Chelsea Manning releases a campaign ad

[janterry]

?t=71



ETA: it doesn't sound like they think (or she thinks) she is running to win, imo

[elleng]

1. She's right.

Sorry she's running in Maryland, where our Senators are often for the people.

[louis c]

56. Chelsea Manning is a full of shit Kremlin Stooge

Don't fall for more of this Russian placed bullshit to divide Democrats.

Haven't you learned your lesson, yet?

[elleng]

61. well thanks so much for the reprimand,

louis c.

[louis c]

91. You're welcome

[Hortensis]

137. You do realize Senator Cardin is our ranking member on

the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, don't you? He will lead the committee when we take control of the senate in 2018 and is committed to smashing Putin's plans for hegemony.

Cardin's a very strong, competent, liberal Democrat and a senate leader in general as well.

THAT is why the Russians and the GOP really NEED to destroy him.

What has Cardin he done to make YOU feel replacing a fine man like him with a complete amateur without a day of government experience like Manning would be a positive step? It's also not irrelevant at all that, if he were elected, not only would he be profoundly incompetent, but the election of someone many millions see as a traitor would do terrible damage to the party. Could that be it?

Seems more than a little trumpster-firish in all respects to me.

[elleng]

142. I live in Maryland, I respect Senator Cardin a lot.

My 'thanks for the reprimand' was :sarcastic: Sorry you didn't catch it.

[Hortensis]

143. I didn't catch that you respect Cardin,

and I am sorry for that. But seriously, "she's right?"

Didn't this strike you as a left-wing populist version of extreme right-wing populist fear- and hostility-mongering? I'd say "trumpian," but this dark, violence-trolling ad almost makes Trump's populism look like a teddy-bear version in comparison.

Where is the sunny, reasonably prosperous, just, stable America we actually almost all still live in in this repellent message?

[elleng]

145. Thanks. Problem is, I think,

'we actually ALMOST all still live in,' and we all must recognize the extent that the 'prosperous, just, stable' is not available to MANY here. To ignore it is to jeopardize all of us.

[Hortensis]

146. And destruction and replacing is the way to spread

the vast prosperity we currently achieve but distribute increasingly poorly?

I notice so often a blind faith in those who imagine they can just replace politicians with histories and slot in unknowns who promise change and have improvement. Please take a good look at who Manning's right-wing populist counterparts have put in office -- or more accurately, who those harnessing their negative, ignorant frustrations have.

You won't like this, but people eager to destroy our current Democratic leadership need to ask themselves: When has a good, solid achiever for the people risen from behind these dark, frightening messages? Never. Some really bad ones have, though.

They should also take a good look at our current representatives to determine who should be retained, but that's no doubt never going to be possible for many who determined to see only bad.

Fact is, extremism is antithetical to both competence and to democracy itself, which must have cooperation among peoples of differing viewpoints to exist. Extremists can only thrive in our suburbs when they don't thrive in government.

[elleng]

147. I've never advocated destruction; replacing in many cases is necessary.

'Dark, frightening messages' don't do it, nor does 'extremism,' but rational messages from those experienced, for example Governor O'Malley, can, and must get attention.

[NurseJackie]

98. Thank you for speaking the truth! And... AND...

... for pointing out the blind folly of those who follow her or who think Cardin "needs to be primaried" (he doesn't.)

[louis c]

113. No, thank you (NT)

[Eliot Rosewater]

152. I fucked up when I first heard of her running and applauded, too bad I now realize what is actually

happening

I think our country is gone, my friend, for real

[herding cats]

75. The ad made zero sense and had as much content

It was all theatrics and zero substance. What could possibly be right about that to any person of thought? It was meant to prey on emotional reactions, not rational thought. It was an insult.

[Cha]

161. No, she's Not right. Damning President Obama and

Senator Ben Cardin with her Fearmongering ad, worthy of the republicons and/or Russian propaganda.

"..more of the same.." where have I heard that lazy crap before?

She'd still be in prison if Obama hadn't commuted her sentence.

Senator Ben Cardin:

Our democracy. Five days latter Chelsea Manning announces her run and releases one of the worst political ads I have seen. An ad that my technologically challenged ass could put together in an afternoon. It is a Republican style ad based in fear. The only party she directly mentions is when she levies an attack on Democrats.

JANUARY 10, 2018

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin Releases Report Detailing Two Decades of Putin’s Attacks on Democracy, Calling for Policy Changes to Counter Kremlin Threat Ahead of 2018, 2020 Elections

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=10102116

[Eliot Rosewater]

164. +++++++++++++++++++++

[Cha]

165. ..

Mahalo, ER

[SunSeeker]

172. Thank you Cha!

I appreciate you setting the record straight.

[Cha]

173. You're Welcome, SunSeeker..

and I appreciate you!

I'm a bit of Sun seeker, myself.

[samnsara]

2. ive never been a fan of hers

[herding cats]

77. I hold no animosity to her, but that was exceedingly thin broth.

It was possibly the most shallow political ad I’ve ever had the displeasure of viewing.

What in the world is she thinking?

