Why were Bernie’s boobirds so quiet yesterday?
Wednesday, Jul 27, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I missed most of the convention last night because I was having dinner with a friend and got home half way through Bill Clinton’s speech. But others tell me things were pretty quiet in the audience, without all the booing and heckling that happened Monday. The Daily Beast ran a story yesterday afternoon which probably gives us much of the reason…
[Dave Barnhart, a consultant to the Clinton campaign] also described the “ramped up whip operation” that Clinton campaign will run on the floor of the convention hall. In addition to asking the pro-Clinton delegates to physically be on the floor to support her during the roll call and televised prime time speeches, the campaign is also planning to add additional people around the California section to supplement the delegates already there.
“We’re providing more support in the form of extra bodies and supporters to cheer, bring energy, wave signs, and show positive support both within and around the California delegation section,” Barnhart wrote.
He also said that the campaign will more actively manage anyone who disrupts the proceedings.
“We’re going to be stricter tonight about unruly individuals—anyone who is physical with delegates, rips up their signs, or outright disrespectful with other delegates,” he warned. “Protest is certainly okay, but unruliness is not—and we’re instructing whips and convention staff to tow a stricter line tonight.”
Barnhart thanked the delegates in advance and added, “Your presence would be greatly appreciated and noted.”
That California delegation was a huge problem Monday. They never should’ve been so near the stage.
* It also helped that, after Bernie Sanders moved to nominate Clinton by acclamation, he walked out of the convention hall and several of his more committed (and loudest) supporters followed suit…
Bernie Sanders delegates say that he led the walkout that took place after he moved to nominate Hillary Clinton by acclamation.
“We followed Bernie’s lead and we followed him out. I was so enveloped in hope, and there doesn’t appear to be much of that and I am heartbroken as I am sure the Senator is. I have been working for him for over a year. I am tired. I am out of hope right now,” one Wisconsin delegate told RT.com. of Sanders walking out of the convention hall after he nominated Clinton was widely seen in the arena and on television.
* And then there were the three early speeches about 9/11. “It’s hard to boo people talking about the biggest terrorist attack on U.S. soil,” said one Democratic operative today.
Any other thoughts?
- Honeybear - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 12:54 pm:
“Actively manage” nice term. I like that.
- Educ - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 12:56 pm:
The Daily Beast needs a copy editor, they’re going to TOE that line.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 12:56 pm:
As far as conventions go, the Sanders supporters are unaccustomed to the convention ways, some even new to the processes, and the email leaks didn’t help, but yesterday the Bernie disappointments have now tried to be tempered. Better stagecraft yesterday, and the Dem Convention, after Michelle spoke, has taken a different, less combative tone.
- A guy - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 12:57 pm:
They deserve credit for managing their room. Actually, both parties do. There was an adjustment period in both Cleveland and Philly, but they got things back in order. One thing appears to be for sure; Bernie is a much bigger deal to the Dems than Ted was to the GOP.
- @MisterJayEm - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 1:01 pm:
“Bernie is a much bigger deal to the Dems than Ted was to the GOP.”
Yep. When so many Republican officials have refused to back Trump, who even notices one more?
– MrJM
- Amalia - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 1:12 pm:
what Sarah Silverman said.
it’s truly striking that most of the time the media interviews one of these delegates on a specific issue like the TPP or college loans that they get HRC’s positions wrong. it’s like they do not listen. that they have only listened to the simplistic rhetoric that Bernie served up. from the beginning of this campaign, HRC has been specific and broad on positions. and one could truly say that SHE pulled Bernie to the left on things like guns and reproductive choices. really sad that many of his supporters are so ridiculous.
- JohnnyPyleDriver - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 1:17 pm:
I heard on the radio that Bernie sent out a tweet asking for folks to calm it down. I’m sure his speech did a lot to settle things too. The recognition he got during the roll call was hard to hiss at too
- phocion - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 1:21 pm:
Bernie should be commended for finally acknowledging that Hillary won fair and square (she received millions of more votes than Bernie did, while Bernie did well in activist friendly caucus settings). The socialist Senator’s supporters’ disrespect for the nominee, however, is nothing short of reprehensible. Their temper tantrums bring shame to their candidate, as well as to the Democrats. When Hillary ran in 2008 and received more votes than Obama in the primaries, she and her delegates showed the nominee respect at the Convention. Enough said.
- A guy - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 1:21 pm:
There are more delegates than Republican officials.
- @MisterJayEm - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 1:35 pm:
“There are more delegates than Republican officials.”
Of course there are — who could forget Trump delegate Lori ‘whitepride’ Gayne and the racist slur that she posted? http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/sweet-gop-revokes-delegate-credentials-racist-fb-post/
– MrJM
- Square Pegs - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 1:39 pm:
I found the 9/11 speeches to be incredibly moving. I lived in NYC then and worked with first responders.
It’s easy to “forget” when you have distance of time and space (living in Illinois vs New York). We all breathed in that air and I loved hearing the voice of the men and women who’s lives she touched and fought for.
She was an outstanding Senator. I remember being angry when she voted for the Patriot Act, and when she voted to invade Iraq. But I also remember how tired she looked when making the vote on the Patriot Act. She looked like she’d been up all night fighting for key pieces of the legislation. I’m glad she’s getting the deserved credit for her advocacy for the police, fire, and other responders and for bringing $$$ to the city and state of New York - which helped tremendously.
