Polk County (IA) Dems Convention deepens the wound between Clinton and Sanders supporters

There are several posts from Feb. on the DU about Polk County problems at the caucus.

OS


Image from the Polk County Democrats.


http://iowadailydemocrat.com/news/2016/03/convention-deepens-the-wound/

By Rick Smith 03/16/16

The Polk County Democratic Convention held this past Saturday began with high hopes of reuniting the Party. The two campaigns distrust one another, and it was hoped the Convention would be the unifying event to bring them together.

The caucus experiences left the campaigns of Clinton and Sanders deeply divided with charges that they were conducted unprofessionally and left continuing doubts about fairness. The caucuses had given Hillary Clinton a narrow lead in delegates over Sanders, but there were lingering questions about the process. There were questions raised by Sanders’ supporters that the Party had somehow engineered the caucuses to put a thumb on the scales for Clinton. Since the caucuses, there has been a steady drumbeat on social media of alleged impropriety. These conspiracy theories have been based on anecdotal accounts of caucus miscounts and cheating.

However, each precinct caucus required each of the two campaigns to approve the results before certifying and signing off on the count. There were counting errors discovered which have been corrected but there hasn’t been any proof of intentional dishonesty. Nevertheless, conspiracy theories and suspicions have continued.

In addition to the caucus questions, posts on the Polk County Facebook page have been brutal. They have often cited Republican right wing media sources like Breitbach and the New York Post that viciously attack Clinton. In fairness, there have been anti-Sanders’ posts as well. The harsh rhetoric had continued to ramp up attacking both Clinton and Sanders preceding the Convention. These kinds of posts aren’t just isolated to the Polk County page; they’re widespread across the country.

FULL story at link.