Should Sanders Supporters Protest at Clinton Appearances?

[MineralMan]

Would that help the Sanders campaign or convince any Clinton supporter to switch? I'm thinking that creating a disruption outside of places where Clinton will be doing something would be a bad idea, overall. I doubt if Bernie Sanders would sanction any such thing.

I think it would be far more useful to show up at appearances by GOP candidates, really.

[DinahMoeHum]

1. Absolutely unh-unh.

Better that they should heckle GOoPsters, not potential allies.

[Smarmie Doofus]

2. Some background would help.

Who's protesting her and why?

[Autumn]

40. Here you go

http://www.democraticunderground.com/128079069#post3

Hillary supporters monitor the Sanders group but don't like to offer the links. Looking through this thread I had no idea our little group was of so much interest to people who have been blocked.

[sufrommich]

41. I wouldn't have seen the thread if you wouldn't have

linked to it. It's hard to take anyone seriously who makes the claim that the Clinton campaign paid sexists to harass her though.

[Autumn]

42. Oh that was so 2008... but people remember. I linked to TWM's post

[sufrommich]

44. People remember what? I remember the "iron my shirt" signs.I have no

memory of the Clinton campaign paying assholes to carry them,do you?

[Autumn]

45. As a Hillary supporter in 2008 I remember the possibility of it being discussed then

by some of her current supporters. But I'm not interested in following where you want to go. I stopped in to discuss the right of citizens to protest and decided to clear up the confusion created by the OP just alluding to something but not quite making it clear.

[JoePhilly]

66. You do realize that OPs in the Bernie group also appear in the Latest Threads tab, right?

I like to look to see the new threads, then LBN, then GD, then GD-P.

The thing I notice about many Bernie group OPs I find through Latest Threads, is how so many are little more than Bash Hillary threads located in a protected area.

[Autumn]

69. Yes I do realize that,in fact that's where I saw it yesterday evening and commented on it.

[Andy823]

90. I just got notified I was banned from the Bernie group

I went to your link and I asked the OP if he would be there to lead the protesters, I mean I am sure he will be there, right. Not one negative world about Bernie, didn't even mention his name, and I was banned. Maybe the smilie was to much, but come on it was just a question.

[DrDan]

91. figures

[MineralMan]

3. BTW, I believe it would also be a mistake for Clinton supporters

to protest at a Sanders appearance, and for the same reasons.

Democrats should protest Republican candidates, not other Democrats, it seems to me.

[Kalidurga]

4. This is probably the silliest thread you have started.

Seriously it's like you want to come up with some kind of proof that Sanders supporters are something something. But, you can't think of a proper insult so ask an asinine question instead.

[MineralMan]

6. Thank you. I agree.

Such an idea is pretty silly, isn't it?

[Kalidurga]

11. Well it appears to be your idea

So I guess you have that going for you.

[JoePhilly]

19. Psst ...

There is another thread on DU this weekend proposing that Sanders supporters do exactly what MM is asking about.

Perhaps you can find it.

[riversedge]

29. I missed that thread but good to know. Thanks

[notadmblnd]

27. What you said.

nt

[Thinkingabout]

30. It has been suggested here on DU.

[LiberalArkie]

5. The first thing to do is reverse the situation.

If you were undecided and attending a Bernie appearance and there where people there protesting Bernie and advocating for Hillary, what would you think of Hillary?

[MineralMan]

8. Yes. I mentioned that in a reply to the OP, too.

It just wouldn't make sense.

[99Forever]

7. ...

[MineralMan]

9. WTF indeed.

It wouldn't make much sense to do that, would it?

[99Forever]

12. I wonder why anyone would...

....concoct such a bullshit scenario.

What could possibly be their motivation for doing so?

[Android3.14]

10. Odd question

I doubt supporters of other candidates do this.

[Bluenorthwest]

13. Should Clinton supporters stop kicking their dogs and beating their kids?

nt

[MineralMan]

14. I think any who are doing that should stop it at once.

That's what I think.

[Bluenorthwest]

15. And yet to suggest they do so without any evidence would be unethical and creepy.

nt

[Hiraeth]

16. ?

wtf

[Scuba]

17. Yes, we should protest war-mongers whenever possible.

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/10/hillary-clinton-debate-libya/410437/

Using contested intelligence, a powerful adviser urges a president to wage a war of choice against a dictator; makes a bellicose joke when he is killed; declares the operation a success; fails to plan for a power vacuum; and watches Islamists gain power. That describes Dick Cheney and the Iraq War—and Hillary Clinton and the war in Libya.

[riversedge]

31. Yes, and lets protest Sanders for funding the wars. Just as guilty.

[Scuba]

33. Providing funding to support our troops WHO ARE ALREADY IN A WAR is much different ...

... than advocating for that war.

