I understand the reasoning but these are very basic rights that make us less than equal in so very many ways, for our entire lives, it is impossible to count them.

Republican in a red state a Democrat is better, so we have been told time and again. I'm not liking it a bit but Mello is not the only pro life Democrat in our party. We need Democrats in office.

But not Democrats who won't support basic human rights, so I'm on board with primarying any anti-choice candidates and replacing them with someone who does support those rights. There are some things that just can't be compromised and this is one of those things.

In the case of pro-forced birth vs. pro-forced birth (I refuse to call them pro-life) I won't vote for either. It's a dealbreaker for me. Have to draw the line somewhere.

red state. Should Donnely and Manchin leave the party? They are pro life, even Kaine touted himself as pro-life conservative in Virginia.

but I don't necessarily agree with it. I feel in some ways it makes us complacent, that we'll accept just anyone in red states even if they don't remotely stand for our values (however we decide to define them). I think we can do better, and being someone who lives in a red state, I don't like the idea of being stuck without real choices, so I welcome strong, competitive primaries.

As far as being "pro-life" and I use the term here very loosely because unless they are pro-life everywhere,which is usually far from the case, they are more pro-forced birth when it comes to legislation. I'm fine with people being against abortion as a personal moral choice. What I'm not fine with is when they support legislation that takes away choice, and I know that both Manchin and Donnelly have done that. I don't know enough about Kaine's past history with it, though in the 2016 election, he stated he didn't support anti-choice legislation and I gave him the benefit of the doubt that one time based on the Democratic platform that he and Hillary were running under.

While we can't force Manchin, Donnelly and others like them to leave the party, I think that we as voters need to be more discerning in who we vote for to represent us, and at least not be opposed to more choices. I also think it's a myth that people in red states will only vote for Republicans or almost-Republicans, as Bernie recently showed when he visited West Virginia and people there loved his policies. Ultimately, I don't believe we "need" Manchin or Donnelly, but we end up getting stuck with them due to lack of real choices.

I do think that we need to decide where we draw the line as Democrats on certain human rights issues and have an expectation that our candidates will at the very least be consistent on those, even if they do deviate a bit on some other issues.

abortion is against his beliefs and values he would never do anything to restrict access to reproductive health care. He's a Democrat and he's better than any Republican.

I do strongly disagree with him on this one now that more information has come out on this Mello, and wonder if it's something Bernie really thought through. I think this is one time when Bernie would be rightfully criticized, especially as there is no way for an anti-choice candidate to be progressive. Maybe he'll change his mind about it like Perez did today.

disagreed with him about. As a whole I support him but if this is his feeling on our rights it is, as it is with all of them for me, a deal breaker.

For so many he can't do anything right. I think he does most things right and I can take him not being perfect but this is so far more than the worst disagreement I have ever had with him. I wonder at times if some things he might be doing reflect his"in or out" status with the party. Not that that excuses this horrible move. I support him staying out, no way should be ever be forced to make a vote because of party. I am waiting to see where this goes. I want a full throated apology. This kind of thinking is so unlike him.

Bernie does not support our rights. He has a long history of supporting those rights. I don't see how it would have anything at all to do with him being an Independent instead of a Democrat. He is campaigning for a blue dog in a red state. According to the current wisdom of the Democratic party leaders we are supposed to support and vote for Democrats.

You do know that we have other pro life/ anti abortion Democrats in the party? Manchin (D-WV), Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) Even Tim Kaine touted himself as a pro life conservative against same sex marriage when he ran for Governor in Virginia.

Bernie's thinking is to get Democrats elected. Which is what Democrats are supposed to do. Except for Bernie, he's not a Democrat

I do understand all of that, we are fighting that in my state as well. We have so few Democrats in office but we do have new, progressive movement people and that helps a lot.

I know Bernie would support our rights.

What gets me is Bernie, who is Independent and independent, stays out of the party for reasons like this. He does not want to feel or have people try to make him feel he needs to compromise on issues dear to his heart. He does not want to vote, endorse or work for someone he does not know but has been asked to do that. I think we just saw him say that about Ossoff. I am totally fine with that and frankly I am glad he stays outside that structure. It allows him to go beyond what we end up with because of the coalitions in and out of the parties. So why now? Why this issue? Is he or isn't he going to go with the pressure to endorse people he does not agree with? I would hope our very serious rights are not taken as lesser issues than all the others. I want an explanation because I KNOW this is not how he feels.

Again, I know Bernie would support our rights. I completely understand the political issues here. This seems so out of character for him to do this. Bernie gets bashed when he does it and when he doesn't do it. He needs to clarify his stance.

I was never 100% with Bernie's issues but 100% behind him. I am not a purist but this issue? I hold this ground sacred. I do want a real explanation. I would imagine one will come but really, there is no good reason for someone who has held out support of others for one reason or another to make an exception here. I do not get it and I am angry.

Sorry, I will be gone all darned day and cannot come back for discussion but look forward to hearing your response if you have one. I will likely at least get the time to peek in. BTW, good to see you again.

would appreciate it. Ossoff is running in deep red country and had Bernie campaigned for him it would most likely have cost Ossoff votes. Was any other of Democratic leadership campaigning for him? What about Hillary or Obama ? Bernie campaigned for Hillary in Georgia when they asked him to. I know some celebrities did but not aware if any other high profile Dems went there for him.

I don't need another explanation from Bernie he has already given one.

It's not enough for me to stop supporting him even if he continues the endorsement (though if I lived in NE, I wouldn't go along with it), because I do still agree with him most of the time and believe his motives are good, but it is definitely a horrible move, particularly if he persists now that more information has come out about Mello's voting history. I know Bernie is pro-choice and he's probably thinking long-term, maybe even in the sense that a race for mayor doesn't make a difference when it comes to reproductive rights since mayors aren't involved with that type of legislation in the first place...at least to my knowledge. We can't play around with women's health though and use it as a bargaining chip...ever, so I hope he backtracks on this one.