[MLAA]

114. +1

Thin gruel 😜

[FreepFryer]

3. The political equivalent of "Hold my beer." (n/t)

[NCTraveler]

102. .

[Blue_Tires]

4. In case anyone is wondering why Manning is REALLY running...

Link to tweet

[pnwmom]

5. interesting. Thanks!

[Hortensis]

136. Cardin's also the ranking member on Senate Foreign Relations

Committee. If Republicans lose control of the senate, as is believed likely, in 2018, Cardin will be chair of that very important committee.

For different reasons, the Russians, the GOP, and our hostile rule-or-ruin faction are all focused on taking out effective Democrats.

[Cha]

140. Thank you for that, Hortensis.. Well said

Shine the Light!

[Hortensis]

141. :) Opportunity to shine a light on Senator Cardin.

[mcar]

149. Oh, that explains a lot!

Russians are still interfering and seemingly have willing accomplices.

[Hortensis]

154. Opportunistic accomplices. Destroying Democrats means empty

seats they might take. If they lose them to the right, well, step one to a better world still achieved.

This is the kind of thinking that caused me to equate it with dangerous dysfunction over 40 years ago. New ideal-bleating generations, same conservative-benefiting behaviors.

[mcar]

157. Yep!

[Cha]

9. So that answers my fucking question of

what I suspected all along.

Thanks Blue_Tires

[jberryhill]

54. Mmm-hmm

[SidDithers]

14. +1...

Sid

[crazylikafox]

28. THIS

[peggysue2]

40. Yes!

When I first heard Ms Manning was planning to primary, I suggested she call up her BF Assange, see if there was an opening at Wikileaks HQ. Though Assange appears to be a wee bit pinched at the moment. Poor baby!

[joshcryer]

45. I don't think patsy, but definitely stooge.

The patsies will be those who fall for the conspiracies when she inevitably loses.

[mcar]

51. That explains it

Cardin is a good senator and solid Dem. SMDH.

[Tarheel_Dem]

76. Now it all makes sense. n/t

[herding cats]

80. Oh, come on...

Last edited Mon Jan 15, 2018, 05:28 AM - Edit history (1)

Seriously, do you think that’s it? I mean, really is that a thing people are saying?

I’m not sure, but I admit it’s a terrible premise she’s apparently mounting for a campaign. Most voters will be insulted by her ad, not inspired. It’s an insult on its face for the voters in the state she’s running in. “All politics are local” isn’t a fabled unicorn, it’s true.

She’s toast out of the starting gates. This is asinine and uncalled for in that state. It’s basically one of the stupidest political moves I’ve seen in decades. Which is saying a lot.

[yardwork]

94. Thank you.

[happy feet]

101. Bingo!

[ehrnst]

109. +1000 (nt)

[Eliot Rosewater]

153. Yeah, they fooled me. Manning is part of the problem, for sure. Too bad. I think

we are in very deep shit.

[Blue_Tires]

185. It gets worse -- If Glenn is getting involved you KNOW Moscow is balls deep in this campaign

Link to tweet

[Blue_Tires]

187. Greenwald's getting pissy:

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[R B Garr]

188. Thank you. That explains everything. The malicious propaganda continues.

I saw your other posts about Glenn's concern. This can't be called out enough.

[Cha]

6. oh gawd.. give me a break. She's running

against Senator Cardin who does "GOT THIS".

So, who's funding her to Challenge a popular sitting Democratic Senator?

[DURHAM D]

8. Sorry, I have a hard time with Russian surnames. nt

[Cha]

11. What do you mean? Oh!

that's who's funding her?

Link to tweet

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=10100267

This makes me sick.

[Adrahil]

7. She should quit while she's ahead.

She belongs in jail. She is fortunate that Obama had compassion for her predicament. And no w she's trying to fuck a good Democrat. She can go straight to hell.

[DURHAM D]

10. Agree.

The Republicans have four criminals running and now we have our own convicted felon.

I hope the FBI has opened a file on her funding sources.

[handmade34]

13. judging by the ad

her funding source is probably non-existent... I don't dislike Chelsea Manning, just think the ad is low budget

[janterry]

16. I thought the ad was terrible, too

The push to sound powerful - sounded forced and.....kind of lame.

It might play well to her online followers, but not to the mainstream voters she needs to impress

[Cha]

12. ExFuckingZactly.

[RKP5637]

59. My thoughts too. She should be pleased not to be in jail. Somehow all of this does not seem

quite right. Also, I did not like the ad, or that she's running against a good dem.

[Calista241]

15. I'm not sure she can legitimately hold office.

Didn't Obama just commute her sentence? Which means she'd still have a felony conviction on her record.

