"Whore"gate is a distraction from the *substance* of Song's comment

[Triana]

And the substance of Song's comment was that we need a President and a congress who will represent US (the 99%), not corporations. We need a President who is NOT beholden to big money, big corporations, and Wall St. And BERNIE SANDERS IS that candidate.

While everyone is gasping and chattering about a misplaced WORD, we are ALL missing the larger point and risking electing a President with MISPLACED PRIORITIES that will continue to cost us all.

Get a grip. Don't fall for the distraction tactics. "Whore"gate is naught but a 'shiny thing' meant to divert eyes, attention, money, and support elsewhere.

Get YOUR priorities in order and elect a President who has theirs in order too.

Yep, it was a poorly-worded comment. But that doesn't change the overall MESSAGE of what he was saying.

Take a deep breath. Hands off your pearls. Eye on the ball.

[DanTex]

1. Yeah, that'll happen when you call Hillary Clinton a whore...

I don't know where Bernie finds these people.

[DanTex]

6. Actually, hes, he did refer to Hillary specifically.

[IamMab]

12. Remember when the Clintons got Paul Song's sister-in-law out of a North Korean prison?

Paul Song apparently doesn't.

[DanTex]

14. Yup. And his niece's middle name is "Jefferson" named after Clinton's.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

37. Relevance?

[Bonobo]

16. Actually he did not. Here is the quote:

"Medicare for all will never happen as long as we continue to elect corporate Democratic whores who are beholden to Big Pharma."

[DanTex]

18. How about including the two sentences before that. Guess that would be too honest.

[Bonobo]

19. Sure. I am nothing if not honest.

Dr. Paul Song: Now Secretary Clinton has said that Medicare for all will never happen. [boos] Well, I agree with Secretary Clinton that Medicare for all will never happen if we have a president who never aspires for something greater than the status quo. [cheers] Medicare for all will never happen if we continue to elect corporate Democratic whores [cheers] who are beholden to big pharma and the private insurance industry instead of us.”

[DanTex]

20. There we go: "Secretary Clinton".

[Bonobo]

22. Yes she is mentioned but I don't see how that is calling her a whore.

I will repeat it again. Maybe you can explain clearly how that is "calling her a whore" (your words). You could more rightfully conclude he was calling Obama or Bush Jr a "corporate whore" since they have already been elected and therefore the phrase "continue to elect" would make sense.

Follow, Dan? If not, please reread the above until you understand.

Now I will wait patiently for your grammatical explanation.

Dr. Paul Song:

"Now Secretary Clinton has said that Medicare for all will never happen. Well, I agree with Secretary Clinton that Medicare for all will never happen if we have a president who never aspires for something greater than the status quo. 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.”

[DanTex]

23. LOL It's obvious that's who he's referring to. Who do you think he means by "president", Chafee?

[Bonobo]

25. So obvious you can't explain? Hillary is not president so "continuing to elect" cannot refer to her.

Please show your work.

Saying it is obvious with no explanation (where I gave a very detailed one) is an admission that you really can't explain it.

[DanTex]

27. OK, live in the bubble. The NBC reporter laughed at the suggestion that it wasn't Hillary.

As will everyone else outside the Bernie bubble. But, go ahead, deny.

[Katashi_itto]

34. are you functionally illiterate?

[Nuclear Unicorn]

42. You must be more charitable.

Such obtuseness is not the result of functional illiteracy; it's a well-practiced skill.

[Katashi_itto]

79. Good point!

[Nuclear Unicorn]

46. It seems the comment is offering Clinton the opportunity to not become what he has defined.

If she chooses to embrace the status quo then she has no complaint when others call out the failings of the status quo.

[revbones]

28. Hahahahah! That is truly funny given our conversation in a previous thread.

Good one Dan! Seriously, that was hilarious.

