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[Mahadev]

WASHINGTON ― On Thursday, Democratic Party officials held their first staff meeting since Hillary Clinton’s stunning loss to Donald Trump in the presidential race. It didn’t go well.

Donna Brazile, the interim leader of the Democratic National Committee, was giving what one attendee described as “a rip-roaring speech” to about 150 employees, about the need to have hope for wins going forward, when a staffer identified only as Zach stood up with a question.

“Why should we trust you as chair to lead us through this?” he asked, according to two people in the room. “You backed a flawed candidate, and your friend [former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz] plotted through this to support your own gain and yourself.”

Some DNC staffers started to boo and some told him to sit down. Brazile began to answer, but Zach had more to say.

“You are part of the problem,” he continued, blaming Brazile for clearing the path for Trump’s victory by siding with Clinton early on. “You and your friends will die of old age and I’m going to die from climate change. You and your friends let this happen, which is going to cut 40 years off my life expectancy.”

Zach gathered his things and began to walk out. When Brazile called after him, asking where he was going, he told her to go outside and “tell people there” why she should be leading the party.

Two DNC staffers confirmed the exchange.

Asked for comment, Brazile said in an email, “As you can imagine, the individual involved is a member of the staff and I personally do not wish to discuss our internal meetings.”

A DNC spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

Brazile, a seasoned Democratic strategist, is the DNC’s interim chair until March 2017, when party officials hold a full DNC meeting to elect a new chair. Brazile has been filling in since July, when then-chair Wasserman Schultz stepped down after WikiLeaks released internal DNC emails showing party officials trying to help Clinton win the Democratic primary.

Brazile ran into her own bit of trouble in October when Wikileaks released emails showing that, in her role as a CNN strategist, she shared questions for CNN-sponsored candidate events in advance with friends on Clinton’s campaign.

Neither of the DNC staffers who spoke to HuffPost knew Zach’s last name, or much about him. They noted that he wasn’t alone in his sentiments. Some in the room nodded as he spoke, they said, and after he left, some talked about him being right on some points (perhaps not his claims about imminent death by climate change).

A third attendee told HuffPost that, despite Zach’s blow-up, there was “overwhelming” support for Brazile in the room. Her motivational words “had some staffers in tears,” per this attendee, and Brazile spoke to Zach’s concerns after he left.

“If he had stayed, he would have heard that,” this person said.

Brazile could move to stay on as chair after March, but Thursday’s meeting shows at least some party officials want fresh blood at the top.

“The party is at a crossroads. They have been using the same playbook for decades, and now, they won’t let anyone else come in and change it up,” said one former longtime DNC staffer, who requested anonymity to speak freely. “The fact that Democrats just sat through a devastating defeat and now have to trust the leadership that not only contributed to Clinton’s loss, but the crushing 2014 midterm losses, well, what do they expect?”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...us_5824cb95e4b0ddd4fe7954e8?f019736x1ofscerk9


Thank you Zach for articulating what many of us wanted to say to these scumbags.

 

[Anarky]

He ain't wrong

 

[Barajas_201]

Zack the MVP. So much truth.

 

[Saya]

And some of them boo'ed him. The DNC will learn nothing of this loss.

 

[OricWindstar]

The one silver lining I have from all of this is that the DNC will be changed to an extreme that will not allow something like this to happen again.

This is not a good start.

 

[diablos991]

That kid is a hero.
Donna needs to grow up here and GTFO.

 

[Goodstyle]

Zach sounds like a whiny punk with no grace or respect. Donna Brazille is a moron, but this kid needs to grow up.

 

[Makonero]

Zach has got it.

Time for a liberal Tea Party equivalent to force the DNC to listen to reason.

 

[brochiller]

Zach 2020.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

So Sinfamy's name is Zach huh

 

[Goodstyle]

Zach has got it.

Time for a liberal Tea Party equivalent to force the DNC to listen to reason.

This is absolutely the wrong way to go, and the fact that so many people here are praising this kid for it is troubling. We don't need a tea party, we need another Third Way politician with charisma.