[janterry]

17. She can't vote for herself

but she can run

I don't think she could pass a security clearance at the WH either. SO, there's that

[Cha]

18. You're right.. I hope it does mean that.

https://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/obama-commutes-chelsea-mannings-sentence-233722

[joshcryer]

46. Nah, you can run from prison if you want to.

There is literally nothing other than age and citizenship that bar you from political office. You can run from inside a prison.

https://www.factcheck.org/2008/11/felons-in-office/

There are 4 convicted felons currently running on the Republican side: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/joe-arpaio-2018-election_us_5a563b5ae4b03417e8743168

[jberryhill]

55. Uh, who says a felon cant run?

[ehrnst]

110. Ex Felons can vote in Maryland. (nt)

[Tipperary]

19. No. Just no to Chelsea.

[OKNancy]

20. Everytime I see a thread about her I'm so tempted to post the same damn thing

When she was Bradley, she punched her female supervisor.
She also as Bradley threatened the same woman to out her as gay.
This woman told me in person, "I am really surprised if he would get surgery to remove his penis. He loved it, liked to take it out and wave his dick at me all the time and say crude stuff"

Anyone who puts Manning on some kind of pedestal as a hero is mistaken. All she wants is attention.

[janterry]

22. I didn't follow the case, really at all

but my sense of her was that she had some 'borderline personality features'

jmho here -

[JI7]

44. Obama should have done something for bergdhal instead

[joshcryer]

47. He rescued Bergdahl...

...and Bergdahl didn't get prison time.

I am glad Obama gave Manning her freedom, but I think she was conned into doing what she did by Assange personally.

[JI7]

48. Looks like she is still doing it for assange

[irisblue]

53. Got a source, asking in a neutral voice.

[OKNancy]

82. first hand and news articles about the trial

The person who was involved in these incidents... I had breakfast with her yesterday. With her and my daughter. They are engaged.
I'm not mentioning her name because she got death threats because she testified in the trial against Manning. She can't even use her real name on Facebook.

[irisblue]

85. Thank you.

I know/knew very little about her, except for the general public information. I had heard (pretty sure it was the New Yorker Radio Hour in late October) a long interview with her, then an analysis of her actions& behaviors. The specific mention of narcissism in her personality and how that impacted her military career.
Appreciate the conformation.

[janterry]

103. I said upthread

that she seems borderline, to me

[Anny61]

120. Right. Not a character to hold up. I am surprised Chelsea is not running Republican.

[Drahthaardogs]

21. Any friend of Julian Assange, is no friend of mine

This man HELPED give us Trump and slandered Hillary.

Why the fuck is Manning supported here on DU?

[janterry]

23. I see very little support for her candidacy here

n/t

[Drahthaardogs]

25. Some here see her as a hero.

She's a traitor and a Russian aider and abaitor. Assange played her, but she is a Democratic pariah, sorry

[Calista241]

26. Assange also kicked off the Arab Spring uprisings, starting with Tunisia.

His record is more of an anarchist really than anything else.

[Drahthaardogs]

29. Assange is trying to destroy America

And I despise him. Inhold Manning in slightly higher regard only because she is dumb and easily manipulated.

[George II]

93. I'm surprised Edward Snowden didn't do a voice over from Moscow.

[Drahthaardogs]

95. He's a real traitor too.

Everyone was applauding them at the time. Funny how they all took it sought refuge in Russia isn't it?

More Putin bullshit.

[.99center]

24. Love the Tweet from Glenn Greenwald!

I don't know how to put this delicately...

This fucking ad looks like the same shit being produced by the Kremlin to divide Americans.



Donation page for Sen. Ben Cardin.
https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/ben_cardin

[Demsrule86]

27. I am so not interested. She should have gone after a GOP held house seat.

That would have been awesome. Instead, we have to waste time and resources on a primary. Very disappointing.

[janterry]

30. Independent

I think she should have run as an independent. Or Green Party. She's backed by them, I would think

[Demsrule86]

33. Of course...divide the vote so we lose the seat...maybe she shouldn't have run at all

for a Democratic held seat. But her involvement with Greenwald and Assange...indicates a Kremliin connection.

[Cha]

31. Yes.. that big shit show filmed

in the ad is all republicon shite.

manning looks really disingenuous primarying a sitting Democratic President who is doing his job well.

Link to tweet

[Demsrule86]

32. I expect the Russians are making trouble again.Assange is involved.

[PragmaticDem]

34. I don't trust her!

[Cha]

37. I definitely don't trust Chelsea Manning.

Link to tweet

[PragmaticDem]

39. Yep! Luckily it will likely fail in Maryland.

[RKP5637]

60. Neither do I! n/t

[Firebrand Gary]

35. She's a trans woman running for the US Senate! Let's applaud that!

I'm a fan of Cardin and I hope he wins, Chelsea is doing a service to the party and movement so long as she does not tear down Cardin in the process.

[Cha]

36. Sorry, I don't think her intentions are

honorable, Gary.

Link to tweet

She's primarying a sitting Democratic Senator who is doing a good job.. Senator Ben Cardin has Got This.

[yurbud]

127. that bit about the Kremlin playing the left sort of made sense during the Cold War

not that they are as capitalist as us, it's kind of a pathetic charge.

Even if Russia is trying to influence our election, an honest assessment of our foreign policy toward Russia since the end of the Cold War might reveal how to reduce tensions without fear-mongering and escalating tensions with our only nuclear peer in the world.

Democrats need to be careful with this Russia-baiting for another reason too. It is based on the premise that progressives and minorities have nowhere to go since the Republican Party is more corrupt, openly racist, and now insane.

