Clinton camp demands Sanders disavow surrogate's 'corporate Democratic whore' remarks

[DanTex]

Hillary Clinton's campaign on Thursday demanded that Bernie Sanders disavow the remarks of a surrogate who used the phrase "corporate Democratic whores" on Wednesday night during the Vermont senator's rally in Washington Square Park.

Speaking to a crowd estimated around 27,000 people, health care activist and physician Paul Song ripped into those who, like Clinton, insist on a more incremental approach to reforming the health-care system.

"Medicare-for-all will never happen if we continue to elect corporate Democratic whores who are beholden to big pharma and the private insurance industry instead of us," Song said, according to reports.

On Thursday morning, Clinton communications director Jennifer Palmieri called upon Sanders to "disavow" the language, which Song had already done himself.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/2016-dem-primary-live-updates-and-results/2016/04/hillary-clinton-whore-remark-221931

Actually, it's just as well that he doesn't. His supporters are clearly happy with this sort of thing, so it would be a little disingenous of Bernie to disavow it -- almost a slap in the face to his followers who have been cheering the remark on. I think he should stand behind the remark, as a reminder to everyone of just what kind of a "revolution" he's trying to brew.

[NurseJackie]

1. Well, now she's put him an quite a pickle ...

... if he disavows it, then he's caving to Hillary's demands. If he reaffirms and stands by, then he's... well, you know. If he does nothing, then he's dodging and avoiding and unable to take a stand.

It's a lose-lose-lose for Bernie.

Oh well.

[Buzz Clik]

18. Did he?

[apcalc]

37. Good for him

[Dem2]

72. Thanks for posting this

I had Googled this last night after it was posted that he apologized, I wasn't able to find it using Google.

[Buzz Clik]

82. "Dear Facebook Readers, Let me explain in detail why I called Clinton and Co. 'corporate whores'...

... and then follow up with a brief and insincere apology to all the corporate whores I offended."

Nice.

[NurseJackie]

52. Not really ... Bernie should distance himself from that rhetoric even WITH Song's words of regret.

For Bernie to dodge, or remain silent, and essentially offer a "no comment" non-response (using the words you suggested) is to approve of what was said. A true gentleman (and I presume that Bernie is one) would go further to denounce the offensive words and to reaffirm that Song's apology was the right thing to do.

Will he? Or will he drag his feet and hope it all blows over?

Will he step-up and do the right thing? I hope he does. It's the courteous and civil thing to do.

It remains to be seen if he does.

[TheBlackAdder]

73. The more this is protested--the more attention is drawn towards corp influence.

.



It's like, "Hey, stop using that bad word to describe a tight link between business and our campaign."



This is one of the dumbest political tactics, and it shows the lack of foresight in some supporters.

They think they are driving a narrative that is hurting one, while highlighting flaws in the other.



.

[TheBlackAdder]

30. The Hypocrisy here is unbelievable. All of a sudden everyone is provincial and getting the vapors!

[apcalc]

2. As I remarked on several threads

The irony is that most likely some of those " Democratic corporate whores" are super delegates.

Oops!

[DrDan]

9. care to mention any by name . . . please feel free to add credibility to your post

[apcalc]

42. It's up to Paul Song

To consider who they are and name them ....his term.

[Buzz Clik]

20. Way to double down.

[jimmy_crack_corn]

3. Nothing to disavow

This is an attempt to imply sexist when whore can be a woman a man or any unscrupulous... per

Definition by Merriam-Webster
1 : a woman who engages in sexual acts for money
2 : a male who engages in sexual acts for money
3 : a venal or unscrupulous person

[geek tragedy]

5. I hope Bernie follows your advice! nt

[DrDan]

10. please feel free to use that term more here on DU - as you say, nothing sexist about it

a very progressive perspective

[Armstead]

17. It was a very common phrase on DU before the era of "say nothing"

I'll bet a lot of "offended" Clinton supporters have used it over time to refer to the GOP or even to Democrats.

[DrDan]

23. I bet I haven't - and I find it disgusting even if applied to the gop - a new low

[Buddyblazon]

38. Oh no...

Were your senses offended?

Then you might be a corporate whore.

I like what Carlin referred to them better. But I'm sure the thinned skinned here on DU will clutch their pearls and feign horrible offense.

[Armstead]

62. If you can say that HONESTLY , and would never even consider the term when applied to GOP

.....Then you're being intellectually consistent and have every right to complain.

But those who have either used the term -- or let it slide on the endless use of it on DU and elsewhere over the years -- and now suddenly find it offensive? Not so much.

[Surya Gayatri]

90. What don't you understand about the vast difference between a privately run,

membership-only web forum and a national political campaign stage, with coast-to-coast coverage, and people of all ages and sensibilities looking on.

Why do you think Dr. Song rushed to disavow and apologize so profusely? VERY unfortunate choice of insult.

