Will Boos Erupt Tonight At DNC Opening? Maybe

Wasserman -Schultz, may give intro remarks tonight but look for lots of boos.

The question this morning is whether Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, primary architect of Bernie Sanders' demise via her underhanded machinations (revealed in new Wikileaks-released emails) will have an introductory spiel in tonight's opening of the Democratic National Convention. Some news outlets (e.g. FOX News) believe no speaking roles will be allowed after her execrable efforts to derail Sanders were made evident over the past three days.

Others, like the panel on 'Morning Joe' this morning,  believe she will be granted  opening remarks, and will receive predictable boos from Bernie supporters. They are still incensed over the dumbo Hillary pick of fellow Neolib Kaine, and now doubly enraged after the DNC email dump. (See previous post).

All this is germane as new polls show Trump now ahead of Clinton by 48% to 45% with the latter having endured a 4 point drop and Trump a 5 point gain - likely from a convention bounce. Hillary's drop, meanwhile, I trace to her pick of Kaine and maybe partly from the nonstop Clinton bashing during the RNC.

But hold tight because as Huffpo journalist Sam Stein noted this a.m. more 'shoes' are set to drop with release of more emails. Some may show the actual collusion of Clinton with her pal Debbie, which would be disastrous on top of her Kaine pick.  (Note for those who don't know: Debbie was co-chair of Hillary's 2008 campaign.) We don't know but we will see. In the meantime, Stein observed wary Clintonites have struggled to get Wasserman-Schultz out for months now to no avail. According to him  on 'Morning Joe':

"How do you get her out, right? That's really the thing. And there's not really a mechanism to do that. This has all the signs of a negotiated exit where she says 'fine, I will go but I want x, y and z. Not just to be state director but to do the opening and closing remarks' - where she'd going to be heckled"

And "heckled may be an understatement given the level of rage among Sanders' supporters who've been repeatedly insulted, vilified and dismissed by these Neoliberal Dem apparatchiks.  Stein did leave open she could "change her mind" and at that point reality would sink in that she'd have to sacrifice her ego to the good of the party and her pal Hillary. If the FOX story is accurate this may well be what transpired.

Political strategist John Heileman then weighed in to say the one person who could get her out is Barack Obama. But, he pointed out that the White House attitude to the DNC has always been 'We couldn't care less'.

Stein then chipped in, saying:

"Obama stated in 2012 'Why would I want to pick a fight with the party. Leave her there she can't do much damage'"

But, of course, she could and she did as the Wikileaks emails have disclosed. Besides, all the panel members pointed to Wasserman-Schultz's money making performance for the party and DNC so why turf this little money machine out when they need her the most?

Of course, the Clintonites who have an abiding hatred of the Russians (since Bill continued the expansion of NATO eastward to Russian borders),  blamed everything on them. But as yet they have produced not a scintilla of evidence. Oh, there was a "claim" - still no evidence - by a DNC -hired bunch of "experts" ('CrowdStrike") that the DNC's email system was breached by "Russian hackers". Even if true, and I haven't seen anything to convince me yet, this doesn't mean the Russian government or Putin was behind it. Further, people need to read this before they jump on that suspicious political meme bandwagon:

http://www.csoonline.com/article/3084594/security/dnc-hacker-slams-crowdstrike-publishes-opposition-memo-on-donald-trump.html

So, until the illustrious 'CrowdStrike' team can provide firm evidence that Guccifer 2.0 was in fact Russian or the "Russian hackers" I will withhold accepting the DNC claim. (Wikileaks also denies Russian involvement, though of course there will always be critics who suspect the motives and assertions of any group that leaks emails or files - as they did with the super patriot Ed Snowden.)

The irony in all of this is the Democrats had been determined  - after the chaotic shit storm of the RNC - to show the nation and world they were more unified and positive. Now, the leak of the emails has fracture the party and probably irreparably, with the progressive left wing feeling like the political orphans the new Dems have always regarded them as.  This is not only from the emails but also Hillary's selection of the Anti-Bernie, Tim Kaine. How or why she ever believed that stupid move could help is beyond me, but I suspect Robert Reich has probably given the best explanation, e.g. 

http://smirkingchimp.com/thread/robert-reich/68239/does-hillary-get-it

Meanwhile, in a '60 Minutes' spot from last night, Kaine showed he's as ignorant as he is dumb - or maybe he's just another propaganda peddler when he babbled (asked about the bias shown by the DNC with the email release):

"I don't see any effort to put a thumb on the scale, one way or the other. I think the vigorous nature of the campaign and the positive nature of the campaign show these are public servants who are in it for the right reason".

Except one of them had a head start with superdelegates mandated by the DNC, and also likely help from voting counts that definitely had 'thumbs on scales'.   See e.g.

http://brane-space.blogspot.com/2016/05/election-fraud-voter-disenfranchisement.html


We will have to tune in to see if a mini-shit storm erupts at the Democratic Convention opening tonight. I, for one, predict there will be lots more protests on the outside than in.

Postscript:

Latest word is that Wasserman Schultz has bowed out and will no longer make intro remarks. This spares the Dems initial embarrassment (from boos) but will not quell the fury already aroused, from both the email leak and the middle finger pick of Neolib Tim Kaine.  Wifey is also very upset to see on MCNBC how Sanders' supporters are even booing Bernie for his arguments earlier to support HRC. After what's transpired they don't see why they should. Hillary herself could have mollified the Left with a decent VP pick but she chose, I say CHOSE, to give the middle finger. Thus, must now live with those consequences which may also include a demonstration the night she speaks - against her pick.

