Bernie Sanders - Mcdowell County, WV MSNBC Towhall - Airing on 13th March

[Shadows]

The event is hosted by MSNBC and will air at 8 p.m. Monday during “All In with Chris Hayes.”

In a phone interview Friday, Sanders told the Gazette-Mail he was drawn to McDowell County after he visited the area in May while campaigning. During the last visit, he did not expect many people to show up at the event, but almost 250 attended. Sanders was the first presidential candidate since John F. Kennedy to visit the county.

“While McDowell County has its share of problems, it’s not alone,” Sanders said. “It’s reflective of thousands of rural communities throughout the country.”

About 50 people crowded around Sanders after the public session to greet him and talk. Several had their pictures taken with him.


Apparently has already been shot ! Please post Videos/Comments in this thread as soon as it airs !

[Crumpets]

I see Bernie has learned his lesson from 2016 about only appealing to rural white Democrats and college students by doubling down on rural white voters. Might help him in a general, but probably not in the primary. Perhaps he should have chosen Mississippi for his "Bernie in Trump country" gig.

[Beet]

Sanders is doing the right thing. Dems need to be laser focused on white voters for the next four years.

[Technocracy Timmy]

I see Bernie has learned his lesson from 2016 about only appealing to rural white Democrats and college students by doubling down on rural white voters. Might help him in a general, but probably not in the primary. Perhaps he should have chosen Mississippi for his "Bernie in Trump country" gig.

I highly doubt Sanders will run in 2020. It seems more like he's trying to start a long term progressive movement among working class people before he passes away.

[Unapologetic Chinaperson]

I see Bernie has learned his lesson from 2016 about only appealing to rural white Democrats and college students by doubling down on rural white voters. Might help him in a general, but probably not in the primary. Perhaps he should have chosen Mississippi for his "Bernie in Trump country" gig.

You do realize that Bernie went to Mississippi to help Nissan auto workers organize?

[Classic Conservative]

Sanders is doing the right thing. Dems need to be laser focused on white voters for the next four years.

I'd somewhat tend to agree, but there also has to be outreach to younger black Americans, for example many younger African Americans especially men aren't as loyal to the Democrats as their grandparents and parents are. Many of them didn't vote in 2016, for example, which killed Hillary's campaign.

[Shameless Lefty Hack]

I see Bernie has learned his lesson from 2016 about only appealing to rural white Democrats and college students by doubling down on rural white voters. Might help him in a general, but probably not in the primary. Perhaps he should have chosen Mississippi for his "Bernie in Trump country" gig.

You do realize that Bernie went to Mississippi to help Nissan auto workers organize?

Seriously. This criticism is ridiculous.

[Green Line]

Why is this blowhard getting air time?  His ideas have been soundly rejected in every election.

[Horus]

Sanders is doing the right thing. Dems need to be laser focused on white voters for the next four years.

I'd somewhat tend to agree, but there also has to be outreach to younger black Americans, for example many younger African Americans especially men aren't as loyal to the Democrats as their grandparents and parents are. Many of them didn't vote in 2016, for example, which killed Hillary's campaign.

Exactly. If Trump has an uneventful first term he'll easily get 13-15% of the black vote in 2020, so long as his opponent is white. A lot of younger black men are joining their white male counterparts on the anti feminism train, and it is only a matter of time before a decent number start voting Republican.

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

Sanders is doing the right thing. Dems need to be laser focused on white voters for the next four years.

I'd somewhat tend to agree, but there also has to be outreach to younger black Americans, for example many younger African Americans especially men aren't as loyal to the Democrats as their grandparents and parents are. Many of them didn't vote in 2016, for example, which killed Hillary's campaign.

Exactly. If Trump has an uneventful first term he'll easily get 13-15% of the black vote in 2020, so long as his opponent is white. A lot of younger black men are joining their white male counterparts on the anti feminism train, and it is only a matter of time before a decent number start voting Republican.

Why the f**k is feminism a campaign issue? Neither party runs on it, though Hillary tended to overemphasize her gender.

[OneJ]

Sanders is doing the right thing. Dems need to be laser focused on white voters for the next four years.

I'd somewhat tend to agree, but there also has to be outreach to younger black Americans, for example many younger African Americans especially men aren't as loyal to the Democrats as their grandparents and parents are. Many of them didn't vote in 2016, for example, which killed Hillary's campaign.

Exactly. If Trump has an uneventful first term he'll easily get 13-15% of the black vote in 2020, so long as his opponent is white. A lot of younger black men are joining their white male counterparts on the anti feminism train, and it is only a matter of time before a decent number start voting Republican.

