Democratic Challengers Launch Attacks Against Clinton, Party Leadership

[Purveyor]

Source: Washington Post

By Philip Rucker, Anne Gearan and Dan Balz August 28 at 7:57 PM

MINNEAPOLIS — Hillary Rodham Clinton sought to cement her standing as the rightful leader of the Democratic Party here Friday, but two of her challengers launched a fierce counterattack against her and a party establishment they see as trying to hand her the 2016 presidential nomination.

What began as a routine forum of candidate speeches evolved into a surprisingly dramatic day at the Democratic National Committee’s summer meeting, as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley issued thinly veiled attacks on Clinton and the party leadership.

Speaking from the dais, with DNC Chairwoman Debbie ­Wasserman Schultz sitting a few feet away, O’Malley blasted the party’s limited number of sanctioned debates as a process “rigged” in favor of the front-runner. The DNC is holding six debates, only four before February’s first caucuses in Iowa, which O’Malley argued is a disadvantage for all the candidates and a disservice to Democrats generally.

“This sort of rigged process has never been attempted before,” said O’Malley, who has struggled to gain traction in the polls. He added: “We are the Democratic Party, not the undemocratic party.”

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/democratic-challengers-launch-attacks-against-clinton-party-leadership/2015/08/28/722bc1c6-4d9b-11e5-84df-923b3ef1a64b_story.html

[HappyPlace]

1. "rightful leader"? Um, no, that's now how this works.

And O'Malley and Sanders did us proud today.

DWS is an embarrassment to the party rank and file, to us.

[lbrtbell]

5. That phrase grated on my nerves, too - n/t

[Live and Learn]

9. The arrogance it Berns!

I don't know how Hillary supporters can think their arrogance and demeaning of the parties base is the least bit helpful. It is a total turn-off.

TY Bernie and O'Malley for trying to set the DNC straight.

[msongs]

2. we need a new forum called Latest Breaking Blogs that are Not News nt

[Flying Squirrel]

11. LBBNN!

[Indepatriot]

3. Gotta LOVE O'Malley's DWS takedown.

I hope there's video of her reaction when he called her on her decidedly UNdemocratic bullshit....

[840high]

7. I did, too.

[Geronimoe]

4. The system is rigged

We deserve to have debates and let the best candidate win. What is Hillary afraid of if she is so qualified?

[green917]

15. what is she afraid of?

She's afraid of a repeat of 2008. At this point in 2007, she was the clear front runner also and we were all assured that she was definitely going to be the nominee. The simple reality is that, although secretary clinton is eminently qualified, accomplished, and intelligent for the presidency, she's a terrible candidate because when she speaks to her policy positions, she simply isn't believable. In short, she talks a good game but it's simply not believable given her past record.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

6. The Republicans used to call themselves "The Party Of Lincoln"....

We are NOT "The Party of Clinton".

[840high]

8. Amen.

[SoapBox]

12. Ditto that.

All this bullshit is unbelievable.

The "brass" of the DNC, DWS, the entrenched and beltway bubble DINOs to just give MILLIONS of us the FINGER.

This needs a big, old POLITICAL REVOLUTION!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

13. The accusations of being "disloyal" to the Party is what gets me.

[SoapBox]

16. Party "loyalty"...

I've been registered Dem for as long as I can remember....I also can't remember not voting mostly Democratic (there have been a handful, even here in California that I could not stomach and they didn't get my vote...they got into position anyway).

I will not march blindly like a Zombie because The Bots and DWS tell me to.

And if this gets even uglier with Power and Control bullshit, so that the Queen can be selected ( I still say she will lose the general)...I will register as Independant.

[artislife]

14. +1 nt

[MannyGoldstein]

10. The Third Way has had its day.

Be gone, vile tormentors!

[Scuba]

17. +1

[asjr]

18. What did Hillary Clinton say that makes everyone start

saying ugly things about her? The WaPo Dan Balz said "Hillary Clinton sought to cement her standing as the rightful leader..." --not Hillary. Dan Balz is one of the most vicious enemies of Hillary. He wants everyone to believe Hillary said it.

[Sunlei]

19. I would like to see the three of them together this weekend, how about Sunday morning?

Come one you big three, how about a surprise meet up for an hour.

[Babel_17]

20. Excellent, this story has reaction

Being a great story helps.