2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumIt's always Hillary's fault, it's always Hillary's job
As we near the end, and word is that Bernie is quietly telling people behind the scenes that he's going to find a way to play nice once the primaries are over, we are approaching the point in time where we, as a party, unify. Or at least try to.
The common narrative is that unity is Hillary's responsibility, that it is her job to mollify the Sanders supporters who are currently unwilling to giver her their vote. That's partially true. Except for one thing.
In 2008, when the roles were reversed, the narrative was that it was Hillary's job to get her people in line and convince them to support Obama in the fall. The discord was blamed on her, and the calls for unity were nearly exclusively pointed towards her.
So what has changed in eight years to switch the onus from the loser to the winner? There are only two things I can see. 1) Genders have switched, and unconscious sexism is making the woman take the blame, or 2) Hillary really is uniquely held to a different standard than anyone else.
This is one of the reasons why Clinton supports keep laughing at the accusations that the media is biased against Bernie. No one faces the day-to-day intransigence that she does.
DURHAM D
(32,617 posts)boston bean
(36,224 posts)Cause number 2 is a result of #1.
Surya Gayatri
(15,445 posts)cali
(114,904 posts)joshcryer
(62,280 posts)You were right on target: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6019304
Also, this post was a nice blast from the past: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5431076
CanadaexPat
(496 posts)Part of the reason for the pressure on Clinton was things like praising McCain, etc.
Uponthegears
(1,499 posts)So Obama left her holding the bag for party unity?
Tell me, on behalf of the most privileged woman in the world, how is it that Hillary sycophant DWS became DNC chair and Hillary became Secretary of State after running a "Reverend Wright/Is he a Kenyan/Is that a joint in his hand" sleaze campaign against Obama in the primary?
Yea, Hillary had to do it all
Hillary Clinton. . . not a victim.
pinebox
(5,761 posts)Ferd Berfel
(3,687 posts)if you have the $2,700 to pony up.
Or you're looking for someone to hire to give a speech
Sparkly
(24,162 posts)Waiting For Everyman
(9,385 posts)she adopted his platform. You're two months early, and the early indicators I'm seeing don't look like anything remotely close to adopting his platform is going to happen.
Besides, Bernie can't make up for Hillary spitting in our faces, case in point but only the most recent example: her surrogates' performances in Nevada and subsequent lying smears on national tv, and self-serving rules changes in response to invisible chairs that weren't thrown.
We are not blind followers who will do what Bernie says. He knows this and has stated that, numerous times. Her "...unify later" statement that she made on the eve of New York will prove to be another huge mistake in judgement.
CrowCityDem
(2,348 posts)And you say that as evidence Bernie is going to share the burden? Seriously? When has anyone supporting Bernie said they would make even the slightest concession to their platform if he were to win, to unite with Hillary's voters?
That's the double standard I'm talking about. You articulated it very well.
Waiting For Everyman
(9,385 posts)If she doesn't want that, she's free to reject it.
It has nothing to do with comparing them to other people, or any standard, double or otherwise.
mindwalker_i
(4,407 posts)The only thing I think she's running on is being a woman. Remember when she said, "How will breaking up the big banks solve sexism and racism?"? She adopts Bernie's positions from time to time when people seem to like them. And Hillary sometimes talks about continuing Obama's legacy. But really, she doesn't have any ideas she wants to pursue.
Nonhlanhla
(2,074 posts)Why don't you do your homework on Hillary?
arikara
(5,562 posts)Gender has nothing to do with it, her nasty spirited campaign is what is driving people away.
IF she is the delegate she and her supporters will have to learn to play nice. And if she/you don't learn how to do that and do it fast you can kiss the left goodbye and stick with the moderate republicans. Unfortunately, she's already indicated that's the course she plans to take.
Ferd Berfel
(3,687 posts)More Poor Hill she such a victim?
All I've seen from her is buddying up with the people that have destroyed democracy and the middle-class and have locked us into perpetual war.
Talk is cheap, apparently so are (temporary?) expedient position reversals.
Talking the talk does not equal walking the walk.
seabeyond
(110,159 posts)Ferd Berfel
(3,687 posts)'fall in line' to vote.
seabeyond
(110,159 posts)used it.
Ferd Berfel
(3,687 posts)I think thats her motivation. Given her history I don't know why anyone would vote for her.
seabeyond
(110,159 posts)NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)They view her as a leader and understand she has shoulders big enough to take on the responsibility.
seabeyond
(110,159 posts)of our Patriarchy society we will see with a first woman president.
QC
(26,371 posts)Ferd Berfel
(3,687 posts)around Trump? or Putin?
QC
(26,371 posts)mostly of tone policing. That might work on nice liberals, but I don't think Donald Trump is going to shrink away if someone calls him a meanie.
frylock
(34,825 posts)pampango
(24,692 posts)That's the way politics work.
cwydro
(51,308 posts)Funny, isn't it?
TeddyR
(2,493 posts)I think that she's qualified to serve as president based on her experience, and she is a much, much better candidate than Trump (Trump is the worst candidate since at the least Strom Thurmond) but I find her to be a very unlikeable person, as do a majority of Americans (based on numerous polls over the years). So my question is what makes you LIKE Hills? I'll vote for her if she's the nominee, but I can't think of a Dem candidate that I've ever disliked more (other than Cynthia McKinney).
AgingAmerican
(12,958 posts)Not the stuff of leaders
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)I hate to break it to you, but for all the bullshit about "they dont vote" - she is going to NEED THEM TO.
It's Hillary's job becuase a) it was her people who burned those bridges and b ) she's the one who is going to be on the ticket.
CrowCityDem
(2,348 posts)We can play that game both ways.
The point wasn't to say who should or shouldn't be responsible for unity, but to ask why the onus has shifted from lose to winner, when they both happen to be Hillary. The inconsistency semi rather sexist.
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)Thats not sexism, that's logic.
CrowCityDem
(2,348 posts)Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)*shakes fist at screen*
Well, ya told me, dint'cha.
Fine, but your goofy attempt at an insult negates the entire premise of your goofy attempt at a point in your OP, then, doesn't it.
CrowCityDem
(2,348 posts)Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)For what it's worth, I think once the primaries are over Sanders should endorse Hillary and exhort his supporters to vote for her.
I also think she needs to do a damn better job of reaching out to younger voters, and i dont mean by asking them to come up with 3 emojis expressing how they feel about student loans.
A livable minimum wage, vigorous promotion of the public option on the ACA we were promised, and Real progress on cannabis law reform at the federal level- not just a token move from schedule I to II- would be excellent places to start.
CrowCityDem
(2,348 posts)The point I was making was that we set a precedent eight years ago that the lose is responsible for leading the unity charge, and now we're saying it's the winner's job. It seems to boil down to, it's always Hillary's job. I want to know why.
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)bigwillq
(72,790 posts)At 250,000 a speech.