Hillary can't win enough pledged delegates to secure the nomination even if she is ahead. It will be too close anyway. With 250 pledged delegates separating them now with CA and the remaining states that lead could become razor thin.
billhicks76
(5,082 posts)Virgin Islands has 7 delegates. Puerto Rico has 60. South Dakota has 20. North Dakota 18. New Jersey 126. Montana 21. California 475. Washington DC 20. That's 747 delegates. Bernie has 1448 now and Hillary 1750. That a lead of 301. To tie Bernie would need to win 524 to 223. Improbable maybe but it could certainly happen. That would be 69.9% to 30.1%. She still doesn't have enough to secure the number agreed to to get the nomination before the convention. That's a fact.
samson212
(83 posts)According to the green papers, Clinton has 1,770 pledged delegates, Sanders has 1,500, and 781 remain. That's a gap of 270. To tie, Bernie would need 526 / 781 = 67. 3%. Not to nitpick, or anything.
Your conclusion is basically correct, though. In order to win before the convention, Hillary would need to pick up another 613 delegates, which comes to about 78.5% of the remaining delegates. So, it's possible. Seems pretty unlikely.
Jackie Wilson Said
(4,176 posts)Harry knows Bernie knows that as bad as Hillary is compared to him on some stuff, Drumpf is so bad there wont be a country to argue about if he gets in.
JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)Bernie polled 86% support from Democrats in Vermont in the presidential primary.
Harry needs people like that in the Senate.
Chicago1980
(1,968 posts)Who else was Bernie going to vote with, the republicans?
Number23
(24,544 posts)a week or two ago to voice his concerns with how off the rails the Sanders campaign has become and in response, Sanders released that universally panned press release where he basically blamed "enthusiasm" for supporters' behavior and conveniently mentioned the bullet that was found in his office four months ago.
I know that other Dems, including Durbin, have has also tried to reason with Sanders lately. Now, with lots of moves being made to gently (but definitely) ease Sanders out of the race, suddenly Reid, who just a week or so ago was dismayed by the Sanders campaign, is now telling people to back off of Sanders. It seems pretty clear to me that this is all a part of the charm offensive to calm his supporters the hell down and get Sanders out of the race. And I think it's pretty clever.
cui bono
(19,926 posts)And your cute use of "enthusiasm" is completely unwarranted. We all know the chair incident was a lie and that Lange corrupted the democratic process by stifling the people's votes. The campaigns that are "off the rails" are the ones who use SuperPacs to hire internet trolls and the ones who belong to a TV reality show actor.
And when you say people try to "reason with Sanders" what you are really saying is the establishment is trying to figure out how to get him to stop giving the people a reason to believe they really can have a govt that represents them rather than continually having to choose between two candidates who will both toe the corporate line.
It is truly amazing how many people simply do not want a democratic process and do not want a candidate who is obviously the only one who is not beholden to big money. This is what the Democratic Party is supposed to be about but unfortunately Bill Clinton corrupted it with corporate money by embracing the DLC.
.
hopemountain
(3,919 posts)Dustlawyer
(10,499 posts)samson212
(83 posts)Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)bvar22
(39,909 posts)I agree 100%.
Koch Brothers money helped get Bill Clinton elected.
Koch Industries gave funding to the DLC and served on its Executive Council
http://americablog.com/2010/08/koch-industries-gave-funding-to-the-dlc-and-served-on-its-executive-council.html
BeyondGeography
(39,390 posts)You're right, which makes the usual people angry.
Number23
(24,544 posts)Supporting a candidate who is not only losing the campaign but his integrity and reputation along the way is clearly very upsetting.
elleng
(131,255 posts)"I've had conversations with Bernie, he's a good person, he's doing his best to effectuate what he believes in, and I have no criticism of Bernie at this stage," Reid said.
Bjornsdotter
(6,123 posts)And they tell him it is not working.
Jester Messiah
(4,711 posts)AntiBank
(1,339 posts)JonLeibowitz
(6,282 posts)Fortunately reading the article rectified that misunderstanding.
Nirgendwo
(32 posts)NO chairs were thrown. None. Nada. I'd be happy if they'd just stop the lying. At this stage in the 2008 primary season, Hills was refusing to concede to Obama's lead. What are she and her supporters so afraid of? Democracy is messy. Welcome to the Thunderdrome.
OnDoutside
(19,982 posts)He's playing with fire in screwing about like this.
djean111
(14,255 posts)How, exactly, is he "playing with fire"?
TheBlackAdder
(28,237 posts)greiner3
(5,214 posts)Is time well spent Your question is "when Hillary is I indicted will she waste the time trying to cry on tv while doing the perp walk or just explode knowing she'll never be president"
What fire? What's the DNC going to do? Strip him of committee chairs? Oh yeah, Dems don't control anything anymore. Make him sit in time out? Or even collude against him during his re-election campaign? They have no power and Sen Sanders has 10 million people watching his back.
