Dear Black Voters, If Hillary Didn't Think She Had Your Vote, She'd Suppress It.

[berni_mccoy]

If you think the title of this OP sounds bad, wait until you learn the truth.

In 2008, it was clear to her campaign manager, and close family friend, Mark Penn, that Obama was going to dominate the Black Vote. So, in an internal memo leaked by campaign staff and a memo that Hillary would have read and had to have condoned as her campaign strategy, it said this:

1) Start with a base of women.
a. For these women you represent a breaking of barriers
b. The winnowing out of the most competent and qualified in an unfair, male dominated world
c. The infusion of a woman and a mother’s sensibilities into a world of war and neglect
2) Add on a base of lower and middle class voters
a. You see them; you care about them
b. You were one of them, it is your history
c. You are all about their concerns (healthcare, education, energy, child care, college etc.)
d. Sense of patriotism, Americana
3) Play defensively with the men and upper class voters
a. Strength to end the war the right way
b. Connect on the problems of the global economy, economics
c. Foreign policy expert
d. Unions
Contest the black vote at every opportunity. Keep him pinned down there.
Organize on college campuses. We may not be number 1 there, but we have a lot of fans—more than enough to sustain an organization in every college.

So how exactly did that translate into campaign activity?

Clinton Chief Of Staff Women's Voices Women's Votes Illegally Robocalled African Americans in NC
As I covered here in 2008, http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5769438 , A voter suppression robocall was made by WVWV, an organization headed by Joseph Podesta, former Chief-of-Staff for Clinton. As noted, members of the GOP went to jail for similar tactics in NH and the NC AG forced WVWV to stop and formally investigated the organization. Maggie Williams, Clinton's campaign manager for 2008, was on the WVWV board until 2007. This was definitely a racially motivated tactic to disenfranchise black voters in NC.

Links to original stories on Illegal Robocalls by Clinton Campaign:
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/04/nonprofit_womens_voices_women.php
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/15388.html

That's right, Joe Podesta, her current campaign manager, was directly involved in the organization that illegally robocalled black voters in the south to suppress the black vote.

When PoC go to vote in this primary, they need to remember what Hillary expects out of them. If they didn't get a robocall mis-informing them of voting, then they can be assured that Hillary expects their vote to win her the primary in their state.

[firebrand80]

2. *updates database of concerns*

[Bohemianwriter]

5. "Contest the black vote at every opportunity. Keep him pinned down there."

Apparently you consider Bernie a bigger enemy to the AA community than Hillary has been the last 25 years, eh?

What has Hillary done for the AA community the last 25 years for her to own your vote?

[6chars]

7. contesting the vote is normal

that means trying to win it. appealing to the communjity.

that is a lot different than contesting the right to vote. it would be disappointing if a candidate decided not to contest the black vote.

[berni_mccoy]

9. In this case, contest = suppress.

[6chars]

14. a reasonable reading of the memo is "fight for"

if there was some unfortunate activity on a small scale by some peripheral group, that is bad but there is no logical reason to think it is connected with the memo and that words in the memo have anything other than their usual meaning

[berni_mccoy]

16. Her actions say otherwise.

[Hortensis]

80. She was GOING AFTER the black women's vote . That

is what her actions say. Over the decades I've seen a number of very prominent black women leaders state that, of being black and being a woman, they felt being a woman was the larger handicap and caused greater discrimination. Hillary know that very well. She also knew they weren't giving their vote to anyone just because he was black and they expected their candidates to earn their vote, all of them.

America's first genuine woman candidate for president running against America's first genuine Black candidate for president for the nomination of the Democratic Party. I'm proud, BTW, and of course Obama subsequently appointed her his SecState.

[jeff47]

21. Read the whole thing, not just one word.

"Contest the black vote at every opportunity. Keep him pinned down there."

That second sentence kinda demonstrates your favorable interpretation is not accurate. You don't keep someone "pinned down there" by fighting for votes.

Btw, love that you are buying the "plausible deniability".

[thesquanderer]

43. I don't buy it either.

I'm a Sanders supporter, but I don't see it at all.

"Contest the black vote at every opportunity. Keep him pinned down there."

That second sentence kinda demonstrates your favorable interpretation is not accurate. You don't keep someone "pinned down there" by fighting for votes.

I see the exact opposite. "Keep him pinned down there" argues AGAINST your interpretation, not for it. You do, in fact, keep someone "pinned down there" by fighting for votes. I actually don't understand your counter reading of it.