But then you already knew that.

[99Forever]

70. Oh they know it alright.

But it won't stop them from trying shovel that BULLSHIT into the conversation every time Hillary's warmongering history is brought up. ANYTHING to muddy the waters of her ugly past.

[Scootaloo]

80. By all means, get out there and do it. Let's see how it goes.

[Agnosticsherbet]

18. BLM protests, yes, showing up to harass a candidate

In hopes that rude acts is all that is necessary to show Clinton's constituents the error of their ways, No.

[ibegurpard]

20. Should Mineral Man put a filter

Between his bizarre musings and his keyboard?
I definitely think so.

[MineralMan]

64. My filter is always in place, and I change it

frequently, as recommended by the manufacturer.

[aikoaiko]

21. No but I could see Iraqi refugees and their allies protesting HRC fairly

Don't you?

[Smarmie Doofus]

28. Yes. Not to mention American orphans, Iraqi orphans, American paraplegics,

Iraqi paraplegics, widowed spouses, homeless Syrians, parents of dead 3 year old Syrians who drown trying to get out of the post- 2003 ME. Etc .etc etc.

Whether they're supporting Bernie Sanders or not.

That's why I asked OP for specificity upthread. Context matters. He won't give it to us.

[Autumn]

34. Let me help you out

http://www.democraticunderground.com/128079069#post3

Hillary supporters monitor the Sanders group but don't like to offer the links.

[MineralMan]

47. The Sanders group is open for all to read.

So, I read it. I read the Hillary group, too. I read a lot of those public groups on DU. I pretty much confine my posting to GD and GD , though. I never really considered it "monitoring."

As for linking, there was no need. It was a question about whether it's a good idea or not to do that. I had no idea anyone would ever propose such a thing. So, I was really surprised to see that. I think it's a bad idea for Democrats to protest other Democrats. It just sort of leaves a bad taste in my mouth, really.

One day next year, we'll have a Democratic nominee for President. I'll be supporting that nominee enthusiastically, whoever it turns out to be. I don't know how many times I've posted that here. I like all three of the Democratic candidates and wouldn't dream of doing something like that at any of their appearances.

[Autumn]

62. Yes it is I'm sure people like to read it. But not everyone posts OP's on

what they read in there. I think protesting other democrats is a very Democratic thing for Democrats to do. Kind of like a "preemptive" feet to the fire thing . I like Hillary myself, I've had the privilege of meeting her a couple of times and I know for a fact she has been "smart enough" to be President for at least the last 30 years or so.

[MineralMan]

65. Well, I'm not everyone, clearly.

I'm this one guy sitting behind a keyboard and posting on DU. My own belief is that such protests accomplish nothing of any value if they are merely protesting because they support a different candidate. Now, BLM should protest whoever they think isn't taking their cause seriously. Not the same thing.

Supporters of a candidate should generally follow the lead of the candidate they support, I think. Branching off too far can damage their own cause. Bernie Sanders has a strategy. It's a good one, and has gained him more support than I expected already. I'm sure he intends to continue with that strategy.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

22. No

[Autumn]

23. If they want to certainly. Do you have a problem with BLM protesting candidates appearances?

Did you have a problem with democrats protesting appearances by Bush during his campaigns?

[MineralMan]

25. Of course they have a right to do it.

I'm questioning whether such a thing is a good idea in the case of supporters of one Democratic candidate protesting another. Hence the word, "Should.

BLM? They can and should protest wherever they wish. More power to them. It is not the same thing at all.

[Autumn]

32. Look Bernie isn't going to win Hillary's supporters over and Hillary isn't going to win

Bernie's supporters over. Free speech and all, I disagree. It is the same thing. Protests are are right of the citizens to have their say about particular events, policies or situations. BLM has that right and so do supporters of any candidate. All things being equal and all.

[MineralMan]

48. Whoever ends up being the nominee will be winning over a lot

of supporters of the ones who don't. In fact, those who don't get the nomination will, no doubt, endorse and campaign for the nominee. It's up to the people to vote in the caucuses and primaries for the candidate they prefer. Only one will win. After that, all actual Democrats will support the nominee. That's sure as hell what I'll be doing, anyhow.

[BainsBane]

24. free speech and all

If that's how they want to spend their time, so be it. Meanwhile, Clinton supporters will be doing GOTV.

[MineralMan]

26. Yes. They would have a right to do that, of course.

And, yes, we'll be out GOTVing, as always.

[Bluenorthwest]

50. Here's candidate Bill Clinton losing his cool when disrupted by ACT UP activists

[MineralMan]

63. Is Bill Clinton running for office?

Who was ACT UP supporting at the time? I have zero problem with any activist group protesting anything. My question was very specific in nature. It was about supporters of one Democratic candidate protesting another Democratic candidate. Your example isn't of that, I don't think.

