Bernie, your speech at tonight’s Democratic National Convention was what many Democrats had hoped for – a strong endorsement of Hillary Clinton. Yet it was also a missed opportunity.
Yes, it was great to hear you say, “Hillary Clinton must be our next president.” It was good for party unity that you publicly declared, “I am proud to stand with her.”
But you did not personally address your most ardent supporters. You know, those “Bernie or Bust” people who have vowed to sit out the election, vote for Trump or vote Jill Stein’s Green Party.
You needed to personally address your most militant revolutionaries: the ones who now think of you as a sell-out, a fake, and a fraud.
Your diehards needed a “come-to-Jesus” moment, something like this:
“ I want to take time to personally address my most ardent supporters who rightfully are upset and discouraged by the outcome of our primary contest.
Yes, I know you are hurting. I know how hard it is accepting an outcome you didn’t want … after investing so much time, energy and sweat in our cause.
I know some of you do not have the highest regard for our party’s nominee. Many of you have vowed never to vote for her. You have said you’d rather sit out the election or vote for a third party candidate like Jill Stein or even vote for the Republican Party nominee, Donald Trump.
Doing any of those three things will do nothing … nothing but help elect Donald Trump our next president.
It is time for you to put your hurt feelings aside and think of want is best for our country. Donald Trump must not be our next president. I believe you are all smart enough to know the many reasons why.
This will be a close election. The stakes are too high to refuse to participate in the election or cast a protest vote. And on that score, I have two words for you … Ralph Nader, the Green Party candidate in the 2000 election. Those protest voters in Florida surely did not know it at the time that they were taking their state away from Al Gore and giving us eight disastrous years of George W. Bush.
The next president will appoint anywhere from one to maybe three Supreme Court justices. We cannot afford to elect a president who has stated his favorite Supreme Court justice is Clarence Thomas! People, these justices are appointed for life. Their decisions will effect generations to come.
So stand with me. Support our party. Support our party’s nominee. Support Hillary Clinton.”
Photo | businessinsider.com
In the end, I believe most disappointed Bernie backers will come to their senses.
I sure hope you’re right!
Oh, this is the satire side. I thought for a moment there you were actually scolding.
John: your column today hit the nail on the head. It was EXACTLY what Bernie had to say in order to allay his supporters fears about voting for HRC. That was what needed to be said. He needed to plea with them that the alternative to staying away or voting for a third party is the same as voting for Drumpf. On that, he failed to make the case. Maybe it was deliberate. Maybe it wasn’t. But to help insure that his supporters voted for HRC, it HAD to be said.
I was watching the convention on MSNBC last night. Three Bernie supporters were interviewed. Two said they would vote for Jill Stein and the other didn’t know what she would do. Big missed opportunity on Bernie’s part. The good news is I think these avid Bernie or Bust people are relatively few. They are not real Democrats anyway.
I am so scared Trump could win.
Because of the raw hatred for Hillary, what should have been a landslide for Democrats will now be a nail biter. God bless us all.