MoveOn, Who Endorsed Bernie Sanders, Warns Him Not To Take Fight To Convention
After it was made abundantly clear on Tuesday evening that Hillary Clinton had clinched the Democratic nomination in every way, shape, and form following her winning four of six primaries, including delegate-rich California, Bernie Sanders still refused to concede. Instead, in a speech given in Cali, the Vermont Senator promised to continue on to the last remaining primary in D.C. and to take his revolution to the Philly convention.
Now, his language was vague enough that it could be stated that he now realizes the fight for the nomination is over and he now just wants to secure concessions from the party in terms of platform policies and future election procedures, but he is still delaying any opportunity for unity ahead of a general election fight with Donald Trump. He also made sure to do his level best to deny Hillary her truly historic moment of being the first woman to become a major party’s presidential nominee. (Though only his hardcore supporters still believe there is a possibility he can become the nominee, something he did not dissuade them from.)
While Sanders is going to spend the day in Vermont to think about the future before meeting with President Obama and Harry Reid on Thursday, many of his most high-profile endorsers have indicated to him that he needs to realize the dream is over. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-CA) have said it is time to unify the party, considering he can’t get the majority of pledged delegates and is far behind in the popular vote.
Now, one can say they are just being loyal Dems and just want what’s best for the ‘establishment.’ However, the liberal org MoveOn also weighed in on Wednesday, and let Bernie know that they won’t support his Quixotic quest to flip superdelegates, as that goes against their — and supposedly his — principles.
Below is the official statement from the group:
“In the last year, Bernie Sanders has won 22 states, shattered fundraising records through small donor donations, and electrified millions of Americans with a bold, progressive vision for America. In short, Bernie’s campaign has revolutionized politics as we know it and in doing so brought in millions of new voters to the political process and the Democratic Party.
“Bernie Sanders has more than earned the right to figure out the next steps for this movement on his own timeline. And, the voters of DC, long disenfranchised, have the right to have their say in this process next Tuesday just as the millions of voters before them have had.
“MoveOn members believe, as we have long advocated, that the nomination should go to the winner of the majority of pledged delegates, and that undemocratic superdelegates should not overturn the will of the voters.
“The idea that our government should work for all people, not just corporations and billionaires, is not just the future of the Democratic Party; that is the here and now. The policies that Bernie has advanced should be included in the Democratic platform, and candidates up and down the ballot should campaign on them this fall. Poll after poll has shown that Bernie’s message is the best way to defeat Donald Trump in November.
“MoveOn members are proud to be a key part of the Bernie Sanders campaign. Nationwide, millions of MoveOn members are donating, volunteering, phone banking, and voting to bring Bernie’s inspiring, hopeful agenda to every American. Over the next few days, we will be listening to Sen. Sanders and MoveOn members, who have gone all in for Bernie, about our next steps.”
In other words, don’t do it, Bernie. It flies in the face of everything you stand for. If you go down this road, we aren’t going to support you. Now is the time to become a vocal leader of the Democratic Party and push for real change, not become a selfish egotist who is drawn in by the cult of personality you created.
MoveOn endorsed Sanders back in January, becoming one of his first big backers. Their membership overwhelmingly supported the independent lawmaker, so this statement is huge in terms of telling Sanders to drop out.
I was so hoping we would have Sanders as President of the United States next year, but if he cannot secure the Democratic party nomination, it is vitally important that he begin uniting the party behind Hillary Clinton. To do anything else would be detrimental to our country, especially this election when it’s entirely possible we could have a disastrous Trump presidency.
Early on, I would have voted for either candidate, but Bernie showed his true stripes by going nasty and negative, hurting the party and feeding ammunition to the Republicans to use against HRC. The more I read about Jane Sanders and Jeff Weaver, the more I’m convinced they are pushing him to destroy the party. When MoveOn endorsed Bernie, you lost me for life. I proudly claim the label of “establishment” Democrat supporting the only Democrat in the race.
i was a fervent moveon.org supporter/member but had to drop them like a rock when it was clear their heads were so far up Bernies ass. It’s over for him, his principles are NOT the principles down ballot democrats should be running on as their letter states as obviously that was NOT the winning campaign. Hillary all the way #dumpTrump
Sounds like a troll.
If MOVEON.org begins to try to shift Sanders supporters to the Queen of Corporate Welfare, Warmongering & Deceit, expect mass exodus.
