Tuesday Reads: New York Primary Day
Posted: April 19, 2016 Filed under: morning reads, U.S. Politics 76 Comments
Good Morning!!
Today is the New York primary, and I’m really hoping New York will send a strong message to the increasingly whiny and desperate Sanders campaign. Bernie Sanders has truly become “the Ralph Nader ” of 2016.
Last night the Sanders campaign sent a letter (pdf) to the Democratic National Committee (DNC) accusing Hillary Clinton of somehow misusing funds from her joint fund-raising agreement with the DNC (The Hillary Victory Fund) to raise funds for Democrats running for Congress and for 32 state Democratic Party organizations.
At Crooks and Liars, Karoli Kuns points out that the
“proper channel for complaints about campaign finance is the FEC, not the DNC. I have found no evidence of a complaint being filed with the FEC on these grounds.”
Since the Sanders campaign hasn’t made such a report to the FEC, I have to assume that this is just another Hail Mary pass from Sanders in his effort to damage Hillary Clinton’s reputation and convince low-information voters that she is corrupt.
At the Election Law Blog, Rick Hasen explains and say’s Sanders’ accusation is “legally weak.”
Here’s the deal. Clinton, like Sanders and other presidential candidates, has set up a joint fundraising committee with her political party. The JFC allows you to raise a huge chunk of change (more now than in past campaigns, thanks to the Supreme Court blowing out the aggregate federal limits in the McCutcheon case). A small bit goes to the candidate’s committee under the federal limits (currently $2,700 for the primary and $2,700 for the general). The next bit goes to the DNC, and the rest so state parties in $10,000 chunks. Sanders is accusing the joint committee of raising really big donations, and then having the JFC using some of those really big donations to engage in direct mail and internet targeting of small donors. When those small donors donate small amounts, contributions up to the first $2,700 benefit Clinton under the JFC agreement, and because these are small donors, it means Clinton gets all that small donor money.
The Deutsch letter cites no authority showing that this use of the JFC is not allowed, and it is hard to see what provision of the law it violates when donors give only small amounts that happen to benefit only Clinton. The letter says that maybe this is like an in-kind contribution from the DNC to the Clinton campaign, but I don’t see how it is that if the money is coming from the JFC not from the committee. The letter even says this means that those giving big checks to the DNC might thereby be giving more than the $2,700 to Clinton, which is not literally true—it is what the JFC is doing with the money, over which the donors have no control.
For the past few days, Sanders and his supporters have even been complaining about New York’s election laws and arguing that having a closed primary in which only registered Democrats can vote for a Democratic candidate is unfair to him!
John Cole, who has been largely supportive of Bernie Sanders throughout the primary campaign, calls Sanders out: The Whiniest Revolution Ever.
I really did spend much of this campaign pretty neutral- if anything, I thought I was tougher on the Clinton team most of it than the Sanders campaign. I liked the Sanders camps enthusiasm and I like his positions on many things (who doesn’t!), but eventually I decided it just wasn’t realistic and that we would be better off with Clinton. Having said that, we are now to the point that I am just fed up TO HERE (raises good arm over head)….
…with all the dipshits whining that as Independents they can’t vote in the closed Democratic primary and how closed primaries are a scourge against democracy, etc., ad nauseum, this [the Sanders campaign letter to the DNC] is the kind of shit that wants me to put the collective campaign in a box, weight it down, and throw it in the East River….
A good democrat knows to make sure they are registered and registered for the right party….A good democrat raises money for downticket races. A good democrat doesn’t spend the entire primary creating faux controversies to weaken the party and party structure. A good democrat doesn’t run around tellking half the states they don’t matter or count. A good democrat doesn’t do what the fucking Sanders campaign has done the last couple of months.
So that’s the latest rat-fucking from the Sanders campaign. Whether it will have any effect on votes in the New York primary, I don’t know. My guess is most New Yorkers will be able to see through Bernie’s smokescreen. We’ll find out tonight.
This morning, Politifact called Bernie out for another lie he’s been telling for months: Sanders largely off-base in saying he wins when voter turnout is high and loses when it’s low.
On the eve of the New York Democratic primary — where he needs a strong showing to have any hope of winning the presidential nomination contest — Bernie Sanders has repeatedly emphasized the importance of a large turnout.