Here is how it makes sense to me:

"Contest (that is, do not concede) the black vote wherever you can. Work hard for these votes, do not let Obama take the black votes for granted. If you concede these votes to Obama, he has more resources to use elsewhere. We have enough black support of our own that we can fight for a good chunk of these votes, and when Obama sees we're not conceding them, he can't take his people and money away from these places and put them into other places where they can do more damage to us. Don't let him walk away from these people thinking these votes are in his pocket. Make him fight for them."

That is, making him fight for these votes is keeping him pinned down, leaving him fewer resources to use against Clinton elsewhere. I actually don't see any other way to read this.

BTW, one of your links is not working for me.

[jeff47]

47. Read the whole thing.

Here is how it makes sense to me:

"Contest (that is, do not concede) the black vote wherever you can. Work hard for these votes

Except other parts of the memo concede "the black vote" to Obama.

Specifically:

Our winning strategy builds from a base of women, builds on top of that a lower and middle class constituency, and seeks to minimize his advantages with the high class democrats.
If we double perform with WOMEN, LOWER AND MIDDLE CLASS VOTERS, then we have about 55% of the voters.

Point to where Penn is saying they will go after "the black vote".

[thesquanderer]

52. re: "Point to where Penn is saying they will go after 'the black vote' "

Saying to contest it means to go after it rather than concede it.

No, they don't expect to WIN the black vote, the black vote is not part of their winning coalition. His argument is only that they could be sufficiently competitive for it that Obama couldn't simply walk away with it, he'd have to commit some of his own resources to make sure he didn't lose it, hence "pinning him down" and leaving him fewer resources to use elsewhere.

[jeff47]

53. Again, read the whole memo.

It is obvious that Penn does not propose making any attempt to win some of "the black vote". Because if he did, he'd actually list ways they were going to do so.

Instead, he lists how the campaign is going to attempt to win other demographics.

Then take a nanosecond and remember what actually transpired in the 2008 and the racial dogwhistles. The claim that Clinton was trying to win some black voters by excluding them from "real Americans" gets pretty ludicrous.

[thesquanderer]

62. What do you think the word "contest" means?

I just don't see how you read "contest the black vote at every opportunity" as meaning anything OTHER than "try to get whatever Black voters you can, to stop Obama from simply walking away with them and not having to fight for them himself." They didn't expect to win the black vote, but wanted to work at keeping it competitive enough where they could (where there was "opportunity&quot that Obama would be pinned down. What is your alternate reading of "contest"?

And reading the whole memo doesn't help, because your point isn't about what's in the memo, it's about what's NOT in the memo, and that's irrelevant. Even if it were put forth as THE memo that included 100 PERCENT of the detail of EVERY strategy they were going to employ for the entire campaign, which it is not.

[jeff47]

64. The same thing Republicans think it means.

Make it harder for them to vote at all. Attempt to make them feel discouraged so they do not bother to vote.

"Contest the vote" does not require the "contest" to be restricted to a single vote on the ballot. You can contest the entire ballot.

I just don't see how you read "contest the black vote at every opportunity" as meaning anything OTHER than "try to get whatever Black voters you can

How is excluding Black voters from "real Americans" trying to get whatever Black voters you can?
How is "carry our bags" trying to get whatever Black voters you can?
How is not telling Ferraro to shut the fuck up trying to get whatever Black voters you can?

[tblue37]

103. Preceisely. nt

[Bohemianwriter]

17. Every BLACK vote as a tool to suppress and win an election?

Okay.....?

So you are in favor of racial voter suppression as long as Hillary does it? Did you vote for Hillary in 2008?

I hope you don't have an issue with that when GOP will be doing that as much as possible in the GE..

I sense you don't have a problem with this statement either:

&index=45&list=PLB2lPHy6cJ82lKuj1VlAyt96npcWm1Sl6

And how those policies enabled a militarized police and shootings like Tamir Rice on top of the funneling of black kids into the private prison plantations.

By all means! Vote more of that! Vote for more money in politics! Vote for the person who had it wrong 4 times regarding wars and said "We came, we saw, he died"

http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2337906.1441225021!/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/box_620_330/image.jpg

Hope you can live with that vote of confidence the 5th time!

Kind regards

A veteran

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027593431

[6chars]

18. since you ask

1) voter suppression bad no matter who does it, and was bad in the instance linked
2) super-predator caricature seems to echo a lot of other racist themes about black men and Hillary should not have invoked it
3) prison-industrial complex institutionalizes racism and has just all sorts of things wrong with it, and Hillary should not take their money
4) still don't think that contest the black vote means contest the rights of black to vote. in context, it would make sense to mean challenge Obama in trying to win the black vote so he has to spend a lot of energy on that and has less ability to win other voting blocs.

