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n2doc

(47,953 posts)
Fri Jul 31, 2015, 09:05 AM Jul 2015

Don’t Underestimate Bernie: Inside Bernie Sanders’ Unprecedented Grassroots Campaign

In June of 2008, the then Democratic Presidential nominee, Barack Obama and his campaign organized 4,000 online house parties in preparation of the general election only a few months away.

This past Wednesday evening, with the Iowa Caucus over five months away, the candidate many discounted as fringe and unlikely to generate any decent challenge for the White House, Bernie Sanders and his campaign organized over 3,000 grassroots gatherings with over 100,000 RSVPs. In all 50 states: in pubs, union halls, coffee shops and apartments, Sanders addressed his growing number of supporters via live-stream from a house party in Washington D.C., laying out the importance of building a grassroots organization network in all 50 states in order to create what the Democratic candidate calls a “political revolution.”

Bernie called upon his supporters to build the movement by talking to friends and coworkers, knocking on doors, registering voters, and volunteering to set-up campaign events.

Sanders proclaimed “enough is enough” in regards to issues varying from income inequality to institutional racism to mass incarceration to money corrupting politics.

more

http://thejailhouse.net/2015/07/29/dont-underestimate-bernie-inside-bernie-sanders-unprecedented-grassroots-campaign/

14 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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HassleCat

(6,409 posts)
1. Grassroots almost a dirty word
Fri Jul 31, 2015, 09:24 AM
Jul 2015

It used to be, a grassroots campaign was an honorable thing, because it dissociated itself from the usual big money interests. Now, probably due to constant "bigger is better" propaganda from the media, people see the heavily financed campaigns, the big donors, etc. as a sign of legitimacy. They look at a grassroots campaign as "not good enough for prime time." Ah. well.

When I talk up Sanders to my friends, they say they like him, they agree with, they'll vote for him, and so on, but (pregnant pause) he can't win. They agree he could beat any Republican. That's not the problem. They just feel Clinton has so much momentum it's useless to swim against the tide. This sounds discouraging, but there is a bright side. Many voters think Sanders can't win, but they're voting for him anyway. This could have a surprise effect.

n2doc

(47,953 posts)
2. Clinton doesn't have momentum. She is sliding down
Fri Jul 31, 2015, 09:33 AM
Jul 2015

Slowly, but she is. It is more apparent in the national polls where she is pitted head to head against Bush or Walker. She is losing strength each month. She has a lead, but others are catching up.

Now I think at a certain point there will be panic in the Dem leadership as they realize that HRC is a terrible campaigner and is being slowly worn down by scandals "fake and otherwise". I don't think they will turn to Bernie, they have too much invested in dissing him. So I think they will ask Biden to step in. But at that point, anything can happen.

 

HooptieWagon

(17,064 posts)
3. I'm not so sure about Biden.
Fri Jul 31, 2015, 11:11 AM
Jul 2015

Polls I have seen including Biden have indicated a majority of his support comes from Clinton. Clinton has way too many allies in the power structure, not a chance they'll agree to asking her to step aside in favor of Biden.

winter is coming

(11,785 posts)
9. IMO, the really ominous poll numbers for HRC are related to "honest, trustworthy".
Fri Jul 31, 2015, 01:59 PM
Jul 2015

Whether or not you approve of someone's policies might fluctuate from week to week, but once you've decided someone isn't honest or trustworthy, they're toast. Trust is hard to recapture.

n2doc

(47,953 posts)
12. agree
Fri Jul 31, 2015, 05:33 PM
Jul 2015

It is going to be very hard for her to build up trustworthiness, especially as the media isn't going to let up on searching for scandals (real or imagined). It is a massive downside to the Clinton Brand.

appalachiablue

(41,056 posts)
10. I'm a Bernie supporter but also don't understand why O'Malley isn't receiving more
Fri Jul 31, 2015, 02:32 PM
Jul 2015

coverage and poll bumps since he's really emphasizing some progressive ideas- reform the big banks, etc.

n2doc

(47,953 posts)
13. I don't think he has enough ground support
Fri Jul 31, 2015, 05:34 PM
Jul 2015

People don't know him. He isn't getting groups together to talk about his ideas, as far as I know.

For me, his environmental plans are stellar, but the rest seems murky or sort of "me too".

appalachiablue

(41,056 posts)
14. Thanks. You know more than I do clearly; he seems trying & there are def supporters here.
Fri Jul 31, 2015, 06:07 PM
Jul 2015

Agree he's copying some prog. stances, but far, far better and really no comparison with Jim Webb who's just there barely, like Chaffey. Webb has drawbacks and recently went after progs. Warren & Sanders hard, as not being part of 'his Dem. Party'!? Strange from a late convert & more.

merrily

(45,251 posts)
4. He CAN win every actualy Bernie supporter should be proving that to the dubious.
Fri Jul 31, 2015, 11:32 AM
Jul 2015

Some people are a lot more transparent and a lot less clever than they think they are.

jwirr

(39,215 posts)
5. The "he can't win" meme is only important in the first few primaries because they are the proof
Fri Jul 31, 2015, 12:11 PM
Jul 2015

that he can win. What those first voters in the first 3-4 primaries need to do is forget who can or cannot win. They need to vote for the person who has the most to offer, the best stands and the one who is most trustworthy. They need to select the person they think is the one who is best for America. By doing that they will give all of us a choice so that we can also vote for what we think is best.

If they do that then issues will become the message and set the tone for the rest of the country. If they ignore someone they think has the best ideas because they may not win then it is basically a self-fulfilling prophecy.

BTW Hillary has as much a chance of losing in the general as Bernie has - the MSM is going to kill her with the baggage. And remember it does not have to be true - a lot of people will believe anything.

So please Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina - vote for the one you would like to see as the president - not the one you think can win

appalachiablue

(41,056 posts)
11. K & R. Very well done artice, thanks. Esp. liked mention of Bernie's lack of focus on SELF
Fri Jul 31, 2015, 02:35 PM
Jul 2015

unlike most GOP candidates, his very early support of LGBT rights and more. Wish my little brother was around to see this, he was a super activist and person.

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