In an April 12 speech in Syracuse, Sanders told supporters, “A week from today there’s going to be an enormously important Democratic primary in New York state. What we have found is we win when voter turnout is high, we lose when it is low. Next Tuesday, let us come out in large numbers. Let us have the highest voter turnout in Democratic primary history in New York.”
The verdict:
Sanders said, “We win when voter turnout is high, we lose when it is low.”
Sanders did notch a few notable victories in high-turnout primaries, but it would be cherry-picking to focus only on primaries. Sanders has mostly won caucuses, which have produced the lowest turnout rates of 2016 across the board. And while Sanders did win the handful of states where Democratic turnout increased over 2008, these increases were tiny, casting doubt on how significant an accomplishment this is.
The statement contains some element of truth but ignores critical facts that would give a different impression, so we rate it Mostly False.
Read the whole discussion at the link. Basically, most of Sanders’ wins have been in caucuses, with low turnout–but you knew that already. Mr. Holier-Than-Thou is a bald-faced liar, folks.
Here’s a little comic relief for you from Jenna Johnson at The Washington Post: Oops, Donald Trump accidentally says 7-Eleven instead of 9/11.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — At a campaign rally on the eve of the New York primary, Donald Trump read aloud an emotional testimonial on what he considers “New York values” and mistakenly said 7-Eleven instead of 9/11.
“I wrote this out, and it’s very close to my heart — because I was down there, and I watched our police and our firemen down on 7-Eleven, down at the World Trade Center, right after it came down, and I saw the greatest people I’ve ever seen in action,” Trump said at a rally near the Buffalo waterfront on Monday evening, without stopping to correct himself. “I saw the bravest people I’ve ever seen, including the construction workers, including every person down there. That’s what New York values is about.”
Is it really worth it for Bernie to keep hammering Hillary and possibly put this asshole in the White House?
The Trump campaign has been looking pretty disorganized lately, and now they’ve had a big staff shakeup. Politico: Trump orders new campaign hierarchy, spending plan.
In a shakeup that’s roiling Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, the GOP front-runner told senior staffers at a Saturday meeting that he wants his recent hires Paul Manafort and Rick Wiley to take the reins in upcoming states, giving them a $20 million budget for key contests in May and June, according to three sources with knowledge of the meeting.
The spending authorization, which covers most of the month of May, is far more than the campaign has spent in any prior month, according to Federal Election Commission filings. The cash infusion — which the sources said is intended to fund an aggressive advertising push, as well as more staff at Trump’s New York headquarters and in upcoming states — is part of an effort by the billionaire to expand and professionalize a shoestring operation that had mostly gotten by on the strength of free media exposure and a small core team.
But sources inside the Trump campaign said the moves are increasingly alienating staff loyal to the original team, headed by campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, which had guided Trump from the political fringe to the precipice of the GOP presidential nomination with relatively little campaign infrastructure or spending.
One key Lewandowski loyalist, national field director Stuart Jolly, on Monday submitted a letter of resignation, according to the sources, who characterized Jolly as displeased with the reorganization. Under the new structure, Jolly would have reported to Wiley, who was hired last week by Manafort as political director. In turn, Wiley, who previously ran Scott Walker’s disappointing presidential campaign, will report to Manafort, who was hired late last month and quickly boasted “I work directly for the boss.”
One operative who has worked with the campaign and was briefed on the changes said “Stuart will not work with Rick Wiley. It just wasn’t going to happen.” The operative added that the change had sparked particular concern among the campaign’s field staff, many of whom were hired by Jolly and maintained close contact with him — a rarity on a campaign with a reputation for top-down communication.
Read much more at the link. David Graham has more details at The Atlantic.
I’ll end with a mostly feel-good story from Quartz about Hillary’s campaign: Hillary Clinton assembled a dream team of women to campaign for her in New York.
“Hillary, Hillary,” chanted a crowd of women, and some men, in a chandeliered ballroom at the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan as Hillary Clinton’s team of powerhouse women took the stage April 18. The presidential candidate was joined by New York senator Kirsten Gillibrand, former Arizona congresswoman Gabby Giffords, the head of Planned Parenthood Federation of America Cecile Richards, the city’s First Lady Chirlane McCray, among others.