[Bohemianwriter]

19. In other words....

Hillary is not an honest player!

How the hell anyone can trust her with their lives is beyond me. I wouldn't buy a used car from her....Neither would I trust her with my wallet.
And as a veteran, I sure as hell wouldn't trust her with the nuclear button.

[6chars]

20. more honest than Trump

and more trustworthy with the nuclear button

[Bohemianwriter]

22. both Trump and Hillary...

are compulsive liars...

And instead of punishing her at the polls for her past sins, you want to reward her by losing against republicans in November.

That is a sad state of affairs...

[Lordquinton]

58. What does Trump have to do with it?

Sanders is miles more trustworthy with the bomb. He didn't say he was open to the nuclear option in Iran

[6chars]

91. Trump is the most likely opponent in November

just pointing out the worst case scenario to put the more minor differences between the Dem candidates in perspective

[Lordquinton]

96. Let's not get ahead of ourselves, rather disrespectful to skip the primary

We'll see who the Republican nomination is when they get there, for now let's compare apples to apples

[stone space]

127. NOBODY is trustworthy with nuclear weapons. That's a myth.

Their existence is an abomination.

A scourge on humanity.

[frylock]

75. You're going to need a backhoe to lower that bar.

[1StrongBlackMan]

25. That's what I thought ...

especially, given the context:

Contest the black vote at every opportunity. Keep him pinned down there.
Organize on college campuses. We may not be number 1 there, but we have a lot of fans—more than enough to sustain an organization in every college.

That would mean, work for college level support, if only to have minimal representation among the Black electorate ... you know, what the Sanders campaign is doing. The problem is, the campaign narrative, i.e., Black Millennials are feeling the bern, is getting ahead/over shadowing of the campaign's efforts.

[HooptieWagon]

36. No. It means caging voters...challenging black voters who show up at polls.

[6chars]

38. is there evidence Hillary's side did this

republicans did this as their way of contesting the black vote, but that is something completely different.

[Agschmid]

71. No.

[Betty Karlson]

124. Yeah, it's really all about winning at any cost.

Sell out the middle class? - done
More racially charged prison industry? - we'll arrange it, just not openly, in exchange for maxed out contributions
Say something gay friendly? Do we really have to? - Oh just this one time then!
Shame young women into voting against their interests by calling them hell-bound sluts? - we are working on it.
Intimate that the Iran deal can be undone at the stroke of a pen? - Give me that pen!
Lying about the opponent? - Hey, if Karl Rove can do it, so can we!
Illegal funneling of funds from DNC to camp Clinton? - Debbie is taking care of it.

Suppressing the black vote? - Only if it helps us. Not sure about it this time...

Jettisoning principles? - Do we still have that useless stuff laying around? Ditch them right now!

[firebrand80]

13. No, I don't think Bernie is an "enemy to the AA community"

Also, Hillary doesn't "own" my vote, and I find your phrasing slightly offensive.

I happen to think Hillary will make a better President than Bernie, no more, no less.

[6chars]

15. good comment

[Bohemianwriter]

24. With the wrapsheet she has?

Seriously?

You think that taking out Saddam and Gadaffi was a good idea?

Do you think she will solve the problem with corruption in politics and go after the banksters?

After every FAIL she has done, you want to hire her as your commander in chief...

Because you don't think that those fails matter.

If you screw up on the job 4 times that cost your employer millions of dollars each time, how long do you think you will have that job? How attractive will you be on the job market with a resume like that from your boss after he kicks you out?

[firebrand80]

28. yes nt

[Bohemianwriter]

32. My condolances to the judgement...

of the American electorate.

Then again, Bush jr was "elected" twice, wasn't he? And Reagan...

People voting against their own interest...

[DemocratSinceBirth]

3. We are all in this together

I wish there weren't so many divisive threads on DU, especially when it comes to race.

[berni_mccoy]

8. I'm sorry my dear friend, but it's not the post that is divisive. It's Hillary's behavior

Please try to look past your adoration of her to see the truth of this.

Sincerely,

berni_mccoy

[DemocratSinceBirth]

10. Let's rise above the discord and love one another.

[berni_mccoy]

11. I'll agree to that.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

104. The only persons I adore is Jesus and my late parents.

berni_mccoy
8. I'm sorry my dear friend, but it's not the post that is divisive. It's Hillary's behavior
View profile
Please try to look past your adoration of her to see the truth of this.