Only 18% of the country wants it to be more liberal, remember that.

 

[ISOM]

And some of them boo'ed him. The DNC will learn nothing of this loss.

Well it's not like Clinton can run again so there's nothing stopping a Bernie like candidate from getting the nomination.

 

[norm9]

Young kid throws tantrum when he doesn't get what he wants.

ETA- just because you believe in something and wish it to happen with all your might, it may not happejn.

 

[TheLaughingStock]

Zach is totally right. The Democratic establishment once again stuck it to their constituents by arguing so confidently that Clinton could win and putting so much time into ensuring she got her turn. They were dead wrong.

 

[Netherscourge]

She's part of the problem.

 

[Mahadev]

The one silver lining I have from all of this is that the DNC will be changed to an extreme that will not allow something like this to happen again.

Not according to this:

Some DNC staffers started to boo and some told him to sit down.

or this:

A third attendee told HuffPost that, despite Zach’s blow-up, there was “overwhelming” support for Brazile in the room. Her motivational words “had some staffers in tears,” per this attendee, and Brazile spoke to Zach’s concerns after he left.

Either that staffer is lying to damage control or they've learned nothing.

 

[Jarmel]

Kick them all the fuck out.

Zach 2020

 

[Dixon's Jet]

I knew that interview she did with Megyn Kelly was legendary as I saw it live.

To anyone who thinks Donna Brazile didn't leak at least one CNN debate question to the Clinton campaign, she was fired from CNN when Wikileaks broke the story.

 

[Makonero]

This is absolutely the wrong way to go, and the fact that so many people here are praising this kid for it is troubling. We don't need a tea party, we need another Third Way politician with charisma.

Only 18% of the country wants it to be more liberal, remember that.

The country doesn't give a shit about policy. Republicans just elected a man who was a democrat most of his life. It's about passion and entertainment and telling people what they want to hear.

 

[Volimar]

Sounds made up.

Brazile is fairly far down the list of people I'd be pointing the finger at but the DNC definitely needs new blood.


Instead I expect we'll see the democrats pivot more to the center for the next ten years.

 

[Chindogg]

Zach sounds like a whiny punk with no grace or respect. Donna Brazille is a moron, but this kid needs to grow up.

Zach sounds like every millennial who's had to eat shit from the selfish and short sighted boomer generation.

They deserve no such respect as their arrogance and hubris gave a real life cartoon character the white house along with the majority of the house, senate, state legislatures, and governorships across the country.

 

[Matt]

Zach is a dick.

 

[Saganator]

It would be nice to have a DNC that isn't silent during midterms, and they made a huge mistake by not embracing Bernie.

 

[greycolumbus]

This sounds like the liberal version of the atheist professor copypasta.

 

[Father_Brain]

This is absolutely the wrong way to go, and the fact that so many people here are praising this kid for it is troubling. We don't need a tea party, we need another Third Way politician with charisma.

Only 18% of the country wants it to be more liberal, remember that.

For fuck's sake, this election has thoroughly proven that the average voter does not think in ideological terms like that.

 

[HamPster PamPster]

If you need to give your 2 weeks notice so you can flee a sinking ship you might as well enjoy it

 

[Hellwarden]

I'm surprised Donna Brazile hasn't handed in her resignation.

 

[BronsonLee]

Neither of the DNC staffers who spoke to HuffPost knew Zach’s last name, or much about him.

HE'S A SPY

SPY

SPY

 

[Goodstyle]

The country doesn't give a shit about policy. Republicans just elected a man who was a democrat most of his life. It's about passion and entertainment and telling people what they want to hear.

Anyone running a progressive campaign from now on is going to have to be very intelligent about disguising it. Whining about climate change (no matter how legitimate) is not the way to go.

 

[Makonero]

HE'S A SPY

SPY

SPY

its obviously galifianakis

 

[Jarmel]

Anyone running a progressive campaign from now on is going to have to be very intelligent about disguising it. Whining about climate change (no matter how legitimate) is not the way to go.

She didn't lose because of her platform.

