2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: POC aren't buying the "Bernie's been fighting for you all his life so you should vote for him" claim [View all]passiveporcupine
(8,175 posts)Has he had an opportunity to address crowds that are majority or all black? If so, did he still use his same stump speech about millionaires and billionaires?
Or has he always been addressing crowds that are majority white, in which case, you are asking him to not address the majority and to focus just on blacks instead?
I'm not trying to corner you here. I'm honestly wondering if he has addressed black crowds and didn't approach them differently than white crowds?
He does address issues in his speeches that are primarily aimed at the black community, like when he talks about jobs programs for the high unemployment rate for black youth, and he's talked about the prison system and how it needs to change, and community policing that tries to make the police force representative of the community. He's been very strong on the policing problems.
When and how is he supposed to listen to blacks? He's hired Symone Sanders as outreach for blacks and I would think he would be listening a lot to her. Does she not understand and listen to blacks?
You said:
But layered on that is, in my opinion, a failure to listen to the people he is trying to convince, but instead he insisted on telling them what he wants them to know without showing a real interest in better understanding their interests, needs and perspectives.
Has Clinton done this? When I see her giving speeches, she pretty much does all the talking and not listening. I've not seen her do what you are asking Sanders to do...stop talking when he's giving a speech and listen to the audience.
Have your people reached out to his campaign with your concerns that you think are not being addressed?
I've not seen anyone actually voice those concerns here. I've heard a lot of people say he's not listening, but never say what isn't being heard.