Sincerely,

berni_mccoy

The only persons I adore is Jesus and my late parents.

[senz]

101. Uh-huh, sure you do.

[Jester Messiah]

4. Some people will overlook any sin rather than admit they might be wrong...

...or admit that anyone else might know something they don't. Stubborn pride.

[Laughing Mirror]

6. Aside from that voter-suppression trickery

What struck me in the strategy was the pitch to lower and middle class voters:
a. You see them; you care about them
b. You were one of them, it is your history.

So, she was lower or middle class. Not is, but was. Like, "I was one of you. I know what it was like. It's my history. But I'm not like that anymore."

That campaign really was tone deaf. One of the reasons why it lost.

[vdogg]

95. She can't win with you guys

It's an accurate statement. If she were to try and claim she's middle class, when she makes millions of dollars, it'd be viewed as disingenuous. Just keep moving those goalposts....

[Laughing Mirror]

125. She cannot win with me

That is correct. She cannot win period.

[Karmadillo]

12. She's evolved. Right?

[uponit7771]

23. In context "contest" does not in any way mean suppress... come on people keep it classy k?

[berni_mccoy]

27. Except that her campaign did try to suppress the vote.

[WillyT]

31. Here We Go Again... "It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is.

[berni_mccoy]

41. I know right. You put everything in context and then there is still blatant denial.

[davidpdx]

122. The results........

On Sat Feb 20, 2016, 02:29 AM an alert was sent on the following post:

Except that her campaign did try to suppress the vote.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=1273213

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

Oh for fuck's sake. There is a long list of voter rights legislation that Clinton sponsored and cosponsored, including calling for an end to ruthless voter ID laws, making election day a national holiday, having an opt out instead of opt in voter registration system, etc. These types of attacks are disgusting and completely over the top. This is the kind of thing that highlights the lengths that some people will go to bash and trash a Democratic presidential candidate. This doesn't belong on DU at all.

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Sat Feb 20, 2016, 02:36 AM, and the Jury voted 2-5 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Not alert worthy. Argue your points in the thread. *sigh*
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Go to sleep.
Juror #5 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Whether it is true or not, it is not at anyway offensive or over the top. This is a bad alert.

[mythology]

66. Sure it does

As long as you start with the assumption that Hillary Clinton equals bad thus any and all actions must be viewed through the prism that the action is in furtherance of a vaudeville plot where she's wearing a black cloak and twirling her evil mustache.

[betsuni]

26. HIIILLLLAAAARRRRYYYY!!!!!!

I have no idea what the OP is about. Whatever.

[Fast Walker 52]

45. you have no idea?

Try reading it again. It is pretty damning.

[FlatBaroque]

129. You can't reason with it

it is a Hillary fan trying to sidetrack the topic.

[Fast Walker 52]

133. yes, apparently-- and pretty badly at that

[WillyT]

29. K & R !!!

[Faux pas]

30. Kick!!!

and she makes me soul sick.

[Fast Walker 52]

46. this is why people hate politicians

always selling someone out so they can win.

[democrank]

33. Not every Democrat

has conveniently "forgotten" some of the Clinton racism that reared its ugly head in 2008.

[DeadLetterOffice]

34. Results of your Jury Service

Brought to you by Juror #3

On Fri Feb 19, 2016, 09:08 AM an alert was sent on the following post:

Dear Black Voters, If Hillary Didn't Think She Had Your Vote, She'd Suppress It.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511272815

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

this post is insulting and insensitive and the OP title is pure flamebait

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Fri Feb 19, 2016, 09:17 AM, and the Jury voted 2-5 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: Blatant race baiting. Things are contentious enough without this garbage. Is there any limit to how low some will go to attack a candidate? HIDE!!!!
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Allegations are documented. Truth hurts.
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: I'm unclear - why is this hide worthy? It's opinion, it's not in a protected group, and it refrains from calling any poster nasty names. So... ?
Juror #4 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: SSDD.
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: The alert says this is insulting, so refute the OP. Insulting does not mean it is not factual.
Leave it.
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given

[cui bono]

136. Dear Juror #1...

I sure hope you alerted or judged the same way on the OP calling Bernie an outright racist.

Somehow I think you probably wrote or rec'd it.

.

[MrWendel]

35. I've seen this before....

[HooptieWagon]

37. I'd forgotten about that, Tnx for the reminder.

The Clintons have such a long sordid history of dirty politics and racist dog whistles and vote suppression, it's hard to keep track of it all.
And of course now they want to completely ignore the will of primary voters and have Hillary appointed the nominee by Superdelegate fiat.