 

[Father_Brain]

Zach is a minor hero. The entire Democratic establishment has done untold damage to the country by doing everything in their power to arrange a coronation for a widely disliked candidate.

Burn it all to the fucking ground and start over. Everyone connected with the Clinton inner circle, every Third Way and DLC neoliberal, get the fuck out.

 

[Bruce Springsteen]

And some of them boo'ed him. The DNC will learn nothing of this loss.

Agreed 100%

 

[Makonero]

Anyone running a progressive campaign from now on is going to have to be very intelligent about disguising it. Whining about climate change (no matter how legitimate) is not the way to go.

How often did Climate Change even come up in this election? It's an extremely unpopular topic because the effects aren't as obvious as the economy or going to war.

It's not about policy, people. Trump held every position on every policy and it didn't matter. It's about personality and passion.

 

[Zach]

Thank you Zach for articulating what many of us wanted to say to these scumbags.

You're welcome.

 

[Father_Brain]

Anyone running a progressive campaign from now on is going to have to be very intelligent about disguising it. Whining about climate change (no matter how legitimate) is not the way to go.

for fuck's sake, Donald Trump won this fucking election and you still think the average voter thinks in anything resembling coherent ideological terms

how

 

[Lo-Volt]

Well, I mean, is Zach supposed to show her respect? Donna Brazile and her party lost and people will suffer greviously for that failure. How much respect do losers deserve? I'm sorry if people were offended that he didn't say it through "proper channels".

 

[Enduin]

You're welcome.

 

[Nickle]

Kids these days have no respect for their elders. Fall in line Zach.

 

[Stopdoor]

Young kid throws tantrum when he doesn't get what he wants.

ETA- just because you believe in something and wish it to happen with all your might, it may not happejn.

Sorry, I'm kind of confused how "afraid of dying to climate change" is an unreasonable and selfish thing to freak out over.

This sort of reduction is how we got here.

 

[Father_Brain]

Well, I mean, is Zach supposed to show her respect? Donna Brazile and her party lost and people will suffer greviously for that failure. How much respect do losers deserve? I'm sorry if people were offended that he didn't say it through "proper channels".

These are probably the people who think Democrats owe it to the GOP to fundraise for them when an office is firebombed. Because, you know, civility.

 

[HabeeNo]

You're welcome.

LMFAO nice

 

[Lo-Volt]

These are probably the people who think Democrats owe it to the GOP to fundraise for them when an office is firebombed. Because, you know, civility.

Exactly. That's only effective when it's reciprocated. The Republicans haven't, even before they yielded to Donald Trump. The DNC and top Democrats have been making public statements like this is just some other election and this is not some other election.

 

[Goodstyle]

for fuck's sake, Donald Trump won this fucking election and you still think the average voter thinks in anything resembling coherent ideological terms

how

Trump had "policy" proposals. They were nakedly nationalist and a total rejection of left-wing rhetoric. Trump voters responded strongly to that. Trump got more votes than Romney in literally every swing state. You can't ignore that.

 

[Foffy]

Maybe the failure here will finally make the Democratic party left?

You know, real, planet earth left. Not centrist America left.

 

[Seventy70]

"Her speech had people in tears!" lmao

This is the exact problem with the DNC. It's full of yes-men/women that treat it like some kind of exclusive, elite club.

 

[DMczaf]

You're welcome.

You shooting?!

 

[Makonero]

Exactly. That's only effective when it's reciprocated. The Republicans haven't, even before they yielded to Donald Trump. The DNC and top Democrats have been making public statements like this is just some other election and this is not some other election.

100% agreed. A friend of mine put it this way: "You've once again sacrificed my future (and that of any children I may have)."

This is bigger than "just another election" in hundreds of ways. For some reason, career politicians can't see that. I wonder why.

 

[norm9]

Sorry, I'm kind of confused how "afraid of dying to climate change" is an unreasonable and selfish thing to freak out over.

This sort of reduction is how we got here.

He would have been fine if she won.

 

[old manatee]

I love that they booed him. They're probably going to try and run Clinton again in 2020.