And, it all rebounds on St. Bernard. The whole campaign takes it cue for tone and tenor directly from the guy up there behind the podium.

Another gaffe of YUUUGE proportions.

[Armstead]

91. It was stupid for him to say it at a rally...Big Deal

Personally, I'd rather have an actual human campaign, including the mistakes that humans make, than the well-oiled led corporate funded plain vanilla nothingness that has passed for politics for far too long.

[Surya Gayatri]

92. Perhaps such a misplaced, vulgar insult isn't an affront to your ears, but it is to

many millions of Americans, who are disgusted with the coarsening of our public life.

You can hear the collective intake of breath even among the huzzahs.

Civil discourse still counts for something, in spite of what you experience here in the DU echo chamber.

[Armstead]

93. I said he was wrong

Not enough eh? I guess we should never speak ill of out wonderful system in which huge Corporate Donors buy politicians and then the politicians do things that are against the public interests, just so those corporations can add some points to their quartely profits, and add to their monopolistic abusive power.

Politicians who are worth over $100 million from a career in "public service."


So go ahead and be offended by what some random speaker said. And gloss over systemic issues.

[Buzz Clik]

24. +1

[DrDan]

45. classy response bud

[DrDan]

56. I think I heard that first bell ringing - better run off to class

[DrDan]

69. sorry about your candidate . . .

[noretreatnosurrender]

12. Clearly

it was number 3 but the Hillary campaign and it's supporters keep trying to pretend that it was a "sexist" remark so they can get some political mileage out of it. Disingenuous campaigning is their specialty. They just don't know how to campaign any other way.

[Downwinder]

19. They seem to feel it applies to their candidate.

[Renew Deal]

15. He mentions her by name and then says it in the next sentence

[jimmy_crack_corn]

35. Since they were not talking about sex #3 applies

a venal or unscrupulous person

Definition by Merriam-Webster
1 : a woman who engages in sexual acts for money
2 : a male who engages in sexual acts for money
3 : a venal or unscrupulous person

[geek tragedy]

4. Better to have this out in the open--artless smears provide more insight

than do artful ones.

[Armstead]

27. I wish I had a nickle for every time the term was used on DU over the years

I could hobnob at the Hamptons this summer

[geek tragedy]

29. Give me a penny for uses of the word transcripts

and I'd be your next door neighbor.

[geek tragedy]

65. This is a pristine example. nt

[onehandle]

6. The 'Not Hillary' Party loves the ladies. nt

[DanTex]

8. I'm hoping Bernie agrees with you. Like I said in the OP, if he actually did disavow the comments,

it would be a slap in the face to his most ardent supporters who think this kind of thing is appropriate.

Stand behind the hate, Bernie! Don't back down!

[DanTex]

22. Excellent point. He should just hide behind a surrogate speaking at an event that he organized.

That will be a clear signal to the world that this is the kind of rhetoric that he wants to be associated with. It will ring with the same kind of honesty that he has used to rack up all those Pinocchios. Come to think of it, I think Bernie should hire you as his campaign manager.

[Buddyblazon]

64. Feigned offense..

by DanTex.

To be preceded by The Daily Affirmation by DanTex.

[Buzz Clik]

25. woohoo! Remember when "J*ngle B*nny" was acceptable, accurate, and appropriate?

Neither do I.

[Armstead]

31. No but I remember a lot of references to the GOP as corporate whores over the years

And to Democrats like Joe L. over the years.

[Buzz Clik]

41. Then you need to be enlightened. n/t

[Buzz Clik]

79. I hope you're not waiting for me. I don't give a flying f*ck if you're enlightened or not. In fact,.

... the more hideous the behavior coming from the Sanders crew, the better.

Keep it coming.

[LexVegas]

11. More sexist shit from Sanders campaign? I'm shocked. nt

[workinclasszero]

36. Bernie bros sexist??

Only from day one...they cant hide their true feelings about women now.

[LexVegas]

46. yep. nt

[Buzz Clik]

14. They shouldn't need to. Sanders should have been apologizing before he went to bed last night.

[geek tragedy]

26. He'll get his chance tonight nt

[geek tragedy]

48. Has Bernie ever taken responsibility for anything? nt

[geek tragedy]

54. Thank you for answering so candidly nt

[Larkspur]

21. As a woman, I have used that term to accurately describe HRC and her philandering husband

Bill in regards to their eagerness to take millions from Wall Street and Big Money interests.

I would have no problem with Bernie rejecting that term being used by his surrogates. It's OK for Democrats and activists like me to use it but surrogates, who are representing the campaign, don't need to go there.

[Buzz Clik]

28. Well, good for you. That makes it ok.

[Buddyblazon]

55. Feigned offense...

Doesn't bother this female poster you're responding to.

You however...were your little senses offended? Show us on the doll where Bernie touched you.