[northernsouthern]

43. Dude, I know Texas has issues with sexism.

But the fact you keep seeing that the comment was direct at Hillary is a sad commentary on your mind. I know the phrase is loaded, but the context and meaning do not match your view. I did not like him using it, I posted it on the very first thread, but I also knew that the opportunists would soon scurry out of the wood work to create "who are gate". They guy apologized, it was not Bernie, post on how this guy was insensitive, but stop this weird fixation of equating Hillary to that word. It makes you look petty and disgusting when we could have a discussion about loaded implications and baggage of using the word corporate "how ares" in a professional setting. Hillary is in now way remotely linked to an outdated usage of the word you are talking about. Her husband is on the other hand, she has been the victim of his multiple indiscretions...but that is not our place to judge either, it is between them both and only if she wants our support do we need to give it, she is not weak. SO please take your exploitation of the inequality of standards of women's sexuality back to the state your user name includes so they can get back to controlling a woman's right to choose.

[DanTex]

48. Of course it was directed at Hillary. You are aware that Hillary is Bernie's opponent, right?

[northernsouthern]

52. Nooooooooo really???

Provide sources please.

[RandySF]

2. Yeah, well, he made a pretty good mess of it.

[nichomachus]

77. Sort of like the mess Hillary made of Iraq, Libya, Syria, Ukraine -- that kind of mess?

Warmongering or incompetent -- neither is going to be good for the country.

[Tom Rinaldo]

3. It's simpler even than that. It's a distraction from 27,000 people coming out for Bernie

Can't allow a sea of people backing Bernie to be the news lead today.

[Buzz Clik]

11. Large crowds at Sanders's rallies is not news. Calling HRC a corporate whore is news.

[NV Whino]

17. No it's not

She's been called that for years.

[Buzz Clik]

24. Nice.

What is it exactly that separates your ilk from Trump's supporters?

[DisgustipatedinCA]

56. I believe "intelligence and liberal ideals" is the answer to your question.

You have a hard time understanding what's to the left of you and what's to the right. Keep working at it.

[Buzz Clik]

62. Yeah, my problem is I'm really fucking stupid. Thanks for pointing that out for me.

Can you be my teacher?

[DisgustipatedinCA]

63. No problem r.e. the one-time correction, but no, I'm a busy person.

[Buzz Clik]

64. rats.

[notadmblnd]

29. Well wait till you hear what Trump will call her

Then I want to hear you screetch as loudly.

[Buzz Clik]

36. I'm not much into "screetching", but thanks for your concern.

[notadmblnd]

39. Boy, you sure had me fooled.

It appears to me that you do it all day, every day here.

[Buzz Clik]

40. Oh dear.

[northernsouthern]

51. It will be Epic.

Camp HRC will stand like a proud lion in to the wind waiting for their trigger warning. Then Trump or Cruz will say something not quite sexist and they will immediately unleash a roar loud enough to be heard in the heavens...but sadly not loud enough to be audible over the sound of the elephant stampede that will immediately crush the lion. After that the lion's roar will never be heard by anyone since everyone will just tune out a lion that cries wolf.

[notadmblnd]

60. Poor, poor Hillary.

[northernsouthern]

72. It is a bit depressing to think of.

Kind of sad like when you see older out of touch family you respect trying to force an in with the younger demographic and trying too hard. I still have some fondness of her and it hate it when she lets me down since I thought she could do so much better. It will be embarrassing when they pull the faux outrage and everyone calls it out. Think about Megan Kelly, Trump made the stupid joke about her period and she fell in like again along with the network. I thought that one was an actual sexist comment. Race baiting ans faux-sexism charges are just doing what empirically false rape accusations do, they damage the victims cause and give fuel to the actual perpetrators...fu you Rolling Stone...who did you endorse again?


This article does a good job of talking about hte issue, but I think is misses the mark that the only reason things on that campus got better was that the people saw how bad the backlash would be because of artiicle being called out that they had to work extra hard to make sure the actual vitims of sexual assult would not be thrown under the bus too. It also touches a little on the narrative that the false story may have had a nation wide effect of allowing people to claim women are lyuing about it.
http://www.bustle.com/articles/122176-one-year-after-rolling-stones-disastrous-a-rape-on-campus-heres-how-university-of-virginia-classrooms

I know that is a bit off topic, but I am making a point that if we use fake rage, then we are guilty as well of the crime. We are the ones that are failing the victims. Hillary and her camp needs to avoid being the Boy that Cried Wolf.

[northernsouthern]

47. That is very telling.

Large crowds at Sanders's rallies is not news. Calling HRC a corporate whore is news.