Clinton was joined by a number of her congressional friends long her stalwart supporters. “A vote for Hillary is a vote for yourself, for your city, for your country,” said one of New York’s US representatives Carolyn Maloney. Some of the women onstage were returning a favor to Clinton, who had helped them in their careers. “My strongest and best mentor has been Hillary Rodham Clinton,” said Gillibrand.
Letitia James, New York’s public advocate and the first woman of color to hold a citywide public office in New York, warmed up the crowd with a fiery speech. “I am of the firm belief that when you want anything done you should give it to a woman,” she said.
The crowd listened attentively as it was Giffords’ turn to speak. “In the White House she will stand up to the gun lobby, that’s why I’m voting for Hillary,” she said. Giffords had been shot in the head during an assassination attempt in 2011. “Speaking is hard for me but [in January] I want to say these two words ‘Madam President,’ ” she said, interrupted seconds later by a crying baby.
Of course the author felt obligated to note that there weren’t many millennials in the audience (someone was young enough to have a baby anyway). Here’s what I have to say about the endless “millennial” meme. So fucking what?!
What stories are you following today? Let us know in the comments, and check back later tonight for a live blog on the NY primary results!
peej
Carissa
ecocatwoman
grayslady
mablue2
NW Luna
peggysue22
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
Bernie is the one under FEC scrutiny for having donation violations. Weird prong of attack.
If I had given money to a candidate who then proceeded to take TEN family members in a privately-chartered jet to Rome in the middle of a hotly contested campaign? Wow – that would end it for me.
I know. That displays real judgement doesn’t it?
I heard Bernie is leaving NY, so I guess he isn’t expecting to do that well. I don’t know where he’s going. Hillary will be in NYC tonight for her victory speech.
He looks really cranky; more than usual. Did you see the link I put up on yesterday’s thread about how much the students and faculty hated Jane at BC?
I’m reading it now. Here’s the link for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet:
Not great when your faculty call you “obstructionist”
Bernie and Jane appear to be 2 peas in a pod in management style. Can you imagine a White House exuding this ‘presidential’ mindset?
A little too dictatorial for me…just learned of Bernie Sanders arresting over a dozen student who did a sit-in in his senate office after they couldn’t get an appointment or be heard. He also left a campaign speech when some Latinos from Sierra Blanca showed up to complain about him co-sponsoring a bill to dump toxic nuclear waste in their poor community. http://www.thepeoplesview.net/main/2016/4/18/tax-return-confirms-sanders-financial-stake-in-toxic-nuclear-dump <== I think this is the main reason we have not seen those pesky Bernie Sanders Tax Returns!
FYI…….Bernie’s Tax Returns shows $4800 in income for Jane in 2014 from the company that ships the toxic waste to TX.
http://www.thepeoplesview.net/main/2016/4/18/tax-return-confirms-sanders-financial-stake-in-toxic-nuclear-dump
I’m certain that Hillary knew about Bernie/Jane involvement with this Toxic Waste Company but has chosen not to go there. If he keeps hanging around I think she needs to go ahead and release the hounds.
Sorry WV, I wasn’t trying to post over your link, just bringing attention to how Jane Sanders profited from the Toxic waste disposal.
I had a boss who once screamed at us all collectively. She was quite young, but still – it was so unprofessional. It just made me angry and I doubt anyone else was motivated positively by it.
Bernie has the exact same reputation with people. Abusive.
Great post, BB.
Can you imagine an article that bemoaned the lack of retirees at a political rally?
Thanks, Sweet Sue. I am getting so tired of this shit. But we will be vindicated in November and it will be wonderful!
LOL thanks for that!
The millennials at Sanders’ rallies are white, college-educated kids from relatively affluent families. They can afford to be dreamers. A huge chunk of them are sexist a$$hole young men. I’m glad they’re not in Hillary’s camp.
Oh – and after she wins the nom – these kids the press thinks are so important are going to take their toys and go home and sulk. Even if Sanders were to win they’d vote in the general and skip mid-terms. I doubt many of them know who their own Congressional rep is.
All of the other candidates have made gaffes, that had Hillary made them would have earned an instant “gate” addition from our stellar press.
