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Autumn

(45,107 posts)
Sun Feb 21, 2016, 09:48 PM Feb 2016

Muted Response to Sanders at South Carolina Church

http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2016/02/21/muted-response-to-sanders-at-south-carolina-church/
WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. — The problem began as soon as Bernie Sanders walked into the dining room of the revered, and predominantly black, Brookland Baptist Church. Instead of flocking to him, as people do at his large college rallies, many of church’s 780 members looked up for a moment, then quietly went back to eating their Sunday feast — unmoved as Mr. Sanders, the Democratic senator from Vermont, tried to work the room.

He made remarks at a microphone next to a buffet table offering chicken, collard greens and dinner rolls. The line at the table kept moving as Mr. Sanders and Benjamin T. Jealous, a former N.A.A.C.P. president, spoke. The Brookland Baptist congregation proved to be a tough crowd.

“We have in America today a broken criminal justice system,” Mr. Sanders said, pausing briefly after this line from his stump speech, which is usually met with applause. Here it garnered very little.

His visit underscored Mr. Sanders’s difficulty in strengthening his support among black voters in South Carolina, who make up more than half of registered Democrats heading into the state primary this Saturday. While some applauded politely as he offered now-familiar lines about racial discrimination, the loudest claps came when he talked about President Obama.
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Muted Response to Sanders at South Carolina Church (Original Post) Autumn Feb 2016 OP
It sounds like most in the crowd are content with the status quo. HooptieWagon Feb 2016 #1
Stockholm syndrome? eom Cleita Feb 2016 #3
IDK. Post Obama apathy maybe? HooptieWagon Feb 2016 #6
I don't understand the context of "Stockholm Syndrome" here Arazi Feb 2016 #17
I guess they are cool with the way things are now? onecaliberal Feb 2016 #2
It is what it is. TTUBatfan2008 Feb 2016 #4
Buyers remorse is a difficult thing to deal with tularetom Feb 2016 #5
'Clinton "would be the more popular face, the more familiar name" if she were to walk in.' nc4bo Feb 2016 #7
"Similar record"? HooptieWagon Feb 2016 #10
They don't know HooptieWagon......but if Sanders' campaign attempts to inform nc4bo Feb 2016 #11
+1 eom Arazi Feb 2016 #18
Fuck the New York Times. TIME TO PANIC Feb 2016 #8
Clinton surrogate: Sanders not a 'true friend' to blacks Donkees Feb 2016 #9
I wonder why that church was chosen. snagglepuss Feb 2016 #12
My Response! IllinoisBrenel Feb 2016 #13
Thank you for that. I also just read it was a surprise visit which NYT snagglepuss Feb 2016 #15
You mean to say .... TheFarS1de Feb 2016 #16
Sanders Makes Surprise Visit to Sunday Church Supper lasttrip Feb 2016 #14
 

HooptieWagon

(17,064 posts)
6. IDK. Post Obama apathy maybe?
Sun Feb 21, 2016, 10:02 PM
Feb 2016

Although their % goes to Hillary, I don't get a sense of excitement for her either. We'll see what the turnout is in SC.

edit: on second thought, apathy isn't the word I was looking for. More like a post-Obama let down.

Arazi

(6,829 posts)
17. I don't understand the context of "Stockholm Syndrome" here
Sun Feb 21, 2016, 11:32 PM
Feb 2016

Its clearly a pejorative as applied to this race. I've seen mention of an offensive post about it but don't have a handle on the context. It seems to be a yuuuge trigger in the AA group here.

Self delete or explain?

TTUBatfan2008

(3,623 posts)
4. It is what it is.
Sun Feb 21, 2016, 09:59 PM
Feb 2016

The more people vote for the continued transfer of wealth and control into the hands of the 1%, the more likely we will see a physical revolt at some point. I don't want to see this happen, but it will if we continue voting for corporate-owned candidates.

nc4bo

(17,651 posts)
7. 'Clinton "would be the more popular face, the more familiar name" if she were to walk in.'
Sun Feb 21, 2016, 10:04 PM
Feb 2016
http://www.kxly.com/news/politics/sanders-makes-surprise-visit-to-sunday-church-supper/38115756

Jackson said he's still an undecided primary voter, adding that he may not reach a final decision until he enters the voting booth next Saturday.

Right now he sees Sanders and Clinton as possessing a similar record on African-American issues.

"In my limited view of things, I've assessed that they're pretty much on the same wavelength with it. I think the two of them are saying what needs to be said -- of course that's politics -- but based on their record, I think the two of them have shown some substantial evidence that they are interested and they are concerned with racial equality," he said.

Jackson added that he thought most of the people in the room knew who Sanders was, though he conceded that Clinton "would be the more popular face, the more familiar name" if she were to walk in.


There's that name and face recognition thing again. Also it was a surprise visit.

Little different perspective......

nc4bo

(17,651 posts)
11. They don't know HooptieWagon......but if Sanders' campaign attempts to inform
Sun Feb 21, 2016, 10:19 PM
Feb 2016

we're called blacksplainin, whitesplainin or some shit.

Politics of familiarity. It's just that simple.

Team Clinton has been working it for decades with Bill then Hill. You can't make those types of inroad overnight.

It's going to take time and patience with these folks but most of all they need to hear Sanders' message without it seeming like they're being lectured.....

Does that make any sense?