You have just showed your hand, and it is stacked with bias.

[Buzz Clik]

58. Duh. My cards are face up on the table.

Sanders has been getting media splash for every one of his big rallies -- another big rally is not news. However, when one of his minions make a huge gaffe, that's news.

This is a simple concept.

[northernsouthern]

92. It is simple indeed...

You once more summed it up perfectly just like you picture that shows how you hate the fact the HRC has the highest untrustworthy rating in the DNC race...that despite the fact that studies show women should in actuality gain from the bias that most american view women as far more trust worthy than men.

People are getting tired of the same old thing, the race baiting, shallow attacks, the vitriol from the HRC camp, they are no longer responding to them, your camp has single handily somehow destroyed the effectiveness of mudslinging, they are in effect a type of vaccine of smear tactics by constantly injecting the public with fake outrage and lies. HRC should be proud that she is basically becoming the cowpox of our political system.

[bkkyosemite]

30. EXACTLY!

[onehandle]

5. Keep saying 'whore.'

That's a winning tactic to elect Not Hillary.

Please proceed.

[m-lekktor]

8. Do you really think anybody outside of the Clinton/Brock bubble is gonna give a shit about this?

Yeah people are gonna be up in arms over criticism of corrupt politicans!

[Buzz Clik]

13. yes, people care about the language used by a campaign.

[notadmblnd]

32. You are admitting that your posting here

as part of HRC's campaign?


I post here as a Sander's supporter. I am in no way affiliated with his campaign.

[Buzz Clik]

38. Heh heh. My favorite tactic. "You disagree with me, so you must be saying..."

Just read my words. That's what I'm communicating. Not some conjured bullshit that randomly flashed into your brain.

[notadmblnd]

49. You conjur random bullshit every day- all day.

And I wouldn't exactly describe what you do here as communicating.

[Buzz Clik]

61. Good lord.

whatever floats your boat. Have the last word, Grumpy.

[notadmblnd]

67. Yes, listening to the screetching of an old crow does tend to get one ones nerves

So I'll accept grumpy as a description of my mood in regards to you today.

[Buzz Clik]

68. It's screech, not screetch.

You're welcome.

[notadmblnd]

70. I thought I was going to have the last word?

It not only makes you a SCREECHING (feel better?) crow, you're also a liar.

[Buzz Clik]

73. I changed my mind. You're incessant insults moved me to have the last word.

You here all day? I am.

[notadmblnd]

74. I'm free today.

I can be every bit as insulting as you. Go for it?

[Buzz Clik]

87. Well, Ace, I have not insulted you at all. That has been your thing.

[notadmblnd]

89. Yes Sport, I'm afraid you did.

Your words are there for everyone to see.

This is typical Hill Shill tactic- accuse your opponent of doing the exact damn thing you yourself engaged in first.

You are not a innocent victim of my abuse. You are a bully that is getting back a little of what they like to dish out.


Now why don't you amuse us all with your self righteous superiority by playing spelling and grammar cop. See if you can find my errors.

[Bluenorthwest]

81. You use the word liberally......

onehandle (48,378 posts)-
"3. Attention Whore. She was nobody before this. They are trying to highlight that there is one or two GOP women in office. Just like Boehner does with that nameless Rep that is Always standing behind him and Cantor:
And before anyone alerts on me for misogyny, that phrase is equally used for males and females."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021894300

But of course the rules are for others and not for the retinue of the ordained one......

[athena]

7. I'm sure everyone has a reason.

Everyone who calls someone a whore has a reason. At least, they will give you a reason if you ask them. That does not mean it's appropriate.

The overall message is that the Bernie campaign has now called Hillary not only "unqualified" but a "whore." Some of us find that incredibly insulting to women.

[Armstead]

45. Then I guess you'd better hide out for the next nine years to protect your delicacy

if she wins...

Neither is intended to demean women....But you can't claim to be tough and competent, while having a thin skin.

Once the GOP gets their fangs out.....this is nuthin compared to what is going to happen. It's also nothing compared to what the mainstream media will say when they start in on her, once Sanders is out of the way.