7-Eleven would have her laughed off the national stage.
Fingers, toes and eyes crossed, today!
I forgot to add that had Hillary said 7-Eleven, all our best pundits would be worrying about her advanced age and questioning her mental fitness for office.
Oh hell yeah, they’d accuse her of attacking our convenience stores all over this country.
I think that this is going to be closer than we would like, and I hope I am wrong. I think that a lot of Independent registered voters are going to show up and demand to vote, at the very least snarling up the lines. I think that Sanders’ campaign will sue somebody or other to contest the vote and the primary itself.
Sanders can always count on the anti-Hillary media to do his job for him. Make a ridiculous charge, and the media runs “Clinton campaign defends itself against charge of illegal activity,” which helps Sanders right off the bat, no matter how it is ultimately refuted. That is why they did that right on the eve of the primary. It also gets Jeff Weaver more TV time. Does Robby Mook every show up on TV? Does any Clinton campaign official? Or is it that the networks don’t invite them?
I hope that Hillary can win this primary by something, and that is ultimately good enough. They were running a crawl today (I ordinarily don’t watch much of this at all, but I do on election days) showing that while Trump only had 24% “favorables,” Hillary only has 32%, with 56% unfavorable. Trump is a virtually insane megalomaniac who knows nothing about the world, or governing; and who attacks everyone.. Hillary knows virtually everything about complex issues; and she was a highly respected Senator and Secretary of State. And she runs a very positive campaign. So we can only attribute such appalling poll numbers to three things: A relentless smear campaign against her by the Right, which has gone on for 25 years. The Sanders campaign using the same tactics, impugning her integrity, honesty, and everything else. The media gleefully emphasizing all of these attacks; and presenting stories, headlines and captions which are intended to accentuate it. I keep sending Hillary substantial money, and I know that others do, too. Sometimes I think that we are all fighting upstream against a clearly corrupt broadcast media, and now a Sanders campaign which seems comfortable with destroying the Democratic Party for its own gratification. Hopefully, we can win NY tonight and feel better about it. But the threads and narratives will of course not change; and she and we will just have to surmount them. In a reasonable country, if there were such a thing, she would be elected with 80% of the vote; the disparity in ability and knowledge is that great between her and everyone else running.
“In a reasonable country, if there were such a thing, she would be elected with 80% of the vote; the disparity in ability and knowledge is that great between her and everyone else running.”
Hear! Hear!!
I’d settle for a twenty point spread in tonight’s results… but that’s my lowest offer.
yes, but the Republican propaganda machine has been working on Hillary since 1994, there are a lot of millennials that weren’t born then, let alone old enough to see the propaganda. Now they are reading it as history, real history, not propaganda. When they started this anti Hillary campaign the Republicans were pissed as heck that they had lost what they thought was a forever-Republican White House. And they were talking about no Democrats should ever be elected to office and women should give up the vote. Boy were they mad!!!
I love what you have to say about the endless “millennial” meme!
Here’s amanda marcotte on the bernie issues
Bernie Sanders isn’t a Democrat: And that’s a real problem when he needs Democrats for his “revolution”
Sanders has downplayed his disassociation with the Democrats, but his recent behavior shows why it matters
http://www.salon.com/2016/04/19/bernie_sanders_isnt_a_democrat_and_thats_a_real_problem_when_he_needs_democrats_for_his_revolution/
i saw that… hilarious!!!
Crack me up.
I’m all jazzed up. Thanks for a super blog today, and everyday! The best. I love Hillary’s Dream Team, and the first thing came to my mind: Who ‘dat?
who dat?
Me First: Why Bernie Sanders Voted Against Protecting Our Nation’s Children
http://www.thepeoplesview.net/main/2016/3/18/me-first-why-bernie-sanders-voted-against-protecting-children
Ted Cruz is truly worse than Trump:
Ted Cruz’s Yiddish ad tells New York Jews he is God’s chosen candidate
Arutz Sheva ARUTZ SHEVA
https://www.rawstory.com/2016/04/ted-cruzs-yiddish-ad-tells-new-york-jews-he-is-gods-chosen-candidate/#.VxZEmdc5fNE.facebook
Ted Cruz: States Ought To Be Able To Ban Interracial Marriages
http://crooksandliars.com/2016/04/ted-cruz-states-ought-be-able-ban
Imagine what they say in PRIVATE!