But if Democratic voters see the Democratic Party as pushing for war with Russia or China, the Democrats will start to lose a lot more voters to third parties or even more likely, see new SECOND party replace them and/or Republicans.

[janterry]

49. I haven't followed her enough

but my armchair assessment is that she can't pull this off with enough equanimity, given who she is - at this point in her life (to positively represent the trans community throughout the primary).

Of course, she thinks so......so, we'll see.

[mcar]

52. Sorry, but this makes no sense

I applaud any and all Democratic women running for office....

But not to primary a sitting Dem. Do you realize how tight the Senate board is? We cannot afford to waste resources on a primary fight.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

108. I would imagine that Cardin can afford to pretty much ignore her unless she gains traction

I'm not familiar with Cardin's record but of all of the Dems that I've heard should be primaried for something they said or voted for, his has never been on any list AFAIK. Sort of doubt that this primary challenge is going anywhere. Is there a Republican-held House seat and/or State Legisture seat she can try to snag instead? Jumping into a US Senate race as a political neophyte (and a controversial person at that) seems sort of doomed to failure. I mean, she has the right to run and all, but still.......

[mcar]

119. That's my thought too

She could run against an R for state leg or something like that.

[louis c]

58. Assholes can be straight, gay, trans, young, old, balck or white

Because Chelsea is "trans", she can work as a Kremlin stooge and get a pass here?

She's an asshole, regardless of her gender or sexual preference.

[David__77]

62. Why do you say shes trans in quotes?

Is she not?

And, “sexual preference?” What’s that?

[louis c]

90. Because it's a shortened version of Transgender.

Stop splitting hairs. Manning is a traitor who is a comrade of the person (Assange) responsible for putting Trump into office.

Fuck Chelsea Manning. She should still be in jail.

[rusty fender]

65. There's nothing inherently good or bad about being a trans person

"She's a trans woman running for the US Senate! Let's applaud that!" What if it's Caitlyn Jenner running, Einstein

[cwydro]

68. Doing a service to the party?

Yeah sure.

[pnwmom]

71. Did you watch her extremely dark ad? Of course she plans on tearing down Cardin.

I'm not going to applaud her for helping the Republicans tear down a good Democrat.

[Firebrand Gary]

73. I did, and I thought the ad was silly beyond any measure.

[Drahthaardogs]

96. She's a fucking traitor who helped Putin elect Trump.

Saying we should support her because of her sexual reassignment surgery is ridiculous.

[jberryhill]

107. WTF? And Michelle Bachmann was a woman running for presisent

So what?

[ehrnst]

111. How does this not tear Cardin down? (nt)

[ehrnst]

115. Would you applaud Kaitlyn Jenner running for office? (nt)

[crazycatlady]

151. Just because she's trans doesn't mean I support her

If Caitlyn Jenner were to run for US-Senate I wouldn't support her either.

[tammywammy]

38. Manning is a convicted felon for leaking classified information

How well is that going to go over with the multitude of people in Maryland that currently hold a security clearance? I agreed with her sentence being commuted, but for what she did - fuck her. She downloaded everything she could get her hands on and without any discrimination released it. There are avenues for people in her position to whistleblow. That’s not what she did. Not to mention her assaulting her superior officer.

[Cha]

42. Good Point! I just googled: Can a convicted felon run for office?

And, this came up..

"In many states, Manning would be unable to vote or run for elected office after being convicted of a felony, but Maryland passed a law last year that allows felons to participate in elections. During his career in the senate, Cardin has frequently advocated restoring voting rights to felons.

https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=gvJbWtiOLo7SjwPk8LuIDg&q=can+convicted+felons+run+for+office&oq=can+convicted+felons+run+for+office&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0i131k1j0i22i30k1l9.875.10048.0.10538.39.27.1.11.11.0.299.3717.0j17j4.21.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..6.33.4033...0j0i10k1j33i21k1j33i160k1.0.qobpuIQ5n5Q

[tammywammy]

43. There's no Constitutional reason she cant run

States could limit for state legislatures, but there’s nothing in the Constitution to prevent her for running for federal office.

I just think her advocacy for transgender rights or prison reform could be a lot more beneficial than a pie in the sky political campaign.

[jmowreader]

41. The hell with Chelsea Manning

You're telling me she actually believes anyone who released roughly 700,000 classified documents to the civilian world is going to appeal to an electorate as full of government employees as Maryland is?

[madinmaryland]

50. It's a fucking publicity stunt to raise money for Assange.

She just needs to STFU and do something productive in her life.

[calguy]

57. As a male he was a treasonous little weasel

As a woman* she* is still a treasonous weasel.

[Jim Lane]

83. Your use of asterisks is disgusting bigotry.

If you had chosen to write, "As a woman she is still a treasonous weasel," that would be one thing.

But putting asterisks after "woman" and "she" is nothing but transphobia.

People can exchange differing opinions about Manning's actions without descending to such smears.

[calguy]

97. I'm simply expressing my sincere option, as are you

[LanternWaste]

118. Two plus two equals yellow is a sincere opinion as well, despite being uniformed.

Two plus two equals yellow is a sincere opinion as well, despite being uniformed.

