Up front, I want to make clear this diary in no way is meant to attack all Sanders supporters nor those who fall on the far left politically.
This diary is targeted at 1) certain “fringe far left” attack dog and smear machine led by David Sirota, and 2) the right wing attack machine and 3) the Russian bots who both delight in spreading Sirota’s attacks to undermine Democrats.
I do consider it a deep error in judgment for Sanders to bring Sirota on board and I believe it’s cost him more support than he realizes. Warren worked hard to expand her base but she also benefited from some activists who fled from Sirota’s toxicity.
Clinton
Since I first delurked here in 2008, I’ve made clear time and again I wasn’t a fan of the Clintons. I’ve gone on record not supporting Hillary Clinton during either Democratic primary runs. I felt both our 2016 Democratic choices were deeply flawed, and said so repeatedly.
But, deeply flawed will always, always beat evil in my book so, like most on the left and far left, I fully supported Hillary Clinton versus Donald Trump.
Back then, I dismissed the relentless attacks and outright smears against her from David Sirota and his fringe far left attack machine as merely sour grapes due to Bernie’s loss. To me, they were just the PUMAs of 2008.
Fast forward to 2019.
While I found David Sirota completely despicable long before he joined the Sanders campaign earlier this year, I didn’t really start tracking his posts closely until after the Mueller Report revealed the Russians attacked in support of not just Trump, but also Bernie Sanders.
The Russians “engaged in operations primarily intended to communicate derogatory information about Hillary Clinton, to denigrate other candidates such as Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, and to support Bernie Sanders and then-candidate Donald Trump,” according to the indictment, which was issued Friday.
www.usatoday.com/…
The Russian troll farms repeated and spread everywhere many of David Sirota and the fringe far left’s attacks on Hillary Clinton. Much to that fringe’s glee.
The Russians then hit her from the right on Trump’s behalf. Much to the RNC’s glee.
The Far right AND far left fringe joined forces to relentlessly attack Hillary Clinton. Whether the far left fringe owns it or not, they wound up working hand and hand with the Russians to take out a Democrat and elect Trump.
And, those forces are working once again to take out Democrats.
First, up was Beto.
Beto O’Rourke has made mistakes since his launch and must own them. But, the relentless social media campaign against him began the minute Cruz nearly lost the Senate race to Beto. The TX GOP, the RNC and its Super Pacs immediately launched an ad blitz and relentless social media campaign against Beto. They painted him an empty suit day in and day out. I have no doubt Russian bots been spreading the right’s smears against Beto.
All Democrats must learn to counter with the right wing attacks, of course.
But, as they did against Clinton in 2016, David Sirota and his fringe far left attack dogs joined the fray and unleashed a relentless campaign against Beto, too. And, I have no doubt the Russian bots been spreading the worst of their smears, too.
While Beto deserves the majority of blame for his failure to take head on the national media’s narrative that he has no policy depth, it’s also true this narrative was carefully crafted by the right wing AND far left fringe machines, who in turn sold it to MSM.
Seth Abramson and Nicole Wallace have been two of the very political pundits willing to call out the national press for this crap:
Seth AbramsonVerified account @SethAbramson
1/ Whether you support Beto or not—and I personally have no preferred candidate for 2020 yet—this ham-fisted campaign to "thinkpiece" him out of the primary on the grounds that he doesn't have enough policy proposals out... in mid-July 2019... is bullshit. And the media knows it.
8:26 PM - 13 Jul 2019
Abramson then asked “which candidate will they eliminate next?” But, he ignores the real question is who will the far right AND fringe far left tag team next?
Next up Kamala Harris
The left criticized her Medicare for All proposal. Fair enough. I’ve questioned her flip flopping on elminating private insurers, myself. Outside of her 10 year transition period, which is far, far more realistic, I don’t support her plan either.
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But, I’ve never once implied Harris is selling out to the private insurers. I just believe and said here, I believe she knows eliminating private insurance completely is a general election killer and struggled to find some compromise.
Just as I believe those who endorse Medicare for America worked in good faith.
It’s David Sirota and his attack dog machine who went beyond criticizing the plan and reused their Hillary “she’s bought and paid for” smears against Harris.
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The Intercept piled on with their sell out narrative, too.
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Right winger, Trump supporter, Sara Carter then gleefully posted a picture of Donald Trump’s 2011 $5,000 donation to Kamala Harris’ campaign. The Russian bots no doubt will have that photo and Sirota’s posts plastered all over Facebook soon enough.
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Tulsi Gabbard, darling of the Jill Stein crowd, echoed the sell-out attack line and was promoted by the Intercept. This is no surprise. Who do you think fed Gabbard this attack line?
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Lee FangVerified account @lhfang
Tulsi correctly noting that Kathleen Sebelius -- backer of Kamala's Medicare Advantage For All plan -- is on the board of an insurance company that sells Medicare Advantage
8:39 PM - 31 Jul 2019
Warren
David Sirota began throwing shots at Warren last December. But, they were more scattered hit pieces versus the relentless, scorched earth tactics he’s employed against Clinton, Beto and now Harris.
But, here’s my warning to Warren supporters, watch his twitter feed carefully. Already I spotted a picture of Booker, Warren and Harris laughing together labeled corporate sell-outs.
Watch for when the right wingers suddenly begin to parrot and spread Sirota’s attack lines.
Be prepared for the barrage from the Sirota-led fringe far left AND far right to tag team your candidate, because it IS coming.
Hopefully, Warren’s team isn’t naive enough to believe Sanders will, or even can, control the destructive far left fringe.
PS: As for Biden, thus far, I read more policy fights and regurgitation of Sirota and the fringe far left’s attacks on Obama. With Obama polling at 90%+ with Democrats, Sirota and too many others appear blind to the fact attacking Obama only strengthens Biden’s hand. This is a counter-productive strategy.