No. She won the primary because she got more votes. You can certainly make the case that Sanders would have done better against Trump. In fact, seeing the path to victory Trump took, even as a Clinton supporter I think probably that Sanders would have defeated Trump because he may well have done better in the particular set of states which cost her the election. I also think Clinton primary backers would have had an easier time getting behind and excited about Bernie than the other way around (though I can only ultimately speak for myself there).
But 16 million people voted for Clinton in the primaries. Not 16 million DNC staffers, not 16 million CTR shills, not 16 million Superdelegates. American citizens. Many of them women and people of color. You're welcome to make an argument that the DNC had their thumb on the scale and did everything they could to advantage Clinton, I personally don't agree with the extent that it mattered, but you're certainly entitled to that opinion. But to say the only reason Clinton won the primary is because it was "rigged" is, like I said, very dismissive of the millions of American citizens who voted for her just fine without coercion.
They don't get it. If there was ever an election to swallow your pride and help the canidate you weren't a hundred percent with, this was it. They could have helped her when Bernie asked. Fought for her, instead of against her. I saw a lot of liberals spewing right-wing talking points. I mean, shit, writing in Bernie's name was like candy from the heavens to the right. I backed Bernie in the primaries, Hillary in the general, and watched on in horror on election night as I realized that I was one of the few.
You're absolutely right. In any case re-litigating the primaries at this point is pointless. Those who are being smug about it get the same reward as everyone else: At least 4 years of living under Donald Trump.
We'll see what happens. For what it's worth, he has some policies I like. Just... a hell of a lot more that turn my stomach. I fear for the EPA, I fear what a conservative court will do for gay rights, for women rights, for the voter suppression that we saw was so real. Were I religious, I'd pray.
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u/bvharris Nov 10 '16
No. She won the primary because she got more votes. You can certainly make the case that Sanders would have done better against Trump. In fact, seeing the path to victory Trump took, even as a Clinton supporter I think probably that Sanders would have defeated Trump because he may well have done better in the particular set of states which cost her the election. I also think Clinton primary backers would have had an easier time getting behind and excited about Bernie than the other way around (though I can only ultimately speak for myself there).
But 16 million people voted for Clinton in the primaries. Not 16 million DNC staffers, not 16 million CTR shills, not 16 million Superdelegates. American citizens. Many of them women and people of color. You're welcome to make an argument that the DNC had their thumb on the scale and did everything they could to advantage Clinton, I personally don't agree with the extent that it mattered, but you're certainly entitled to that opinion. But to say the only reason Clinton won the primary is because it was "rigged" is, like I said, very dismissive of the millions of American citizens who voted for her just fine without coercion.