Bernie Sanders to online trolls: Stop 'ugly personal attacks'

By Simon Lewis

 

FILE PHOTO: Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders addresses supporters at his New Hampshire primary night rally in Manchester, N.H., U.S., February 11, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Segar

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential contender Bernie Sanders on Thursday urged an end to online "bullying or ugly personal attacks" after a powerful hospitality-industry union in Nevada accused his supporters of harassment.

 

The Culinary Workers Union said supporters of Sanders, a front-runner in the Democratic White House race, "viciously" attacked the organisation via Twitter, text, voicemail and direct messaging after the union criticized the senator's universal healthcare plan on Tuesday.

 

Sanders, a progressive who bills himself as a champion of organised labour, did not acknowledge his own supporters' alleged abusive behaviour specifically and applied his call for an end to harassment to all campaigns' backers, but said members of his movement must be "respectful."

 

"Harassment of all forms is unacceptable to me, and we urge supporters of all campaigns not to engage in bullying or ugly personal attacks," he said in a statement.

 

In an interview on "PBS NewsHour" on Thursday, Sanders added: "Anybody making personal attacks against anybody else in my name is not part of our movement. We don't want them. And I’m not so sure, to be honest with you, that they are necessarily part of our movement.”

 

Sanders won the most votes in Democratic nominating contests in Iowa and New Hampshire this month. The next contests in the state-by-state battle to pick a candidate to face Republican President Donald Trump in November's election are in Nevada on Feb. 22 and South Carolina on Feb. 29.

 

Sanders' opponents have frequently criticized his legion of online supporters for engaging in attacks, including those aimed at female candidates such as his 2020 rival Senator Elizabeth Warren and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who defeated him for the 2016 Democratic nomination.

 

He previously urged his supporters to engage in civil discourse, but his backers have argued that they have been unfairly maligned.

 

The 60,000-member Nevada union, with outsized influence in a state heavily dependent on tourism, said on Thursday it would not endorse a presidential candidate, but warned its members that Sanders' Medicare for All proposal, which would replace private health insurance with a government-run programme, could put their hard-won union health coverage at risk.

 

(Reporting by Simon Lewis; Editing by Ginger Gibson and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-02-14

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

he has this uncanny sensation that something is afoot...

but for the likes of him, just cannot fathom what what sort of torment is going to rain down upon him? 

Edited February 14, 20206 yr by tifino

trump also needs to stop encouraging troll behaviour. 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/02/14/trumps-authoritarian-style-is-remaking-america/

Bernie, it's what they do. Sad, but true.

Who famously said: "If you can't take the heat, you better get out of the kitchen"? 

56 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

Who famously said: "If you can't take the heat, you better get out of the kitchen"? 

So...you are attacking a man, who tells other people "don't do this! it's wrong!" ?!

Got it!

I do not understand the Americans: how can you be proud on your country, when your politicians are smeared so much by your country fellowmen.

How to be proud on one of these at the end elected as… president of the USA

Even between candidates of the same party… Not: “We will beat the opposite with better arguments, plans, candidates, whoever of us you elect ( and I believe I am just a littlebit better candidate) , but… Me, Me, Me and… ME…

4 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

Who famously said: "If you can't take the heat, you better get out of the kitchen"? 

So, the Union needs to “get out of the kitchen”. I’m lost as it is not directed at Bernie ... I am saddened that so many seem unable to argue the merits or negatives to a given issue. I certainly support the US instituting a national healthcare program like all other developed countries provide for their citizens. All American retirees already have Medicare provided (covered only on US territory) and all retired military have national medical coverage (coverage worldwide).

its about to get a whole lot uglier leading up to the election - imo he hasn't seen anything yet.. 

I am sure Bernie's comrades  are making an enemies list in the remote chance of his election they will be the first to be sent to the gulag. 

6 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

Who famously said: "If you can't take the heat, you better get out of the kitchen"? 

The communal kitchen , you mean?

American presidential campaigns are just a variation of professional wrestling. It's all done for entertainment. The two party system is carefully managed to give the public a sense of involvement when in reality the winner is pre-determined and switched occasionally so both sides have their day. 

6 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

Who famously said: "If you can't take the heat, you better get out of the kitchen"? 

Exactly , in the Big Sand pit now. 

 

On 2/14/2020 at 8:14 PM, canuckamuck said:

American presidential campaigns are just a variation of professional wrestling. It's all done for entertainment. The two party system is carefully managed to give the public a sense of involvement when in reality the winner is pre-determined and switched occasionally so both sides have their day. 

 

That used to be the way it was right up until Trump. In fact, Trump won precisely because so many Americans share your sentiment. The big question now is whether the Democrats can understand that anger of the electorate and abandon that now broken, anachronistic model, or if they will keep trying to put in a centrist, establishment candidate who has as much chance of winning the presidency as I do of winning the lottery. (To give you an idea of my odds of winning...I don't play the lottery.)

 

This is why Bernie is really the only choice for the Democrats. The establishment hates him.  That means there is a chance the voters might actually accept him.

 

 

On 2/14/2020 at 2:51 PM, Boon Mee said:

Who famously said: "If you can't take the heat, you better get out of the kitchen"? 

So the union should just suck it up and accept it?

 

Be best.

On 2/14/2020 at 11:11 AM, puipuitom said:

I do not understand the Americans: how can you be proud on your country, when your politicians are smeared so much by your country fellowmen.

 

How to be proud on one of these at the end elected as… president of the USA

 

Even between candidates of the same party… Not: “We will beat the opposite with better arguments, plans, candidates, whoever of us you elect ( and I believe I am just a littlebit better candidate) , but… Me, Me, Me and… ME…

 

 

Edited February 16, 20206 yr by wabothai
error made

4 minutes ago, wabothai said:

 

tried to insert utube's bill maher rant: utube president 2020 - trump Win....

Edited February 16, 20206 yr by wabothai

 

 

On 2/14/2020 at 5:11 PM, puipuitom said:

I do not understand the Americans: how can you be proud on your country, when your politicians are smeared so much by your country fellowmen.

 

How to be proud on one of these at the end elected as… president of the USA

 

Even between candidates of the same party… Not: “We will beat the opposite with better arguments, plans, candidates, whoever of us you elect ( and I believe I am just a littlebit better candidate) , but… Me, Me, Me and… ME…

 

Many of us Americans are not proud. Not proud at all. I used to be proud to be an American. Not anymore. It has been a very long time, as the nation has slipped downhill precipitously, culturally, politically, and on so many other levels. America is not the country it once was, and there is no making America great again. Just not going to happen. It is the end of the empire, that we are witnessing. It is 445AD, prior to Odoacer marching into Rome. 

As much as I want to like Bernie, I find him to be an immensely unlikable man. Always angry, always bitter, and I think I remember him smiling once, during the entire campaign. As an old man, I cannot imaging that is going to get any better over time. Granted, Trump is a grump. But, Bernie? He makes Bloomberg look cheerful. 

On 2/14/2020 at 9:16 PM, from the home of CC said:

its about to get a whole lot uglier leading up to the election - imo he hasn't seen anything yet.. 

The left started it in 2001. Bit late now to call it out. Just poor losers.

On 2/16/2020 at 8:47 PM, Sujo said:

So the union should just suck it up and accept it?

 

Be best.

Unions are the biggest bullies. They hire thugs to beat people up.