See also:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/26/us/politics/dnc-wikileaks-emails-fundraising.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=b-lede-package-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

After Seeing Wikileaks DNC Email Dump, Bernie Owes DNC and Hillary NOTHING!

Bernie firing off his point in CNN debate even as DNC turds were scoffing at him, undermining his campaign.

After yesterday's middle finger salute to Bernie supporters compliments of Hillary and her Neolib cohort, Sanders' nation ought to be even more outraged today. This is after WikiLeaks released nearly 20,000 DNC emails showing how this disgusting bunch of pud suckers scoffed at Bernie and even his religious beliefs (or lack thereof), as they made plans to derail his campaign.

Reading through the emails was enough to make me physically ill and also - at  least for now - side with other Democratic Socialists calling for Bernie to retract his endorsement of Clinton at the Democratic Convention. Why not, after these odious fuckers  repeatedly spat in his face, weighted the nomination against him using the super delegate system, and now with this email dump shown how vile they really are?. (And bear in mind they were also behind the false story of Sanders's supporters "throwing chairs" at one Las Vegas  event two months ago)

One piece of excrement named Brad Marshall said of Sanders in one email that drove my BP through the roof:

“Does he believe in a God. He had skated on saying he has a Jewish heritage. I think I read he is an atheist. This could make several points difference with my peeps. My Southern Baptist peeps would draw a big difference between a Jew and an atheist."

Is this asshole for real?  What the fuck does it matter if Bernie believes in a God or not? What does it matter if he is a self-proclaimed Jew or not? What the fuck business is it of Marshall's or the asswipe clowns of the DNC? The fact is Marshall, bipedal turd that he is,  would only ruminate on Bernie's beliefs or lack of them as a way to undermine his credibility, especially with Southern voters.. 

So what if Sanders is an atheist? I am too. Does that matter or would you like me too take my vote some place else?  I had actually thought the Dems were beyond this sort of divisive thinking - characteristic of the Repukes, but I guess not. They are just as bad, but why be surprised since both parties now are just two sides of the same corporate coin? (Proven by Clinton's selection of Kaine, sending a message to the Street not to be alarmed by her debate attacks. Just words, ya know?)

How did WikiLeaks get hold of the emails? We cant say for sure. But earlier this year Russian hackers stole material from the DNC’s email system, the party and an investigating cybersecurity firm acknowledged last month. Wikileaks did not reveal how it acquired the files, though a hacker who goes by “Guccifer 2.0” has also claimed to breach the party’s system.

Nonetheless, there is no hard evidence that's surfaced showing WikiLeaks got their material from the Russians.  It is possible that Guccifer 2.0 was a member of the hacker group 'Anonymous' and worked alone, then gave his trove of files to WikiLeaks.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the DNC chair and manipulator of the Dem debates, called the Russian breach  a “serious incident” and said a private contractor had been hired to sweep the organization’s network had “moved as quickly as possible to kick out the intruders and secure our network”. But clearly if Guccifer 2.0 could get in it wasn't as secure as she believed.

Meanwhile, on its web page, Wikileaks said the new cache of emails came from the accounts of “seven key figures in the DNC” and warned that the release was “part one of our new Hillary Leaks series”.

It's kind of sad to read about the DNC's machinations but most of us suspected them all along. Needless to say, along with the cowardly Veep pick of Tim Kaine, this will do nothing to energize Sanders' millions to work on behalf of the Dem ticket. Or even show up to vote. Why should they after being given the literal shaft? As Ruth Conniff, editor of the Progressive magazine put it: "Hillary wants progressive voters but she's shown she has no interest in progressive values."

In other words, it's all a big act especially with her sorry selection of Tim Kaine, yet another Wall Street beholden political hack.

Those who want to see the DNC emails can go to the WikiLeaks  website. Pay special attention to  the details of perks to be provided to party donors attending the convention;:

https://wikileaks.org/dnc-emails/
 

("The top tier of donors will receive priority booking at a premier hotel in Philadelphia and free tickets to major convention events and six tickets to an "exclusive VIP party," according to the document titled, "2016 Convention Packages.")

Postscript 7/24:

Kudos to Bernie on 'Meet The Press' this morning for telling Chuck Todd in no uncertain terms that Tim Kaine "does not share my political views".  Incredibly, panelist Rachel Maddow - more and more disclosing herself a confirmed Neolib - actually said that was an "aggressive statement". Seriously? It was an honest statement which it appears most of the pundits today - so immersed in their PR worlds of bafflegab- can't process. Maddow followed up this blurtation with the equally stupid observation that "on balance Tim Kaine is a progressive". Yeah right, Rachel, and what universe would that be? Not the one I inhabit! Further, because he once long ago "defended civil rights"  does not make him a progressive now.  Lastly, I commend Bernie for calling for the resignation of Debbie Wasserman-Schultz after the DNC email leaks. She needed to go months ago, but at least now she won't be speaking at the Dem Convention.

And now the latest news (2:15 MDT) is that she will resign after the Convention.  A small 'w' but one nonetheless.

 

See also:

 

http://smirkingchimp.com/thread/david-swanson/68227/explaining-the-problem-with-lesser-evilism

 

And:

 

http://smirkingchimp.com/thread/peter-white/68224/sanders-should-withdraw-his-endorsement