Saucycarpdog
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http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/11/politics/democrats-bernie-sanders-feud/index.html
In what should be Democrats' strongest moment since November, a series of emotional and racially charged clashes are forcing the party to once again confront the problem that has plagued it for a year: How to incorporate the supporters of Bernie Sanders.
The anger that has simmered in Sanders' camp since the 2016 Democratic National Convention bubbled to the surface in comments from some of the Vermont senator's most prominent political allies and surrogates, particularly in two recent clashes.
First, three key Sanders backers -- National Nurses Union executive director RoseAnn DeMoro, pro-Sanders journalist Nomiki Konst and "People for Bernie" co-founder Winnie Wong -- publicly dismissed Sen. Kamala Harris' prospects of winning over the party's progressive wing. The pointed quotes were picked up online when a Mic report, published after the California Democrat was feted by top party donors in the Hamptons, went viral in late July.
Many Democrats saw the criticism of Harris as a needless and counterproductive jab at a rising star. But Sanders' backers -- who tend to be younger and whiter than the overall Democratic electorate -- were stung by suggestions that their distaste for Harris is fueled by race, like those from liberal MSNBC host Joy Reid, who tweeted: "So black Democrats must go begging young white leftists who were not numerous enough to nominate their preferred pick last time?"
"So odd, no, that these folks have (it) in for Kamala Harris and Cory Booker," tweeted Neera Tanden, the president of the Center for American Progress.
The intense backlash provoked an equally sharp response from Sanders' allies, including Turner and the three who had initially panned Harris -- DeMoro, Wong and Konst, none of whom are white men.
Much more in the link.In both the backlash over Sanders allies' criticism of Harris and the DNC incident, Nina Turner said she saw "the system" -- Democratic donors, Hillary Clinton-aligned operatives, in particular -- "really trying to continue trying to drive a wedge between progressive people of color and progressive whites."
"They're using identity politics as a weapon," she said. By criticizing black Democrats such as Harris, Booker or former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, Sanders supporters are "labeled as a racist and a sexist. But they don't say the same thing when their side comes out and attacks somebody like me."