Last updated on September 25th, 2023 at 01:58 pm
The Washington director of Moveon.org has spoken out against the bullying being carried out by some individuals who claim to be supporting the presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders of Democratic superdelegates.
Video:
Transcript of Ben Wikler, Washington Director or MoveOn.org on CNN’s New Day:
CAMEROTA: So, as you know, Ben, Hillary Clinton leads really outstandingly in super delegates over Bernie Sanders. And now there is this new website that just cropped up last week. It’s called super delegate hit list. It was reportedly set up by a Bernie Sanders supporter. And it is designed by its own admission to harass Democratic super delegates.
Let me read to you what it says. The guy who designed it says, “Who wants to help start a new website aimed at harassing super delegates?” And then it says, #feelthebern.
So, is that above board?
WIKLER: I have to say. We should leave harassment to the super delegates to the Republicans. They seem to have that market cornered. But frankly, there’s no place for harassing anyone really in either party in American politics. This should be a contest of ideas and issues.
Now, I will say I think that super delegates and Move On members across the country I think most would agree. Super delegates should support the winner of the primaries and caucuses. It shouldn’t be the case that a small group of insiders can overturn the choice of the public.
….
CAMEROTA: And, in fact, we’ve heard Donald Trump rail against the very same system that he says is sort of underhanded and dirty.
But I want to get to whether or not you think Bernie Sanders — it’s incumbent upon Bernie Sanders to stop this website and to call them out and say there should be no such thing as harassing of super delegates, because he hasn’t said things like that yet?
WIKLER: Well, you know, Sanders and Clinton are both pressing their case to super delegates through their campaigns. And certainly, I think the public has a place to say, they would urge someone to say support one or another or the eventual winner as 380,000 Move On members have done.
I do think though that harassment is out of bounds. And Sanders has a couple of times from the stump talked about the necessity for his supporters to maintain a respectful and civil tone. I expect and hope that that will continue. It’s important everyone feels safe engaging in these contest of ideas.
No one is accusing all Sanders supporters of bullying superdelegates. The vast majority of Sen. Sanders millions of supporters who have enthusiastically packed large arenas and supported their candidate are not encouraging the bullying. The bullying is not coming from the Sanders campaign. What Wikler was discussing was bad behavior by a few extremists that has no place in any political campaign.
Bullying people or making them feel targeted is not acceptable. Engaging in this kind of behavior makes the Sanders campaign and all Democrats look bad. Both candidates need to remind all of their supporters that the goal is for a Democrat to win the presidential election in November.
Superdelegates aren’t the enemy, and they aren’t a conspiracy against Bernie Sanders. Bullying is the one way to make sure that superdelegates never entertain the idea of supporting Sen. Sanders.
Democrats are better than this, and bullying has no place in the primary process.
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