W. Niederhut

Not at the Democratic Underground. Almost all of their "Trending" threads for the past month have been anti-Bernie-- including a thread today about how Russian trolls have infiltrated the forum to promote Bernie. ( If true, I sure haven't seen their pro-Bernie threads in recent weeks on DU.) 🙄 I've been a nominal DU member for the past decade, but they abruptly suspended my account last week after I disagreed with an anti-Bernie post by a Biden supporter.

Just saw this story about last night's debate... 🤨 https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/02/26/audience-full-rich-people-1750-ticket-prices-democratic-debate-sparks-disgust 'Audience Full of Rich People'? $1,750+ Ticket Prices for Democratic Debate in Charleston Spark Disgust "I think it speaks to the fundamental, endemic corruption of the Democratic Party establishment that you had to pay... multiple thousands of dollars to get into that room. February 26, 2020 Unusually loud booing and jeering directed disproportionately at Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren during Tuesday night's Democratic presidential debate—particularly when the senators criticized billionaire businessman Michael Bloomberg—sparked probing questions about the class composition of the audience packed inside the Gaillard Center in Charleston, South Carolina. Journalists and other observers pointed to local reporting from Feb. 6 on the Charleston County Democratic Party's offer of a $1,750 to $3,200 sponsorship package that included tickets to the Charleston debate and other events. "Most working people that I know don't spend $1,700 to get a ticket to a debate." —Sen. Bernie Sanders "This is something that the average person doesn't usually get to go to," Colleen Condon, chair of the Charleston County Democratic Party, told local television news station WCSC-TV. Citing party officials, the outlet reported that "tickets are handed out to organizers like the Democratic National Committee, CBS, Twitter, and the Black Caucus Institute. Then, they are first given to paid sponsors and handed to campaigns to pass out extras." Critics argued that the prohibitively high price of admission may help explain why the crowd appeared more favorable toward Bloomberg—who will not even be on the ballot in South Carolina's primary Saturday—and loudly antagonistic toward Sanders and Warren, who were both booed and heckled on several occasions.

Joe, The Boston Globe's 11th hour endorsement of Warren is too little, too late, IMO, and it, frankly, strikes me as a somewhat cynical maneuver by a newspaper-owning U.S. billionaire (John Henry) to sabotage Bernie Sanders. Where was the Globe when Warren was the front runner? My wife and have both been Elizabeth Warren supporters, but we have decided to vote for Bernie in Tuesday's Colorado primary-- mainly because we view Bernie as the best chance to nominate a progressive Democratic candidate in the horse race against Wall Street and the Democratic establishment. My hope is that Bernie will put Warren on the ticket, if he manages to win the nomination. The two candidates (Sanders and Warren) share the same basic values and political vision for the future of Trumptopia.

Trump's support doesn't seem to have much to do with issues or policies. It's predicated on tribalism and emotion. The most depressing thing, for me, about last night's critical debate wasn't just the fragmentation and confusion in the Democratic ranks, it was the obvious disconnect from reality being fostered by the CBS moderators and some of the candidates, especially Buttigieg. Two cases in point. The moderators threw Buttigieg a CIA softball pitch about the "brutal, repressive Assad regime" bombing hospitals and schools in Syria-- the same old false Timber Sycamore narrative disguising our proxy war against the Syrian government. Secondly, Bernie made a truly historic claim (for a U.S. Presidential candidate) about Netanyahu being a "racist." Yet, incredibly, there are no headlines or stories about Sanders' statement in the M$M today. Here's Professor Juan Cole's typically accurate headline story today. Sanders calls out “reactionary racist Netanyahu” while Bloomberg charges Mideast with “age-old hatreds” https://www.juancole.com/2020/02/reactionary-netanyahu-bloomberg.html

O.K., just in case anyone around here needs a good laugh after watching that depressing "debate" in Charleston. This guy is funny, in a Hunter S. Thompson gonzo journalistic way. https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/02/25/what-will-you-do-if-the-democrats-steal-it-from-sanders/

Bernie said the unspeakable tonight-- that "Netanyahu is a racist," and that the U.S. needs to do a better job in trying to mediate a just resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. My question. Will Bernie get Itzak Rabinned?

