Bernie Sanders Gets Group Endorsements When Members Decide; Hillary Clinton When Leaders Decide

[morningfog]

In the war for endorsements in the Democratic presidential primary, there is a clear trend.

Every major union or progressive organization that let its members have a vote endorsed Bernie Sanders.

Meanwhile, all of Hillary Clinton’s major group endorsements come from organizations where the leaders decide. And several of those endorsements were accompanied by criticisms from members about the lack of a democratic process.

It’s perhaps the clearest example yet of Clinton’s powerful appeal to the Democratic Party’s elite, even as support for Sanders explodes among the rank and file.

* * *

For example, Clinton got an endorsement from the Human Rights Campaign this week. That decision was made not by a vote of HRC’s membership list but instead by a 32-member executive board that includes Mike Berman, the president of a lobbying firm that works for Pfizer, Comcast, and the health insurance lobby. Northrup Grumman is among its list of major corporate sponsors.

* * *

While all four major organizations that held membership votes endorsed Sanders, two that did not hold open membership votes also endorsed him: the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) and National Nurses United.

Sanders was endorsed by MoveOn with 78 percent of voters choosing him; in the Democracy for America vote, he won nearly 88 percent; and 87 percent of Working Families Party voters chose Sanders.

https://theintercept.com/2016/01/22/bernie-sanders-gets-group-endorsements-when-members-decide-hillary-clinton-when-leaders-decide/

Good chart at link.

[TheBlackAdder]

1. Republican Instututions lead from TOP-DOWN, Democratic Institutions lead from BOTTOM-UP! nt

[Rosa Luxemburg]

2. Very true

[hobbit709]

3. But if you criticize the leaders you are against the organizations and what they stand for.

At least according to several posters here.

[SamKnause]

4. And that is exactly what Bernie was referring to by

establishment.

Not the organizations.

Not the members.

The top echelon that endorse candidates bypassing the voices

of the members.

[morningfog]

5. Sanders is too sophisticated for HIllary's blind followers. They just don't understand.

[stillwaiting]

10. They get it. They're trying to spread a false meme for partisan purposes.

It's really all they have.

When they attack him on the issues they sound like Republicans, and there's a reason for that.

[WillyT]

6. HUGE K & R !!! - THANK YOU !!!

[libdem4life]

7. Can't think of a better way to describe this election cycle. Democracy vs. Oligarchy

[99th_Monkey]

8. THIS ^ if exactly what Bernie's 'establishment' comment was all about

and I love how he clarified it yesterday, like this.

Bernie cogently clarified exactly what he meant, and it makes perfect sense.

Bernie simply pointed out ...
1) his 100% rating by several groups that endorsed Hillary, and Hillary's rating was less than,
2) how it's puzzling to many observers when -- despite his 100% ratings -- Hillary gets
the endorsement instead of him, and
3) the contrast between the "grassroots" of these groups (which mostly support him) and the
groups' leadership which tend to have a cozy relationship with Hillary.

Lastly, he stated flatly "NO! I'm NOT calling PP, NARAL, et. al. "the Establishment"

It was a brilliant clarification, that kept him in the news cycle, to his benefit. Love this guy.

[highprincipleswork]

9. This is a crucial difference, and tells all you need to know right there.

Volunteer, donate, and vote Bernie!!!!!!!