Last point - I loved the passionate speeches from Howard Dean (funny!) and Meryl Streep. The whole night left me feeling proud to be a Democrat, proud to be an American, proud to be a woman. It was all very inspiring.
- Lester Holt's Mustache - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 1:44 pm:
I liked Bill’s story about Hillary trying to put the liner paper in all of the drawers in Chelsea’s dormroom. My mother used to do the same thing, for me it humanizes her quite a bit.
- In 630 - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 2:03 pm:
“Followed his lead” Jeez, they think he’s sending them secret signals or something? He’d just moved for acclimation and if he were leading some kind of protest he’d, you know, actually have been with them after. I think Bernie’s speech shut up a lot of people who had been vocal Monday, shrinking their numbers and leaving that remnant.
- Amalia - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 2:28 pm:
also perhaps Bernie’s boo birds could just not stand to be in the room when the glorious career of HRC was detailed. or to watch video glass shattering. or hear Meryl Streep scream with joy. it was an amazing night in the history of women’s rights. Bernie’s campaign did not get THAT.
- CrazyHorse - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 2:30 pm:
==really sad that many of his supporters are so ridiculous.==
And statements like this only fan their flame. To them, their positions are not ridiculous at all. Even if people such as Sarah Silverman feel that way, she’d have been better served to extend an olive branch than to hurl insults at an already angry group. As my father once said “You catch more bees with honey than you do with water.”
- Honeybear - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 2:53 pm:
Amalia, wow. You’re helping bring about unity in a huge way. s/
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 2:58 pm:
Honeybear, you lost. You gotta learn how to lose. It ain’t easy. But learning how to lose is just as American as always striving to win. Without it, we don’t have a country, we have civil war.
- Honeybear - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 3:41 pm:
Rich, at my level, there’s been civil war for decades. War on the poor, elderly, and disabled. War on the vulnerable and disabled and above all war on the whole concept of the “common good” and being “your bothers keeper”. I see neoliberalism as huge weapon against those that I stand with.
Bernie’s mistake was trying to go through the Democratic party. It was successful in ways but disingenuous.
- Walmart Manager - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 3:41 pm:
To the Post, With “Bernie” and the boobird handling the political apparatus, the strong liklihood of making substantial and significant micro cases has jumped by a factor of 10. Mistakes like “dnc emails” will be far fewer and the case(s) will be made allowing the macro to be cleverly crafted to the micro and the ground game will not be left out. If you are a hillary supporter or hater, the shifting of talent should make you feel much better than any promise of honesty made. To Hillary, she is my unquestioned favorite. Sorry. It’s true. In her new role, it will be more managing outcomes than managing people, agencies, of policy. That’s why bernie makes sense in this shifting of many roles by many people. Bernie would need to get Hillary where he needs to be in end games. Things get messy. Hillary loves the mess, and that’s a compliment. July is a logical time for change here. We’re right in between the July 1st end, and the July 31st end of time. I don’t know what tomorrow to Aug 1 may bring, but these move are telling us all the game is afoot, and the pieces are in place to play until the end.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 4:12 pm:
===Bernie’s mistake was trying to go through the Democratic party.===
Agreed.
- James - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 5:26 pm:
Bernie changed the party dialogue, permanently, and won key concessions on the platform (public option, wall street breakup, SC appointees committed to reversing Citizens United). He was a responsible leader to move for Hillary’s nomination. That was necessary for Democratic unity. His followers now have no one else to follow, so most will fall in line, each at their own pace.
- CrazyHorse - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 5:52 pm:
==Bernie changed the party dialogue, permanently, and won key concessions on the platform (public option, wall street breakup, SC appointees committed to reversing Citizens United).==
James, while I agree that he got her to AGREE to have tougher wall street regulations, stop the TPP, etc. The problem is that NO ONE BELIEVES that she will keep those promises. If the nominee was let’s say Martin O’ Malley, then yes, most Bernie supporters would likely fall in line because they would trust O’Malley. People just don’t trust Hillary and it’s doubtful they ever will. Many Bernie supporters that are lifelong democrats will likely hold their nose and vote Clinton. Many of the independents, which make up a large portion of the Sanders crowd will likely vote Trump or Jill Stein or just sit it out.
- Michael Westen - Wednesday, Jul 27, 16 @ 11:15 pm:
It was like two conventions yesterday. Bernie’s email and tweets kept the boos down inside the building. Outside the building, at city hall, and at the fence on the outer edge of the arena, thousands of Bernie or Bust people were demonstrating their un-love for Hillary.
- Honeybear - Thursday, Jul 28, 16 @ 8:55 am:
–Bernie changed the party dialogue, permanently, and won key concessions on the platform (public option, wall street breakup, SC appointees committed to reversing Citizens United)–
James, I read the platform yesterday. The concessions are smoke and mirrors, “window dressing” as Dr. West says. Indeed Dr. West confirms that they lost nearly every battle on the platform committee. To speak Illinoisan “It’s a sham”. Read it yourself and see what is specifically committed to. TPP was not committed to in the platform. Public option is left up to the states. Wall street breakups “remain open to the diversity of opinions”, (I think I’m quoting that correctly). Meaning it’s not a done deal.