It would take a creative imagination to pretend though, that that opinion is not simple petulance and in any way relevant to the OP.

[Jim Lane]

123. That's totally disingenuous.

Here's an example: Utah's 4th congressional district is represented by an anti-choice, anti-ACA Republican who wants to cut spending on things like Medicaid and school lunches. It's easy to express the sincere opinion that those are reprehensible positions. But if someone wanted to express that sincere opinion by calling Representative Love the c-word (because she's a woman) or the n-word (because she's black), would that be OK with you?

It wouldn't be OK with me. I hope she loses her next election but my opposition to her would not be an excuse for sexism or racism.

[Drahthaardogs]

99. So is saying we should celebrate the little traitor

Because she is trans.

Her gender identity has NOTHING to do with any of this.

[Jim Lane]

121. Your post proves my point.

You were able to express your disapproval of Chelsea Manning by calling her a "little traitor" -- without resorting to transphobia.

You write, "Her gender identity has NOTHING to do with any of this." I'd say it has nothing to do with her revelations of government secrets, and little to do with her candidacy for office. But it has a lot to do with the specific post I answered, which pretty clearly disparaged her gender identity.

[Drahthaardogs]

125. I agree with you.

Just pointing out that the posters who say we should support and celebrate her candidacy because she IS trans is every bit as disgusting.

I would not vote for her for dog catcher. She is NO Democrat. She helped Trump attack Hillary with Assange.

[Jim Lane]

126. "Support" and "celebrate" are two different things.

One can be glad that it's become more politically feasible for a trans person to run, and yet not support a particular trans candidate.

I wrote that her trans status has "little to do with her candidacy for office" (emphasis added). Other things being equal, it's good to have barriers broken. There was quite a bit of celebration of this concept here when Hillary Clinton became the first woman nominated by a major party.

Of course, in the real world, other things are never equal. If the general election had been Carly Fiorina versus Chafee, O'Malley, Sanders, or Webb, then Hillary and almost all her supporters would have backed the man on the Democratic ticket instead of the woman on the Republican ticket.

[ehrnst]

148. So you would support a run for office by Kaitlyn Jenner?

Because trans?

[Jim Lane]

175. That is not a remotely plausible reading of my post.

I wouldn't support a run by Tim Scott, either. He and Jenner are both right-wingers.

But I wouldn't approve of someone opposing Scott with a racial slur.

This is just more of the all-or-nothing thinking that's growing on DU. In this view, there is Good and there is Evil -- nothing else. Any negative comment about Evil (such as a transphobic slur) is acceptable because, after all, Evil is Evil. The corollary is that anyone who calls out such a slur must therefore support the Evil candidate in all respects.

And to think, we used to laugh at Republicans for not understanding nuance.

[ehrnst]

177. Who is here is opposing Scott with a racial slur, & who is opposing Manning with a homophobic slur?

I think that is a rather implausable thing to be scolding people here for doing.

To accuse people here for homophobia for not wanting Manning to run is ridiculous.

I think the nuance here is going way, way over your head.

[Jim Lane]

179. Again with the total reading comprehension fail.

Enough. You're happy with someone calling Chelsea Manning a "woman*" instead of just a woman, and I'm tired of all these straw-man arguments. Have a nice day.

[ehrnst]

181. I think you are confusing me with yet another of your strawman.

The nuance is about 50 feet above your head, and that is frustrating for you.

Have a nice day.

[ehrnst]

150. Bigotry? Transphobia?

Because of asterisks?

Really?

[Jim Lane]

178. Note that calguy did not dispute my interpretation.

The asterisks were intended to express an opinion about Manning (taking "expressing my sincere option" in #97 to be a typo for "expressing my sincere opinion" ).

If there was some other hidden meaning that I'm too dim-witted to see, you'll have to spell it out for me. On the current state of the subthread, I take calguy's sincere opinion to be that there's something questionable or disreputable about Manning's gender -- that Chelsea Manning is not a real woman, or some such.

[demmiblue]

193. I agree.

Some on DU accept that sort of bigotry when it serves their purpose.

Same thing happened regarding Bernie Sanders and anti-Semitic comments.

[JonLP24]

84. Well lock my ass up then

I don't care for her Senate run but she did the right thing exposing US war crimes. She made a mistake releasing it to Wikileaks but all this Russia shit (who released it to third parties like DCLeaks for "plausible deniability" of their involvement) wasn't known then and people like Daniel Ellsberg defended her. Most of the shit in their reflects badly on Bush anyways.

If she is treasonous then lock my ass up. Not before Trump is locked up BTW they dropped the ball on the collusion thing because the FBI field office in New York hated Hillary Clinton.

*trashing thread*

[shanny]

63. Exposing US war crimes is a bigger sin than committing them I guess.

[Cha]

66. That's not what's going on here.. and you

should know that. Your hyperbolic strawman isn't working.

Link to tweet

[shanny]

87. What isn't working

is the assumption by some here...that the Russians and their stooges are wholly responsible for Hillary's loss. That mindset can bite us all in the ass.

[Cha]

130. Oh yeah, try to change the subject from this idiot move by

Chelsea Manning and your hyperbolic strawman.. that's not working, either.