[stupidicus]

39. Indeed, the DLC/Thirdway wouldbe thieves/corruptors of the Democratic Party soul

will do just about anything in the service of their corporate masters as long as the political calculus is favorable to their corporation/oligarch/etc favoring goals.

[Ed Suspicious]

40. Just to draw a distinction here, Bernie is not trying to suppress the over 50 vote. In fact I think

if he weren't so busy he'd probably drive them to the polls himself because the man believes in elections and believes in the vote. He thinks everyone should get out and vote.

It's about principles. One candidate has a set of principles I believe in. I can't seem to recognize those principles in the other candidate.

[Skwmom]

42. And who do these people act like?

[in_cog_ni_to]

44. John Podesta, not Joe, is her campaign manager...unless he goes by Joe? Contesting the black vote?

You mean, the wife of the first black president would contest the black vote? Say it isn't so!
Uneffingbelievable! She contested her firewall? Seriously, this is deplorable!

Can ANYONE ever see Bernie Sanders doing something like this? NEVER! It would never enter his mind to be so evil...it's just not in his DNA.

PEACE
LOVE
BERNIE

[Fast Walker 52]

49. that's what I just posted. I just can't see Bernie doing this crap.

[Fast Walker 52]

48. disgraceful-- and for some reason I doubt Bernie

ever has to worry about suppressing certain types of voters

[MisterP]

50. now many of the Dixiecrats famously swapped in 1994 (ironically over NAFTA in many cases)

but the New South produced a new postmodern sort of Southern Dem, one who was against overt race-baiting and those uncouth blue collars who'd sold the country out by voting Nixon and Reagan, one that could even call in CBC favors 24 years down the road

a pol who knew where all the dog whistles were kept

[vdogg]

51. To contest something means to fight for it.

She actually just gained more respect from me because that means she wasn't taking us for granted and fought for every vote.

[Ino]

60. It also means to fight AGAINST it...

To call into question and take an active stand against; dispute or challenge

to make (something) the subject of an argument or a legal case : to say that you do not agree with or accept (something)

to make the subject of dispute, contention, or litigation; especially : dispute, challenge

I believe "contesting a vote" has the same inference as "contesting a will" ... to dispute it, challenge it, call it into question.

[vdogg]

93. It could mean that as well

But that is not the context in which this was stated. It is obvious from the full context of the email that they meant to challenge Obama for the black vote and make him spend resources securing. Only people with an axe to grind against Hillary read it another way.

[JGug1]

54. Hillary Clinton Would Suppress Your Vote?

I have repeated pleaded with you all to not do this sort of thing. You are coming across just like the morons on Red State. Hillary Clinton would NOT try to suppress anyone's vote. That is a game played by the OTHER side. Hillary Clinton is a slightly right of center pragmatist, as is Barack Obama and she has been pushed to the left by Bernie's run. That is good because we are more generally more liberal here than right of center. There is no excuse to attack her in this manner. It is unseemly. It makes you look like a Republican.

[berni_mccoy]

59. The sad fact is that she did try to suppress the black vote

[Purveyor]

121. Courtesy Report: Results of your Jury Service

AUTOMATED MESSAGE: Results of your Jury Service

Mail Message
On Fri Feb 19, 2016, 11:19 PM an alert was sent on the following post:

The sad fact is that she did try to suppress the black vote
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=1274322

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

Oh for fuck's sake. There is a long list of voter rights legislation that Clinton sponsored and cosponsored, including calling for an end to ruthless voter ID laws, making election day a national holiday, having an opt out instead of opt in voter registration system, etc. These types of attacks are disgusting and completely over the top. This is the kind of thing that highlights the lengths that some people will go to bash and trash a Democratic presidential candidate. This doesn't belong on DU at all.

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Fri Feb 19, 2016, 11:22 PM, and the Jury voted 3-4 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #3 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #4 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: This is a crazy accusation, calm down and keep it civil, much more civil, and try not to spread false information.
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #7 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given

Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future.

[Orsino]

63. Please refute the OP.

I would prefer that our likely nominee didn't have this history, but the charges are documented pretty well.

Why is Joe in her campaign again?

[Vincardog]

79. Posting documented facts is not an attack. It only feels like one when it shows how wrong your

Candidate is. She is responsible for her campaign.

[Politicalboi]

82. In a heartbeat she would

And you're the moron if you believe Hillary is the best choice for us. And she plays Republican games like hide the vote. She is more Republican than any of us here.

