That time Bernie Sanders grilled the press over the ‘communist’ label

[pinebox]

Damn, Bernie lays the smackdown HARD!

That time Bernie Sanders grilled the press over the ‘communist’ label
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/11/30/that-time-bernie-sanders-grilled-the-press-over-the-communist-label-video/
There are many examples when it comes to Hillary Clinton; there's the whole Bridgegate thing with Chris Christie (which he recently said made him Media Victim No. 1); and then there's Marco Rubio and the New York Times.

But there's another politician who has fought with media that he has often felt misunderstood him and important political issues. And that's Bernie Sanders.

Recently, a YouTuber posted video of Sanders three decades ago — in 1985, when he was mayor of Burlington, Vt. — engaging in some pretty pointed back-and-forths with members of the media. Sanders begins his questioning with a leading and very blunt question about "what is a communist" with the very clear purpose of launching a discussion of why the media refer to Nicaragua's elected leader, Daniel Ortega, as a communist or Marxist, despite Ortega not publicly subscribing to those labels.

(Back then, the events in Nicaragua were of particular interest to Sanders, who even visited the country.)

"If we were to say, and I mean this just facetiously, you know — 'Ronald Reagan: Fascist president of the United States,'" Sanders says, to laughs and applause. "Ronald Reagan does not consider himself — I don't think he is a fascist — he doesn't consider himself. Is it important to, in defining somebody, to give credence to what they understand themselves to be?"

The exchange is worth a watch.

[moobu2]

1. I guess you'd have to be a bernie fan.

[JonLeibowitz]

2. Or someone who likes a fair characterization of a democratically elected government?

Maybe on the topic of Latin America, you could clarify if the hillary fans like overthrowing and tampering with elections for Latin American countries's governments (Honduras, Haiti come to mind) ?

[moobu2]

3. It was 30 years ago

I watched all the parts that had Bernie in them and I didn't see anything of any relevance for today but like I said maybe you'd have to be a Bernie fan, which I'm not at all.

[JonLeibowitz]

4. Agreed; the political issues are not relevant. But the topic of the role of media still is, esp so..

because of a more mega-corporate media (says a Sanders fan, I know, so take this with a grain of salt).

[JDPriestly]

5. The interesting thing to me is that Daniel Ortega was elected president of Nicaragua in 2007

and it isn't an issue at all in the US although we supported the opposition to him back when Reagan was president. Remember Iran-Contra.

José Daniel Ortega Saavedra (Spanish: [ðaˈnje̞l o̞rˈte̞ɣa]; born November 11, 1945) is a Nicaraguan politician who has been President of Nicaragua since 2007; previously he was leader of Nicaragua from 1979 to 1990, first as Coordinator of the Junta of National Reconstruction (1979–1985) and then as President (1985–1990). A leader in the socialist Sandinista National Liberation Front (Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional, FSLN), his policies in government have seen the implementation of leftist reforms across Nicaragua.

Born into a working-class family, from an early age Ortega opposed ruling President Anastasio Somoza Debayle, widely recognized as a dictator, and became involved in the underground movement against his regime. Joining the Sandinistas, he also travelled to Cuba to receive training in guerilla warfare from Fidel Castro's Marxist-Leninist government. After the Nicaraguan Revolution resulted in the overthrow and exile of Somoza's government, Ortega became leader of the ruling multipartisan Junta of National Reconstruction. A Marxist-Leninist, his first period in office was characterized by a controversial program of nationalization, land reform, wealth redistribution and literacy programs.

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


Who changed? Ortega or the US?

Remember this is part of what Iran-Contra was about.

I still don't know whether Ortega described himself as a Marxist-Leninist or not. Apparently there was a question about that in the minds of some including Bernie. But I'm not sure.

Anyway, I haven't heard much about Daniel Ortega recently although he has been president of Nicaragua for years now.

Was our fight against him worth all the money we spent on it? I don't know. Does anyone else? Might be interesting to ask a Republican that question next time they talk about our national debt.

As I re-read what I wrote here, I am thinking of my mother whose 99th birthday would have been today. She used to say, "Know your needs from your wants." We were poor and she taught us to handle money very well. Know your needs from your wants. I wish that our presidents and Congress and all our politicians knew their needs from their wants.

Did we need to support those who opposed Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua or did some just want to fight Ortega? I don't know. I don't understand what the issues were really about.

But when we go to war, we should ask whether we need to go to war or whether we or our government or some clique in our government wants to go to war. Do we know our needs from our wants when it comes to spending money on war?

Sorry if this post is irrelevant, but . . . . . just asking.

[PosterChild]

6. Two things changed....

.... the Soviet Union disappeared and thus Nicaragua's alignment with our cold war enemy is not of much importance or significance any more; and Ortega disavowed socialism of whatever sect it was that he adhered to.

[LWolf]

7. That's a fascinating trip in the way-back machine,

and I wish that I could stay home today and watch it all.

What's pertinent for me is that people were actually openly discussing media honesty, which sure as hell doesn't happen on the airwaves today, and that Sanders and others were clearly aware of media manipulation, even then.