But Trump's presidency has been nothing but eventful thus far. Black voters already overwhelmingly disapprove and have an unfavorable view of Trump. I mean come on. Do you really think that he could do that well among Black voters overall? 11% is his ceiling tbh.

[Technocracy Timmy]

If Democrats start pandering to low income whites just to get votes the way Trump did, I'm going to start voting Republican.  Dems need to focus on the current strategy and not just pander to every conceivable group.  You can't win every demographic.  20,000 more votes in Detroit and Hillary would have won that state anyways.

I thought you said that you'd vote for a potted plant with a (D) next to its name?

So if that potted plant spoke to low income whites it'd lose your vote?

[Technocracy Timmy]

If Democrats start pandering to low income whites just to get votes the way Trump did, I'm going to start voting Republican.  Dems need to focus on the current strategy and not just pander to every conceivable group.  You can't win every demographic.  20,000 more votes in Detroit and Hillary would have won that state anyways.

I thought you said that you'd vote for a potted plant with a (D) next to its name?

So if that potted plant spoke to low income whites it'd lose your vote?

Speaking to low income voters is fine.  Pandering to them to win elections while the party waits for demographic changes is not fine.  Democrats should remain principled and not just zero in on the midwest because that's expedient for the next 4 years.

Losing the Midwest would screw them in the senate though. Georgia, Arizona, and possibly Texas and Florida aren't gonna make up for IA, MI, WI, MN, PA, OH, and Maine.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

I see Bernie has learned his lesson from 2016 about only appealing to rural white Democrats and college students by doubling down on rural white voters. Might help him in a general, but probably not in the primary. Perhaps he should have chosen Mississippi for his "Bernie in Trump country" gig.

Why is this blowhard getting air time?  His ideas have been soundly rejected in every election.

If Democrats start pandering to low income whites just to get votes the way Trump did, I'm going to start voting Republican.

[JA]

I see Bernie has learned his lesson from 2016 about only appealing to rural white Democrats and college students by doubling down on rural white voters. Might help him in a general, but probably not in the primary. Perhaps he should have chosen Mississippi for his "Bernie in Trump country" gig.

Why is this blowhard getting air time?  His ideas have been soundly rejected in every election.

If Democrats start pandering to low income whites just to get votes the way Trump did, I'm going to start voting Republican.

[Deblano]

I see Bernie has learned his lesson from 2016 about only appealing to rural white Democrats and college students by doubling down on rural white voters. Might help him in a general, but probably not in the primary. Perhaps he should have chosen Mississippi for his "Bernie in Trump country" gig.

Why is this blowhard getting air time?  His ideas have been soundly rejected in every election.

If Democrats start pandering to low income whites just to get votes the way Trump did, I'm going to start voting Republican.

Clearly poor whites in McDowell County, West Virginia don't deserve any attention.

/s

[JA]

Look at this crowd. These are natural Democratic voters, yet most of them presumably voted for Trump. It's not because they're stupid or ignorant either, so I don't want to hear that nonsense. The Democrats have simply failed these people and continue failing them. There have been some benefits here and there, but overall their livelihoods and way of life feels threatened so they turn to a party promising them a glimmer of hope despite inevitably stabbing them in the back.

[(Still) muted by Kalwejt until March 31]

I believe McDowell County was the only county in WV to have more Hillary primary votes than Trump primary votes, but it still went for DJT 74-23 come the general.

[Beet]

Hillary was one of the first candidates to talk about opioids, but she forgot about it in the GE. However, I think these people are already sold. They should have brought in some actual Trump supporters here.

[Classic Conservative]

I've been watching, and it seems like most of the people hear aren't Trump voters, for God's sake, half the auditorium is empty. I'm kinda shocked that there are Muslims in McDowell County.

[Crumpets]

I see Bernie has learned his lesson from 2016 about only appealing to rural white Democrats and college students by doubling down on rural white voters. Might help him in a general, but probably not in the primary. Perhaps he should have chosen Mississippi for his "Bernie in Trump country" gig.

You do realize that Bernie went to Mississippi to help Nissan auto workers organize?

My mistake, you're right.

However, I disagree that this is about voter outreach. Very few people would go to an MSNBC-hosted, Chris Hayes-moderated, Bernie Sanders town hall apart from those who are already likely to vote for Sanders, at least in a Democratic primary. Remember, this is a county he won by 25 points in the primary. So, while this is billed as "Sanders in Trump Country," I find it hard to imagine that it actually represents Sanders stepping out of his comfort zone.