Should be an interesting debate in South Carolina tonight. I'm hoping that Elizabeth Warren will continue to help Bloomberg with the socialist vote by insuring that he gets publicly owned. Meanwhile, Axios reports that the Democratic establishment is trying to defame Bernie bigly in the Palmetto State's black communities.* * Exclusive: Anti-Sanders campaign targets black South Carolina voters https://www.axios.com/bernie-sanders-south-carolina-group-658e85b9-2434-4e04-94ce-4a01a8637900.html

Good post, Joe. It's becoming increasingly clear that Bloomberg is determined to sabotage the "progressive" Democrats in 2020 -- Bernie Sanders and (originally) Elizabeth Warren. Two articles at CommonDreams.org during the past 24 hours about Bloomberg's smear campaign against Bernie Sanders. I need to work on achieving Kirk Galloway's serenity and "detachment" about this stuff, which is not good for my blood pressure. 😬 'String of Intentional Outright Lies': Bloomberg Campaign Deletes Tweets Containing Fake Quotes of Sanders Praising Despotism https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/02/25/string-intentional-outright-lies-bloomberg-campaign-deletes-tweets-containing-fake 'The People Versus the Oligarch': Bloomberg Planning All-Out Media Assault on Sanders Ahead of Super Tuesday https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/02/24/people-versus-oligarch-bloomberg-planning-all-out-media-assault-sanders-ahead-super

Mehdi Hasan published a good article* at The Intercept today about the pervasive disinformation in the MSM about Bernie Sanders. It also speaks to the racial demographic issue that Cliff has mentioned from the 2016 Democratic primaries-- i.e., the meme that Bernie doesn't appeal to black voters. (See Hasan excerpt below) I think we all know where this particular MSM argument is going for next week. When Biden ekes out a long-expected win in South Carolina, we will see a chorus of MSM headlines about how Bernie doesn't do well with black voters, etc. * Finally, Can We All Agree? Everything We Were Told About Bernie Sanders Was Wrong https://theintercept.com/2020/02/24/bernie-sanders-electability/ February 24, 2020 *** "He has a problem with people of color. The longstanding argument that Sanders struggles with black and Latino voters, that his supporters tend to be white, male “Bernie Bros,” is perhaps the most pernicious and dishonest anti-Sanders argument of them all. After three contests, it is clear that the Jewish senator from Vermont is now heading a multiracial, multifaith coalition of both Democrats and independents. In Nevada, this past weekend, he is estimated to have won a whopping 70 percent of the Latino vote. Meanwhile, among black voters nationally, Sanders is now in a virtual dead heat with Biden who, we were told, had a “lock” on this particular minority community. Is it any wonder, then, that in South Carolina, often described as Biden’s “firewall” state because black voters make up at least 60 percent of the Democratic electorate, Sanders has been able to slash the former vice president’s lead from 29 points last month to just 5 points last week? South Carolina now looks more like the border wall than a firewall."

One of the ways that Wasserman-Schulz and the DNC directly sabotaged Bernie in 2016 was to limit the number of debates, and to schedule the few debates in a way that limited public exposure. But, it's somewhat ironic that you would brag about the pro-Hillary black vote in the 2016 primaries, in light of the low voter turnout for Hillary in black communities in the November 2016 Presidential election.

Cliff, If Bernie wins the nomination this year, it won't be because of the DNC, but in spite of it. As for 2016, what is your understanding about why Debbie Wasserman-Schulz resigned in disgrace?