[athena]

50. I am not Hillary Clinton.

Another favorite tactic of Bernie's supporters: if a Hillary supporter is offended by something a Bernie supporter says about Hillary Clinton, they accuse Hillary Clinton of having a thin skin.

In case you didn't notice, Hillary Clinton is not posting on these forums.

Moreover, the claim that a politician should be able to handle any dirt thrown his/her way does not make it OK to make sexist or racist statements.

[Armstead]

71. No what people say is that so much is ascribed to sesxism....

that no legitimate criticism is appropriate or "allowed."

So many terms that are also used about men have been cited as examples of sexism if directed at Clinton.

And when Clinton tied Bernies remarks about the nation "shouting" about the issue of guns, she twisted that into claiming it was a sexist remark against her.

Meanwhile the same people have used words against Sanders that if used against Clinton would be branded as sexist.

For example he has been referred to as "strident."..............Acceptable. But if Clinton is described as strident.."Oh no you can't say that about a woman."

That's what people get annoyed about.

[Buzz Clik]

9. That's the problem with using inflammatory language -- your message gets lost.

Only the bad judgment is remembered.

[geek tragedy]

10. yes, Song blames Democrats and not Republicans for the failure of single payer to exist

he's perfectly at hope in the Naderite wing of Team Angry Demagogue

[frylock]

88. How many Republicans voted for ACA?

[Adrahil]

15. And just a couple days ago....

Bernie supporters were all upset over the fake "CP Time" outrage. Ya know, the one poking FUN at stereotypes. Now a Sanders surrogate actually suggesting Clinton is a "Corporate Whore" is a "distraction."

[Triana]

21. I had no comment on the "CP Time" outrage here or anywhere else.

All this shit is a distraction, IMO. ALL of it.

[DookDook]

31. I don't think it was fake outrage

I think people were upset that someone made a culturally insensitive joke. The Nightly Show had a panel discussion about this and they were saying that if Bill de Blasio had made this joke at the dinner table in front of his family the joke would have killed, but the fact that the joke was made in front of a room full of predominantly rich white people, the joke fell flat.

I'll leave a link to the discussion, sorry I don't know how to format it properly, it was on Hulu yesterday so I think that technically it was the show that aired Tuesday night.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/929335

I remember listening to Hal Sparks on the Stephanie Miller show several years ago, when he used to regularly do the show, he would talk about how he was 'gay adjacent' because of his work on Queer as Folk. He felt that this allowed him to talk on gay issues, but I never recall Hal ever making a joke that disparaged gays or made fun of some stereotype about gays and then saying but it's okay for me to say that because, well, I'm gay adjacent. I think that's also something that's being overlooked, just because Mayor de Blasio is married to a woman of color, I don't think that actually let's him tell racist jokes.

[Demsrule86]

26. Calling a female presidential candidate a whore is dreadful period

This is a particular honor is reserved for women competing in what men believe is their world...how dare she beat Bernie. I am disgusted with Bernie, his campaign and his followers. Well let's take back 'whore' ladies. I am a proud whore and stand with Hillary Clinton a proud whore and accomplished female...and Bernie we will beat you misogynist butt like a drum.

[bkkyosemite]

35. " I am disgusted with Bernie, his campaign and his followers." all because some guy said

something inappropriate and the ones you speak of in your comment had nothing to do with that comment. Wasn't it a wonderful, diverse and YUUUUGGGEEEE rally!

[Codeine]

33. Then one is encouraged to frame one's arguments

in such a way as to avoid unnecessarily inflammatory terminology.

[mainer]

41. Remember what Steinem called Bernie's female followers?

We're just stupid girls who want to "be where the boys are."

[Thinkingabout]

59. Do you have a link for this, I tried to find it but was not successful.

[mainer]

80. steinem said women only support Bernie to be with boys

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/gloria-steinem-young-women-support-sanders-meet-boys-article-1.2522753

[Thinkingabout]

86. But she did not make the statement you said,

"We're just stupid girls who want to "be where the boys are."

There is a difference, I did not see the stupid girls in her statement.

[mainer]

90. Girls who support Bernie "only to be where the boys are"

clearly implies that female Bernie supporters are just man-hungry girls who don't care about the facts, only boys. And you defend that statement because she didn't come right out and call them stupid?