[Buzz Clik]

74. Holy shit. Someone supposedly supporting a man of the people doesn't care about being offensive?

It's just free speech, right? And since I'm not African American, I have no right to be upset if someone starts calling people "n*gger"?

What a winning attitude.

[Mike Nelson]

34. My advice...

...right now, Bernie should say nothing. The media converge has been positively blathering. This would change the clips from the adoring crowds to the foul-mouthed speaker. The Hillary side should bring it up, of course; if the story gains traction, then Bernie can say he condemns the "whore" talk.

[My Good Babushka]

39. Is wage slave a racist remark?

I don't think corporate whore is a sexist remark. The qualifier "corporate" changes the meaning, as is understood by most people.

[Buzz Clik]

75. Is calling someone a "troll" offensive?

[My Good Babushka]

81. No.

I am not big on abridgments to speech or censorship.
A whore can be defined as a venal or unscrupulous person, that is Miriam Webster, not me. So this whole outrage extravaganza just seems thin and weak and contrived. Like your intended insult.

[Buzz Clik]

83. That's fantastic. You clearly have really thick skin and a well defined sense of fairness.

But there are lines.

Would you be fully supportive of me if I called Sanders and his supporters "socialist sphincter cleaners" if I could give a solid definition of "socialist sphincter cleaner" that was insulting but devoid of sexual references?

[Buzz Clik]

40. Poignant response on Twitter

[apcalc]

47. Another "oops"

[Vinca]

57. Poor choice of words, but it didn't come out of Bernie's mouth.

If politicians apologized for ever utterance from anyone remotely connected to their cause, they wouldn't have time to campaign.

[DanTex]

61. "Anyone remotely connected to their cause." LOL.

This was a guy who Bernie invited to speak at his event in support of his candidacy.

But, you know what, I hope Bernie follows your advice and tries to pretend that it's just some random troll on Twitter. That would be great.

[Vinca]

66. Hillary could be spending a whole lot of time apologizing, too.

Maybe she should. At the next big event, she could tell the 100 people in the school cafeteria she is sorry some identifying with her campaign have engaged in red baiting, ageism and anti-Semitism.

[DanTex]

67. Good luck with that line.

[Buzz Clik]

76. Kinda like de Blasio's lame joke in the skit, right? Hillary didn't say it, so she was clean.

[Chan790]

58. Yes, Dr. Song was wrong to label them as Democrats.

Not all corporate whores are Democrats...for example, Hillary Clinton isn't a Democrat.

[Buzz Clik]

78. I see what you're doing there. It's the Three Stooges defense.

"If I saw something totally stupid, maybe you'll get confused."

Nice try, Curly.

[hobbit709]

68. DanTex has cow over truth being spoken.

[Babel_17]

71. Media Whores Online

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_Whores_Online

Media Whores Online, also known as mediawhoresonline.com or The Horse or often just MWO, was a liberal American political webzine that operated as a media watchdog. The site operated from 2000 until early 2004, and quickly established a reputation for quotability. By 2002 James Carville and Paul Begala would frequently cite MWO on CNN's Crossfire.[1] [2] The founder, known pseudonymously as Jennifer Kelly or JennyQ, has never been publicly identified.

The activities of JennyQ apparently began on the Salon.com Table Talk forums. That same year, MWO was noted for having created a Chris Matthews drinking game.[3]

MWO published sometimes-daily blog-like updates of news stories. Its best-known feature was the "Whore of the Week" item, which skewered a generally high-profile media figure for favorable coverage of Republicans or uncritical acceptance of right-wing talking points. A converse feature was a standing "Media in Exile" list of reporters and others that MWO deemed to "uphold the standards of journalism." Corresponding with Eric Alterman, MWO called its strategy "mimic[king] the tactics of the wingnuts," calling it an "easy" standard to uphold.[4] Fans considered its writing very funny, full of "wit and sarcasm."[5]

In 2001, liberal blogger Duncan Black published two early pieces on MWO under his pseudonym Atrios.

IIRC, most of us around at the time were unoffended by the name.

[randr]

80. Maybe Bill can come up with a better term for the whores in Washington

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

85. "SuperDelegates"? nt

[Babel_17]

88. How about Mr. Ed?

Horse is a horse of course ...

[2pooped2pop]

86. Well, she isn't very democratic

So that part should be removed.

[Silver_Witch]

87. You mean a movement to end

The buying of politicians? That movement. Ahhh your feelings are hurt by the use of a word we having been using for decades about men who are bought and paid for? Toughen up! Women can take it. We have and continue to be abused in real ways!

For example by a politician willing to put abortion rights on the value to "start a conversation with Republicans". Sort of a bribe. Or as politicians call it quid pro quo!

I am frankly tired of my rights being founder for negotiations.

[Babel_17]

89. We need to stop allowing the whores into the House

They smell, and they shit all the over the place.

[AzDar]

94. Struck a nerve with some... people, no?