[shanny]

169. lots of things aren't working as planned--had you noticed?

[R B Garr]

191. "the Russians and their stooges..."

Who are the stooges? Names please. I bet I know some...

And it's not a "mindset". There is a FBI investigation into how they and the "stooges" undermined our election. Those are the facts. It's revealing you call it a mindset, as if we can't believe facts that don't feed a prescribed narrative.

[Me.]

155. Something Else People May Not Know Anout The Senator

“But the congressional coalition that has come together around the Magnitsky Act (first introduced by Senator Benjamin Cardin of Maryland, a Democrat”

https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/the-magnitsky-case

[Cha]

156. "..intending to punish Russian officials responsible for the death of Russian tax accountant Sergei

Magnitsky in a Moscow prison in 2009."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnitsky_Act

Did not know that, Me.. and as your link quoted..

“But the congressional coalition that has come together around the Magnitsky Act (first introduced by Senator Benjamin Cardin of Maryland, a Democrat”

https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/the-magnitsky-case

Mahalo!

[Me.]

159. It's Even More Involved

“After the death in prison in 2009 of Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer and auditor who had represented his company and conducted an investigation into massive tax fraud related to it, Browder lobbied for Congress to pass the "Magnitsky Act", a law to punish Russian human rights violators, which was signed into law in 2012 by President Barack Obama.[3][4] In 2013, Browder was tried in absentia in Russia for tax fraud, jointly in a posthumous prosecution of Magnitsky. He was convicted and sentenced to nine years in prison. Interpol rejected Russian requests to arrest Browder, saying the case was political. In 2014, the European Parliament voted for sanctions against 30 Russians believed complicit in the Magnitsky case; this was the first time it had taken such action.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Browder

And that particular act which is driving Putin crazy, has been the focus of trying to get it repealed because the restrictions are very punitive and restricting to him and the Russian economy.

[Cha]

160. Thank you for explaining it further, Me.

And, Many Thanks to Senator Ben Cardin and President Obama for signing it. Hopefully it doesn't get repealed.

And, hopefully Senator Cardin Runs again.. I just read that he hasn't said yet but he has $32 Million in his campaign chest.

[Me.]

162. The Sanctions In The Act Have Been Tightened

the rEsident didn't like it, but had no choice but to sign. Yes Senator Cardin is a keeper, wish he was mine. As for MAnning, I find it 'ironic', that she 'chose' to challenge this senator. I'm one of those who thinks there's more to this story than is currently known or obvious.

Any time Cha.....

[Cha]

163. Many more layers to be known, imo, too.. I

googled to see who's paying for the ad and who created it.. but nothing YET.

Me

[Voltaire2]

105. no shit.

[Cha]

131. Strawman much?

[ehrnst]

112. Strawman, anyone?

[The Polack MSgt]

138. As an intel analyst she slacked in her work - forcing others to pick up her slack

She assaulted her supervising Specialist - Punched her in the face and had to be physically restrained.

She downloaded classified items and shopped them around for the best offer - Sending them to Assange only because mainline news organizations would not give her what she wanted.

Fuck that scum bag.

Also of note, that helicopter gun sight video was not a "War Crime" at all. It was a mistake, it was tragic but it was by the book.

[Cha]

158. Thank you so much for shining the light on

what really happened, The Polack MSgt

[shanny]

170. very informative. also thin--there was more than a "helicopter gun sight video."

May 2010 — Chelsea Manning is arrested in Iraq for disclosing information to Wikileaks that was ultimately published by The New York Times, The Guardian, and Der Spiegel. The information, largely comprised of military and diplomatic documents, included evidence of civilian deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. attempts to cover up the CIA torture program, and other matters of public interest.

April 2011 — After being held for almost a year in solitary confinement in Kuwait and Quantico, Chelsea is transferred to a medium-security military prison in Kansas.... She had been regularly stripped naked, subjected to prolonged isolated confinement and sleep deprivation, deprived of any meaningful opportunity to exercise, and stripped of her reading glasses so she could not read. Almost 300 academics, most of them legal scholars, sign a letter objecting to her treatment.

March 2012 — The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture Juan Mendez formally rules that the U.S. government’s treatment of Chelsea was cruel, inhuman, and degrading.

June 2013 — Chelsea’s court martial trial begins. She is initially charged with “aiding the enemy,” despite the fact that the government never claimed she directly provided military adversaries with information. The charge is akin to treason and punishable by death.

July 2013 — Chelsea is convicted of 17 of the 22 charges against her but acquitted of “aiding the enemy.” The following month, she is sentenced to 35 years in prison. “When a soldier who shared information with the press and public is punished far more harshly than others who tortured prisoners and killed civilians, something is seriously wrong with our justice system,” the ACLU says

my bold. you gotta a problem with any of the above, take it up with the ACLU https://www.aclu.org/blog/free-speech/employee-speech-and-whistleblowers/chelsea-manning-case-timeline

[struggle4progress]

64. As an ad for a Senate run, that was vapid

Manning seems to possess a certain technical intelligence but seems to lack the interpersonal experience and sociological curiosity needed to develop organizing skill and political wisdom

[pnwmom]

72. Not vapid. It was darkly threatening. We aren't living in a war zone

and most of us don't want to be. She's acting like a character in an action movie, not a U.S. Senator.