These final results were skewed in Hillary's favor by multiple DNC sleights of hand. Among other things, Hillary Clinton was awarded the lion's share of the DNC "super delegates" in Philadelphia-- and we all know the backstory about Wikileaks, Debbie Wasserman-Schulz's resignation, and the DNC shenanigans to manipulate the primaries and caucuses in 2016. 2020 is looking even worse, in terms of blatant DNC corruption.

I can't see Bernie Sanders ever putting Buttigieg on his ticket, if he manages to win the nomination. Judging from the Las Vegas debate, Bernie, obviously, despises Buttigieg-- views him as a corporate shill. As for these points about delegate counts, let's not forget that Obama and Hillary finished the 2008 primary race with roughly 50% each, and Hillary and Bernie split the 2016 delegates roughly 50-50. One big difference this year is that-- unlike Obama in 2008 and Hillary in 2016-- Bernie has NO support from the people who own the planet and both political parties.

The hostility of the Democratic establishment (and, of course, the corporate MSM) to Bernie Sanders is simply astonishing. Here's a true story from this weekend. I'll try not to embellish this. I have had an account at the Democratic Underground for the past decade, and have occasionally posted comments there over the years. Almost all of the "Trending" threads there lately have been selected from the anti-Bernie crowd-- especially the Biden and Buttigieg supporters. The day after the historic Las Vegas debate, someone posted a "Trending" thread praising Elizabeth Warren for demanding to see Bernie's medical records. (I've been registered there as an Elizabeth Warren supporter.) I posted a comment saying that, as a Warren supporter, I was "frankly disappointed" that Elisabeth Warren was now joining in the Buttigieg/MSM smear campaign about Bernie's health. I reminded people of the scurrilous 2016 pre-election memes about Hillary having serious health problems. A Biden supporter at DU responded to my comment by saying, "Let me get this straight. You're a Warren supporter and you don't want her to attack Bernie?!" I replied, "Some of us don't believe in taking the low road to get elected-- i.e., that the end justifies the means." I was abruptly suspended from the DU forum for posting those two comments and my comments defending Bernie Sanders were deleted. 🙁

Geez... You're still overgeneralizing from that small scale 2017 Twitter study, eh? I already explained previously on this very thread why your favorite study has limited significance for interpreting the broad-based Russian cyber ops in the 2016 elections. Your study analyzed the interactions of a small sample of highly partisan Twitter users in late 2017. How, for example, is that relevant to the 2016 Russian strategy of using fake Facebook accounts to convince black voters not to go to the polls in 2016-- which played a significant role in Trump's election? How does your 2017 Twitter study explain the impact of Russian trolls with Facebook identities like "Heart of Texas" posting xenophobic ads about Mexican murderers, or photo-shopped pics of Hillary with Osama Bin Laden? Explain. Did you ever study the vast database of the 35,000 2016 Russian Facebook ads released by Congress that I posted for you on this thread? Have you studied the details of the July 2019 Senate Select Committee Report on Russian interference in our 2016 elections? (Chaired by Trumpster Richard Burr (R-NC) Take a look. New Senate Intelligence report shows “extensive” Russia 2016 election interference It also notes that Russia targeted voting systems in all 50 states. https://www.vox.com/2019/7/25/8930616/senate-intelligence-report-russia-50-states

War is Peace! Ignorance is Strength! Donald is Abe Lincoln! 🤪

Dennis, Please be so kind as to answer my question. Why did Trump lie about the NSA evidence (including the document leaked by the imprisoned whistle blower Reality Winner) indicating that Russia hacked our 2016 elections?

Nice try, but no cigar, Dennis. Reality Winner leaked that classified NSA document about Russian hacking in direct response to Trump and Putin publicly denying that Russia had interfered in our 2016 elections. Are you suggesting that Trump didn't know about this NSA intelligence at the time? If not, why did Trump lie about Russian hacking? Explain.

