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Using Her SuperPAC to Attack Bernie May Hurt Hillary More Than Help Her

“Bernie has stated that President Obama did not follow up on his promises after he was elected.”

That is one of his many lies about PBO which puzzles me. First, I don’t understand why he feels the need to talk about PBO at all given he’s not running all while saying little to nothing about the Dems he is running against or the GOP. Secondly, if you’re a Socialist using the Dem Party to run for president, it’s not smart to unnecessarily alienate Dem voters who think very highly of PBO and have no idea who Bernie is. Third, PBO has fulfilled many of his promises and those that he has yet to fulfill have been mostly stymied by the Republicans, some Dems and Bernie the Socialist who voted against closing Guantanamo Bay. There will likely be promises that will never be honored for reasons we may never know and I’m okay with that. Part of being an adult is realizing you can’t have everything you want; besides, there are promises he kept that I never thought he would be able to so it all balances out for me. PBO has not disappointed me because my standard for him was never perfection.

This same thing bothered me about HRC who would take shots at PBO every chance she got. Meanwhile, there are 17 or 18 lunatics who are ready to destroy this country; yet, neither she nor Bernie have anything to say about them. Instead, they prefer to beat up on the only person trying to fix decades of damage wrought by presidents of both parties. That offends me greatly; especially, when you consider neither of them have any accomplishments to speak of themselves and neither of them can win a national election and will need all the help they can get. HRC seems to want a do-over against PBO to prove she is and was the better candidate after all. Bernie, who suggested PBO should be primaried in 2012 didn’t have the courage to do it then and seems to be trying to run that race now.

I have my suspicions as to why but I’ll admit they would be quite controversial to note here as most of the comments and the article are supportive of his candidacy. What prompted me to comment in the first place as I don’t normally frequent this blog is my thinking that Bernie shouldn’t be applauded for not attacking HRC because she is his opponent; whereas, PBO is not. Yet, that seems to be where he directs his critiques.

I do not expect him, HRC or any other Dem candidate to agree with PBO on all issues; but I do expect respect for the sitting President and his supporters and if the candidates can’t do that, it’s best to say nothing at all.

» Posted By TresL On September 17, 2015 @ 7:28 am

I would never vote GOP but I would omit the presidential section of my ballot when I vote. The GOP has 20 lunatics to choose from who when they’re not tearing into each other, they’re maligning PBO. I just find it shocking that we don’t have a better selection of candidates to choose from. Some days it seems like the GOP is running unopposed.

» Posted By TresL On September 16, 2015 @ 8:23 pm

I appreciate your optimism but he’s already disqualified himself for me and HRC was a non-starter for me in 2008 and nothing has changed to make me consider her in 2016. I keep hoping O’Malley can get his act together but right now that seems like a long shot.

» Posted By TresL On September 16, 2015 @ 5:35 pm

Thank you for your reply. I think the most recent and egregious lie he’s spouted about PBO is that once he was elected, he disengaged his supporters. That’s a surprise to me given the countless emails I’ve received and continue to receive from OFA since 2008 requesting I contact my congressional reps, call into a conference call or participate in a day of action on a particular issue. I’ve called into several conference calls where PBO himself was speaking so I find it most offensive that a person who is not a Dem and has no desire to be one campaigns bashing the current Dem president who, by the way, has millions of supporters and is still quite popular among them. I will never vote for such a candidate and that includes HRC as well. I asked a perfectly reasonable question to you and was insulted by one of his rabid supporters which apparently is SOP for many of them whenever anyone dares question him or his campaign. I am not happy with the current Dem options at all and partially blame HRC and her campaign for discouraging other candidates from entering the fray. I say partially because PBO showed in 2008 that she can be beaten if you’re willing to engage.

As for his polling, personally, I think much of his strength is a direct reflection of HRC’s weakness and terribly run campaign and a lack of options which is why I am hopeful some one is sitting on the sidelines watching this play out and contemplating entering the race because at this point the choices are abysmal and are pointing toward a 2016 defeat.

» Posted By TresL On September 16, 2015 @ 2:50 pm

“Bernie Sanders vowed not to campaign negatively against Hillary Clinton and his other Democratic opponents, instead to focus only on policies and issues.”

