oh my--Bernie is walking back his comments about

[riversedge]

Last edited Fri Jan 22, 2016, 07:51 PM - Edit history (1)

PP and Human rights campaign on Maddow just now. Well kinda. Listen to him

[tishaLA]

1. I honestly thought his clarification was spot on

he said that PP and HRC aren't establishment and that he respects their work and always had.

[silvershadow]

3. Yep. nt

[kcjohn1]

2. Clinton has no shame

She is trying to drive wedge among liberal voters. If you really care about Planned Parenthood, HRC, and other important liberal issues, why make these groups political? Like making liberals choose sides.

Its politics at its worst. Her strategy if it does work, basically makes Planned Parenthood, HRC toxic to certain liberal voters (basically Bernie wing). Its win at all costs strategy that turns off people off politics and politicians like Clinton.

[msongs]

11. so if PP endorsed bernie instead would you be calling him trying to drive a wedge etc? of course not

[Hortensis]

28. NO, Hillary defends Planned Parenthood and

Human Rights Campaign. If you are on the other side of their efforts, then there is a wedge between you and liberals but it is not of her making. Bernie does not stand for your position.

[Amimnoch]

33. Oh Sanders has done that already

[Renew Deal]

4. Sanders is a political opportunist. He always walks back

He walked back his gun control stance after losing an election. He walked back his comments on BLM. He walked back his apology to Hillary. He walked back his defense of Hillary on Benghazi email. On and on.

[artislife]

12. But he doesn't have to walk back his vote on war. nt

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

41. Thread Winner!

[KittyWampus]

42. But at least you tacitly admit he's just another double-talking politician who only pretends

to be above it all.

You can't rebut what was said so you change the topic.

[artislife]

45. Boy, I can always depend on Palinesque logic from you. nt

[Luminous Animal]

15. And what comments on BLM did he walk back? And there is no such thing as Benghazi email.

There would be nothing to walk back.

[KittyWampus]

43. He hired Marcus Ferrell to handle stuff like BLM then threw him under the bus

http://www.theroot.com/articles/politics/2015/08/sorry_not_sorry_bernie_sanders_nixes_aide_s_apology_to_black_lives_matter.html

[KingFlorez]

5. There's a surprise

At least he realized it wasn't a smart thing to say.

[JonLeibowitz]

6. But it is true. No membership vote == the elite chose the endorsement. That's establishment. n/t

[99th_Monkey]

7. Bernie is saying exactly what he meant, and it makes perfect sense.

Bernie simply pointed out
1) his 100% rating by groups that endorsed Hillary,
2) how it's confusing to many observers when -- despite his 100% ratings -- Hillary gets
the endorsement instead of him, and
3) the contrast between the "grassroots" of these groups (which mostly support him) and the
groups' leadership which tend to have a cozy relationship with Hillary.

Lastly, he stated flatly "NO! I'm NOT calling PP, NARAL, et. al. "the Establishment"

What's so difficult to understand about his clarification?

[litlbilly]

9. The OP was meant to distort. They dont want to see an explanation. Just like RWers

[litlbilly]

10. You will also see he wont be back to coment on your perfect explanation. Its how they operate

[riversedge]

23. msnbc: Sanders walks back Planned Parenthood, Clinton ‘establishment’ comments

I found it for you. He had the chance to clarify yesterday--yet his spokesperson doubled down. Guess better later than never. It was a rude unprofessional thing to say.


Sanders walks back Planned Parenthood, Clinton ‘establishment’ comments
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/sanders-walks-back-planned-parenthood-clinton-establishment-comments

01/21/16 09:57 PM

By Kasie Hunt

HOOKSETT, New Hampshire – Planned Parenthood, the Human Rights Campaign and other progressive groups that have endorsed Hillary Clinton are not part of the political establishment, Sen. Bernie Sanders said Thursday, walking back comments he made earlier this week on MSNBC.


RELATED: Sanders dismisses major women’s group as ‘establishment’

The clarification comes after Sanders responded to a question from MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow earlier this week about why so many progressive groups – including Planned Parenthood, NARAL and the Human Rights Campaign – were backing Clinton over him.

