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Joe BidenCongratulations to our presumptive Democratic nominee, Joe Biden!
 

George II

(67,782 posts)
Thu Mar 21, 2019, 10:21 PM Mar 2019

New Sanders hire, who was critical of Democratic opponents, scrubs internet history

(one more than the customary four paragraphs for continuity)

https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/19/politics/bernie-sanders-hires-former-journalist/index.html

(CNN) David Sirota, a journalist and social media provocateur, was formally announced Tuesday as a new senior adviser and speechwriter for the Bernie Sanders campaign.

Sirota, who is known for both his reporting and combative Twitter presence, had been informally advising the campaign on a trial basis since the day after Sanders formally launched his 2020 bid for the presidency last month. But shortly before his hiring was announced, Sirota began erasing old tweets, many of which ran contrary to Sanders' call last month for supporters and surrogates to adopt a more friendly tone in their public exchanges with political rivals.

According to campaign manager Faiz Shakir, Sirota began the trial arrangement, in which he would assist Sanders with speechwriting, on Feb. 20, a day after Sanders made his candidacy official. Sirota left his post with the Capital and Main website on Feb. 14, Shakir said. He then signed a formal letter to become the campaign speechwriter on March 11. The trial period was to see how Sanders, who traditionally prefers to handwrite his own speeches on yellow-lined paper, would work with a speechwriter.

Sirota did not respond to CNN's request for comment on his new role with the Sanders campaign.

Sirota's last byline for Capital and Main was on Feb. 6, an interview with Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, who has since announced his own candidacy. In a statement posted on Twitter, Guardian editor John Mulholland, said Sirota was last published in the newspaper in December, and that Sirota's first contact with the Sanders campaign did not come until mid-January.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
16 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
 

Socal31

(2,484 posts)
1. Pulled up several from January.
Thu Mar 21, 2019, 10:25 PM
Mar 2019

They are archived, no deleting possible. The posts I saw were anti-Harris for sure.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
 

George II

(67,782 posts)
5. I wish I was more familiar with going back into the archives. Thanks for commenting. He's also....
Thu Mar 21, 2019, 10:41 PM
Mar 2019

...bashed a number of other Democratic candidates, i.e., Sanders opponents.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

BannonsLiver

(16,162 posts)
2. I'm glad to see a light being shined on this guy.
Thu Mar 21, 2019, 10:26 PM
Mar 2019
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
 

lapucelle

(18,043 posts)
3. ...
Thu Mar 21, 2019, 10:30 PM
Mar 2019
Despite ending his work as a journalist, Sirota still presented himself as such well past the time he began informally advising Sanders. Screen captures from his Twitter account from Feb. 21 show that he described himself as a "@CapitalandMain and @GuardianUS journo."


A review of Sirota's tweets -- captured through the nonprofit Internet Archive's Wayback Machine -- from Feb 20 through this morning shows that Sirota never disclosed his ties to Sanders, but regularly promoted the senator and his campaign. In addition to making critical remarks about President Donald Trump -- who would be Sanders' opponent in the general election -- Sirota attacked other 2020 candidates, including former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and potential third-party hopeful ex-Starbucks CEO Howard Shultz.


If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Cha

(295,929 posts)
4. I read Sirota scubbed his tweet history on
Thu Mar 21, 2019, 10:40 PM
Mar 2019

Russia.

According to campaign manager Faiz Shakir, Sirota began the trial arrangement, in which he would assist Sanders with speechwriting, on Feb. 20, a day after Sanders made his candidacy official. Sirota left his post with the Capital and Main website on Feb. 14, Shakir said. He then signed a formal letter to become the campaign speechwriter on March 11. The trial period was to see how Sanders, who traditionally prefers to handwrite his own speeches on yellow-lined paper, would work with a speechwriter.

So now BS fans are saying this isn't true? What am I missing?

Mahalo, George
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

George II

(67,782 posts)
6. Only an hour or two after the formal announcement of his hiring was made this week....
Thu Mar 21, 2019, 10:44 PM
Mar 2019

...the mass deletes began.

What was he trying to hide? What was he ashamed of? My take is that once common sense sinks in, he'll be dismissed. He may have a shorter shelf life than Scaramucci.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

dalton99a

(81,091 posts)
8. +1. Again they think people are stupid
Thu Mar 21, 2019, 10:48 PM
Mar 2019

Sirota was Sanders' press secretary 20 years ago. They have been friends for decades. It's not like Sanders has never seen Sirota's writings, or vice versa.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

BlueFlorida

(1,532 posts)
10. But ... but ...
Thu Mar 21, 2019, 11:16 PM
Mar 2019

People can still see his tweets on the wayback machine -- the internet archive.

Also, many people must have taken screenshots.

Unless one deletes a tweet in a few minutes, it is forever.

It is better to leave the tweets and defend them rather than deleting them, unless of course, they are indefensible.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

SFnomad

(3,473 posts)
11. I doubt BS will be able to undo the massive damage he's doing to his own campaign. n/t
Thu Mar 21, 2019, 11:31 PM
Mar 2019
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

R B Garr

(16,920 posts)
12. Faiz Shakir confirmed this Sarota arrangement went back months.
Fri Mar 22, 2019, 12:17 AM
Mar 2019

Looks like they got caught and are trying to spin a different story.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

NurseJackie

(42,862 posts)
14. Any candidate who has a problem with ethics and telling the truth...
Fri Mar 22, 2019, 08:49 AM
Mar 2019

... well, that's simply NOT the candidate for me. Sounds too much like Trump.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Honeycombe8

(37,648 posts)
13. It's sad to see Sanders go down this road.
Fri Mar 22, 2019, 01:09 AM
Mar 2019

He wants to be President something terrible.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
 

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)
15. I keep wondering if somehow he imagines he could.
Fri Mar 22, 2019, 08:54 AM
Mar 2019

Openly hiring people who voted for Stein (or Trump? 12% of his voters did), and telling them they have to try to talk nicer about Democrats this time, would suggest he realizes this primary run will be much shorter, but maybe he doesn't.

I've never figured out how this man thinks.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Gothmog

(144,005 posts)
16. There are reasons why this information is being hidden
Mon Mar 25, 2019, 10:24 PM
Mar 2019

This is a concept that is applicable https://civilprocedure.uslegal.com/discovery/spoliation-of-evidence/

Spoliation of evidence is a term often used during the process of discovery. Spoliation of evidence happens when a document or information that is required for discovery is destroyed or altered significantly. If a person negligently or intentionally withholds or destroys relevant information that will be required in an action is liable for spoliation of evidence.

When a crucial document is lost by spoliation, the courts may try to infer the original information by applying spoliation inference rule. Spoliation inference rule is a negative evidentiary inference. When applying the rule, courts will review the altered document with inference against the spoliator and in favor of the opposing party. The theory behind spoliation inference is that when a party has destroyed evidence, it shows that the party had consciousness of guilt or other reasons to avoid evidence. Hence, the court will conclude that the evidence was not in spoliator’s favor.
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
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