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President Donald Trump speaks at a press conference on COVID-19, known as the coronavirus, in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC, March 13, 2020. (Photo: Saul Loeb / AFP)
With Sanders Out, Trump Wastes No Time in Stoking Division Among Democrats
"This guy is nothing if not a skilled provocateur."
Apr 08, 2020
President Donald Trump wasted no time in attempting to create divisions between Democrats, calling on supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders to join the GOP less than an hour after the Vermont lawmaker announced he was suspending his campaign for president--leaving former Vice President Joe Biden a clear shot at the nomination.
Trump said in a tweet after Sanders' announcement that Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) was to blame for his failed campaign and said it all ended "just like the Democrats and the DNC wanted"--an obvious attempt to intra-party tensions.
"This guy is nothing if not a skilled provocateur," tweeted journalist Doug Henwood.
Sanders announced Wednesday that he would suspend his campaign after a series of losses and a primary election season that had become potentially lethal to voters due to the coronavirus outbreak crippling the country. The Vermont lawmaker promised supporters that "the struggle continues."
"While this campaign is coming to an end, our movement is not," said Sanders.
In a statement, Trump's campaign appeared eager to reignite some of the divisions that resulted in the 2016 election, after Sanders was defeated for the nomination by Hillary Clinton.
"Democrat elites shoved Bernie Sanders to the side the second time," the campaign said, referring to the drawn out 2016 Democratic primary battle between Sanders and Hillary Clinton, "leaving many of his supporters looking for a new home."
Young Turks reporter Emma Vigeland warned that Trump's efforts--nefarious and transparent as they are--should raise concerns over internal party divisions that need to be resolved in order to bring Democrats together irrespective of the president's cynical attacks.
"So long as the Democratic Party continues to kick its progressive base in the teeth, Trump will keep winning," said Vigeland. "All he needs is a kernel of truth to continue to undermine faith in the system."
Trump's re-election campaign also launched an ad campaign tying presumptive Democratic nominee former Vice President Joe Biden to Sanders, arguing the two are "more alike than you think."
NBC News reporter Alex Seitz-Wald said sarcastically that Trump's attempts to divide Democrats were remarkably transparent.
"Sources close to my eyes reading this tweet tell me Trump will try to exploit resentment and suspicion among some Bernie Sanders supporters to peel them off from Biden and/or keep them home," tweeted Seitz-Wald.
Journalist Paul Blest, while acknowledging the frustration for progressives at another defeat for Sanders by the Democratic Party establishment, noted that the data shows Sanders backers are unlikely to support Trump and most will vote for Biden.
"Polls consistently showed Bernie voters were by far the most hostile to Trump," said Blest, "so I don't think it's a particularly hard lift for a lot of people."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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President Donald Trump wasted no time in attempting to create divisions between Democrats, calling on supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders to join the GOP less than an hour after the Vermont lawmaker announced he was suspending his campaign for president--leaving former Vice President Joe Biden a clear shot at the nomination.
Trump said in a tweet after Sanders' announcement that Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) was to blame for his failed campaign and said it all ended "just like the Democrats and the DNC wanted"--an obvious attempt to intra-party tensions.
"This guy is nothing if not a skilled provocateur," tweeted journalist Doug Henwood.
Sanders announced Wednesday that he would suspend his campaign after a series of losses and a primary election season that had become potentially lethal to voters due to the coronavirus outbreak crippling the country. The Vermont lawmaker promised supporters that "the struggle continues."
"While this campaign is coming to an end, our movement is not," said Sanders.
In a statement, Trump's campaign appeared eager to reignite some of the divisions that resulted in the 2016 election, after Sanders was defeated for the nomination by Hillary Clinton.
"Democrat elites shoved Bernie Sanders to the side the second time," the campaign said, referring to the drawn out 2016 Democratic primary battle between Sanders and Hillary Clinton, "leaving many of his supporters looking for a new home."
Young Turks reporter Emma Vigeland warned that Trump's efforts--nefarious and transparent as they are--should raise concerns over internal party divisions that need to be resolved in order to bring Democrats together irrespective of the president's cynical attacks.
"So long as the Democratic Party continues to kick its progressive base in the teeth, Trump will keep winning," said Vigeland. "All he needs is a kernel of truth to continue to undermine faith in the system."
Trump's re-election campaign also launched an ad campaign tying presumptive Democratic nominee former Vice President Joe Biden to Sanders, arguing the two are "more alike than you think."
NBC News reporter Alex Seitz-Wald said sarcastically that Trump's attempts to divide Democrats were remarkably transparent.
"Sources close to my eyes reading this tweet tell me Trump will try to exploit resentment and suspicion among some Bernie Sanders supporters to peel them off from Biden and/or keep them home," tweeted Seitz-Wald.
Journalist Paul Blest, while acknowledging the frustration for progressives at another defeat for Sanders by the Democratic Party establishment, noted that the data shows Sanders backers are unlikely to support Trump and most will vote for Biden.
"Polls consistently showed Bernie voters were by far the most hostile to Trump," said Blest, "so I don't think it's a particularly hard lift for a lot of people."
President Donald Trump wasted no time in attempting to create divisions between Democrats, calling on supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders to join the GOP less than an hour after the Vermont lawmaker announced he was suspending his campaign for president--leaving former Vice President Joe Biden a clear shot at the nomination.
Trump said in a tweet after Sanders' announcement that Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) was to blame for his failed campaign and said it all ended "just like the Democrats and the DNC wanted"--an obvious attempt to intra-party tensions.
"This guy is nothing if not a skilled provocateur," tweeted journalist Doug Henwood.
Sanders announced Wednesday that he would suspend his campaign after a series of losses and a primary election season that had become potentially lethal to voters due to the coronavirus outbreak crippling the country. The Vermont lawmaker promised supporters that "the struggle continues."
"While this campaign is coming to an end, our movement is not," said Sanders.
In a statement, Trump's campaign appeared eager to reignite some of the divisions that resulted in the 2016 election, after Sanders was defeated for the nomination by Hillary Clinton.
"Democrat elites shoved Bernie Sanders to the side the second time," the campaign said, referring to the drawn out 2016 Democratic primary battle between Sanders and Hillary Clinton, "leaving many of his supporters looking for a new home."
Young Turks reporter Emma Vigeland warned that Trump's efforts--nefarious and transparent as they are--should raise concerns over internal party divisions that need to be resolved in order to bring Democrats together irrespective of the president's cynical attacks.
"So long as the Democratic Party continues to kick its progressive base in the teeth, Trump will keep winning," said Vigeland. "All he needs is a kernel of truth to continue to undermine faith in the system."
Trump's re-election campaign also launched an ad campaign tying presumptive Democratic nominee former Vice President Joe Biden to Sanders, arguing the two are "more alike than you think."
NBC News reporter Alex Seitz-Wald said sarcastically that Trump's attempts to divide Democrats were remarkably transparent.
"Sources close to my eyes reading this tweet tell me Trump will try to exploit resentment and suspicion among some Bernie Sanders supporters to peel them off from Biden and/or keep them home," tweeted Seitz-Wald.
Journalist Paul Blest, while acknowledging the frustration for progressives at another defeat for Sanders by the Democratic Party establishment, noted that the data shows Sanders backers are unlikely to support Trump and most will vote for Biden.
"Polls consistently showed Bernie voters were by far the most hostile to Trump," said Blest, "so I don't think it's a particularly hard lift for a lot of people."
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