Bernie’s Finger-Wagging Is Getting Really Annoying
The most important moment of Sunday night’s Democratic debate between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders: her deft counter-punch of his caterwauling and blaming her “disastrous” trade policies for the loss of manufacturing jobs.
On the stage in Flint, Michigan, near the heart of the nation’s auto industry, Clinton didn’t miss a beat in noting Sanders’s vote against the 2009 federal bailout of car makers.
“If everybody had voted the way he did, I believe the auto industry would have collapsed, taking 4 million jobs with it,” she said.
Take that, Howard Beal.
It reminded us of that great Obama-Biden bumper sticker: “Bin Laden is dead; GM is alive.” And Hillary was on the right side of both of those biggies.
The davening mansplainer: For Hillary, it surely was a satisfying exchange, as it punctured Bernie’s two-hour display of finger-wagging, face-smirking and rude interruptions — “excuse me I’m talking,” he mansplained in one attempt to hush her – in which he seemed a cross between an Ashkenazi rabbi davening and the four-eyed dork in the front row of fifth grade about to pee his pants if Miss Barbara didn’t call on him. (see #excusemeimtalking)
While Sanders defensively disputes her characterization of his position on the legislation – he insists he was voting against the bailout of Wall Street and big banks – it’s an argument that will cut deeply in Michigan, Ohio and Illinois, direct primary states where she is expected to win comfortably.
As will Sanders’s defense of his vote to grant immunity to gun manufacturers and sellers. Not to mention his rather clumsy statement that white people don’t know what it’s like to live in a ghetto.
I’m walking here!
Nothing new under the sun: None of this, however, will change the fundamental dynamics of the Democratic race: party loyalists and undecideds looking for pragmatism and smart, detailed policy will back Hillary; idealists will go for Bernie’s lefty rhetoric and one-note symphony about income inequality and the corrupt campaign finance system
And she will keep marching toward a majority of delegates, while he, with nothing to lose, will not go quietly; witness his debate attacks over NAFTA and other trade deals, something he has not done in his TV ads.
Also last night: no one talked about the size of their schwantz.
Here’s the Calbuzz Twitter feed (in reverse order)
Bernie’s vote against money to auto bailout will hurt him in Michigan and Ohio in particular. Smart of HRC to use it.
Summary: HRC and Bernie supporters unmoved; undecideds looking for smart, detailed policy will go to HRC; idealists for Bernie.
I don’t intend to get into the gutter with whoever they nominate, Hillary says.
Is that dandruff on Bernie’s shoulder and suit coat?
Hillary says she prays for specific people in rough circumstances, for the will of God to be known, for people in authority
I am proud to be Jewish. My father’s family was wiped out by Hitler. I know from extremism, Bernie says in response to Cooper.
On whether God is relevant, Sanders quote Hillel (without attribution): Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Bigotry, bullying, blustering by Trump won’t wear well with the American people, says HRC. Sanders says he does better vs Trump.
Compare the substance of this debate to Repubs, HRC says. Bernie says the GOP debates show why more $ needed for mental health.
Bernie’s finger wagging and smirky faces to get attention when Hillary is speaking makes him look like a cranky old coot.
No governors or senators support me, Bernie says proudly.
Bernie says he was and is against death penalty — 1994 crime bill which he voted for had good and bad provisions
Don Lemon asks HRC about 1994 crime bill — she says she and Bernie voted for it — as Bill noted it had faults, she agrees
Bernie’s inability to withstand Hillary’s assault on his gun control record — the finger waving and face-making — is absurd
Still waiting for Cooper to ask about the size of their hands.
Bernie says multinational companies don’t need subsidy from the American middle class
HRC: You were either for saving the auto industry or you were against it…Bernie deflects to Wall St, superpacs, speeches
Bernie says he voted against Wall St bailout — HRC says if everybody voted like he did auto industry would have collapsed
HRC says Bernie was against the auto bailout — I voted to save the auto industry, he voted against the money to save auto indsty
Bernie attacks HRC directly on trade agreements — something his ads haven’t done — guess he’s still going for the jugular
Neither Bernie nor Hillary has yet to talk about the size of their hands and/or genitals.
Bernie, what took you so long? Says he’s been fighting powerful interests all his career and held forum to focus on Flint
Q: are you using Flint for political points? HRC says she’s been working these issues a long time, reacted immediately re Flint
Why trust government? Bernie says pole could trust corporations or Wall St — Govt created by the pple
HRC supports Flint program to pay locals to deliver water. Bernie says he’d have Feds intervene. CDC has to examine everyone.