Hillary and Trump are running together. Exit polls country wide show Bernie leading, yet the actual “votes” are not representation of many of these exit polls. The democratic party and republican party work together to continue to divide and manipulate us. We are #BernieOrBust. At this rate, Donald Trump will be your next president. #NeverHillary
#DumpTrump
#OurRevolution
This is old news and I don’t think it applies today. I received a survey from MoveOn right after Cali primary asking about whether or not I thought Bernie should drop out now, who I would vote for, would I vote for Hillary etc…I said no he should not drop out, I said Bernie no matter what and I’d never vote for Hillary.. I believe the results of the survey is the reason why MoveOn IS STILL SUPPORTING Sanders. I will NEVER EVER go for “Unifying the party” unless Bernie is the nominee. I repeat, I will NEVER VOTE FOR HILLARY.
What exactly *is* a Democrat, nowadays? It looks like Republican-lite to me, and I am not liking it at all. The neo-cons shifted the political spectrum to the right, and I think it is time we had a re-consideration of what the party is supposed to represent. Is it a party for ordinary people, a broad church, and representing the interests of ordinary working people, or is it just going to be another corporate toady, doing what it can to sweep up the donations from companies that are not *too* awful and pretending to be interested in the trials and tribulations of working people?
I’ve seen how New Labour completely shifted the Labour Party, and the Clintons were kindred spirits to Blair.
Bernie is the only honest person running. Bernie or Bust.
I am so disappointed in MoveOn.org and this horrible article encouraging Senator Sanders to not take his campaign to the floor of the 2016 Democratic convention. What MoveOn.org fails to note is the VAST election fraud that the Clinton campaign has instigated in the 2016 Democratic Primaries, from sea to shining sea, resulting in many law suits filed in state after state. As for me, I am #StillSanders, #BernieOrBust, #HillNO !, #NoBama FOREVER! See you in Philly, MoveOn.org, and please don’t count me in as a member of your traitorous organization any more
Yes, mass exodus by the MILLIONS, as Bernie has the backing of a huge percentage of the progressives that agree with his strategy in leading this political revolution!
“In other words, don’t do it, Bernie. It flies in the face of everything you stand for. If you go down this road, we aren’t going to support you. Now is the time to become a vocal leader of the Democratic Party and push for real change, not become a selfish egotist who is drawn in by the cult of personality you created.”
No. He should fight all the way and if the dems don’t concede he should run third party.
The democrats have been in collusion with HRC this entire election, the primaries were rigged from the start both in ways which were legal (media manipulation – they rarely mentioned that hillary was running against anyone) and illegal (electoral fraud – for example, all of the 150,000 eligible voters removed from the rolls from the primaries in NY only to be reinstated for the general? Suspicious!). Unless bernie gets major concessions to his platform (especially campaign finance reform, higher wages, and financial industry reform) he and his supporters owe the democrats nothing.
The democrats have taken us left wing independents for granted with their treatment of sanders. When trump wins in November they only have themselves to blame. Hell would have to freeze over for most of us sanders supporters to vote for hillary – the lying, corrupt, warmongering, neocon in democrats clothes. Trump doesn’t scare us – hillary already has the track record of harming people trump wished he had.
Ditto! There must be a reason that millions of Bernie’s followers are #BernieOrBust and will not budge from that position! (including me).
hummm, i get emails from move on.org all the time…didn’t get this one…so i don’t believe you, sorry! it is so important bernie continues this…if need be, to go independent…election fraud and gufficer2.0 claim of dnc, media, and campaign shoving hillary down our throat…i have gagged and puked! never hillary!
its like people see a completely different set of words…if you have to say, “In other words…you need to fuck off, because we all read the quoted, word-for-word message from MoveOn. What a blow-bag.
What a blast of balloon juice. Hillary’s “victory” is entirely contrived, invented and hard-sold by a corrupt and agenda-influenced corporate media, who are utterly frustrated to learn the public isn’t buying its facsimile. This well-off sociopath, reviled by a majority of Americans of all affiliations, is currently the subject of 4 separate criminal investigations, has lied consistently about her server arrangement as Secretary of State, and oversaw the most blatant (and poorly hidden) example of election fraud in American history, in her bid for the presidency. This is something to CELEBRATE?
Never say die Never say never! There has been manipulation of the voting process just as was the case with Jeb Bush during the Bush campaign. AL Gore conceded and this country went through its worst crisis in 200 years! I believe if there is a will,there is a way! Let Bernie go.on as a an Independent! This country needs serious help.and he is one that can do it!