Of course I was at the end of it.

When did John Lewis first meet Bill Clinton?

Poor John. It is tough losing one's memory over many decades.

I think they were in different orgs too. I have no idea why this is controversial

Last edited Fri Feb 12, 2016, 02:21 AM - Edit history (1)

It's fine that Lewis never saw Bernie Sanders.

It's fine that Lewis has met the Clintons.

But the way Lewis phrased it, he seemed to be implying that Sanders wasn't a civil rights activist, at least not in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and that Lewis met the Clintons as fellow 1960s civil rights activists.

Sanders was a civil rights activist.

In a book by Lewis, he wrote that he first heard of Bill Clinton in the early 1970s.

Update: Bernie Sanders worked with SNCC as the president of a chapter of CORE, but wasn't a member of SNCC.

When did he first meet him?

statement, he is simply above criticism on this issue, and that is difficult for some to understand.

No one is above criticism when they make a mistaken, misleading, or intentionally false statement to impugn the character of another.

I like Lewis but this was not his most shining moment. I bet there are multitudes who matched that he never met.

Can't say you didn't see Bernie march in Chicago if you were in DC.

I didn't think Mr. Lewis would make such a non-nonsensical statement.

But then again, he met Bill Clinton. So that must mean we simply have to STFU and not question his statement.

NOT!

... "mistaken, misleading, or intentionally false" about John Lewis' statement? How did he impugn the character of another?

Let me guess you also can't tell that Hillary is bought and sold by wall street.

I bet if you ask progress dems they can explain it to you.

What was "mistaken, misleading, or intentionally false" about John Lewis' statement? How did he impugn the character of another?

Now you are obfuscating as much as Lewis.

No one seems able to answer it.

Why am I not surprised?

I will not accept this level of dishonest dialog. If you don't have honesty you have nothing.

You are right. It is never OK to make misleading statements about another during a campaign especially for partisan reasons. Who knows what Lewis' reasons were. I did send an email to the CBC. Image label: Sanders, then chairman of the CORE social action committee, speaks to students at the 1962 sit-in. (UChicago Photographic Archive, apf4-01698, University of Chicago Library) image found on this page:

website source: http://mag.uchicago.edu/law-policy-society/political-education

Planetbarb Note, continued: Sanders was arrested in 1963 during civil rights work. Al Sharpton said he does remember Sanders and stated he did get arrested clear back in 1963 and has a good record on civil rights.
http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/video-audio/sanders-civil-rights-record 2 min video

Nobody is above criticism. Not even John Lewis.

When I last checked, this is a democracy with freedom of expression rights.

If John gets out of line, he can be criticized like anyone else.

I think he got out of line today.

I can't endorse all he's getting as I haven't seen it all and some of it might be ugly. But there's no doubt in my mind, he deserves some criticism.

If one opens their mouth, they're accountable for what comes out of it. No free passes.

i call bullshit

I voted for Obama. Doesn't mean I say things like, "oh, Obama is pushing for the TPP which will kill millions of American jobs. So I should still support him despite pushing legislation/approval of something that kills jobs".

...but the implication is that Bernie Sanders lied about being a civil rights activist.

Bill needed the face time

At best

the group has circled their wagon around HRC, which is fine, but debating who was a better activist is childish and doesn't do anyone any good.

I am not happy with the current trend of what the CBC stating.
Bernie Sanders was involved in Civil Rights, mostly at his local area since at least 1962. Here is a link to an image of him at a 1962 event a sit in about desegregating college dorms:



Sanders, then chairman of the CORE social action committee, speaks to students at the 1962 sit-in. (UChicago Photographic Archive, apf4-01698, University of Chicago Library)

website source: http://mag.uchicago.edu/law-policy-society/political-education

Planetbarb Note, continued: Sanders was arrested in 1963 and it is a matter of public record. Al Sharpton remembered Bernie and stated he did get arrested clear back in 1963 and has a good record on civil rights.
http://www.sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/video-audio/sanders-civil-rights-record 2 min video

Some black leaders have come out for Bernie Sanders past couple days...I watched one former NAACP leader last night.
I hope the main stream media releases those statement too and also hoping Bernie will made a really clear case of his civil rights record.

2004: Bush allies imply John Kerry wasn't wounded in Vietnam.

2016: Clinton ally implies that Bernie Sanders wasn't a civil rights activist.

Manufacturing Drama...

Is Lewis accusing Sanders of something? Or is CNN accusing Lewis of accusing Sanders of something?


rocktivity

Lewis probably never did meet him.
I belong to several organizations where I haven't met folks and we have all been members for years.

to Jane Sanders knew everyone at Woodstock!!! lol

when they both came under sniper fire.

And she was standing up for the American workers.

Maybe because I was stardust at the time might have something to do with it.

while he was leading SNCC. She was still voting Republican at that time, although she had met MLK in 1962. And I've never seen any evidence that Bill was involved with SNCC, CORE, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the 1963 March on Washington, sit-ins, Freedom Summer or any civil rights actions in the 1960s. So... Is Lewis saying that's where he met Clinton and Rodham-Clinton? Because I think he's rewriting history.