[hrmjustin]

35. Nothing is going to switch my vote so it would not convince me.

And no I don't think it will help Sanders.

[yallerdawg]

37. Look at DU.

Has any BS supporter convinced a single HRC supporter, though they do protest inexhaustibly?

[NurseJackie]

36. So many things to love about this thread!

(Great post, MM!)

[restorefreedom]

38. i haven't seen anything to this effect

and i can't imagine any dem candidate wanting to waste their supporters time by encouraging them to protest another dem when they all have to keep getting their message out.

did i miss something in the news?

[JoePhilly]

67. A well known DU member has proposed it in another OP.

[restorefreedom]

89. i guess i missed that thread. nt

[SMC22307]

39. Why assume it's to get Clinton supporters to switch?

Perhaps it's just to voice disapproval of some of her insanely bad policy stances. Hawkishness, Wall Street coziness, and fracking are a couple of biggies. Many don't trust her on Social Security and if she proposes something not in keeping with traditional Democratic principles, she's fair game.

They're big boys and girls, they can take it.

[Kalidurga]

43. This is the thread you were worried about

Now this thread actually looks even sillier than I initially thought.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/128079069

It gets five whole recs and it's a Manny thread. And there are like 7 responses and 2 of them say it's a bad idea. No wonder you didn't link it.

[msanthrope]

49. I suspect he didn't link because this has been the reason for jury hides.....

I actually had one prolific poster alert on me because I had linked to one of her threads. She falsely informed the jury that it was a TOS violation. Sorry but this is the kind of crap that is routinely thrown at HRC supporters on this site.

[MineralMan]

52. Actually, I didn't link to it because it wasn't necessary.

The idea had been raised, much to my surprise. This forum is the place for discussions of the primary elections. Individual candidate's support groups on DU are what they are. I rarely participate in such groups, since I prefer to have a more open discussion of issues and events.

Again, I was surprised that anyone would suggest that Democrats might create a disturbance at another Democratic candidate's appearance. I can't imagine that it's a good idea, so I brought it up. The link wasn't important. The question, I thought, was important. It has nothing to do with any particular event or suggestion to protest that event.

It's a general discussion about the wisdom of such protests against candidates of one's own party. I think it is a bad idea, so I said so here in the GD-P forum. A discussion is underway about that idea, so my goal in posting has been achieved.

[Kalidurga]

54. Awesome

Now you know the majority of Bernie Sanders supporters are against showing up to raise a ruckus at a Hilary Clinton event.

[MineralMan]

56. Yes, I do. That's a good thing.

Someone upthread posted that my thread was silly. What's silly is for Democrats to protest other Democrats who are running for office. That's what's silly.

What's silly is the very idea of doing that. It's not something I would expect to see on DU, really.

[msanthrope]

55. My bad. And yes.... your goal in posting has been achieved. nt

[PatrickforO]

51. No

That would be a really, really bad idea.

[MineralMan]

53. That's what I think, too.

I can't imagine how it would help anyone to do that.

[Andy823]

58. It would help

Republicans, and they would love it if someone could talk a bunch of Bernie supporters into doing this. Sounds like something Rush Limbaugh would think up if you ask me.

[pinebox]

57. Absolutely YES!

Yes, absolutely! No questions asked! Demonstrations & protests are a core value in a democracy. A lot of people have a beef with Hillary and don't think she's qualified to be POTUS due to her past. They are also sick and tired of being thrown under the bus for so many years.

If they want to do that, let them!

[MineralMan]

60. OK. It seems like your view is in the minority, though.

I can't find the value in such protests. They seem to be more divisive than helpful, even for the candidate whose supporters would be doing the protesting. I can't see how it aids in anything.

But, everyone's entitled to an opinion, and thanks for sharing yours in this thread.

[pinebox]

81. I see it as a valuable thing

and it's a basic expression of our freedoms that we enjoy. If it's peaceful, hey go for it.

[MineralMan]

82. As I said, people have a right to do things,

even if those things are not helpful to their goals. We've certainly seen plenty of evidence of that. People will do whatever it is that they do, I'm sure. I certainly can't stop them. All I can do is post my opinion about it.

[pinebox]

83. Agreed 100%

[Historic NY]

59. Sounds like they might be Larouchies assholes ....

your no Democrat if you do.

[MineralMan]

61. I hadn't thought of it that way.

It seemed like an excess of zeal to me, more likely. Supporters of a candidate sometimes go a step to far in the belief that their actions will help the candidate they support. That's what it sounds like to me. Larouchies are just morons looking to promote their anarchistic views. They're likely to show up anywhere, like outside the post office I use. Morons behind a card table. I just ignore them completely, like everyone else does.