“We’re taking on not only Wall Street and economic establishment, we’re taking on the political establishment,” Sanders said. “So, I have friends and supporters in the Human Rights Fund and Planned Parenthood. But, you know what? Hillary Clinton has been around there for a very, very long time. Some of these groups are, in fact, part of the establishment.”

Clinton has been criticizing Sanders’ comments in recent days, pointing out that the identified groups are focused on fighting for rights of women and the LGBT community.

“I don’t really understand what he means by that. These are two of the really great human rights, progressive organizations in our country,” Clinton told CNN on Thursday afternoon.

[questionseverything]

54. ms richards is a child of privilege,born to the 1%

she makes over half million bucks a year as pp's ceo

she over rode a 100 years of tradition by endorsing in the primary and she did not ask any supporters what they thought

seems a little tone deaf but i thought bernie was very gentlemanly towards her

for me personally i was amazed pp had so much money they could have a 20 million dollar superpac

any org that has that much money to throw around is not a start up or something

[riversedge]

22. No distortion. I am sure will find the video when posted by msnbc

[seaglass]

32. PP was clear about why they endorsed Hillary. Hillary led and leads on their issues, Bernie supports

Both are good but Hillary is better. If people are confused it's because they are more interested in wasting their time making up elaborate conspiracy theories than investigating the facts.

https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/elections-politics/blog/how-do-hillary-clinton-and-bernie-sanders-compare-womens-health/

[DURHAM D]

8. He flip-flopped.

However, he is still talking about the Human Rights Fund.

[bkkyosemite]

14. He didn't flip flop. He meant what he said. The membership

did not endorse Hillary the top dogs of those groups who's wages are enormous endorsed Hillary. They don't want to lose their big bucks for their own pockets.

[riversedge]

21. Chris Hayes show also saying he 'walked back'. yes. flipped -flopped.

[Eric J in MN]

18. The original name of the group was "Human Rights Campaign Fund." NT

TN

[Iliyah]

40. Yeah.

[left-of-center2012]

13. He said Hillary twisted his words.

That's why she's slipping in the polls.
Voters don't trust her.

[mhatrw]

16. Oh, my. Bernie is honestly explaining himself yet again.

Oh, my. "gotcha" doesn't work anymore.

Oh. my.

[Eric J in MN]

17. Good. Politicians should clarify when their words are taken the wrong way. NT

NT

[Warren DeMontague]

19. Ah, another thread about something besides actual issues.

Obviously, Hillary cannot run on the issues.

[vaberella]

20. KnR. n/t

[RedCappedBandit]

24. ++

[NCTraveler]

26. Women's rights are an issue.

I know it doesn't trump polls on Drudge, the supporting of Paul's "Audit the Fed" Tea Party legislation, or economic equality to some. That doesn't mean it isn't an issue. It doesn't roll back the horrifying green light he gave to his supporters to relentlessly attack one of our greatest women's health organizations.

[riversedge]

31. I saw some of their

attacks on PP Facebook--they made no bones that they were Sanders supporters. I read a few but had to quit. Too vile and mny blood pressure was raising

[Warren DeMontague]

39. Sanders supporters on social media made my dishwasher stop working!

True story.

[Warren DeMontague]

37. "Horrifying"! Wow. Yeah, except none of that happened.

This isnt about anyone "attacking" PP, and it sure isnt about protecting reproductive rights.

This is another lame attempt to play "gotcha" with a completely non-incendiary statement, namely, Sanders answering a question as to why these orgs endorsed Hillary and not him with the word "establishment".

Which is not an attack. And bernie supporters on twitter making fun of a hashtag started by Clinton people to try and smear Sanders over this nonsense- and of course, the clinton people getting all huffy and freaked out because heavens, why are there so many of them?!? (yeah, check the polls) ... That is not a "relentless attack", either.

Making a fairly obvious observation as to why he didnt get an endorsement is not the same thing as attacking the organiation, its work or its mandate. If he was attacking the org, it wouldnt make any sense for him to want the endorsement, would it?

But again, like I said, anoither in an endless series of lame attempts to spin up drama and outrage around nothing.