Roger Stone just filed a motion to disqualify Judge Amy Berman Jackson. Jackson stated at Stone's sentencing that the jurors had, in her opinion, "acted with integrity." Fox News and the Trumpagandists in the media had recently attacked a juror in the case, only to see another juror debunk the Fox/GOP disinformation about the trial.

Jim, Are you familiar with the NSA document that Reality Winner leaked to The Intercept in 2017? * It was a rare case of classified intel on 2016 Russian hacking evading censorship by Trump's administration. Winner is currently in prison, after being prosecuted by the Trump administration under the Espionage Act. She leaked this damning NSA document to Jeremy Scahill, Greenwald, and the editors of The Intercept after Trump and Putin publicly denied that Russia had hacked our 2016 elections. Her story has been largely suppressed by the mainstream media, including the fact that whistleblowers prosecuted under the Espionage Act are not permitted to defend themselves on the grounds that they acted in the public interest. It is truly disturbing that Miss Winner is still in prison while Trump continues to pardon crooks-- Blagojevic, Millken, Kerike, et.al.-- who undermined the public interest through fraudulence and bribe taking. * Top-Secret NSA Report Details Russian Hacking Effort Days Before 2016 Election https://theintercept.com/2017/06/05/top-secret-nsa-report-details-russian-hacking-effort-days-before-2016-election/

The story that Mel Brooks told about Wilder when I heard him speak here in Denver in 2018 was that he (Brooks) had begged Gene Wilder, urgently, to sub for the actor who was originally cast in the part of the gunslinger in Blazing Saddles. (The guy was medically ill and had puked on the set or something.) Wilder agreed to fill in, but asked Mel Brooks to do him a favor regarding Wilder's concept for the Young Frankenstein screenplay. Mel had nothing but praise for Wilder when I heard him speak, and also mentioned that the Young Frankenstein cast was so funny that Mel and the crew struggled to keep from laughing and ruining the takes during the filming. (BTW, Gene Wilder played the kidnapped undertaker in Warren Beatty's film, Bonnie & Clyde.)

Actually, Robert, I was referring to the news today about Joseph Maguire getting sh*tcanned by the Fuhrer for accidentally briefing both Democrats and Republicans in Congress about intelligence confirming Russian meddling in our 2020 election. * What was Maguire thinking? Does he think that Congress is supposed to be informed about intelligence relating to foreign threats to the United States or something? Geez... But I'm confident that you and Jeff Carter will have an entirely reassuring explanation for this latest "fake news." Proceed. 🤪 * Trump Sidelined Acting Spy Chief After Russian Meddling Briefing https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-joseph-maguire-russia-intelligence_n_5e4f0cb1c5b6b82aa6505704 President Donald Trump sidelined Joseph Maguire, the outgoing acting director of national intelligence, after learning a member of Maguire’s team had briefed House lawmakers that Russia was attempting to interfere in the 2020 elections to get Trump re-elected, according to multiple reports. The briefing angered the president so much that he berated Maguire, leaving him “despondent,” a source told The Washington Post. Shelby Pierson, the intelligence official in charge of election security, briefed the full House Intelligence Committee last Thursday, although it’s unclear what information she shared.

I'm looking forward to watching Robert and the Russian Pretzel spin this one... 🧐

Serious question for the presidential historians and film critics on this forum. Am I the only one around here who thinks that Donald Trump and his cronies look like villains in a Batman movie?

With all due respect, I'm beginning to think that Jeff Carter's forum nickname should be, "The Russian Pretzel." The evidence seems to indicate that Il Douche was offering Assange a pardon-- via Rohrbacher, the U.S. House Representative for the Moscow district-- as a quid pro quo for suborning perjury. It's outrageous. Meanwhile, getting back to the original subject of the thread, Mark Zaid, cheggidout, folks. Il Douche has incited yet another death threat against an American citizen. 'All traitors must die': Feds charge man for threatening whistleblower attorney https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/20/man-charged-threatening-whistleblower-attorney-116379