Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumFrom a Bogus Website to Bernie Sanders's Inner Circle
Bernie Sanders first hired his new speechwriter, David Sirota, 20 years ago, shortly after Sirota was fired from a mayoral campaign for his connection to a bogus website that promoted a racially charged quotation, taken out of context, of a black opponent.
In 1999, in Philadelphia, there was a crowded Democratic primary for mayor. Three of the candidates were African American: John White, Dwight Evans, and John Street, all of them friends going back years. But the race got intense early, and David Sirota, then working as the deputy campaign manager for Evans, was part of an effort to cut down Whites support: creating a bogus website, purporting to be the official home page of the White campaign, and using it to promote a racially charged quotation, deliberately taken out of context.
The ruse was soon discovered. Evans, who is now a Democratic member of Congress, fired Sirota. He called Sirota overzealous at the time. I do not want this race to be about race, Evans said in 1999, calling the site in question an example of dirty tricks. The website took a comment that White had made in a broader interview with a Spanish-language weekly, Al Día, and presented the line as if it were an anti-white slogan: The black and the brown, if we unite, were going to control this city. Local reporters in Philadelphia received emails directing them to the site as though it were part of John Whites campaign.
White, according to news reports at the time, was speaking about the increased political clout African Americans and Latinos could have if they worked together as a coalition. That was February. By the fall, Sirota was hired as the press secretary for Bernie Sanders, then in the House. He was hired by Sanderss thenchief of staff, Jeff Weaver, who went on to manage Sanderss 2016 presidential campaign and remains a senior adviser to the 2020 campaign.
Read more: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/03/bernie-sanderss-new-speechwriter-has-controversial-past/585547/
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
TwilightZone
(25,462 posts)Just FYI.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
TexasTowelie
(112,102 posts)I corrected the link--I had too many tabs open.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
TwilightZone
(25,462 posts)I do that, as well.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Cha
(297,137 posts)posting this, TexasT
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Kurt V.
(5,624 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
DemocratSinceBirth
(99,710 posts)The gravamen of the story
Three African Americans were running for mayor of Philadelphia. Sirota who was working for one created a bogus website to make it look like the other was running a race based campaign.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
betsuni
(25,458 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Cha
(297,137 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Cha
(297,137 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Cha
(297,137 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)And we know how much someone admitting that they have evolved on an issue is respected and admired by Senator Sanders.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Cha
(297,137 posts)hasn't.. he made a major faux pas for the sanders crowd.
Unlike Some People, Bernie Hasn't "Evolved"
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1287&pid=31843
And, just to be clear.. this is how david sirota has "evolved"..
Link to tweet
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
ehrnst
(32,640 posts)I deeply regret being involved in this whole incident, David Sirota, Sanders senior communications adviser, told POLITICO. I am absolutely ashamed that it happened, and I have felt genuinely terrible about this for 20 years. Even though I was a junior political staffer, I should have known better, and I certainly do today.
Apologies after one has been publicly outed for something are always reliable. Well, it's good that he evolved.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Cha
(297,137 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
nycbos
(6,034 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
mcar
(42,300 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)And it was known in 2015 and 2016 when Sanders hired this creep again to do his thing against Democrats.
And all that is known now in the 2019 campaign season as Sanders has yet again hired this creep to smear Democratic candidates. Along with other hostile agents who've been hired. Sanders HAS to know he has no chance of becoming the Democratic Party nominee. So, what's this about?
What's the real goal?
Link to tweet
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
MH1
(17,595 posts)The further this goes, the more I am convinced.
Is he so out of touch he really thinks he can get the nomination? I doubt it. That only leaves one other option.
I'd vote for a fucking hamster over Sanders in the primary. (okay as long as the hamster isn't orange)
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)I'm neither a psychiatrist nor an investigative journalist. Could he really be so deluded that he imagines the Republicans and Russia could destroy either the Democratic Party alone or both parties? And that he'd somehow end up the inheritor, leading a glorious new democratic socialist nation?
Hundreds of millions believe a version of this with Christians as Bernie and Jews and Muslims destroying each other, and some of his followers have said they need the Democratic Party to fall, so delusion is far from uncommon and can do wonderful things. But none of this fantasy would be remotely possible, and it's actually the nicest theory I can come up with.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
BlueFlorida
(1,532 posts)It shocks me to believe that we have a Lee Atwater/Karl Rove/Roger Stone on our side.
How can the Democrats hold the moral high ground if we play dirty tricks?
That fake website and fake quote sounds like wikileaks level disruption.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)... this is going to turn into a big oogie mess that will likely do much damage to the rest of his career.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Cha
(297,137 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
SFnomad
(3,473 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
MH1
(17,595 posts)He isn't in the race to help beat Trump.
I've seen enough and I'm convinced. There will be people who won't vote for actual Democrats. So be it. Let's get the best Democratic candidate we can that will win the purple states we need. No sense trying to win over people who follow people like Sirota.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Cha
(297,137 posts)That's what Sirota is still about.. a ruse.
Link to tweet
He helped get trump rigged in.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
brer cat
(24,559 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Skidmore
(37,364 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Gothmog
(145,126 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)Castro? Surprisingly good! (By any standards, a towering figure.) Sorry, wait that was Fidel Castro. Julián Castro is also bad.
Even Elizabeth Warren rates at best a meh, especially in comparison with you know who. ... Bernie Sanders is the best candidate the only candidate who could be considered anything even close to socialist, and the one to beat Trump. A President Sanders isnt some idealist fantasy, he is our best bet by a mile."
Political psychologists say extremists, left and right, are characterized by extreme righteousness, belief in imminent crisis (always), and belief that only they can save "the masses" incapable of understanding. And, of course, to maintain their self-serving fantasies requires extreme dishonesty and ruthless disregard for what the clueless "masses" really want.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
stonecutter357
(12,695 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden