Hillary Clinton
Related: About this forumBloomberg: Sanders, Defiant on the Stump, Quietly Reassures Democrats on Unity
After all the public belligerence, it's encouraging to see this, especially the call to Sen Boxer. After NV, party leaders agreed to let Reid, who is the only Senator close to Sanders (according to reports on the meeting) handle the issue with Bernie. Maybe he's ready to admit the problem?
Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, came away from the conversation on Wednesday convinced that Sanders, who has all but lost the presidential nomination battle to Hillary Clinton, understands the need for party unity and will do his part to defeat presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.
"We talked about the demonstrations and such," Durbin said Thursday in an interview. "I am convinced, as Bernie has said repeatedly, he is going to be on the team to defeat Donald Trump. I don't have any question in my mind."
...
Sanders has reached out to multiple Senate colleagues in an attempt to assuage them. Among them is Senator Barbara Boxer of California, whose keynote speech at the Nevada state Democratic convention last weekend was disrupted by rowdy Sanders supporters in a situation she described as frightening and out of control.
Boxer said she conveyed her concerns to Sanders in "a really nice talk" with him Tuesday. "I told him how bad it was in Nevada. He said he was distressed about it, and he expressed chagrin about it. I told him 'Bernie, you need to get a hold of it,' and he said he would.''
"He said, 'I can't believe my people would do this,'" said Boxer, who is stepping down from the Senate in January. "He got the point."
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-05-20/sanders-defiant-on-the-stump-quietly-reassures-democrats-on-unity
kstewart33
(6,551 posts)Good to know.
Though I am reminded of the futility of scrubbing those stripes off a zebra.
Rose Siding
(32,623 posts)knows Dems hold power over his future. He is, after all, a pol.
I like seeing signs of the shift that is coming.
still_one
(92,484 posts)Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)advisors in his statement but it is time for a Sanders statement without the words of advisors.
Rose Siding
(32,623 posts)Beyond his fondness of rallies, his CA operation is virtually shuttered.
stopbush
(24,397 posts)he needs to wrap his head around the fact that his people also have no trouble denying facts when it suits their zealotry - like denying there was any violence in NV.
He might want to think who is setting that example for them.
Rose Siding
(32,623 posts)He's lying to them when he tells them he can win. No question.
Still, it's a relief to me to see he's still interested in talking to colleagues at this point. It shows, I think, that he's not going to get any freakier. I really thought he might.
stopbush
(24,397 posts)but he's definitely pivoting to mend the bridges he's berned with his colleagues in Congress. At least he realizes that he may have caused damage to his position in the Senate, where he is entirely dependent on Ds to lift him out of the back-bencher status to which he will soon return.
Rose Siding
(32,623 posts)I have seen that when a negotiator finds out the perp wants to live, you are half way home.
My source for that would have to be Law and Order, I guess.
Koinos
(2,792 posts)He has missed the point that he himself is inciting the crowd to violence with his inflammatory remarks. He needs to do some self-examination about his role in this debacle. He seems to have little or no self-awareness about the impact of his words on crowds.
stopbush
(24,397 posts)He imagines that his ideas and words about his policies have an impact on people while not imagining that his inflammatory rhetoric has an impact.
wryter2000
(46,118 posts)We all need to be behind the Dem nominee, whoever it is.
Cha
(297,890 posts)misterhighwasted
(9,148 posts)are indeed & politely giving him an ultimatum.
They know Sanders better than anyone.
Sen Boxer & Durbin are the last people Sanders wants to piss off. They hold the keys to his Senate future, cuz right now he's got nothing else.
He blew it, in other words.
The difficulty for boxed-in-a-corner Bernie is ending the addiction of those ego feeding crowds & the lies & slander against Hillary & the Dem Party he has to repeat just to keep the frenzy going.
Quite the viscious circle he's got there.
Good luck with that bern.
Bet he crapped his pants when he heard Sen Boxer's voice on the phone. She made him own the ugly he created.
"wimmin!"
Surya Gayatri
(15,445 posts)They know Sanders better than anyone.