Given this quote, I’d be interested to know why you think Bernie is campaigning negatively against PBO instead of the GOP and why he thinks Dems will select a Socialist as their nominee?

» Posted By TresL On September 16, 2015 @ 12:54 pm

Could Hillary Clinton Become the Next Republican President?

Thanks! This is why blanket statements about how black people vote really annoy me. I’ve been on the ground the last two presidential election cycles talking to black people of varying education and income so I know what’s true in my corner of the universe based on that experience. People think we’re a monolith because we overwhelmingly vote Democratic. Many of us vote in the interest of community before self. It’s also pretty much impossible to vote for a party that makes it clear in every way possible that it hates you.

» Posted By TresL On July 11, 2014 @ 3:11 pm

Thank you, kesmarn, for sharing that. These stories reveal that while black people, have been in this country for centuries, the broader society has no idea who we really are. The media feeds them a constant diet of stereotypes which informs their view; but, there is great complexity that’s often missed.

» Posted By TresL On July 11, 2014 @ 12:19 pm

kesmarn, thank you so much. I think another thing people don’t get when they make broad assumptions is that there was an ongoing debate in black communities about who to support. Most people liked both candidates but generally split among age with younger blacks preferring PBO and older blacks preferring HRC. There were people who didn’t want to support PBO out of fear for his life. There were others who thought he should wait and get more experience under his belt. What finally pushed many blacks to PBO was the behavior of HRC, Bill and her campaign. The race-baiting, which they continue to deny to this day, shocked many blacks because they liked Bill and had supported him in the past; but, the quickest way to lose support from black people is to start playing racial politics. We expect that kind of behavior from Republicans; not from Democrats.

» Posted By TresL On July 11, 2014 @ 12:11 pm

Exactly! Black people very rarely vote against their interests and are far more sophisticated than people ever give us credit for. The black voters in Detroit elected a white man for mayor over a black opponent. The black voters in Maryland did not vote for the black Republican, Michael Steele; they voted for the white Democrat, Ben Cardin because we’ve known for decades what many Americans are just now finding out. The Republican Party is basically the political arm of the Klan.

We rarely get to vote for candidates we like. The candidate that gets our vote is the one we think will do us the least amount of harm which is what we just witnessed in the MS Senate race.

In PBO, we saw someone who was a perfect candidate who we also really liked. I think HRC assumed that the affinity some blacks had for Bill was transferable to her when she really needed to put in the work herself.

» Posted By TresL On July 11, 2014 @ 8:53 am

Hi Cyndibru,

I wasn’t aware that this conversation was still going on because my first ever visit to Planet POV was Tuesday and I’d return and comment only after receiving an email response to one of my comments. This morning, however, when I was logging in to another site, Planet POV appeared in my browser, obviously, because of my frequent visits this week so I decided to peek in.

Well, I won’t speak for anyone else but my issue with your comment was the dismissive tone. It seemed to suggest that HRC lost because Obama voters were unsophisticated and swayed only by beautiful oratory and dark skin which implies that HRC voters were somehow superior in their thinking and voting. That may not have been your intent but that’s certainly the way I read it.

“Yes, but there’s no potential of the “first black President” to compete with this time around, nor will there be the same starry-eyed swallowing of the rhetoric of “hope and change” and jumping on the “yes we can” bandwagon.”

