Monday, October 26, 2015
During a 25-minute address Saturday night at the Iowa Democratic Party's all-important Jefferson-Jackson dinner in Des Moines, the Vermont senator promised he would not "equivocate" as president and insinuated that Clinton would.
Bloomberg:
"I will govern based on principle, not poll numbers," Sanders said ... before detailing his staunch opposition to the Defense of Marriage Act, the Iraq war, and major trade agreements — all examples that highlight Clinton's shifting positions over the years. His attack echoed then-Senator Barack Obama’s assertion at the same dinner in 2007 that Democrats have "made the biggest difference in the lives of the American people when we led, not by polls, but by principle.”Sanders did not mention Clinton by name, but his target was clear. Speaking about the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade deal Clinton recently joined him in opposing, Sanders said he had never viewed it as the "gold standard of trade agreements" — words she used to describe it in a memoir.
The Vermonter highlighted his vote against the Iraq War, which Clinton supported, and his opposition to two measures Clinton's husband, former president Bill Clinton, signed into law: the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act and the 1999 repeal of Glass-Steagall Act banking regulations.
Tags: Senator , Bernie Sanders , Presidential Campaign , Iowa , Jefferson-Jackson Dinner , Hillary Clinton , campaign trail , gun control , Recommended Reading , Image , Web Only
Thursday, October 22, 2015
"You know, I'm looking at what's going on in Colorado and elsewhere," Sanders told talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. "But I am not unfavorably disposed to moving toward the legalization of marijuana."
The Vermont independent made the remark at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, where the Los Angeles-based comedian has been taping ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" all week.
Sanders frequently talks about ending the so-called war on drugs. He supports legalizing medical marijuana and decriminalizing pot. During last week's Democratic presidential debate, he said that if he were a resident of Nevada, he "suspect[ed]" he would vote in favor of an upcoming ballot measure that would legalize it in the state. But Sanders has thus far refrained from issuing his full-throated support for nationwide legalization.
Tags: Bernie Sanders , Cannabeat , Jimmy Kimmel , marijuana legalization , Presidential Campaign , Senator , Recommended Reading , Image , Video , Web Only
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
"I thank the vice president for a lifetime of public service and for all that he has done for our nation," Sanders said in a written statement. "I look forward to continuing to work with him to address the major crises we face."
At first glance, it might appear that Biden's decision would bolster Sanders' candidacy. After all, what unconventional upstart would want to compete with a political juggernaut boasting establishment support and the ability to attract a diverse coalition of supporters?
Perhaps the kind that's already facing another political juggernaut boasting establishment support and the ability to attract a diverse coalition of supporters: former secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
Tags: Senator , Bernie Sanders , Presidential Campaign , Joe Biden , Hillary Clinton , Image , Recommended Reading , Web Only
Sunday, October 18, 2015
On this week's Saturday Night Live, the irascible Brooklynite famous for his work on Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm delivered a brilliant sendup of the irascible Brooklynite famous for running for president. During the show's cold open, David appeared as Sanders in a sketch skewering last week's Democratic debate. Channeling Sanders' unmodulated intensity, he immediately pledged to "dial it right up to a 10."
"We're doomed!" David-as-Sanders shouted. "We need a revolution! Millions of people on the streets. And we gotta do something! And we gotta do it now!"
Tags: Senator , Bernie Sanders , Presidential Campaign , Larry David , SNL , underwear , Image , Recommended Reading , Video , Web Only
Friday, October 16, 2015
That means that if the rest of his low-dollar donors keep feelin' the Bern, Sanders should have plenty of cash to burn in the months ahead.
"Other campaigns are bankrolled by big donors who have given so much, even under our current corrupt political system, they can’t legally give any more," Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver said in a statement. "Bernie’s big base of small donors may give again and again. What is clear now is that this campaign to transform America will have the resources to fight all the way to the convention."
In the quarter ending September 30, Sanders reported raising $26.2 million, not far behind the $29.9 million former secretary of state Hillary Clinton raised. Sanders, who has not yet aired any television advertisements, spent far less than his chief rival for the Democratic nomination: $11.2 million, compared to her $25.7 million.