They're putting him on subtle, but very public notice. Either get your "movement" under control, or you are finished in the Senate.
Does he care about his post-primary Senate career?
Or does he want to go out in a blaze of misguided hubris, dragging the whole Dem ESTABLISHMENT down with him?
This is the "berning" question.
still_one
(92,484 posts)misterhighwasted
(9,148 posts)His passivity when speaking with Senate Dems who hold power over his own Senate future conflicts with his aggressiveness, to say whatever he needs to when feeding his ego off the frenzied fans.
His problem lies within his own internal makeup.
Koinos
(2,792 posts)You said it exactly: "His problem lies within his own internal makeup."
skylucy
(3,747 posts)picture of Bernie.
otohara
(24,135 posts)Supers, online supporters of Hillary and anyone else who dares to say nice things about HRC.
He's lying based on past his past statements about protests.
I hope his colleagues shun him like Ted Cruz after his hateful campaign against Democrats.
Koinos
(2,792 posts)Surya Gayatri
(15,445 posts)Like I said elsewhere: "He's had 74 years to develop those character flaws. He didn't suddenly become erascible, stubborn and self-righteous over night."
Koinos
(2,792 posts)Why am I reminded of the case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?
Why do his fellow senators trust him? Wishful thinking on their part? Who is the real Bernie? Is there a real Bernie any more?
Every time he promises Reid to behave and take control of his followers, he does something else to raise the anger level and cause violence. Sanders appears to be manipulating his fellow senators, so he can get away with even more.
I will believe the kind and gentle Bernie, when I see and hear him in his public statements. Until then, I remain skeptical.
johnp3907
(3,734 posts)We're Democrats--he's not.
ismnotwasm
(42,022 posts)He knows what he has stirred up--he knows how to calm it down to the degree possible at this point, without losing his base by "selling out"
SaschaHM
(2,897 posts)Since he's likely to be the Majority/Minority leader in the senate, he has all the cards when it comes to Sanders.
Koinos
(2,792 posts)You are exactly right. Schumer will be the one to watch, if Bernie does not support Hillary and Democrats in the next few months. Let's see: How about Senate Subcommittee Chair on Bathroom Maintenance?
Koinos
(2,792 posts)redstateblues
(10,565 posts)and finish out his career back in obscurity-I think he will choose the former
TwilightZone
(25,505 posts)He can either become an even bigger pariah in Congress and the Democratic Party than he already was or use his newfound fame to help us move forward. Even with all the the political rhetoric he's thrown around, I think he gets on board. It would be stupid not to.
Koinos
(2,792 posts)I think it's time for karma to knock on his door.
procon
(15,805 posts)Koinos
(2,792 posts)1. Bernie is lying to the senators, but telling the truth to his supporters.
2. Bernie is lying to his supporters, but telling the truth to the senators.
3. Bernie is lying to both the senators and his supporters. He has a different set of lies for each group.
It goes without saying that he is lying to himself.
Her Sister
(6,444 posts)A little opportunistic?
riversedge
(70,383 posts)his rally crowd telling them it is all the way to the convention. I images Boxer has to be diplomatic but Sander did not get the point or has purposely forgotten it.
.....Boxer said she conveyed her concerns to Sanders in "a really nice talk" with him Tuesday. "I told him how bad it was in Nevada. He said he was distressed about it, and he expressed chagrin about it. I told him 'Bernie, you need to get a hold of it,' and he said he would.''
"He said, 'I can't believe my people would do this,'" said Boxer, who is stepping down from the Senate in January. "He got the point."
taught_me_patience
(5,477 posts)He knows that if he tones down the rhetoric, his fans will turn on him. He needs to keep ratcheting up the rhetoric to keep his fans, but it's also making it more likely that they will turn on him in the future. There is no way out for him and it's a problem completely of his own making.
Politicub
(12,165 posts)And such a politician. I have to admit -- it's pretty amazing that he has the gall to call himself an outsider when he's about as insider as they come.
fleabiscuit
(4,542 posts)DemonGoddess
(4,640 posts)working towards unity. Not at ALL.