Is it black voters you believe only voted for the President because he was black because I seem to recall it was Iowa that gave PBO his first victory and a well-deserved victory at that. PBO worked his ass off in that state. He did dozens of town halls and campaigned all over Iowa almost every day. The Obama campaign registered thousands of new voters everywhere he had an office. Your comment diminishes PBO, his supporters and voters and their tireless efforts. In 2008, I registered nearly 600 voters in six weeks while working for the liberal group, Grassroots Campaigns. In 2011, as an OFA Fall Fellow, I turned my apartment into a campaign office working from home calling hundreds of voters to recruit them to volunteer and work in neighborhood teams, to donate or to just commit their support to PBO. People were calling me at home at all hours of the day and night to volunteer to be trained for data entry, canvassing and voter registration. I had what seemed like thousands of conversations about PBO’s policies and vision for this country. PBO built his campaign from the bottom up while HRC built hers from the top down. My congressman was a huge HRC supporter yet I never was. PBO was my first choice from day one followed by Biden, Edwards and Richardson. I think you get the point that I wanted anyone but her then and now so when HRC supporters focus so much on PBO and his supporters, they miss the multitude of reasons voters might prefer someone other than her. The most obvious reason is that in a country of over 300 million people, it’s just plain silly to keep selecting our presidents from the same two very average families. I would like to see the first woman president be someone who has her own identity clearly distinct from that of her husband and who is willing to put in the work. For some black people, Al Sharpton is an important voice. In his recent book, he explained why he endorsed PBO over HRC. It was because PBO respected him and the voters who follow him enough to meet with him in person and ask for his support. HRC sent Bill instead. I could go on and on with examples of how PBO bested HRC in ways large and small that have nothing to do with oratory and skin color; but, I ‘m sure you get the point. Even if people voted for PBO for the reasons you suggest, HRC might still have won had she worked harder, planned better, learned how to count delegates, not run out of money by Super Tuesday and accorded potential supporters even a modicum of respect.

There’s so much more I can write but I do have to get to work. I hope this helps.

» Posted By TresL On July 11, 2014 @ 8:26 am

AdLib, I just would really like to see Democrats talk up PBO’s accomplishments more and stop blaming him for the racist, hyper-partisan behavior of the Republicans. All they have are lies and conspiracy theories which they promote with great confidence and vigor. We have the truth and actual, tangible progress and accomplishments yet we are either silent or mealy-mouthed about our successes. PBO has already accomplished much of his agenda yet too many Dems accept the GOP/media framing of his presidency. If he were a white male, his approval would be around 70%. Be wary of polling companies whose job is to reflect public opinion but are now trying to shape it instead.
Our media has completely abdicated its responsibility to truthfully inform the public so if uninformed people are being asked their opinion on the issues of the day, how can you trust the results. There are people in this country who did not know that the ACA and Obamacare were and are the same thing. The Foxification of all our media has made the country significantly and dangerously dumber.

On the campaign trail in 2008, PBO talked about stabilizing our economy, DONE; universal health care, DONE; ending the Iraq War, DONE; ending DADT, DONE; raising taxes on the wealthy, DONE; getting Bin Laden, DONE; improving our standing in the world/more diplomacy, DONE. The only major promise he’s made that hasn’t come to fruition was the closing of GITMO and all Democrats should know that Congress including many Democrats (Bernie Sanders)have blocked his efforts to do so. This is a great presidency with incredible accomplishments in the face of unprecedented treasonous and racist obstruction and I don’t need history to tell me in 20 years what I already know now!

» Posted By TresL On July 10, 2014 @ 1:01 pm

You’re exactly right. There’s a commenter on another blog I frequent who always says, “they campaign like liberals and govern like Republicans.” Considering Bill’s humble roots, he sure wears entitlement well and HRC’s roots are as Republican as they come.

» Posted By TresL On July 10, 2014 @ 8:02 am

PBO’s presidency is doing quite well if you ignore the media coverage and a “smart” candidate will accentuate the positive and blame the Repubs’ obstruction for the negative.

» Posted By TresL On July 10, 2014 @ 7:56 am

cyndibru, Kalima has stolen pretty much all of my thunder with her outstanding, passionate and very thorough response to your comment. I will add, however, that it is my sincere hope that HRC also believes those are the reasons she was defeated because that would mean she’s likely to repeat many of the mistakes of 2008 thereby leading to yet another defeat. She and her supporters should stop looking outward for reasons she lost and look inward instead. In my mind, she lost for two reasons: the Iraq war vote and her shitty campaign; neither of which have any thing to do with PBO. Ask any athlete and they’ll tell you that sometimes it is possible to win without your “A” game; but, only when you’re up against lesser competition. She did not have her “A” game in 2008; it was more like a “C” or “D” game and, unbelievably, that was almost enough. Nine out of ten times it probably would have been were it not for PBO’s near perfect campaign. As Kalima noted below, your comment is insulting on so many levels. First of all, Black men do not have any special edge in this racist country outside of athletics. That’s it. It’s far more likely for white women to be elected statewide than it is for black men. Just look at how many WW have been elected governor and to the Senate as opposed to black men. Also, hope and belief is the foundation on which change is built and yes we can is the positive affirmation of that belief. Nothing can be accomplished without hope. I’m sure HRC’s supporters “hoped” their candidate would emerge victorious and “change” how female leadership is viewed in this country, but it was not to be and as long as they continue to belittle PBO’s oratorical talents and ability to inspire, she will be defeated again and soundly at that. His supporters will see to it.

