If Bernie Sanders can align himself with Democrats,

[pnwmom]

working with him, not trash-talking them,
why is that so hard for so many other progressives?

[DeadEyeDyck]

1. ???

[Ken Burch]

2. You can't call ALL dissent "trash-talking"

And Bernie doesn't check his principles at the door.

[pnwmom]

7. When or where have I called all dissent or criticism trash-talking?

I'm talking about people who question Obama's integrity, who say that he is a "corporate whore," etc. Sanders is far to the left of Obama, but he never questions Obama's sincerity or engages in name-calling.

[Orrex]

3. I liked Bernie Sanders better when "KFC" was still called "Kentucky Fried Chicken"

Alas, you can't go home again.

[readmoreoften]

4. Because this is flamebait?

Was I close?

[Raster]

5. But of course.

[pnwmom]

8. And the anti-Obama posts I see every day here aren't? n/t

[treestar]

20. Flamebait=a question you can't handle

Because it raises an issue that disturbs you.

[BlueCaliDem]

21. That was no flamebait. It was a reasonable question.

So no. You're not close.

[Catherina]

6. Thank heavens for hide thread. n/t

[Ken Burch]

9. The vast majority of progressives do just that.

You're simply being far too sweeping.

[pnwmom]

11. There's no way to prove either of our impressions of the numbers,

so why bother?

The question still holds. If Sanders can sit in that body of 100 people with whom he must strenuously disagree, and never resort to trash-talking or name calling, why can't we?

[JI7]

10. it's not,

[Cha]

12. Bernie actually cares about

our country.

[Hekate]

13. Ah, the lost art of civil discourse. It's so lost in the smoke of battle that even your question...

... is perceived as a threat.

Bernie Sanders is, I dare say, a gentleman of the old school in his fashion. He cares about this country and its citizens, and manages to hold to his principles without breathing hellfire and brimstone at his opponents. I believe he's got a reputation as an effective Senator, too.

Hekate

[BlueCaliDem]

22. You are so right on the money. eom

[Marr]

14. If you consider criticism trash-talking, then he does trash-talk them.

So I don't see your point.

[pnwmom]

26. I don't. I consider calling Obama a "corporate whore" and

similar name-calling to be trash-talking.

[Tesha]

15. Unrecommend for being a blatant strawman. (NT)

[NJmaverick]

17. I don't think you understand the concept of strawman

A straw man argument is an informal fallacy based on misrepresentation of an opponent's position.<1> To "attack a straw man" is to create the illusion of having refuted a proposition by substituting it with a superficially similar yet unequivalent proposition (the "straw man"), and refuting it, without ever having actually refuted the original position.<1><2>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man

[Tesha]

24. A strawman argument is one intended to be knocked-over.

As was this OP's pathetic excuse for an argument.

Tesha

[pnwmom]

25. Then this certainly wasn't a strawman.

You have misread my intentions.

[NJmaverick]

16. That's a very good question

[TheKentuckian]

18. Because he gets paid to. Its called being a professional

I'm respectful to crapwads at work because I'm paid to be. Want be to be nice then write me a check and keep em coming.

Bernie also takes the entire party to task pretty much daily for it weak kneed and bullshit ways.

Bernie says little that I don't but cleans it up because again he gets paid to do so and doing so means he can likely expect to continue to be paid.

I fart in your general direction when you expect me to behave like a well compensated employee.

[pnwmom]

27. Or maybe being a "trash-talker" is simply not his style.

He'd rather disagree in a civil way.

[TheKentuckian]

30. Maybe...maybe not. Most likely we are both a little correct but the main issue is to maintain

maintain some standing, otherwise he gets culled from the herd and hunted with all the resources both parties can throw at him.

His position is the blade of the knife. He can only push so hard and burn so many bridges.

[treestar]

19. I'm amazed he is not accused of not having a spine!

[BzaDem]

23. It's really amazing. When Sanders, Weiner, Grayson, etc vote for things like HCR/FinReg,

THEY are the ones that are wrong (rather than the armchair politicians on DU). When every single progressive in Congress votes for these bills, the problem is with every single progressive in Congress (rather than with the detractors on DU).

Pretty incredible.

[Spazito]

28. It's a good question....

Civility went out the window along with civics courses, both are now considered 'passe', unfortunately, and we suffer the consequences of the loss of both.

[azmouse]

29. I bet Bernie himself would like an answer to that very good question.

[Number23]

31. A truly excellent question.