It has been an interesting election season. I have no doubt Hillary is a stronger candidate for the wringer Bernie has put her through. Their dialogue helps our party as it insists that the media cover left-wing politics; it helps our side to organize and get to know each other; and it reminds the country that the right-wing isn't the only show in town in the marketplace of ideas.
But it's important to take stock of where our strategy implications lead.
A central focus of Bernie's campaign has been the corrupting nature of money in politics -- an idea that many of his supporters have gladly taken up to impugn the integrity of Hillary Clinton.
And even President Obama.
Unfortunately that strategy may have taken a direct hit yesterday.
Via CNN:
In recent years, Sanders has been billed as one of the hosts for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee's retreats for the "Majority Trust" -- an elite group of top donors who give more than $30,000 per year -- at Martha's Vineyard in the summer and Palm Beach, Florida, in the winter. CNN has obtained invitations that listed Sanders as a host for at least one Majority Trust event in each year since 2011.
The retreats are typically attended by 100 or more donors who have either contributed the annual legal maximum of $33,400 to the DSCC, raised more than $100,000 for the party or both.
When Bernie takes the stage we are used to hearing him rail about money in politics, amid innuendos about campaigns being corrupted by financial sector. But what is unusual...?
Bernie has spent years glad-handing those same financial executives at lavish retreats in south Florida.
By CNN's estimate, Bernie helped raised $20-50 million from maxed out donors, many from the financial sector, and all from corporate America, for both himself and Democratic groups.
Not only did he go to the event every year with his wife Jane Sanders, it's also been noted that Bernie benefited from Vermont's Democratic Party connections to Goldman, Citi, and JPMorgan. These monies flowed to his senatorial campaign, apparently without question or rejection.
To make matters even stickier, it's pretty well known that the Democratic National Committee raises millions from Wall St every election cycle. And of course -- the DNC is the sanctioning party of every debate. And the Democratic Party is the banner under which Bernie currently seeks nomination.
Why has Bernie instituted a purity test that not only implies corruption for the DNC, Pres. Obama, and Hillary Clinton... but also himself?
Or is this another "no true Scotsman" like the progressive purity test, in which no matter how obvious the connections, only Bernie is the uncorrupted standard bearer?
It's a strange tact to take. And it may be unraveling before our eyes.
If Hillary is suspect for raising millions from Wall St...
If Obama is suspect for raising millions from Wall St...
If the DNC is suspect for raising millions from Wall St...
It only stands to reason that Bernie is suspect for raising millions from Wall St.
According to HIS OWN RHETORIC.
I don't want to impugn anyone's integrity. I know, for example, that Obama worked to cap bank CEO pay, and institute vital stress tests to prevent the stranglehold the banks held on our economy before the recession. I will defend our President every day because he invested in WORKERS immediately upon taking office, with a mass stimulus that worked to stabilize the US — even while major socialist parties in Europe lost out to their right-wing and corporate demands for austerity. Their economies are STILL reeling!
Of course the US is one of the only economies growing today, and our unemployment just hit a new post-recession low at 5%. (A fact ballyhooed by the GOP.. And Sen. Sanders.)
Will we impugn Obama’s integrity when our financial system was stabilized? Will we impugn Clinton's integrity when she has voted for unions, for children, for workers, and against special interests? Are our ideas not noble enough for the purity tests Sanders insists on?
The innuendos are not only dangerous because they make a mockery of the progress we’ve made as a party — they also by default implicate Sanders himself, as he has only been too happy to fly to Florida every year for those lavish corporate retreats.
And finally, if Clinton is to release transcripts of speeches given as a private citizen, I think it's only fair to insist that Sanders release speeches given to Wall St as a sitting Senator.
It’s sometimes a danger, when throwing everyone under the bus, that a tire pops the curb and catches you too!