» Posted By TresL On July 10, 2014 @ 7:50 am

NoManIsAnIsland, there was no reply button near your comment but, thanks so much for the welcome. I’m not sure I’ll be posting often because I only found my way here yesterday through a link that was posted at a blog where I do frequently comment. I have great passion about this issue and felt drawn to jump in to express it.

» Posted By TresL On July 9, 2014 @ 7:30 pm

Thanks! I suggested the two of them specifically because, after PBO, it now seems odd to me to have two white men on a Democratic ticket. It’s amazing to say that when you consider that’s pretty much been the norm.

» Posted By TresL On July 9, 2014 @ 5:12 pm

HRC had all those advantages in 2008 and still lost. I can only hope the same is true in 2016.

» Posted By TresL On July 9, 2014 @ 4:04 pm

ITA! I recall an interview she had that felt like she was trying to horn in on the good coverage PBO was getting after the OBL raid because he was simultaneously cracking jokes at the WHCD. I can’t remember all the details but it had something to do with someone asking her something about Bin Laden that she obviously could not answer honestly at the time. It was as though she wanted everyone to know she kept the secret too and deserved similar plaudits. I remember thinking at that moment she could be telling the truth but I don’t believe her.

» Posted By TresL On July 9, 2014 @ 1:24 pm

That’s all part of campaigning and clarifying the differences with your opposition which I consider fair game and happened to be the truth. HRC and her camp questioned PBO’s Christianity and his citizenship which is not only despicable but continues to be the basis for right-wing smears against him to this day. That was way out-of-bounds, untrue and a far greater offense than PBO pointing out her hawkish nature which she still seems to have.

» Posted By TresL On July 9, 2014 @ 1:02 pm

AdLib, I know some are concerned about Biden’s age. I could very easily see him running with Warren or Deval Patrick and then after four years, possibly, stepping aside to allow his VP to run for the presidency. I know it’s a long-shot but to avert an HRC nomination, creative thinking may be required.

» Posted By TresL On July 9, 2014 @ 12:41 pm

NoManIsAnIsland, your comment is perfect. I am unimpressed by HRC and back in 2008, I could not understand why she or anyone felt she was so much more qualified than PBO. For all of the high profile positions she’s held over the years, I can not think of any major accomplishment that can be primarily attributed to her. But like you, it is her casual lying that disturbs me to no end. There is something deeply wrong with a person whose default position is to lie. That is the last thing any voter should want in their president. I don’t think she has any core beliefs because she always waits until the dust is settled on an issue to safely proclaim her position. I used to feel sorry for her that she was married to such an awful person; but, I now feel they are birds of a feather who truly belong together. Neither of them deserve to live in the WH ever again and I am so heartened by the many people who feel the same. I was so afraid she might get the coronation in 2016 that she expected in 2008. I am hopeful we will nominate someone far superior to HRC.

» Posted By TresL On July 9, 2014 @ 12:23 pm

Thank you for writing this article. I share your concerns and I can only hope that the more articles like this are written, the more people will begin to see that HRC should never be president. Because I live in a blue state, I will not have to hold my nose to vote for her should she become the nominee. I don’t want my fingerprints on the debacle of a Clinton two-fer presidency.

I am hopeful that O’Malley will catch on and Warren will reconsider but I would love it if Biden decides to run. He is the person I would trust most to continue PBO’s policies.