[Thinkingabout]

91. No, you are calling them stupid, don't rewrite her statement.

[DinahMoeHum]

44. Sorry, but Song made a piss-poor error in judgement here. . .

Was he utterly lacking in imagination so as to choose a word that cuts too deeply into ANY woman's psyche?
. . .especially when there were plenty of other epithets to choose from. . .

sell-out

shill

lackey

water-carrier

etc.

While Bernie himself would never use that expression (and I support and will vote for him in Tuesday'a primary, BTW), too many of his other supporters calling themselves "Bernie-Bros" are making similar errors in judgement.

[Thinkingabout]

53. Then get the distractions stopped, the statement was terrible, sending out a supporter

to attack in such a nasty manner is an attack from Sanders team, it has to be brought under control.

[Trust Buster]

54. I will not waste my time giving any credence to a fool who calls another candidate a whore.

[amborin]

55. AFL-CIO 100 Highest Paid CEOs:

http://www.aflcio.org/Corporate-Watch/Paywatch-2014/100-Highest-Paid-CEOs


100 Highest Paid CEOs
Ticker Company CEO Name Year Compensation ($)
DISCA Discovery Communications, Inc. David M. Zaslav 2014 $156,077,912

GBL Gamco Investors, Inc. Et Al Mario J. Gabelli 2014 $88,518,411

MSFT Microsoft Corp Satya Nadella 2014 $84,308,755


LGF Lions Gate Entertainment Corp Jon Feltheimer 2014 $63,601,493

etc....

[drokhole]

57. Gives us an opportunity to play 'Corporate _______' MadLibs for the "mad" neo-libs!!

Gender Neutral Terms Edition.

Corporate:

lackey
sell-out
sociopath
elitist
agent
operative
proxy
retainer
devotee
cult member
wolf in sheep's clothing
revolving door aspirer
wealth siphoner
selfish asshats

Add your own!

"What's in a name? that which we call a rose. By any other name would smell as sweet"

[Hiraeth]

65. Some want to absolve HRC and de Blasio for the CP comment and condemn Bernie for something HE

didn't say. It is beyond ridiculous on here.

[Waiting For Everyman]

66. It would be really hard to get more childish than this non-issue.

Ooooooo, you said a bad word!!!! OMG!

Completely idiotic.

It's no problem being one and doing what it's defined as, it's saying it that matters. Sure. Wtf-ever.

[questionseverything]

82. i agree.....maybe hc's campaign should explain why she acts in a way that everyone

including her supporters assumed the reference was to her?

there is so much quid pro quo from her sos days from the ubs scandal to the arms to Saudis deals to the luxury hotel in Haiti

why doesn't she explain why our thoughts on these deals are incorrect?

she can't because it is obvious money changed hands for political favors that benefited the 1% not the 99%

[drokhole]

85. It's called 'tone policing'...

...wherein attention is diverted and deflected from the meat/substance of the issue to more superficial matters, like 'the way' it was said. Republicans (and clearly Dem party elites) have been practicing it for decades.

When the shoe fits, it's the action/behavior that's obscene, not the accusation/recognition of the fact.

[workinclasszero]

69. "Dr. Song's comment was inappropriate and insensitive." Bernie Sanders

What part of this don't you understand??

Even Bernie said it was horrible and wrong!

[LuvLoogie]

75. It's sort of like when my cousin's son called Hillary the "C" word.

I became dismissive of anything he had to say about her or Bernie.

[JoePhilly]

76. The fool stepped all over his message with that phrase.

[seabeyond]

78. He used whore for titillation. As should be expected, it backfired. Lesson learned.

[lagomorph777]

83. Nobody would have heard the message at all if he hadn't used strong language.

Song has (finally!) tricked the media into providing a little scrap of Bernie coverage. Good for Song!!

[beaglelover]

84. The asshole did it to himself by using the term 'whore'.

Stop whining.

[mhatrw]

93. The word was apt, its usage is totally common, and its use has never raised one eyebrow before.

The vast majority of corporate whores in politics are Republican men. Nobody on DU would have batted an eye if I called Marco Rubio a Koch brothers' whore before last night.