Why? You know why, don'tcha?



Because obviously, Hillary cannot run on the issues.

[NCTraveler]

25. He can't walk it back.

He gave his supporters the green light to attack them. The people in my circle thought he was simply a nice guy two weeks ago. They now view him as an extension of Paul.

He simply can't walk that one back. Spread the word.

[riversedge]

30. Thank you. I find

some wisdom in so many of your posts (don't always agree with a few but always they are thought out so I say--ummm.) Anyway, you are right. Sanders campaign did damage to his credibility on this one. PP has been an advocate of health care for women for so long (and yes men also. I once worked at a clinic --so many men --many students at the time-came in for screening exams and tests). For Sanders to diss PP and the Human Rights Campaign is beyond the pale.

[JTFrog]

47. Gave them the green light and they ran with it.

This is what happens when social issues become "not important". Yes, it's far too late to try to walk this shit back. The curtain has been pulled back for all to see.

[rjsquirrel]

27. This is all bullshit

I am a Clinton supporter and I knew what he meant. PP and HRC are indeed part of the Democratic Party establishment.

[oasis]

29. Speak plainly or suffer the consequences.

[grntuscarora]

34. Imo charitable orgs have no business endorsing primary candidates.

General election, sure, absolutely, but not primaries. And I'd feel that way even if they had endorsed Bernie.

[stevenleser]

35. I really hope we don't have to watch what the GOP would do to Sanders if he gets the nomination

He isn't close to being up to dealing with them.

[Tom Rinaldo]

38. It was a spot on clarification

Yes, his spontaneous reply to a question left him vulnerable to an attack by Hillary, and to a lesser extent from some supporters of the organizations in question. I have no problem with use of the term "walk back" here (any claim of a "flip flop" here though is plain stupid). The ability to "walk back" an imperfectly stated comment is an important political skill. In the course of a year long campaign in today's 24/7 media environment every candidate sometimes needs another swing at the pitch.

Sanders did an excellent job of clean up here. He managed to pivot the bulk of attention to his own voting record on the issues, while making a clear strong statement in support of the work these organizations do. He gently reinforced his actual intended message also - that many members of these organizations do not understand why they should oppose someone in a primary who has a 100% voting record in favor of them - with that decision made by a handful of leaders only.

We disagree obviously on Sander's ability. As he has often said, backed up by history, opponents always underestimate him.

[riversedge]

49. Why did he wait two days to do the walk-back?? And let his spokesperson double down on his

comments. then have Weaver basically say the same?? Two days is a long time to have it floating in the wind.

[stonecutter357]

36. K&R!

[LWolf]

44. Well, it warms my heart

to know that you are "listening him," and encouraging others to do so as well.

"Listening him" is always a positive, in my book.

[riversedge]

50. Thanks for the heads up. I will insert my missing word.

[bigtree]

46. 'kinda' is right

...'not really' is more accurate.

[R B Garr]

48. He's never put on the defensive like every other

politician is eventually forced into. Sanders has gotten a pass on all that. He gets downright flustered and hostile when challenged. Now that he's stepped in it, we see how inept he is in handling pushback. It's so much easier to sling the arrows with no return incoming. He's all applause lines and untested on the national stage.

[randys1]

51. AT least he doesnt insist on continuing down that road, like any GOP would.

Remember, GOP wants to DE-FUND any entity that helps people, unless said people are rich and white.

[Mike Nelson]

52. Good for Bernie...

...all that stuff about what parts were "establishment" and who didn't really want to endorse Hillary was giving me a headache.

[Sheepshank]

53. of course he is. He is an established politician and knows when he fucked up.

it's not first time he's walked things back since being on the POTUS campaign trail.

I just find it hilarious that his surrogates latched onto every excuse (not for the first time - data theft, anyone?), only to have Bernie confirm he fucked up and then they remain deadly silent on the follow up.

[Kalidurga]

55. Has Hillary walked back her comments to BLM yet?

Or her insistence that Bernie wants to leave people without health care? Has she explained why we can't put everyone in this country through college if they want to go? Has she ever clarified why she was all for a marriage between a man and woman and then suddenly changed her mind?