» Posted By TresL On July 8, 2014 @ 4:48 pm

Short Posts

Disagreeing on policy is one thing; blatant lying is another. In fact, I don’t get why Bernie, particularly in the beginning, talked about PBO more than HRC or the Repubs combined considering PBO is not on the ballot and if he were, we all know he’d win easily against any, Dem, Repub or Socialist running. Bernie really should be running as an independent because then his critiques of PBO would make more sense. Right now, he’s basically using the Dem Party to run as an Independent. As I mentioned in my last comment, I don’t want to spend much more time talking about him; but, feel free to peruse the articles below. For video, check any appearance on the Ed Schultz show, just about any interview and particularly when he’s out at campaign events. The only time he tries to play nice is during debates when he knows many Dems are watching which just confirms how phony he is. Also, if you surround yourself with Obama-haters (West, Gabbard) it’s not too much of a stretch to believe that the candidate is one too. Thanks!

http://theimmoralminority.blogspot.com/2016/02/so-is-bernie-sanders-running-against.html
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/bernie-sanders-progressives-barack-obama-218562
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/02/18/sen-bernie-sanders-has-opposed-obama-variety-issues/80555578/
http://www.buzzfeed.com/evanmcsan/the-obama-campaign-remembers-2012-very-differently-from-bern#.lvzxZ2ZMX
http://www.wdsu.com/politics/bernie-sanders-i-would-absolutely-improve-race-relations/37954992
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-11-13/bernie-sanders-and-barack-obama-it-s-complicated
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/bernie-sanders-promises-he-wont-repeat-obamas-biggest-political-mistake/
http://theobamadiary.com/2015/06/16/did-you-know-this-country-has-overcome-racism-bernie-says-so/
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-02-11/sanders-i-can-succeed-where-obama-failed
http://thedailybanter.com/2015/06/this-interview-shows-why-bernie-sanders-is-losing-african-american-support/
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/17/vermont-s-black-leaders-we-were-invisible-to-bernie-sanders.html
http://www.buzzfeed.com/evanmcsan/bernie-sanders-ill-do-better-with-black-voters-who-dont-live#.ccdBdGdly

» Posted By TresL On March 4, 2016 @ 7:13 pm

AdLib,

I stand by that statement with the possibility of two exceptions.

Bernie’s AA supporters who love PBO either may not be aware of his disparaging comments and dismissive tone or like many other AAs who view HRC as the lesser of two evils, his AA supporters may view him as the lesser of two evils.

I have an acquaintance who was all in for Bernie until I shared with her his disdain for PBO. She had no idea.

I also stand by my statement that he and HRC both hate PBO; but, I have to tell you, right now, I’m tapped out on discussing the two of them any further. I don’t like spending my time discussing or writing about people I despise. I have to be in the mood to do so. LOL! At some point down the road, I’ll elaborate further. Thanks for the conversation!

» Posted By TresL On March 3, 2016 @ 6:10 pm

Nirek,
No, I did not know you were a Vermonter as I do not regularly frequent this site. I will say, however, that I’ve been reading articles from Vermonters who do not share your view of Bernie. I believe one of your papers just endorsed HRC. I addressed some of your points in my reply to AdLib above. Given that Bernie has represented your state for the last 30 years, it’s obvious that he has enough support to maintain his seat which is where I think he’s best suited. I don’t think he or many of his supporters are ready for prime time. I do not include those of you on this site because I find you all to be very pleasant and reasonable. I cannot say that for the person who wrote this trash:

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/02/29/the-cult-of-hillary-the-ultimate-junk-bond/

Again, what prompted me to de-lurk and comment was to offer an alternative view of how many AAs are thinking about this election. I hope I’ve done that. Thanks for the conversation.