[Eric J in MN]

55. Here is a link to an article on the robocalls.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90114863

"Hello. This is Lamont Williams. In the next few days, you will receive a voter registration packet in the mail. All you need to do is fill it out, sign it, date and return the application. Then you will be able to vote and make your voice heard. Please return your registration form when it arrives. Thank you."

In fact, the deadline to register for the May 6 Democratic presidential primary had already passed. The robocall went to many registered voters who were expecting to vote that day. The call and follow-up mailings left many wondering whether they were registered for the primary or not.

This sounds like a classic example of voter suppression — sowing confusion in order to drive down turn-out.

[nashville_brook]

78. ^^^THIS^^^

[grasswire]

94. thank you nt

[JTFrog]

56. Lol.

I wonder how spectacularly these attacks are going to backfire in the end. The crazier the shit fabricated to bash Clinton, the less people are going to take it seriously. I dont think bern it to the ground is a very sensible campaign strategy.

[Oilwellian]

61. The previous email in the link you provided

It's right there as well. What do you suppose it meant when they said they're fighting hard to neutralize race?

Penn had clear ideas about how to engineer a win for Clinton, in Iowa and beyond. Obama had eclipsed Edwards right out of the gate and was experiencing the full measure of “next JFK” hype. In a memo dated March 19, 2007, Penn laid out an “Overall Strategy for Winning” built upon a coalition of voters he called “Invisible Americans,” a sort of reprise of Bill Clinton’s “forgotten middle class”:

As this race unfolds, the winning coalition for us is clearer and clearer. There are three demographic variables that explain almost all of the voters in the primary—gender, party, and income. Race is a factor as well, but we are fighting hard to neutralize it.

We are the candidate of people with needs.

We win women, lower classes, and Democrats (about 3 to 1 in our favor).

Obama wins men, upper class, and independents (about 2 to 1 in his favor).

Edwards draws from these groups as well.

Our winning strategy builds from a base of women, builds on top of that a lower and middle class constituency, and seeks to minimize his advantages with the high class democrats.

If we double perform with WOMEN, LOWER AND MIDDLE CLASS VOTERS, then we have about 55% of the voters.

The reason the Invisible Americans is so powerful is that it speaks to exactly how you can be a champion for those in needs [sic]. He may be the JFK in the race, but you are the Bobby.

Clinton was already under attack for an attitude of “inevitability”—the charge being that she imperiously viewed the primary process as a ratifying formality and would not deign to compete for what she felt she was owed. Penn’s memo makes clear that what she intended to project was “leadership” and “strength,” and that he had carefully created an image for her with that in mind. He believed that he had identified a winning coalition and knew which buttons to press to mobilize it.

[markj757]

65. I think its fair to say....

that as a community (I'm black by the way), we were disappointed with some of the tactics Hillary used during her primary fight with Obama. She felt her chance at the nomination was slipping, and she and her campaign became desperate. But as I said in a previous post, I think she and her campaign learned those tactics did more harm than good, and her reputation in the community took a beating. But her strong support of Obama in the general election, and eventually becoming his Secretary of State, went a long way to heal those wounds, and strengthen the bonds she has spent decades building in our community. And I think what it comes down to for so many of us, if Obama could forgive her for some of those tactics, and he was the target, then so should we.

[dragonfly301]

67. Actually anyone whose vote she tried to suppress is the target and we are all the victim

I want my vote to count just like i wanted my vote to count in Florida in 2000 and in Ohio in 2004, and whenever the Republicans redline districts throughout the country. I like the idea of a democracy - I detest people who try to cheat the system by disenfranchising groups who may not support them.

[markj757]

76. I actually never agreed.....

that's what I think she tried to do. I just said tactics. And I think if Obama would have thought that's what she tried to do, he would not have someone like that serving as his Secretary of State. So on that specific issue, I just don't agree or there is no proof to me that's what she did. But I was still alarmed at some of her other tactics.

[ismnotwasm]

68. One of your links is a "missing topic"

The others are speculative interpretation of events.

[bigtree]

69. you can't prove what you allege here

...that this was a policy Hillary 'condoned.'

Maggie Williams was suppressing the black vote?? LOL!!

[berni_mccoy]

72. Her current campaign manager, Podesta, close family friend, former Chief of Staff

On directives from Mark Penn... who was widely reported to use race as a campaign tactic. I think there is plenty of writing on the wall. She had to have read the memo and there were enough ties of the robocalls to her campaign. If you want to hang your hat on plausible deniability, be my guest. Every one else knows the fucking score.