So even though Clinton vastly out-raised Sanders in the opening months of the presidential race, they now have a similar amount of money in the bank: He's got $27.1 million, while she's got $33 million.
Tags: Senator , Bernie Sanders , presidential campaign , fundraising , Image , Web Only
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
"Hillary Clinton won — by a landslide," Politico's Katie Glueck wrote, summing up a survey of early-state insiders.
"Her performance at the first Democratic presidential debate was so commanding that even her greatest vulnerability — the lingering controversy over her private email practices as secretary of state — ended up redounding to her benefit," the New York Times' Patrick Healy gushed.
"Instead of turning in the safe and solid performance she needed," Slate's Josh Voorhees wrote, "Clinton was closer to spectacular on Tuesday night."
Weird. I thought I watched the same debate, but I walked away with a different conclusion.
Tags: Senator , Bernie Sanders , Hillary Clinton , presidential campaign , Las Vegas , Democratic debate , Image , Web Only
But it was his forceful defense of his opponent that stole the show. After Clinton spent more than two minutes defending her use of a private email server as secretary of state, Sanders accomplished what she had been unable to do since the scandal erupted last March: He eviscerated the news media for its relentless coverage of the issue.
"Let me say something that may not be great politics, but I think the secretary is right," Sanders said. "And that is that the American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails!"
"Thank you!" Clinton said, smiling broadly and letting out a big laugh. "Me, too! Me, too!"
"And let me say something about the media as well," Sanders continued, arguing that the voters he talks to are worried about income inequality, poverty, trade policy and campaign finance reform — not Clinton's server.
"Enough of the emails!" Sanders said. "Let's talk about the real issues facing America!"
Tags: Senator , Bernie Sanders , Hillary Clinton , Democratic debate , Las Vegas , presidential campaign , gun control , government reform , Image , Web Only
Thursday, October 8, 2015
"As stunning as it was, I'm not surprised," the Vermont Democrat said.
In recent days, according to Welch, Republican colleagues had told him they were getting "hammered" in their home districts over whether they would support McCarthy, who some viewed as insufficiently conservative. Even if he'd won Thursday's vote in the Republican caucus and another one later this month on the House floor, McCarthy would have struggled to wrangle the roughly 40 members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, Welch argued.
"It just would've been a repeat of the dilemma that Speaker Boehner faced, where he was constantly trying to appease that wing of the party," Welch said. "Where do they go from here is anybody's guess. The thing that's a concern for me is the legislative body has a job to do, and it's called legislating. And we're not doing that now."
Tags: Kevin McCarthy , Peter Welch , John Boehner , Image , Web Only
Monday, October 5, 2015
Now Milne is considering an even tougher challenge: running against seven-term incumbent Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who has served in Congress since 1974.
"A lot of people have said, 'Why don't you think about running for that seat?'" Milne said Monday. "It's something that's on the table for 2016, yeah."
Milne fired an unusual shot across Leahy's bow earlier Monday in the form of an email to state reporters. In it, the Pomfret businessman criticized Leahy for holding a $5,000-per-person fundraiser last weekend in Vermont.
Tags: Patrick Leahy , Scott Milne , Image , Web Only
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has met a mark some are calling historic: He’s raked in more than 1 million online contributions faster than any presidential candidate has before.
Sanders’ campaign manager, Jeff Weaver, emailed supporters Wednesday afternoon touting the fundraising pace, hours before a midnight campaign finance reporting deadline.
“I wanted you to hear it from me first: A short while ago, we flew past our goal of 1 million online contributions to our campaign,” Weaver’s email said. “Let’s. Keep. Going.”
Weaver went on to say: “If we do, we can send an unmistakable message about the size and strength of our political revolution to the political media who have dismissed us for too long.”
Tags: Senator , Bernie Sanders , Hillary Clinton , Presidential Campaign , fundraising , Image , Recommended Reading , Web Only