» Posted By TresL On February 29, 2016 @ 3:40 pm

AdLib,

There was no reply button below your comment so I hope you see this. First, I am not generalizing all AAs. If you re-read my comments, you’ll find I frequently used qualifiers like “most,” “many,” “not all AAs,” “in MY circle of influence” and I even acknowledge AAs supporting HRC and Bernie and those that are sell-outs and Toms. I think that petty much covers the spectrum of AA thought about this election. I also mentioned that “EARLY ON” HRC, Bernie and O’Malley seemed to think bashing PBO was their way to the nomination. It boggles the imagination that PBO’s name should even come up on the stump when you consider what’s happening in the GOP. HRC in her desperation has put that aside for now. O’Malley is out so that leaves Bernie who for a person with no accomplishments is quick to criticize PBO’s accomplishments with his favorite line “it’s not enough.” I never said or suggested that PBO was above criticism from other Dems. I just find it illogical for Dems to lie about his record and that both Bernie and HRC at times act as though they’re running against him while having little to say about the Republican clusterfuck. Even if they have their beefs with PBO, there’s a way to critique policy in a way that does not turn voters off. IOW they can disagree without being disagreeable. As a black person, their critiques sound like I’m white so I’ll be more successful at getting things done than PBO. They would be better served devoting their time to their plans for the country, the Repubs plans and the positives that have occurred in the last 7 years. There are times when they both have behaved as though they were in the opposition party. It’s the Repubs job to convince voters that every thing is terrible so elect us and we’ll fix it. They don’t need Dems adding to that narrative. Finally, my comments were never meant to persuade anyone to do anything. I was just tired of listening to white people explain why black people were voting for HRC and not voting for Bernie and wanted to add my voice to the mix. We’ll have to agree to disagree on whether HRC and Bernie both hate PBO because I definitely believe they do and I get the same feeling from my politically active friends and family and black radio where you hear the views of AAs across the country. And while I maintain I will not vote for either candidate, I fully intend to vote the rest of my ballot.

» Posted By TresL On February 29, 2016 @ 1:11 pm

Unfortunately, this point of view is missing in the media. There are your AA HRC and Bernie supporters and your sell-outs and Toms mostly on FOX. They all offer a black and white perspective when there is so much grey and nuance in the way many AAs think about this election. I commented out of frustration that many white people in this country think we’re easily swayed by endorsements or are ill-informed which for most of us cannot be farther from the truth. We have expert bullshit detectors and know exactly what’s going on and what’s at stake. I just wanted to try to provide an alternative view from what most may hear in the media. I agree that the DNC is corrupt and is responsible along with HRC for making sure she was the only choice. I had planned to vote for O’Malley until he decided, like HRC and Bernie early on, that the way to win the Dem nomination was to trash the sitting Dem president at every opportunity. So disappointing. It amazes me that Repubs defended W. until the very end no matter how many fires and disasters he left in his wake; yet, Dems have a successful 2-term president who is the most popular Dem in the country with real tangible accomplishments but they struggle to say anything positive about him or his policies. It’s absolutely obscene to me and it will not be forgotten.

» Posted By TresL On February 28, 2016 @ 7:06 pm

It’s not that simplistic. I don’t think you should assume that all AAs voting for HRC are actually supporters. Remember, there are only two candidates; so, you have people voting not FOR HRC but AGAINST Sanders because they do not believe he can win a general election. Also, AAs who love PBO will never vote for Sanders who clearly hates him so that leaves only two options: vote for HRC or not at all. Dem turnout was down from 2008 so clearly many opted not to vote at all. I lurk here occasionally and sometimes comment so I know that most of you are Bernie supporters; but, I have to tell you no one in my circle of influence views him as a serious candidate. I do not like him or HRC and will not vote for either of them under any circumstance. I already wrote-in Joe Biden for my state’s primary vote. Most AAs, however, are practical. They do not believe one word coming out of Sanders’ mouth. They don’t want a Republican president and will hold their nose to vote for HRC whom they have serious misgivings about as well. It’s not love for her; it’s a lack of options pure and simple. We also hate Cornell West so Sanders sending him in as a surrogate was just plain stupid and also reflects his lack of knowledge of our community. He and many of his supporters insult us daily yet expect our support. It’s not going to happen and the main reason is we believe him to be a fraud and his seething contempt for and envy of PBO is transparently obvious even as he and his supporters try to rip off aspects of PBO’s campaigns. I don’t want to offend. I just want to give you some insight on how many AAs are viewing this election right now. Many of us wanted Biden to run as we view him as the only credible person who genuinely believes in PBO, has had his back and would have continued his policies. HRC is an opportunistic fraud who is just now presenting herself as PBO’s best bud because she was in trouble. Once she gets the nomination, I fully expect her to return to her backstabbing ways. Also, keep in mind, AA voters rarely get to vote for a candidate we really like. It’s usually the lesser of two evils for us. We’re trying to settle on the candidate we believe will do us the least amount of harm and who has a realistic chance of winning in the general.

» Posted By TresL On February 28, 2016 @ 4:24 pm

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