[bigtree]

77. it's a bullshit charge

...and the more you folks harp on the 2008 election, the more of the people you're supposedly defending come out for Hillary.

[berni_mccoy]

89. Sure it is...

[brush]

70. Some Bernie fans in their hatred for Hillary are just getting silly.

Come on. Contesting the black vote is now suppressing it? Get real.

This stuff needs to stop. And I'm a Sanders fan.

[berni_mccoy]

73. Sure, if silly is making illegal robocalls to mis-inform black voters.

[Gothmog]

83. Voting rights are one of my areas of interest

I have volunteered in this area for several election cycles and I found the premise of your OP to be without merit

[berni_mccoy]

90. Facts don't matter then. Got it.

[Gothmog]

98. Facts do matter and you are ignoring the Clinton record on voting and civil rights

[nashville_brook]

84. in election protection, you look for unfair vote contesting from either party

the Rs use this tactic to gum up the system in under-resourced precincts on election day to create long lines that discourage people from voting.

that's the goal. why would Dems allow this to happen within our own party...and explain it away, even?

[nadinbrzezinski]

74. Well...consistent with mass incarceration

It is one of the goals

[Gothmog]

81. Hillary Clinton has by far the best platform on voting rights

The Clinton platform is one of the best set of proposals to protect the right to vote that I have seen and this is one of my passions. https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/voting-rights/

Hillary has laid out her vision for how to expand access to the ballot box for all Americans and how to defend against the systematic, deliberate efforts to stop millions of citizens from participating in our democracy:

Repairing the Voting Rights Act. Congress should move quickly to pass legislation that would fix the damage done to the Voting Rights Act by the Supreme Court and restore the full protections American voters need and deserve. These protections are crucial for young and minority voters, seniors, and other underrepresented groups disproportionately affected by harmful Republican efforts to restrict voting.

Setting a new national standard for early voting. It’s time to set a standard across our country of at least 20 days of early in-person voting, including opportunities for evening and weekend voting. This will reduce long lines and give more people an opportunity to vote, especially those who have work or family obligations during the day. Early in-person voting isn’t just convenient—it’s also more secure, more reliable, and more affordable than absentee voting.

Implementing universal, automatic voter registration. Every citizen in every state should be automatically registered to vote when they turn 18, unless they choose to opt out. At the same time, we need to make sure that registration rolls are secure, up to date, and accurate. When you move, your registration should move with you. Modernizing registration will add tens of millions of voters to the rolls, cost less, and reduce the potential for errors or irregularities.

[bettyellen]

107. It is smarter than the "national holiday" thing that would exclude so many people.

[MrWendel]

85. Another day, another...

thead.

[ismnotwasm]

86. Yup

[Gothmog]

97. Yep

[rbrnmw]

116. it's an endless cycle

[bravenak]

118. Good post!!

[workinclasszero]

87. Still tryin to bernsplain to the poor folks that don't know any better eh?

Will you people never learn? SMH

[berni_mccoy]

92. If presenting Facts = bernsplain, then yes, I'm spreading the word. It's far better than...

Hillarysplaining, you know where one day you're saying your against marriage equality and the next you are for it. As far as she knows. Or that she's never lied... as far as she knows. Or that Obama's not a Muslim... as far as she knows.

[Jester Messiah]

102. "Us people" aren't the ones ignoring information.

Maybe "learning" isn't a stone you want to throw.

Also:

[DisgustipatedinCA]

105. I mean...it's kind of her campaign's memo, isn't it? Is there doubt about its veracity?

If not, then why isn't this a valid issue to bring up?

[great white snark]

88. Try as you might there is just no making up for your candidate's indifference.

After Wall St. every issue is just an afterthought.

[senz]

99. Great OP. Necessary OP. Don't be fooled again, folks!

Thank you, berni_mccoy.

[LittleBlue]

100. I'm glad the juries are doing their jobs finally

The obnoxious race baiting is finally being hidden.

Comparing political discussion to slavery is moronic and has no place at DU.

[Joe the Revelator]

106. There are some great thread titles on DU today.

[Number23]

108. Your post is one of the most idiotic and ridiculous things I've seen in a long time

I'd say that crap like this does nothing but turn more black people off of Sanders but if the responses from the several poc that have already responded haven't hipped you to that fact already, I don't expect my post to make any difference either.

You can type crap like this but if a black poster dares to say why it's offensive or -- GOD FORBID -- try to discuss the many, MANY shortcoming of the Sanders campaign it is verboten here. LITERALLY fucking verboten as the hidden posts upthread attest.

