So Bernie said that electing him would be as historic a milestone as electing the first woman president? Because he represents the 0,02% of the population that identifies as socialist?
I’m getting tired of giving the benefit of the doubt. If O’Malley – let alone Trump – said this, no benefit of the doubt would go their way.
“Because he represents the 0,02% of the population that identifies as socialist?”
Because he represents the 2% of the U.S. population who are Jewish. How can Hillary supporters dare try to thwart history by denying America its first Jewish President ever?
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Yes, 2% totally beats 52%. With such math skills, he should not be talking about the economy so much.
By the way, I never heard him actually say the word “Jewish”.
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“Yes, 2% totally beats 52%”
Well, when you’re in the majority, you should already have sufficient privilege not to feel the need to be pushy or assertive.
“By the way, I never heard him actually say the word ‘Jewish.’”
I don’t recall a certain historical first leader named Moses ever using that term either. Didn’t stop his people from being “Chosen.” 🙂
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Now, this is a sexist statement.
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Well, Clarissa, as you sometimes say to me: “I’m kidding! I’m kidding!” NOBODY, including Bernie, is claiming that his being Jewish is a big deal. My post was mocking Hillary’s claim that she can’t be part of the establishment (which she clearly is) and that she has to be considered an outsider (which she definitely isn’t) because she’s a woman.
I’m actually pleasantly surprised that NO public pundits or commentators have, as far as I’ve heard, even raised the issue of Bernie’s Jewish heritage as an area of potential concern.
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He would be the first presidential nominee of a major party not to profess some form of Christianity. Every single POTUS has been Christian, specifically some form of Protestant, save JFK who basically had to state he wasn’t going to take orders from the Pope. It doesn’t feel like a big deal because Bernie isn’t openly religious. But I promise you it’s causing an immediate freak out in about a third of the population. Otherwise why would Cruz bother dog-whistling about “New York values”and touting an endorsement from an anti-Semitic preacher?Why would Trump keep oops RTing white supremacist accounts from his Twitter? Do you think it’s just genuine religious belief that caused the two Indian governors to convert from the religion of their parents to some form of Christianity? Why do people persistently keep saying Obama is a Muslim as if it’s some kind of smear? I know very conservative religious people who would probably vote for Republicans on social values but they absolutely cannot stomach this constant blatant disrespect.
Clinton being the nominee will cause all of the latent and overt sexism to fly out from under a rock and Sanders’ being the nominee will bring out all of the anti-Semites, just like Obama’s election brought out all of the anti-blackness.
I think the older voters may find these firsts more exciting since they have less time to see “first X” in their lifetimes My preschool teacher was totally for Hillary and she’s almost 80. I suspect some older Jewish voters may feel the same way about Bernie.
Not even really older voters would be amazed to get a non Christian and also a Jew. I am not that old but I do remember the open anti-Semitism widespread among people who were alive during WWII and before, and I remember what a big deal it was when it became possible for a Catholic could be elected, it seemed to open things up so much, since that meant descendants of immigrants from the many Catholic countries that exist could be contenders. Now getting a non Christian would be a super breath of fresh air.
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I was loving the debate last night until the very end when Clinton launched a vicious mean-spirited attacked on Sanders. That really left a bad taste in my mouth and reminded me of her disgusting antics in the 2008 primaries.
“Name two world leaders who inspire you in terms of foreign policy.”
Bernie: “FDR and Churchill”.
Hillary: “Bernie called Obama weak and disappointing. He attacks Obama in the same way like Republicans do.”
What a liar.
Oh wait, she did answer the question partially. She named Nelson fucking Mandela as her inspiration for foreign policy.
Let that sink in for a minute. Nelson Mandela. Literally nobody would call ‘foreign policy’ as Mandela’s legacy. But she needs the black vote so Mandela will have to do.
Despite her many failings I’ve been cheering her on but last night was disappointing.
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Where to start? Being in the majority as far as numbers go has nothing to do with status, power or control; a quick glance at history will tell you that. There are parts of the south that are still majority African-American, then there are all the colonies that ever were. And really Dreidel, you already know that.
I always roll my eyes and sigh whenever any of my co-religionists cry “Anti-Semitism.” I tell them we are in the back of the line as far as being discriminated against in the US: African-Americans, Native Americans, the disabled, Gays, Lesbians, etc, Latinos/Hispanics, the list goes on and on. The great part of this country for Jews has been that there are so many different categories for haters to hate, we are able often to scoot by, and we have. I tell these people, No one I know who is Jewish in this country has felt the pressures that Black people do every morning when they leave their houses, that it is gratuitous to compare ourselves to that reality (yes, people love me when I go on like that/snark).
All that said, Anti-Semitism will be a challenge for Sanders, and I think even more so than misogyny will be for Clinton. There are still a lot of people who don’t know any Jews or come into contact with them, but everyone knows lots of women. Women may be discriminated against but we don’t have the added burden of being unknowns and therefore scary in the way that things you don’t know about might make you uncomfortable. And Jews and Jewish fit into that category for many people.
Though I should add that I can think of many other reasons Sanders is unelectable, so maybe the Jewish part is the least of it.
Finally, although I am rooting for Clinton, I have yet to find the fact that she could be the first female president at all moving. This is a puzzle for me because I remember very clearly how excited and proud I was when I first saw a woman firefighter, rabbi on the bimah, and I could go on.
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A conservative literary critic and college professor
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