Right.

In my book, any Democratic candidate for president that was formerly a Republican?

No effing way should be anywhere near the Oval Office (she lucked out once already).

In an interview with The Daily Beast released on Tuesday, Warren, 62, who recently began a bid to unseat Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) admitted that up into her early 40s she was a Republican.

"I was a Republican because I thought that those were the people who best supported markets. I think that is not true anymore," Warren said. "I was a Republican at a time when I felt like there was a problem that the markets were under a lot more strain. It worried me whether or not the government played too activist a role."

Warren admitted though that she voted for both Democrats and Republicans.


But she declined to say whether she voted for Ronald Reagan in either his first presidential campaign or his reelection campaign.

Was not aware of this but, of course, by my standard, Warren would be undesirable.

I don't know that much about Warren, nor for that matter, Sanders - since all of our candidates are routinely
reduced to sound bytes, especially during debates/"debates."

like a former smoker who has quit and seen the light.

Just saying'

I hate to say it, but Mr Lewis has already made clear exactly where his loyalties lay. He is either being forgetful or outright dishonest to support his candidate of choice.

Bernie Sander's record in Civil rights is just as unquestionable as Mr Lewis. Does Mr Lewis suggest that he intimately remembers everyone involved in the civil rights movement.

"The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), as an organization, began with an $800.00 grant from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) for a conference attended by 126 student delegates from 58 sit-in centers in 12 states, along with delegates from 19 northern colleges, the SCLC, Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR), National Student Association (NSA), and Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). Out of this conference the SNCC was formed.[7][8]"

Bernie Sanders was a activist with for the Congress for Racial Equality in Chicago, and would have likely been directly involved in the formation of the SNCC.

Disappointing from Lewis.

SELMA, Ala., March 7 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today joined U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) and other civil rights pioneers on the 50th anniversary of an historic civil rights march that led to enactment of the Voting Rights Act.

Rep. Lewis must have forgotten about that civil rights event.

That's not what I understood Lewis to say.

It made them instantly interesting and cool to chat with at the party, that is until you realized they were not really "at" Woodstock--but somewhere else in New York and maybe say a hippie hitch-hiking. At most they drove nearby and saw that there was no way to park without walking miles into the event and it started to rain so they left. They really had no insight or wonderful stories other than the ones that were on the news.

....

once you've established a high and low range...


rocktivity

involved, which seems likely to me.

That shows Lewis and Sanders standing side by side in the 60s at a civil rights protest?

maybe he doesn't remember every body he met 40+ years ago. I tend to give Lewis a little leeway- he has earned respect.

we met back in the 1960s. We just don't. Impossible to remember everyone.

and don't remember the name of my best friend in 5th grade

past - and current - support for racial equality, it should go without saying that attacking Bernie's character in such a manner is despicable.

Shame!

the clintons never never never marched

such a pile of shit

John Lewis

you make me sad

There's a photo being shared on social media that shows Sanders and Lewis side by side at a civil rights protest.

Lewis should be ashamed of lowering himself to such lies.

one must possess a conscience

An honorable, life-long Democrat and civil rights veteran such as John Lewis casts some doubt on Bernie Sanders, and his followers go fully ballistic. Is all this part of that "revolution" you Bernie Purists keep shrieking about? Hillary looks better and better.

We cannot tolerate anything that does not heap praise on Bernie

Sad as it may seem, in politics as in most other aspects of life, the allegation may not be the truth but it's all some people remember. The media aggravate the phenomenon: Allegations are published on Page One under 60-point headlines. Corrections are seldom harder to find - they're brief, to the point and in 10-point type...and hidden somewhere inside.

The people are sick of being lied to and financially abused. It's 2016 and if mother Theresa had said it the people would call her out with expletives if necessary. By your reasoning years of public service means you get a freebie to distort --which is a subset of untruthfulness
The Revolution will not be televised. People are either part of the solution or part of the problem, elected or otherwise. Get used to it.

but where in the world did he "see Hillary and President Clinton"?

that is just crap

and politicizing

it doesn't matter who I support - I don't like lying crapweasels out there spouting nonsense

And not photo shopped.

do dah, do dah, all do dah day!

"I didn't see him" may be the truth but it is relevant to what? If there are a half-million people at a march, there are good odds that there are a lot of somebodies one didn't see.

So, how does this matter?

Last time I was on a picket live or at a protest there was no receiving line. You are NOT gonna meet everybody or even see them if it is a big enough turnout. Lewis is speaking his truth and it does seem like the various camps and supporters are twisting and turning it to make it about their interest and their candidate.

I'm all for a robust debate and campaigns, but the vitriol from both the Clinton and the Sanders supporters is hitting high gear lately. This whole Lewis flap is just one example. "She did _____" "Well, HE did ______" is getting mighty common these days, and it bodes well for the GOP if it keeps on at this rate.



Laura

I almost feel sorry for the guy. He just pissed on his reputation.

So, Rep John Lewis, since he was there...why didn't he meet Senator Bernie Sanders, of all the hundreds of people that were there? That question can be turned around too, you know.

But I met Hillary Clinton. I met President (Bill) Clinton."