This post is stupid and insulting. And just in case you didn't know that already, the caliber of many of the folks high fiving and loving it should have clued you in.

[wildeyed]

109. I guess when they can't take the heat,

they try to hide

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

Simply OTT

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Fri Feb 19, 2016, 07:01 PM, and the Jury voted 1-6 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Why was this even alerted on? No personal attack, simply a strongly stated opinion. This is a political board, be prepared for some of those.
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Seems like the appropriate response to an offensive and insulting post.
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Yeah, it's OTT, but the poster attacks the original post, not the poster - which is more polite than a lot of posts whose juries I've been on.
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: There's nothing worth hiding until after the election when people can be expected to be civil.
Juror #7 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: Oh, I've seen you post much worse about Bernie Sanders, Number23. I have to vote hide for your hypocrisy alone.

[Number23]

119. Juror #7 is as full of sh*t as they come

If that person can find one post here where I've told Sanders supporters that Sanders will steal their votes or even IMPLIED to black Sanders supporters that supporting that man was immoral/unethical/making them a traitor to their community then they'd have a leg to stand on.

This post is not only dishonest it is offensive. I have called this kind of crap out from a certain clique of Sanders supporters loudly and often. But I have never ONCE implied that Sanders himself was anything other than a decent man.

[bravenak]

110. Damn damn damn straight

[bravenak]

111. Oh please!!!!!!!!!!

[workinclasszero]

112. It's that Stockholm thing

All over again

[bravenak]

113. Just trying to INFORM US

Sad we need their help so much we cant think on our own

[AzDar]

114. K & R

[MellowDem]

115. Don't direct this at black voters...

it comes across as pandering or condescending IMHO. I think it's important information, but your tone isn't right.

I remember the 2008 campaign very well. I campaigned for Obama. It's where I first learned how the Clintons really are, what sort of ethics they have, and I will never forget it.

I don't think this information will really shift anyone, it's relatively unknown and most voters don't really care about this stuff anyways, many see it as par for the course in American politics. It's why I hate what the Clinton brand represents, the deep cynicism and apathy it continues to inspire and in many cases thrive off of.

I was for Obama because he seemed slightly left of Clinton, but I respected Clinton at first. Now, I don't have any respect for Clinton.

[Beacool]

117. Keep it up, folks.

Keep treating AA as if they are uninformed voters without the brain capacity to decide for themselves who they want to support.

Keep sounding like the RW, who believes that Hillary is the devil incarnate.

Hillary doesn't need to say much more, you are all doing the work for her. This reminds me of that other post about AA and the Stockholm Syndrome. That OP was just as edifying as this one.



BTW, if John Podesta is such a horrible man, why did president Obama appoint him as his Counselor?

[JI7]

120. This is about making OBama fight for the black vote by fighting for it herself

by not taking the vote for granted it would force Obama to spend much more time in trying to win the vote. if she had just taken it for granted it would have made it easier for him to get those votes.

there is nothing wrong with this . it's what the entire election, voting process is about.

[eridani]

123. So, how did the robocall help? n/t

[orpupilofnature57]

126. The crux of the biscuit is the Apostrophe, Who means to work for 1% ? What has she done

HISTORICALLY, not rhetorically .

[stone space]

128. Seems like a reasonable strategy for Hillary in 2008.

Contest the black vote at every opportunity. Keep him pinned down there.
Organize on college campuses. We may not be number 1 there, but we have a lot of fans—more than enough to sustain an organization in every college.

Or for Bernie in 2016, for that matter.

[berni_mccoy]

130. Illegal robocalls to misinform black voters was good strategy?

Simply wtf.

[stone space]

131. Perhaps you didn't notice, but I was referring to the memo.

I even quoted a passage from it.

It included a phrase that you bolded in the OP for emphasis.

As a Bernie supporter, I think it would be a mistake for Bernie not to contest the black vote, even if he does not "win" it.

Similarly, I think that it would be a mistake for Bernie not to contest the latino vote, especially in places like Nevada.

Triage of major voting blocks is not an option.

[berni_mccoy]

132. You "interpreted" the memo your way. Unfortunately that's not what they did

There were many other uses of racial division and disenfranchisement by Hillary in 2008.

[stone space]

134. I just read the memo in question, with special attention to...

...the phrase that you put in bold, that's all.

Do you think the portion of the memo that I quoted above would be bad advice for Bernie in 2016?

If so, why?