Hillary agrees gov should resign but have to focus on getting $$ from Feds, state to help this city. It is raining lead in Flint.
Bernie was shocked to learn that children in Flint are being poisoned. Gov should resign. Moves directly to income inequality.
Bernie “jazz hands” Sanders should quit while he’s ahead. His one note samba about Wall Street and the “billionayhrs” is wearing on all of us who are older than the fresh-faced and inexperienced millennials. His final statement in the debate, perhaps, provided a clue. He grew up resentful in a family that had few opportunities. Fine. But he’s a United States Senator now and, after 32 years in the congress, he has NO support from his colleagues. Bernie’s fantasies about getting any of his policies enacted leave out the crucial element of both houses of congress – not unlike the mystical king-in-waiting Donald Trump.
Neither of them drove home how the response to Flint is such a perfect example of the fundamental economic difference between the GOP & the Dems: Governor Rick Snyder of Michigan (my home state) is a former CEO who extolled that popular Republican mantra of “running government like a business.” That led to the decision to nickel-and-dime Flint’s water supply.
Bernie Sanders has served a purpose…and a very good purpose…in this campaign.
Let’s call it “The Education of Hillary.”
He has taught her what a Democrat is and what Democrat values are. And Clinton is learning to embrace some of those values.
Heretofore, Ms Clinton, and her husband, have been poseurs as Democrats. I said that in 1992 and nothing since has dissuaded me.
Don’t ask, don’t tell; same-sex marriage; NAFTA; harsh prison sentences are all indicative of Clintonian values. And despite Ms Clinton’s sarcastic admonitions to Mr. Sanders last night, positions and actions taken 20 years ago DO matter.
But, I believe, redemption is always possible and Mr. Sanders has done what I had thought Sisyphean: He has gotten the rock perched on the hilltop. My hope is that she maintains that philosophic perch and doesn’t backslide.
For that reason, I believe Mr. Sanders needs to stay in the race until Ms Clinton has been thoroughly educated and that it is ingrained.
In the meantime, Hillary has a few of her own annoying traits to divest (since you were kind enough to point out Bernie’s. Really? Dandruff? C’mon).
First, she needs to learn how to laugh and even laugh heartily, instead of that large open-mouthed braying she does. She looks and sounds like she’s being probed on a dentist’s chair. It’s unsightly and grating.
Second, and these are in no particular order by the way, she needs to stop her own pointing. She looks like every late night talk show host and every one of their guests when they walk out on stage and start pointing at people in the crowd as if they know them or recognize them. They must all go to the same body language expert. Waving? Fine. Thumbs up? Fine. Pointing? Pointless.
Third, she does need to learn to stop interrupting others when she disagrees with something being said. And not only does she talk over them, she does it loudly and shrilly. She did it to the moderator last night as well as to Sanders. It is rude and shows a lack of respect. I was a professional negotiator for 30 years and never tolerated that kind of behavior from the spokesperson of the opposing team.
Finally, she needs someone with some fashion sense to advise her on dressing. I’m not much of a fashion maven myself; I’m more of a levis, loafers, and polo guy. But every outfit she wears looks like it was cut from the same pattern but in different colors. When she walks on stage she looks dressed like every nun I had in cat’lic elementary school for eight years. My wife, being Baptist, doesn’t know what that means. She thinks Hillary looks like a penguin. A few debates ago (I haven’t missed a single one of either party’s debates or town halls. I must have too much time on my hands. But I digress) she wore one of those outfits and it was a garish, hideous, plastic-shiny yellow. I swear, every time they showed her I thought she was wearing one of those yellow raincoats my mom would make me wear when I walked to school in the rain. One mile. Uphill. Both ways. Uggghhhh!!
Don’t get me wrong. I voted for Bill and I’ll vote for Hilli. I’ve spoken with Bill a couple of times and not only is he bright and charming, but he has a unique knack for making you feel as if you are the only person in the room.
Hilli is bright.
And each was and is better than any alternatives in the Republican Party with the possible exception of Condoleeza Rice.
But I will feel much better if Ms Clinton chooses Elizabeth Warren as her running mate. Liz will help her keep her political compass pointing due left. And while I’m at it, Jennifer Granholm as her Chief of Staff. It’s too bad that Ms. Granholm was born Canadian.