[Walk away]

85. I hope so! They need to take their act out for a public airing.

I'm sure they will be a big hit they can be their usual charming selves to Hillary supporters and endear themselves in person for a change Then the can go home and REC themselves!

[Andy823]

68. Exactly

Anyone who promotes this kind of crap should find another site to post on instead of posting on a site where getting democrats elected, and promoting democratic candidates is the agenda.

Only those trying cause problems and divide posters here one DU would recommend this kind of crap.

[aikoaiko]

71. Oh, I see, this is a deftly worded call-out thread about a post in the Bernie group.

Well done.

[MineralMan]

72. No. It's a discussion of something someone proposed.

It's not important by whom or where it was proposed. That's why there's no link. I'm not calling out any DUer. I'm calling out an idea. There is a difference. Ideas are ideas. That one was a bad idea, in my opinion. People often post about ideas expressed here without linking to another post. It's the idea that's in question, not the poster.

[aikoaiko]

75. As I said, deftly worded.

An idea proposed by a DU Bernie supporter in the DU Bernie Sanders group that doesn't seem to appear elsewhere on the internet and called a bad idea by a DU member who is on record for disliking Bernie supporters.

As I said, deftly worded.

[MineralMan]

76. No, not as you said.

I wrote the post. I know why I wrote the post. You're just guessing. You're guessing incorrectly.

[aikoaiko]

77. I tried to quickly edit to explain better. We are free to agree to disagree.

[MineralMan]

78. See, the thing is that I could easily have included a

link, had I wanted to. I'm smart enough to avoid getting such a post hidden. I didn't, because I see no reason to target a particular post or poster with my question. It's a fair question, but one that had not occurred to me. I wouldn't have imagined that anyone would call for a protest against an appearance by a candidate of the same party. I was wrong, apparently. So, I thought the idea deserved a discussion.

As it turned out, others linked to the post I had seen, including someone who posted in that thread. Not a problem. The question still deserves to be discussed. As it turns out, almost everyone agreed with me that it was not a good idea to do a protest like that. There was a multi-post discussion. That's exactly what I had in mind. That's what occurred.

[NCTraveler]

73. Manny things really have become apparent.

Paul volunteers show up at Sanders events to poach support and Sanders supporters want to go to Clinton events to disrupt. They are really showing themselves. The emboldening that came with the initial surge combined with the desperation from over a month of stagnation. Really starting to slip.

[MineralMan]

74. I would never draw a link between Sanders and Paul.

I'm sure that Bernie Sanders abhors Rand Paul's positions. I suppose that Sanders might have some Paul supporters on his side, since Rand Paul isn't a viable contender for the GOP nomination. Paulites are nothing if not opportunistic. Sanders himself, though, bears no resemblance to Rand Paul or his obnoxious father.

One thing's for sure in presidential primary elections: The candidate can't control who claims to be a supporter. One of the reasons I decided to switch my support to Clinton was the behavior of some Sanders supporters. It seemed to me that they would be a negative influence in the primary election and later, too. Not everyone who supports Bernie Sanders, I think, is sincere in that support. In many ways, it appears that some who claim to support Sanders are really just opposed to Clinton because she has a stronger chance of beating the Republicans.

I have nobody in particular in mind. It's almost impossible to tell who is sincere in their support of a candidate and who is simply using that candidate as a way to bash someone else. It's just a feeling I have sometimes as I follow the campaigns. People sometimes pretend to be something they are not. Sometimes it's hard to be sure who is who, really.

[Juicy_Bellows]

79. Never would I sanction such behavior.

However, people are free to protest whatever and whomever they wish. I'm all for that. If they do decide to do it, I'd leave Sanders out of it.

I poked around a bit and this seems to be made up of whole cloth though.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

84. Would they be protesting her or some of her policies?

"It depends" seems the best answer.

[MineralMan]

86. I have no idea. Probably a mix of both.

If it happens, we'll see. I doubt it will happen. People would have to go outside and do something in the cold.

That's one of the reasons we get such a crappy turnout at our Minnesota caucuses in February or March. It's easier to stay home. Protesting in the winter is hard.

[MannyGoldstein]

87. Just Asking Questions...

[seaglass]

88. If you aren't planning to ever vote for Clinton it would make sense but otherwise it's a dumb idea.

[Rose Siding]

92. I wouldn't put it past them.

Trying to sully Clinton for the general seems to be the only real motivation.

[NurseJackie]

93. To do so would be the same as conceding that she's won already.

Those Sanders supporters who do (or would, or have) give us a small peek into their mindset and reveal more than they realize.