His dad Rafael Cruz Sr. is often carrying on about Rafael (Ted) Cruz Jr. being the second coming etc, etc…ala Holy Rolly CULT preacher (Dad). Very disturbing. More disturbing is that the Bush family is embracing both Cruz Sr. & Jr.
I look forward to God raising her hand to smite him down.
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/bernie-sanders-regular-luxurious-dscc-fundraising-retreats
Bernie Sanders a regular at high-dollar donor retreats
Bernie’s quite the little grifter! From your link:
“Some guests said they were surprised to see the populist crusader at these lavish events and suggested he was probably in it for the free vacation.
Senators are flown on a private plane chartered by the DSCC to the retreats, which are held at five-star resorts like the Ritz-Carlton. Sanders was often spotted at the pool, walking on the beach, and at the buffet line. He went on a boat ride off Martha’s Vineyard organized by the committee.”
These retreats are for the express purpose of soliciting large cash donations from wealthy contributors. But he’s got those kids in SFO duped into protesting Clooney’s fundraiser.
Video: Donald Trump “Reaches Out” to Black Voters With a Rap Song
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/45857_Video-_Donald_Trump_Reaches_Out_to_Black_Voters_With_a_Rap_Song
http://bluenationreview.com/bernies-top-aide-complains-president-obama-is-a-human-shield-for-hillary/
OFF-SCRIPT: Bernie’s Top Aide Complains President Obama Is a ‘Human Shield’ for Hillary
Master Taddler at it again.
You can bet that this line will be used by the Republicans in the general election. And would anyone doubt that at least one of the Devine/Weaver combo will end up on one of those “pundit panels” throughout the campaign, there to carp and sneer at Hillary?
Implies that Hillary is a terrorist. Bernie’s folks are class as ever.
If news came out that Hills or Billscfor that matter had a financial interest in dump toxic waste on people of color, there would be no other news that week!!!!!
I know. That’s unbelievable.
http://www.thepeoplesview.net/main/2016/4/18/tax-return-confirms-sanders-financial-stake-in-toxic-nuclear-dump
http://bluenationreview.com/toxic-waste-dump-bernie-from-sierra-blanca-to-flint/
Great post today BB. Thank you. And totally agree with you about Bernie’s millennial supporters. They are really getting tiresome.
I’m pretty fired up about tonight. I hope that Hillary can prevail by a decent margin of victory so that we can send a strong message to these whiny cry babies.
The nice thing about these millennials, (my daughter is the exception) is that most of them don’t bother to vote. They love the events and concerts but voting, not so much.
That’s what I thought too!! Concerts are a lot of fun!! You can chill with your friends, drink a little, smoke a little, but VOTING, that requires discipline and some planning. That’s why that age group has traditionally been the most unreliable of all voting demographics.
Bernie Sanders isn’t leading a ‘Revolution’ and he is hurting the #OCCUPY movement. Sanders is all about “It’s MINE ALL MINE” and doesn’t share. Revolution my arse!
Media failure
Remember Bernie’s supporters going after Elizabeth Warren for failing to endorse him??? I don’t believe it even occurred to them she might actually have favored Clinton had she cared to make an endorsement.
Hubby attended a meeting at which there was a political analyst who had this to say: That if, IF, Bernie Sanders were to win the NY primary, that would be extremely significant because super delegates would begin changing their allegiances. That would explain why they are throwing everything but the kitchen sink at Hillary if they have analysts feeding them the same info. The analyst also said Trump would secure all of the delegates he needs for the nomination after the California primary.
I thought it was interesting and wanted to share.
I’d be interested to know which superdelegates would switch to Bernie after his repeated attacks on the Democratic Party. I seriously doubt there would be more than a few, if that.
I thought the same thing. I think this analyst showed a lack of understanding of the super delegates but then again, we are talking about the most unlikely of scenarios. she’s not going to lose in ny. we all know that.
I just hope she wins by 20 points instead of just 10 or so.