[NCTraveler]

106. It reminds me of many Republican ads playing off of fear.

Like the PAC ad for Trump about China in the last election.

[ehrnst]

180. Bingo. It looked like an ad that would be geared to Trump supporters

Except she's dressed like a black bloc participant.

Where the left goes so far that it meets up with the far right...

[struggle4progress]

134. Manning is too shallow to play a "darkly threatening" character convincingly

[pnwmom]

135. She herself wasn't threatening. She was just goofy. But the setting of the ad

was darkly threatening.

[democratisphere]

67. It is time to get SERIOUS, and that certainly is not!

[KWR65]

69. What in the world does Manning know about making laws? n/t

We have a bone head in the white house and he don't need another one in the Senate.

[Gabi Hayes]

70. Chelsea

Handler?

That’s what I was thinkin’ when I first saw this

CH should primary Gillibrand

[herding cats]

74. Well, that was theatrical, and yet non informative.

Seriously, what the heck was that about?

[pnwmom]

79. It looked like a Russian propaganda ad to me. Reminded me of DT's dark convention. n/t

[herding cats]

81. I just saw that mentioned above.

If so, it’s pathetic. Does anyone honestly think that will fly in Maryland?! It won’t. It’s ludicrous to even think it may.

I’m sorry, I’m still processing all this. It’s so bizarre I’m having some difficulty.

[lapucelle]

89. I think it's partially about the Kremlin talking point

that "both parties are the same".

At 25 seconds in, when Manning says, "We don't need more...", it's former president Barack Obama at the podium delivering the State of the Union.

There's a reason why some people are termed "useful idiots".

[Cha]

139. Holy Wow.. I didn't catch that, lapucelle. How dare

she try to smear President Obama with her nasty rnc scare tactics.

The President who commuted her sentence.. she might still be in prison if not for President Obama.

Mahalo

[janterry]

144. I didn't see that either

wow. He commuted her sentence.

I keep thinking borderline.

I still do. I guess we'll see how she functioned over the course of the primary. My guess is that she'll have another crises that we'll read about........

[uponit7771]

174. +1, "Kremlin talking point that "both parties are the same". "

[betsuni]

78. Hey, that's sort of like the TV promo ad from "Scrooged"

[janterry]

86. I showed the Manning ad to my daughter

who doesn't know her at all and she said
Is that what it is supposed to look like? It looks like a movie.

So, perhaps you have it right

[ansible]

88. Chelsea should've remained in prison

Why the hell did Obama commute the sentence?

[George II]

92. I wonder who is funding the campaign?

[NCTraveler]

104. I had the same thought.

The only time either party was referenced it was a shot at Democrats.

[NCTraveler]

100. What a horrid ad. That was really bad.

Ben Cardin

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin Releases Report Detailing Two Decades of Putin’s Attacks on Democracy, Calling for Policy Changes to Counter Kremlin Threat Ahead of 2018, 2020 Elections

WASHINGTON – A Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democratic staff report released Wednesday and commissioned by U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), the Committee’s ranking member, details Russian president Vladimir Putin’s nearly two decades-long assault on democratic institutions, universal values, and the rule of law across Europe and in his own country. The report comes one year after Senator Cardin introduced the Counteracting Russian Hostilities Act of 2017, which served as the basis for the sanctions package signed into law last August, and makes a series of recommendations to adequately bolster U.S. and European defenses and counter the growing Kremlin threat to democratic institutions.

“Putin’s Asymmetrical Assault on Democracy in Russia and Europe: Implications for U.S. National Security,” finds that President Trump’s refusal to publicly acknowledge the threat posed by the Russian government has hampered efforts to mobilize our government, strengthen our institutions, and work with our European allies to counter Putin’s interference in democracies abroad.

Never before in American history has so clear a threat to national security been so clearly ignored by a U.S. president, and without a strong U.S. response, institutions and elections here and throughout Europe will remain vulnerable to the Kremlin’s aggressive and sophisticated malign influence operations.

“As the extent of Russia’s obvious meddling in the 2016 U.S. election continues to be investigated, it is imperative that the American people better understand the true scope and scale of Putin’s pattern of undermining democracy in Russia and across Europe. That is why I commissioned this report shortly after the 2016 election,” Senator Cardin said. “This threat existed long before President Trump took office, and unless he takes action now, it will continue long after his administration. While President Trump stands practically idle, Mr. Putin continues to refine his asymmetric arsenal and look for future opportunities to disrupt governance and erode support for the democratic and international institutions that the United States and Europe have built over the last 70 years.

https://www.cardin.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/us-senator-ben-cardin-releases-report-detailing-two-decades-of-putins-attacks-on-democracy-calling-for-policy-changes-to-counter-kremlin-threat-ahead-of-2018-2020-elections

The only reference she makes to any political party is a cheap shot at Democrats. I wan't to know who is funding her(not many by looking at that ad). This is ratfucking.

https://www.facebook.com/wegotthisnursing/

[Historic NY]

116. What does she even know about Maryland?

the entire ad looks like a clipped together you tube.