Rather, I think the audience for this is absolutely the Democratic establishment and party apparatus - a way for Bernie to say "these people like me, why don't they like you?" It could be a very effective strategy, as I said, in a general election. But Bernie's problem wasn't the general, it was the primary.

[OneJ]

I see Bernie has learned his lesson from 2016 about only appealing to rural white Democrats and college students by doubling down on rural white voters. Might help him in a general, but probably not in the primary. Perhaps he should have chosen Mississippi for his "Bernie in Trump country" gig.

You do realize that Bernie went to Mississippi to help Nissan auto workers organize?

My mistake, you're right.

However, I disagree that this is about voter outreach. Very few people would go to an MSNBC-hosted, Chris Hayes-moderated, Bernie Sanders town hall apart from those who are already likely to vote for Sanders, at least in a Democratic primary. Remember, this is a county he won by 25 points in the primary. So, while this is billed as "Sanders in Trump Country," I find it hard to imagine that it actually represents Sanders stepping out of his comfort zone.

Rather, I think the audience for this is absolutely the Democratic establishment and party apparatus - a way for Bernie to say "these people like me, why don't they like you?" It could be a very effective strategy, as I said, in a general election. But Bernie's problem wasn't the general, it was the primary.

This.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

I see Bernie has learned his lesson from 2016 about only appealing to rural white Democrats and college students by doubling down on rural white voters. Might help him in a general, but probably not in the primary. Perhaps he should have chosen Mississippi for his "Bernie in Trump country" gig.

Why is this blowhard getting air time?  His ideas have been soundly rejected in every election.

If Democrats start pandering to low income whites just to get votes the way Trump did, I'm going to start voting Republican.

When you are old enough to work in a professional environment and have the responsibility of a mortgage, you will understand that not everyone wants their politicians to redistribute 60% of their paycheck to whichever geographic group currently has the spotlight.

Now you're talking like a Republican.  Your post makes slightly more sense now.

[JA]

I see Bernie has learned his lesson from 2016 about only appealing to rural white Democrats and college students by doubling down on rural white voters. Might help him in a general, but probably not in the primary. Perhaps he should have chosen Mississippi for his "Bernie in Trump country" gig.

Why is this blowhard getting air time?  His ideas have been soundly rejected in every election.

If Democrats start pandering to low income whites just to get votes the way Trump did, I'm going to start voting Republican.

When you are old enough to work in a professional environment and have the responsibility of a mortgage, you will understand that not everyone wants their politicians to redistribute 60% of their paycheck to whichever geographic group currently has the spotlight.

Now you're talking like a Republican.  Your post makes slightly more sense now.

Yes I actually just started another thread on this... the Democrats on this board make me question why I even vote Democrat.  Despite living near DC I don't really actually engage with people on politics so I am out of touch regarding what everyday members of each party actually believe.  The democrats on this forum sound worse than the republicans, or at least far less in line with my political views... which was surprising because I generally can't stand the alt-right, fox news, etc.

You're an old school Republican and would've been perfectly comfortable in the pre-Bush II GOP or perhaps even the pre-Tea Party GOP. Simply being socially moderate/liberal does not a Democrat make.

[GlobeSoc]

I see Bernie has learned his lesson from 2016 about only appealing to rural white Democrats and college students by doubling down on rural white voters. Might help him in a general, but probably not in the primary. Perhaps he should have chosen Mississippi for his "Bernie in Trump country" gig.

Why is this blowhard getting air time?  His ideas have been soundly rejected in every election.

If Democrats start pandering to low income whites just to get votes the way Trump did, I'm going to start voting Republican.

When you are old enough to work in a professional environment and have the responsibility of a mortgage, you will understand that not everyone wants their politicians to redistribute 60% of their paycheck to whichever geographic group currently has the spotlight.

Now you're talking like a Republican.  Your post makes slightly more sense now.

Yes I actually just started another thread on this... the Democrats on this board make me question why I even vote Democrat.  Despite living near DC I don't really actually engage with people on politics so I am out of touch regarding what everyday members of each party actually believe.  The democrats on this forum sound worse than the republicans, or at least far less in line with my political views... which was surprising because I generally can't stand the alt-right, fox news, etc.

You sound more like a secular moderate republican than a democrat. I actually hope that people like you vote Republican in the primaries in particular so that they end up with a reborn Eisenhower wing that keeps them from becoming even crazier radical and the Democrats get to have a party that actually stands for working class people.