Donkees

(31,418 posts)
9. Clinton surrogate: Sanders not a 'true friend' to blacks
Sun Feb 21, 2016, 10:13 PM
Feb 2016
Hillary Clinton surrogates on Wednesday bashed Bernie Sanders as "absent" from the African-American community as the campaign looks to pivot away from a resounding defeat in New Hampshire.

"It’s good to have new friends but I would prefer to have true friends," Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) told reporters on a conference call with reporters convened to tout Clinton's record with the black community.

snagglepuss

(12,704 posts)
12. I wonder why that church was chosen.
Sun Feb 21, 2016, 10:23 PM
Feb 2016

Anyway Sanders has the endorsements of some prominent Black pastors so perhaps its better to start with their congregations and perhaps it will be on the shoulders of his Black supporters to convince other Blacks that Sanders has more to offer.

I do find it bizarre that the Black community would support anyone who had ties to private prisons. I really don't understand it.

IllinoisBrenel

(51 posts)
13. My Response!
Sun Feb 21, 2016, 10:25 PM
Feb 2016

There is a post in GD-P and here is my post:

I watched the speech and from what I can tell, the people were dipping their food while he was talking? It was held in a dining room and there was a buffett! The people who were getting their food couldn't applaud, but they were listening and the others applauded and responded to Bernie's speech. At the end there was quite a bit of applause! Just the media trying to spin their lies and insinuations!

snagglepuss

(12,704 posts)
15. Thank you for that. I also just read it was a surprise visit which NYT
Sun Feb 21, 2016, 10:38 PM
Feb 2016

didn't mention but gives the story more context. That contemptible nyt reporter made it sound like they were practically hostile and I couldn't understand it as Sanders was not only a guest in the Church but also a guest of Jealous and the way it was reported the rx seemed like a slap in the face to Jealous. Now the picture is clearer.

TheFarS1de

(1,017 posts)
16. You mean to say ....
Sun Feb 21, 2016, 11:22 PM
Feb 2016

the media LIED!? ..... that's exactly what I took from it as well . More spin than fact .

lasttrip

(1,013 posts)
14. Sanders Makes Surprise Visit to Sunday Church Supper
Sun Feb 21, 2016, 10:34 PM
Feb 2016
http://whotv.com/2016/02/21/sanders-makes-surprise-visit-to-sunday-church-supper/

WEST COLUMBIA, South Carolina — Brookland Baptist Church’s congregation had a surprise visitor Sunday afternoon when Sen. Bernie Sanders popped in for an unexpected stop during Sunday supper here in West Columbia.

The Democratic presidential candidate, coming off a loss to Hillary Clinton Saturday in Nevada, worked the mostly African-American crowd, stopping to shake hands, take photos and hug a few small children who ventured up to him.

Sanders, campaigning in the Palmetto State ahead of Saturday’s upcoming primary, was joined at the church by his wife, Jane, and also Ben Jealous, the former NAACP head who has endorsed Sanders.

After mingling for a bit, Jealous introduced Sanders to the crowd as people milled around with plates of food.

“This is the most important place in the country right now,” Jealous told the crowd of a couple hundred people. “And you are the most important voters in the country right now. And there are people who will say to you, there’s a dreamer who’s running for president. And his dreams are so big, y’all shouldn’t dream that big. But in our community when they say, ‘Don’t dream big,’ we say, ‘Yes we can.’ And so I ask you ladies and gentlemen, are you ready to dream big?”

Before handing off the mic, he evoked Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., saying that there is no one in either party who is ready to fight racism, militarism and greed like Sanders.

“This is America, we should not be having more people in jail, largely African-American and Latino, than any other country on earth. So one of the points I have tried to make, we are going to invest in education and jobs … not more jails, not more incarceration,” Sanders said.

He also talked economics, citing President Barack Obama’s success in turning around the free-falling economy he inherited, though Sanders added that there is still work to be done to improve jobs. The crowd clapped more loudly at this point than any other, a clear demonstration of how popular the President is in South Carolina.

Sanders wrapped up by making his usual appeal to voters to help lead the country in a political revolution.

“There is going to be an important primary here in South Carolina. The country will be looking at South Carolina. I’m here to ask for your help, to help lead this country in a political revolution,” Sanders said.

That pitch contrasts with his speech Saturday night after his loss in the Nevada caucuses, when he ended by saying he was moving on to Super Tuesday — a series of contests scheduled for March 1 — skipping over the significance of the South Carolina primary.

Charles Jackson Jr, 37, a Columbia resident and worships at Brookland Baptist, said he thought it was smart for Sanders to stop by Sunday afternoon.

“He seems to really be about lifting up the lower class, and that is what the church is supposed to do. Him being here hopefully confirms what he represents in terms of Christian principles, morals and values,” he said.

Jackson said he’s still an undecided primary voter, adding that he may not reach a final decision until he enters the voting booth next Saturday.

Right now he sees Sanders and Clinton as possessing a similar record on African-American issues.

“In my limited view of things, I’ve assessed that they’re pretty much on the same wavelength with it. I think the two of them are saying what needs to be said — of course that’s politics — but based on their record, I think the two of them have shown some substantial evidence that they are interested and they are concerned with racial equality,” he said.

Jackson added that he thought most of the people in the room knew who Sanders was, though he conceded that Clinton “would be the more popular face, the more familiar name” if she were to walk in.
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