On today’s BradCast, long time Bernie Sanders supporter Harold Meyerson, a former Washington Post columnist and now Executive Editor of The American Prospect magazine, argues Bernie Sanders supporters would betray both their candidate and history by staying home this November (or voting third-party or, worse, for Donald Trump) if their preferred candidate fails to win the Democratic nomination. [Audio link to complete show is below.]
Meyerson, who quips that there was a time decades ago when Sanders and he were the only “out-of-the-closet” Democratic Socialists in D.C., offers two historic parallels to the current divide seen in today’s Democratic Party during its contentious nominating contest between Sanders and Clinton. One concerns the Democratic Party’s fate after the 1968 convention and the other, perhaps more disturbing and enlightening, concerns Germany in 1932, as described in his recent American Prospect column headlined “How the Bros Are Undermining Bernie”.
“What’s really crucial,” Meyerson tells me on today’s program, “is that the forces [Sanders] has put into action continue to operate — and continue to push the limits of the possible in the United States — once his campaign is over, whether that is in July or in November.”
“I would hope that the Sanders campaign generates a lot of people who want a more democratic, equitable economy and society, and stick around after the Sanders campaign is over this year,” he says. “But it takes staying power. You don’t change a political party by coming in and then going out.”
Meyerson is optimistic, however, that so-called “Bernie or Bust” folks will eventually come to see that they have far more to gain from Hillary in the White House than they do if Trump wins this November. “I think the number of Sanders supporters who ultimately will not vote for Hillary, if she’s the nominee and it comes down to her vs. Trump, is a lot smaller than we’re seeing now. Confronting the reality of a Trump presidency will concentrate the mind.”
“We need to remember the greater goal and the greater narrative, of really changing economic and political power in this country, and that’s the main goal here. While there are legitimate distinctions between the Sanders and the Clinton camps, we should also remember there are a lot of lefties in the Clinton camp, too,” he adds, citing, for example, progressive Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)’s inclusion on the DNC Platform Committee, along with a number of other progressives just named this afternoon.
Also on today’s BradCast: A host of new polls from major news outlets suggest, once again, that Clinton is likely to have a very tough time against Trump this November if she wins the nomination; Anti-Trumpers continue coming around to him on the GOP side; Bad news for the fight against Photo ID voting restrictions in VA, and even more potential bad news for the state’s Democratic Governor; Plus: Climate change related extreme weather kills scores in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka over the weekend, as the planet’s climate crisis continues to worsen and the U.S. corporate mainstream media continue to ignore it…
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[audio:http://bradblog.com/audio/BradCast_BradFriedman_HaroldMeyerson_SandersClinton_052316_.mp3]
(Snail mail support to “Brad Friedman, 7095 Hollywood Blvd., #594 Los Angeles, CA 90028” always welcome too!)
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The forced meme has always been elections of only two candidates, a false dichotomy.
Especially if the choice is to vote for someone corrupt or a Fascist demagogue.
Everyone should vote…. but always vote for someone who truly represents their interests.
If that is not the touted two then sobeit… and if there is no one candidate that does, write in someone who is.
Bernie Sanders Requests Kentucky Primary Recount
I hope that’s a hand count Dredd.
We can do this!
Unfortunately, Dredd @2, that is NOT a “recount” as the HuffPo headline describes, but a recanvass that the Sanders camp has requested.
See WaPo’s coverage for a better description.
I don’t expect ANY numbers to change via that recanvass, in truth. Largely just a re-check of the machine-reported totals, as I understand it.
Brad,
Thanks for the clarification.
I still hope Larry can get his hand count re-canvas wish. 😉
There we go again, getting our hopes up before Brad smacks them down. 🙂
Larry @ 6:
That’s what I seem to be doing a whole lot of this year! Sorry! Someone’s gotta, I guess…
Courage, lads, courage…
Nothing great or imperative in the course of human history was EVER attained by being reasonable….YOU FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE, for a better world, not because it seems reachable but because it’s intentionally kept beyond your reach….it’s impossible, can’t be done, no way no how, everybody says, get serious, get REAL, face the facts, give it up, get over it….yeah yeah yeah, fuck that shit….that’s why kids recite the story of how David ran away from Goliath….that’s why Gen. Washington accepted those generous terms from Cornwallis….that’s why Einstein kept his day job at the Swiss Patent Office….that’s why Rev. King faced the Dobermans and the nightsticks and the fire hoses and the drawn weapons and had second thoughts…
Business as usual (the powers that be) has brought us to the brink of world calamity – socially, environmentally, politically, economically, morally and spiritually….We are being told that Trump or Hillary, two of the most egotistical charlatans ever foisted upon the American electorate, are the best We can do in this hour of urgent need….do We accept that?….if We do, then We are the losers, not because We retaliated and lost, but because We never fought to begin with….We behaved ourselves….We listened….We stayed home in the safety of our drapes…
I do not accept that….neither should you….every muscle in my body screams “FIGHT!!!” the more i’m told to go to hell….BERNIE OR BUST, baby, all the way to California!….ALL the way to Philadelphia, birthplace of democracy!!….here’s my 27 dollars, Senator!….got my motel booked, full tank of gas, and the extra super delegate that Clooney and the Waltons never saw coming is most assuredly GOING….these are times of destiny….corrupt politics and dirty government are in for a BIG surprise, and it couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch of jagoffs….Bernie Sanders rung that bell, sounded that alarm, and is making that midnight ride to awaken his fellow citizens….Saddle up!!…
WE!
CAN!!
DO!!!!
THIS!!!!!!
Bernie supporters are paying attention and are well aware of the Clinton campaign’s efforts along with that of the DNC,corporate media,and big donors to deny the public’s choices of who they want to represent them.
The shenanigans and dirty tricks that have been an integral part of this primary season will not be lost on or forgiven by Sanders supporters.
So,it would not be any surprise if a very high percentage of Sanders voters do not vote for Hillary if she should be given the nomination. We have been through this dance every 4th year for decades and we never get anything out of it.
I think the Democrats are going to get clobbered like never before in the general election if they shoehorn Hillary into the nomination.
The good news will be that Bernie and his believers will then inherit the party or what’s left of it and rebuild it into something that we all can participate in and be proud of
Steve B said @9:
What “shenanigans and dirty tricks” are you referring to? Because, in truth, I’ve not seen many that I’d actually describe that way this cycle. At least that I’d attribute to the Clinton campaign. So, just curious which “shenanigans and dirty tricks” you’re referring to?
Yeah. Well, I don’t see that as “good news” in any way, shape or form. I lived through the Bush Years. I remember them well. Still have the scars to prove it. Don’t know that this nation will well survive another 4 years with those psychopaths back in power. So, no thanks…
Can’t vote for a liar and a war monger. Sorry.