Guess her actual home state Ok isn't so ok with her on a the ballot there.

[cilla4progress]

117. Russian plant

quite transparently. Consider the geopolitics and there is no doubt.

[ucrdem]

122. Fear and hate, yeah that's the ticket.

She should have stopped at "no signal." A fresh Democratic voice this isn't.

[Cha]

133. Right.. stuff "fear and hate" down their throats..

that should work.

It does kinda seem like a Russian propaganda or an rnc video.

ucr

[ucrdem]

166. Complete with a tweet from Greenwald bashing Democrats at 0:42

I think we've seen this movie before.


aloha Cha!

[Cha]

167. Speaking of.. Greenwald who rails against identity politics..

Link to tweet

Lying Hypocrite..

Aloha, ucr!

[oasis]

124. Her Kremlin Mission: Damage Democrats. nt

[Cha]

171. Short and Succinct, oasis..

Mahalo After President Obama commuted her sentence, too.

I ask google who paid for her rnc/Russian worthy Fearmongering ad but no answer YET.

[oasis]

176. Another attention seeking imp thowing mud on an excellent Dem.

It's happening much too often, and at every level.

Aloha Cha.

[yurbud]

128. What if you just disagree with someone on ISSUES instead of playing the traitor/Russian tool card?

It stinks of desperation and makes people suspect you want to avoid talking about real issues.

I checked Cardin's record and he's somewhat progressive on a lot of issues, so there is a basis to defend him via non-histrionic methods.

[louis c]

168. She was imprisoned on esponage charges

She's connected to Assange, a Russian ally who helped illegally hand the US election to Donald Trump.

Fuck Chelsea Manning. She's an asshole traitor to her country.

This is part of the Russian playbook that fucked us in 2016. Divide Democrats because there's a small percentage of them that can be easily fooled into working against their own self interest.

[yurbud]

183. She is a traitor to our financial elites who are now trying to drum up a bigger war

than the one she exposed.

To the rest of us, she is a hero.

Russia is one of a handful of countries that isn't completely under the thumb of our bankers.

Our government was trying to break them the way we did Iraq and are trying to do off and on to Iran.

Russia effectively countered our moves in Syria, and did just enough in Ukraine to counter the coup by retaining Crimea that it left egg on the faces of the neocons who engineered it.

Democrats should be ashamed of themselves for carrying water for the assholes who cost us trillions of dollars and thousands of our troops lives, and cost the Iraqis a million lives lives.

And that's not even touching the regime changes in the Middle East under Obama that turned Libya into a failed state overrun by mercenaries and terrorists, and tried to do the same to Syria.

The party could implode if you keep going on a suicide mission for Wall St.

[louis c]

184. Chelsea and Assange are heroes to the Trump family

You are judged by the company you keep.

She may be a hero to you, but Chelsea Manning is a no good, traitorous piece of shit to me.

[yurbud]

186. Some democrats agree with Trump on some legislation just as many agreed with Baby Bush

guilt by association isn't going to scare people off.

I was unhappy with some of Assange's statements and timing, but he has done valuable work at other times that has helped democracy around the world.

The only people who are completely pissed off at him are elites whose secrets he has exposed that make it difficult to conduct business as usual with the rest of us in the dark.

[louis c]

194. This is not about "legislation"

This is about the people who conspired to steal our Democracy and help elect a monster to the highest office in the land.

If this piece of shit Kremlin stooge is a candidate you admire, than that's your choice.

But don't be offended that others will assess your political character by that choice.

[yurbud]

197. I'm not offended at all. Anyone on the left who lived through Bush years

can survive this half-assed attempt at McCarthyism.

[louis c]

198. The people on the left who didn't vote for Hillary in the GE...

...is responsible for Trump being in office.

Chelsea Manning assisted in electing Trump by using false stories and internet lies to discourage anti-Trump voters for voting for the only alternative.

I love Obama, but I disagree with his letting this no good piece of shit out of jail. She should have rotted in jail, now she can rot in hell.

[Dawson Leery]

129. I'll stick with Cardin.

Any friend of Putin/Assange is NOT a friend of the free world.

[Stinky The Clown]

132. She belongs in prison with the other spies OR in the Equadorean Embassy in London . . . .

. . . . with that US enemy living there.

Fuck you, Chelsea.

[ebbie15644]

182. This is a very bad idea and if we promote this, we lose

[R B Garr]

189. What an absolutely horrible ad.

Embarrassingly bad.

[janterry]

190. I wonder why she couldn't see that

I mean, if it were me and the ad were about me?? OMG we'd redo the voice over (at the very least). Doesn't she have friends who can sort of hit her on the head and say: nope. you don't got this.

[R B Garr]

192. Exactly, and that is her introduction to the world, at least for many people.

She sounds and acts like a bad Hitchcock wannabe or some Dr. Strangelove character, just absolutely freaky presentation. Gads!

[grossproffit]

195. Is she a DSA (Democratic Socialists of America?) Is that what the red rose it to signify?

[janterry]

196. IDK but they sure supported and fundraised for her

I wonder if they will raise money for her campaign?