I re-read your post and I assume "he" is Sen Sanders. If "he" is actually Sen Reid, I apologize for the tone and agree!
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)Gore1FL
(21,163 posts)People having opinions and voting is so inconvenient.
Feeling the Bern
(3,839 posts)And the right result is the result the owners of the Democratic Party want.
Oops. . .I said something bad about the Democratic Party. I must be punished by not being a good Democrat. After all, party over principles.
cui bono
(19,926 posts)wallyworld2
(375 posts)A few days before the Georgia primary, influential Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed published a column on CNN.com praising Hillary Clinton and ripping her opponent, Bernie Sanders. Reed attacked Sanders as being out of step with Democrats on gun policy, and accused him of elevating a one-issue platform that ignores the plight of the single mother riding two buses to her second job.
But emails released from Reeds office indicate that the column, which pilloried Sanders as out of touch with the poor, was primarily written by a corporate lobbyist, and was edited by Correct the Record, one of several pro-Clinton Super PACs.
https://theintercept.com/2016/05/06/hillary-super-pac-draft-oped/
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)Duckfan
(1,268 posts)When he allowed a vote to back dubya on evesdropping, or some other "we gotta get the terr-ists" legislation.
BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)bemildred
(90,061 posts)w4rma
(31,700 posts)smears won't work on Bernie.
JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)leftofcool
(19,460 posts)askeptic
(478 posts)and was reminded that Hillary isn't calling for Bernie to quit nor did she drop out in 2008 against Pres. Obama. It shows the party respects the process and knows we can't be treating each other as enemies if there's to be any kind of unity after the convention.
started by one local reporter and repeated by the MSM without corroboration. Several have since retracted the so called "chair throwing" since video evidence did not support the allegations.
To me, this wasn't Hillary or her campaign, but rather it shows how quickly a fantastic lie can be repeated by the MSM competing to report the news - 1st! Trump knows this and uses it daily to his advantage.
bucolic_frolic
(43,423 posts)always issues what seem to be lightweight statements
but behind them is this lifetime of political experience and reasoning
Democrats on both sides should embrace the process, we're generating
energy and headlines in a healthy democratic way
unlike the GOP primary conflicts
fasttense
(17,301 posts)Remember all the talk about changing the filibuster rules? It never happened. There were many ways to fix that system so that the minority party cold still use it, yet not control the whole Senate.
So why did Democrats NOT change the rules? Think about it. Obama got fast track but he couldn't get Harry to change the filibuster rules. Something smells.
Nyan
(1,192 posts)and not about the problem with NV dem's "paperwork."
He's supposed to be one of the good guys now that their rigging of the system's no longer an issue.
He's defending us because what, we're on the defense? As if we did something wrong?
This is good cop bad cop, people.
edbermac
(15,949 posts)99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)Esp in light of what Reid's request.
Person 2713
(3,263 posts)his senate minority leadership if anything he is too low keyed IMO
Chicago1980
(1,968 posts)Gore1FL
(21,163 posts)Do tell.
Chicago1980
(1,968 posts)Probably should have kept my mouth shut, but impulse...
I got banned from the Hillary Cave way beck in the early spring for posting this exact same thing about Hillary when the mean ol' GOP was saying something stupid about her and her cult was all "How can they do this to Hillary?' "I wish they'd stop being mean to poor put upon Hillary".
So you posting it now in this context is so perfectly ridiculous! And illustrative.
When the GOP go after Hillary if she manages to win (iffy).... it'll be, 24/7...
LEAVE HILLARY ALONE
Oh the irony!
SammyWinstonJack
(44,130 posts)SusanCalvin
(6,592 posts)Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)DCBob
(24,689 posts)But I think its good he said this although I do think what Bernie is doing is pointless and doing more harm than good but in a couple of weeks it will all be over so I guess we just have to deal with it for a bit longer.
JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)I've been registering voters at colleges in LA. The young people want Bernie, not Hillary. They are not ready to play the usual game.
We shall see, but if the higher-ups in the Democratic Party think this year is like all the past elections, they may well be mistaken in my opinion.
These young people want to see economic change, and they see Bernie as the only one talking about the changes they want. The young people want corporations out of elections and also the money of very wealthy people out of politics. They are well educated and intelligent and know what they want.
It's going to take more than what Hillary has been doing to persuade a lot of Democrats who back Sanders to vote for her.
There was far less difference between Obama and Hillary in terms of policy and direction than there is between Bernie and Hillary.
It's not going to be so easy.
DCBob
(24,689 posts)It's impossible for Bernie to catch up and he will concede soon after June 7th.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)The higher-ups in the Democratic Party know this election year is different. They created many of the conditions that caused this mess. I think they should just surrender. They know our side is right. They have lost their principles. There is so much money influencing this process we can't even imagine it. It seems everyone has their price, from what I can determine.
Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)Number23
(24,544 posts)supporters to a happy place. And judging by how excited they are about this OP, it's clearly having the exact effect it was intended.
madokie
(51,076 posts)count on it
JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)Duckfan
(1,268 posts)This country is so fractured and screwed up already it ain't funny.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)kiva
(4,373 posts)- some of them recognizable to the state party - posting on their social media and it's not supportive of the state party. The criticism of Jon Ralston continues.
Reid is a smart politician who has no desire to see the NV state party shattered, so is trying to pour oil on troubled waters.
jomin41
(559 posts)Are NOT going away. Get used to us. We are now the most exciting and energetic and determined segment of the formerly moribund Democratic Party. You're welcome.
AlbertCat
(17,505 posts)....
SammyWinstonJack
(44,130 posts)d_legendary1
(2,586 posts)A big shout out to DWS for legitimizing Sanders thanks to her efforts to derail his campaign.
Gregorian
(23,867 posts)I'll have a bit of sour flower.
dchill
(38,578 posts)JEB
(4,748 posts)JudyM
(29,294 posts)cui bono
(19,926 posts)And if you're not supporting Bernie, you're standing in the way of progress, justice and equality and will find you were on the wrong side of history in due time.
.
Person 2713
(3,263 posts)SusanCalvin
(6,592 posts)PoliticalMalcontent
(449 posts)wisteria
(19,581 posts)Vincardog
(20,234 posts)Heart.
zentrum
(9,865 posts)always been this clear and progressive.
Xyzse
(8,217 posts)Though quite more than a little late, glad to hear it.
PFunk1
(185 posts)It's now starting to dawn on Reid (and the DNC dems) that attacking Sanders only makes his supporters along with independents not support Clinton among other things (that train has already sailed IMO).
Duckfan
(1,268 posts)A good analysis of how this may be playing out.
trudyco
(1,258 posts)For exaggerating what happened in NV and blaming Bernie for it. Either he is a great guy and their friend or he isn't. Maybe this was a DWS idea, the egging Sanders supporters by flaunting party rules, and then twisting the narrative to make them sound dangerous. Maybe that's why they are talking about retiring her. Or maybe it's a concession to Sanders.
Either way, if Boxer and Reid are really Bernie friendlies then they should apologize for their behavior and comments. DWS, too, even though I believe there is no love lost between the DINO and Bernie. Otherwise Reid is just blowing hot air.
It's not just apologizing to Bernie, it's apologizing to his followers. Many of us are Democrats who care about our party and would never cause violence but do believe in fairness within the party, following the rules, and protesting when appropriate. We are already angry with the establishment but Nevada and the videos and the MSM smear campaign coming from Reid and Boxer and DWS... it is divisive and wrong.
leftofcool
(19,460 posts)He also cinched CA for Hillary.
hopemountain
(3,919 posts)hope bernie told him that the media was feeding off reid's criticism of the bernie campaign and that reid was adding to the dws & brockian meme. hope bernie pointed out to him that trump will be president if he and dws and the brockians continue disenfranchising the working class.
downeastdaniel
(497 posts)Odin2005
(53,521 posts)Skwmom
(12,685 posts)Lancero
(3,017 posts)These are the bits the title is referring to
On Tuesday Reid had a different message, signaling to fellow Democrats that pressuring Sanders is not the way to go.
"I think we should just kinda lay off Bernie Sanders a little bit, OK?"
Reid's comment comes as Democrats, including in the Senate, grow increasingly vocal with their impatience over Sanders' continued presidential candidacy.
Reid seems determined for now to try to keep Sanders in the fold without alienating him and his backers.
In context, he's telling all the Dems who are rabidly demanding he drop out to stfu and let him run his campaign.
DrBulldog
(841 posts). . . and shot his mouth off - and then got the truth (there was NO VIOLENCE AT ALL) and was embarrassed by his stupidity.
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)GoneOffShore
(17,342 posts)One can only hope.
Perhaps he's finally realized the full extent of the grift that's been going on for the last 30 years.
blackspade
(10,056 posts)He went from "disappointment" to "no criticism" PDQ.
Snotcicles
(9,089 posts)"SANDERS BY A LANDSLIDE OF BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS!"
Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)the outright theft from Bernie of the NV convention. Their media lie blitz was like an exploding cigar blowing up right in their faces. Now it's damage repair time for the DLC. Bernie supporters see through that shit, not ready to make nice with DLC Bully Brigade.
Reid and Pelosi both, Senate and Congressional Minority Leaders Doing Damage Control because they both know they have gone too far with their lies, cheating, smearing and unethical behavior!
L. Coyote
(51,129 posts)This is what Harry is really saying:
And this is what the ticket may look like in November!
Douseeme
(14 posts)Wait until he says something nice about Hillary again (whom Reid supports).