Go Hillary GO! Yes, it takes a village and only ONE person will help Down Ticket Democrats – #HillYes #NewYorkPrimary Hillary Clinton Fight Song
https://youtu.be/3JMLO07645s via @YouTube
FUN FACT: Bernie Received $10,000 from Hillary’s PAC to Win Senate Seat
http://bluenationreview.com/bernie-received-10000-from-hillarys-pac-to-win-senate-seat/
But he doesn’t believe in using PAC money, does he?
http://thetab.com/us/2016/04/19/judge-rules-against-opening-the-ny-primary-3593
No on counting independent votes.
Why does Bernie always want the rules changes when shit doesn’t go his way?
“Why does Bernie always want the rules changes when shit doesn’t go his way?”
Because it’s what he does right before he throws a shithissy fit
yep the throws a thit, and we are tired of it.
This is absurd. There could be hundreds of thousands of Sanders voters who are now going to claim that they were “purged,” and so get to vote. Are they going to ultimately spend months going through every one of these would-be voters’ records, to see if they were purged, or if they changed to Independent deliberately a few years ago, or just what? This could turn into a debacle, with delegates not being apportioned until the convention. I am seriously thinking that there is some chance that Hillary’s nomination would be contested even in August, and maybe we would be without a nominee. Law suits can go on forever, particularly this one. This was a poor decision, in my view.
The plaintiffs are going to have provide evidence of a purge, and I don’t think they have it. Beyond that, I gather the judge told the plaintiffs they needed to serve all 60 counties in the state individually to proceed. That seems a way of getting rid of a nuisance without giving them grounds for appeal. I doubt the plaintiffs are going to follow through. It’s just a bunch of noise. Federal and state court decisions protect a party’s right to a closed primary.
See, this kind of thing really annoys me: “cited thousands of cases.” No, they have not. “Cited” means they provided specific references to. All the EJ org has done is throw out claims — mostly misleading — that “apparently” “thousands” of Dems were removed from the Dem affiliation rolls or lost their registration altogether. In their court filing, they DID cite a handful of specific examples of people, with references to some sort of documentation, who had been registered as Dems but were now listed as unaffiliated. They have also said they have 300 instances which have been “substantiated” although the nature of the substantiation is not clear. I haven’t been able to find links to any substantiation, although full disclaimer: I refuse to go on Reddit, where EJ does most of their info collecting, because it is such a swamp.
This may seem like a really small thing to get steamed up about. And it could just be sloppy rather than intentionally misleading reporting, but it creates the impression of the existence of specific evidence when all they have are claims or allegations.
Also missing from most “reporting” about EJ is that it is only about a month old.
Everything about this suit points to publicity stunt. All the claims to false party affiliation switching, even if they did happen, only calls for the remedy that already exists, of provisional ballots, not changing to an open primary, the remedy they sought. They wait d until the last minute to file — they could have filed it months ago. Sanders supporters just filed it in the hopes they could use it as a pretext to get press for their empty claims of Dem/Hillary corruption and excuse how badly they lose NY.
Eergh! Ok, sorry, I’m done venting now.
http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2016/04/19/i-demand-the-truth-about-ivanka-trump-menon.html
…. the latest ‘swab in cheek’ conspiracy theory from one of my favorite pundits.
For heavens sake, they’re adults. If they want to vote they need to be registered in the party they want vote in, in a timely manner. What bunch of boobs
And to pretend, at this late date, that the rules came as a surprise to the Sanders camp defies belief.
It reminds me of every single time you beat a boy at a game or a sport as a kid you could count on him whining, “SHE CHEATED!!”
MSNBC exit polls 16% of Dem voters under 30.
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I just can’t wait to see her sit down across the table from Putin and chomp on a jalapeño and offer him one.
I would love to see that! And she’d do it while keeping her diplomatic face on!
I have tried 8 ways to Sunday to give Bernie the benefit of the doubt during this primary season but the scorched earth approach he and therefore his surrogates have taken have convinced me that this has all been a vendetta. Remember when Bernie was filibustering Obama’s plan to extend tax cuts and Obama held a presser with Big Dawg in order to upstage Bernie? And how well it worked? I’ve become convinced that Bernie has no further aspirations than to hurt Hillary.
You could be right. Bernie’s ego is that big.
Obama and Bill Clinton showed how you work together to get things done. Sanders is about shouting.