Bernie Sanders’ Statement about the Nevada State Convention

by Gaius Publius

Schedule note: I'll be taking some time off, roughly a week, returning in about eight days. Stay strong; this is far from over.

Above is Nina Turner, who was present, attesting to the problems stated below.

This is Sanders' statement on the debacle in Nevada (with my interspersed comments and emphasis):

Sanders Statement on Nevada May 17, 2016

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders on Tuesday issued the following statement:

"It is imperative that the Democratic leadership, both nationally and in the states, understand that the political world is changing and that millions of Americans are outraged at establishment politics and establishment economics. The people of this country want a government which represents all of us, not just the 1 percent, super PACs and wealthy campaign contributors.

"The Democratic Party has a choice. It can open its doors and welcome into the party people who are prepared to fight for real economic and social change – people who are willing to take on Wall Street, corporate greed and a fossil fuel industry which is destroying this planet. Or the party can choose to maintain its status quo structure, remain dependent on big-money campaign contributions and be a party with limited participation and limited energy.

Read the paragraph above again. It's a throwdown, similar to the throwdown here. So far, nothing has changed. If you don't think this is still a battle for the soul of the Democratic Party, think again. Back to Sanders:

"Within the last few days there have been a number of criticisms made against my campaign organization. Party leaders in Nevada, for example, claim that the Sanders campaign has a ‘penchant for violence.’ That is nonsense. Our campaign has held giant rallies all across this country, including in high-crime areas, and there have been zero reports of violence. Our campaign of course believes in non-violent change and it goes without saying that I condemn any and all forms of violence, including the personal harassment of individuals. But, when we speak of violence, I should add here that months ago, during the Nevada campaign, shots were fired into my campaign office in Nevada and apartment housing complex my campaign staff lived in was broken into and ransacked.

"If the Democratic Party is to be successful in November, it is imperative that all state parties treat our campaign supporters with fairness and the respect that they have earned. I am happy to say that has been the case at state conventions in Maine, Alaska, Colorado and Hawaii where good discussions were held and democratic decisions were reached. Unfortunately, that was not the case at the Nevada convention. At that convention the Democratic leadership used its power to prevent a fair and transparent process from taking place.

And now the list of what went wrong. If you think this is blogger-talk, consider the source. This is Sanders talking; not a man who doesn't do research first.

"Among other things:

• The chair of the convention announced that the convention rules passed on voice vote, when the vote was a clear no-vote. At the very least, the Chair should have allowed for a headcount.
• The chair allowed its Credentials Committee to en mass rule that 64 delegates were ineligible without offering an opportunity for 58 of them to be heard. That decision enabled the Clinton campaign to end up with a 30-vote majority.
• The chair refused to acknowledge any motions made from the floor or allow votes on them.
• The chair refused to accept any petitions for amendments to the rules that were properly submitted.

"These are on top of failures at the precinct and county conventions including trying to depose and then threaten with arrest the Clark County convention credentials chair because she was operating too fairly."

I think we can put this to bed. The Clinton media will spin this as Bernie-violence, and the DNC is all over both the story and this statement as shameful, "anything but acceptable" in Debbie Wasserman Schultz's words. But that's absurd. Sanders does not encourage violence, and none of his massive rallies are violent either. This is just another stick the DNC is using to beat him with.

What You Do Next Matters

My suggestion to you: Take the reaction as a reminder of who and how many are against you. And don't disengage. We have numbers, momentum, and frankly, history on our side. The broader contest, not just for the nomination, but for the Party itself, is theirs to lose, and they're doing everything in their power to guarantee that loss.

Their overreaction is a tell, in fact, of the fact that they now feel powerless. They can get the nomination (maybe), and maybe even the election (though more doubtful), but that's all they will get. If Clinton is indeed made president, I predict "Fortress White House" within a year; she'll be the most embattled president since Richard Nixon.

People have asked nicely, electorally, through the political process. The other side (that's the DNC and all they represent) has declared war instead. You're watching the birth of that war in this campaign. We're nowhere near the end of it.

I'll have more on that broader story later. For now, just stay focused and engaged. This won't end at the nomination fight, and they're on their heels.  

GP