US Presidential Contenders

[Dio]

Bernie! Bernie! Feel the Bern! We must because  upon the principle.

Watch CNN and NY1's Democratic debate, moderated by Wolf Blitzer, Thursday, April 14 at 9 p.m. ET.


Washington (CNN) — Bernie Sanders said Wednesday that Hillary Clinton is not "qualified" to be president, a sharp escalation in rhetoric in the Democratic primary.

"Secretary Clinton appears to be getting a little bit nervous," he told a crowd in Philadelphia. "And she has been saying lately that she thinks that I am 'not qualified' to be president. Well, let me, let me just say in response to Secretary Clinton: I don't believe that she is qualified, if she is, through her super PAC, taking tens of millions of dollars in special interest funds. I don't think that you are qualified if you get $15 million from Wall Street through your super PAC."



CNN has reached out to the Clinton campaign for comment, and its surrogates responded quickly on Twitter.

"Hillary Clinton did not say Bernie Sanders was 'not qualified.' But he has now - absurdly - said it about her. This is a new low," campaign spokesman Brian Fallon tweeted.

Clinton was asked Wednesday morning by MSNBC whether she thought Sanders was "ready to be president."







"I think he hadn't done his homework and he'd been talking for more than a year about doing things that he obviously hadn't really studied or understood, and that does raise a lot of questions," Clinton said. "Really what that goes to is for voters to ask themselves can he deliver what he's talking about."




Sanders and Clinton are barreling toward the New York primary later this month, and the duo are increasingly tangling in heated, tense campaign trail exchanges. Sanders' comments in Philadelphia were just the latest escalation in recent days. Clinton and her allies have been highlighting a recent Sanders interview with New York Daily News interview that was widely panned, suggesting it showed him unqualified for the White House.

In Philadelphia, Sanders turned that critique back on Clinton.

"I don't think you are qualified if you have voted for the disastrous war in Iraq. I don't think you are qualified if you have supported virtually every disastrous trade agreement which has cost us millions of decent paying jobs," he said to applause. "I don't think you are qualified if you've supported the Panama free trade agreement, something I very strongly opposed and, which as all of you know, has allowed corporations and wealthy all over the world people to avoid paying their taxes to their countries."

Comments from the Daily News interview also drew attacks over Sanders' stance on guns from Erica Smegielski, a Clinton supporter and daughter of the Sandy Hook Elementary School principal who was killed at Newtown. Clinton highlighted the criticism by tweeting at Smegielski.

"@EricaSmegs remember, any hateful comments are just noise compared to your voice for change. With you in the fight to stop gun violence. -H" she tweeted.

The latest Quinnipiac poll of New York Democrats finds Clinton beating Sanders 54% to 42%. That survey came out March 31, several days before Sanders won the Wisconsin primary. In fact, Sanders has won seven of the last eight Democratic contests, though Clinton has a commanding lead among delegates.

In addition to a trove of delegates New York is an important symbolic contest. Sanders was born in the Empire State, and New York City has been at the center of the national political battle over income inequality -- a signature issue for the Vermont senator. But Clinton represented the state in the Senate, and her campaign headquarters is based in Brooklyn.

The two candidates will face off in a debate in New York on April 14, hosted by CNN and NY1

[Buster's Uncle]

No link?

[Dio]

No link?

A link for you because it flares my political passions.http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/06/politics/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-qualified/index.html

[Buster's Uncle]

[Dio]

I also employ international websites like BBC and al jazeera for news information because it provides a different perspective on issues in our country.

[Buster's Uncle]

That's not a bad idea.  They shouldn't quite so plugged into the same mass media group mind.

[Dio]

That's not a bad idea.  They shouldn't quite so plugged into the same mass media group mind.

I recently read an investigative article, for example, on al jazeera  of a drug crisis in Mexico that stems from the influx of illegal drugs through the cartels. I could not find any other reference towards the story on U.S. Media outlets.

[Buster's Uncle]

It's a big ol' group mind in this country - more than a bit MPD, but still way too much alike.

[Rusty Edge]

When you're devoting time to [Sleezebag] on the stump, it crowds out other stuff.
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I think Hillary is making a mistake being critical of Sanders, and by association his supporters. This will not make her more likeable. I know she badly wants to become POTUS. To get there from here she needs to get back to trying to be likeable. 85% of her own party thinks she is untrustworthy!
Bernie or Busters, and Trumpettes have a lot of common ground- isolationist, pro health care, pro gun, anti- PAC, anti-status quo. They might join together to retaliate against Cruz or Clinton. 

Bernie has generated a lot of passion and organization. If Hillary wants a victory and a mandate, she needs to take a page from Cruz, and talk about her understanding and appreciation for the concerns of voters who support rival candidates.

HEY HILLARY! Be a person, not a lawyer. Make friends, not enemies. Because the more likeable you are, the easier it will be for people to hold their nose and vote for you rather than stay home this fall, or vote against you out of spite. When the press asks you what you think of Sen. Sander's qualifications, don't take the bait, turn it around on the press- tell them that their job is to make qualifications clear and to check the facts. Tell them that you are on the campaign trail out of your heartfelt concern for the problems facing Americans and America, to explain your solutions, and to ask for everyone's help  in bringing them to fruition.

[Buster's Uncle]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/the-republican-party-can-t-1402047670140982.html

[Rusty Edge]

I was trying to post that one, but I've been having comp issues!

[Dio]

The republican party sometimes operates like a bunch of dysfunctional high school girls.

[Buster's Uncle]

...With an MPD...

[Buster's Uncle]

Glancing at the politics news, it's like nothing interesting happened today - and I know that isn't the case...

[Rusty Edge]

Yeah, mostly the New Yorkers are saying how great it is to be back! Also, the democrats are trying to walk back from the brink of fratricide, and rephrase and tone down their remarks about qualifications, and Bill's confrontation with Black Lives Matter.

-health-care.html?ribbon-ad-idx=4&src=trending&module=Ribbon&version=origin&region=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Trending&pgtype=article]http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/09/us/politics/donald-[Sleezebag]-health-care.html?ribbon-ad-idx=4&src=trending&module=Ribbon&version=origin&region=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Trending&pgtype=article

"Donald [Sleezebag]'s Health Care Ideas Bewilder Republican Experts"
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I watched most of the episodes of "The Apprentice", but I never read "The Art of the Deal" or any of his other books.  I am increasingly of the opinion that [Sleezebag]'s deal making style involves "throwing everything against the wall and seeing what sticks" It confuses the people he's dealing with, and it gives him a chance to read their reactions, so that he can play them. Then they aren't really sure what they're agreeing to until the process is approaching finalization, because the guy doesn't speak in complete sentences, or stay on topic.