# Hillary's supporters need to calm down and stop depressing primary turnout. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 8, 2016, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507 "2016-02-08T01:59:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507/21 "2016-02-08T17:30:12Z")
I suggest the OP take a look at the front page of Reddit’s politics [subforum](https://www.reddit.com/r/politics). Today, like damn near every day in the past half year or so, it’s nearly filled with constant Hillary bashing from Sanders’ supporters. Pro-Hillary comments are downvoted as soon as they’re posted. And the OP thinks that Hillary’s supporters are picking on Sanders? Come on. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507/22 "2016-02-08T17:36:19Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Every year there’s some shiny penny candidate who’s going to bring out the youth vote. It almost never works, younger people don’t turn out and it’s like watching Lucy snatch the football away from Charlie Brown. > > With perfect , lily white, demographics, Bernie still lost in Iowa. He might win neighboring New Hampshire , but once the races moves to diverse states, he’s toast. The die hard Bernie Babies will learn that hashtags aren’t votes. I think you’re right, although that perplexes me. In terms of minority voters, what does Clinton bring to the table that Bernie doesn’t? I get that Bill is often referred to as “the first black president” but I don’t understand why African-Americans specifically and racial minorities in general are so loyal to her. What do they see in her that they don’t see in Bernie? Or to put it another way, why is their support for Bernie lower than for white voters? In a vacuum I would expect them to be more receptive to Bernie’s economic and healthcare messages than Hillary’s, for example. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507/23 "2016-02-08T17:38:21Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > I suggest the OP take a look at the front page of Reddit’s politics [subforum](https://www.reddit.com/r/politics). Today, like damn near every day in the past half year or so, it’s nearly filled with constant Hillary bashing from Sanders’ supporters. Pro-Hillary comments are downvoted as soon as they’re posted. > > And the OP thinks that Hillary’s supporters are picking on Sanders? Come on. Maybe Hillary’s people are taking down pro-Sanders notices on the bulletin boards at senior centers. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507/24 "2016-02-08T17:41:35Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > I think you’re right, although that perplexes me. In terms of minority voters, what does Clinton bring to the table that Bernie doesn’t? I get that Bill is often referred to as “the first black president” but I don’t understand why African-Americans specifically and racial minorities in general are so loyal to her. What do they see in her that they don’t see in Bernie? Or to put it another way, why is their support for Bernie lower than for white voters? In a vacuum I would expect them to be more receptive to Bernie’s economic and healthcare messages than Hillary’s, for example. The basic thing I see is that there is a view that Sanders views everything as part of an economic worldview - in that racism is something that would be ameliorated through economic justice. Clinton, OTOH, appears to see racial issues are something entirely distinct from economic issues and needs to be dealt with separately. Most AAs that I know have the later view. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507/25 "2016-02-08T17:42:10Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > In a vacuum I would expect them to be more receptive to Bernie’s economic and healthcare messages than Hillary’s, for example. But we’re not in a vacuum. The context is a world in which the Clintons have courted the African-American community for decades while Sanders, coming from a nearly all-white state, has never before had a need or the real opportunity to do so. Why should they throw away years of a mutual relationship to jump to another old white guy? Issues? I keep telling everyone that issues aren’t politics. Connections are politics. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507/26 "2016-02-08T17:57:50Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Maybe Hillary Supporters should stop saying [women MUST vote for Hillary](https://www.yahoo.com/politics/hillary-clinton-addresses-sexism-after-madeleine-210913805.html), because… woman. Criticizing Hillary Clinton is sexist, dontchaknow? Just like criticism of Obama is racist. Voting for Hillary because she is a woman is like voting against her because she is a woman. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507/27 "2016-02-08T18:00:13Z")
I support Hillary because she’s more likely to come to **Bone** ’s house and grab his guns! ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507/28 "2016-02-08T18:52:40Z")
I think both sides needs to calm the fuck down and be Democrats first and a Clinton/Sanders supporter 2nd. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507/29 "2016-02-08T18:56:30Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > I support Hillary because she’s more likely to come to **Bone** ’s house and grab his guns! Euphemism alert! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507/30 "2016-02-08T19:14:43Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > I support Hillary because she’s more likely to come to **Bone** ’s house and grab his guns! Could be worse, she could go to **Gun’s** house and . . . never mind. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507/31 "2016-02-08T19:37:46Z")
> [@YogSothoth](#): > > I think both sides needs to calm the fuck down and be Democrats first and a Clinton/Sanders supporter 2nd. Loyalty to the Party is the most important thing, after all. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507/32 "2016-02-08T19:56:02Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > But we’re not in a vacuum. The context is a world in which the Clintons have courted the African-American community for decades while Sanders, coming from a nearly all-white state, has never before had a need or the real opportunity to do so. Why should they throw away years of a mutual relationship to jump to another old white guy? Issues? I keep telling everyone that issues aren’t politics. Connections are politics. And this likely spells doom for Bernie on Super Tuesday. He can’t get himself and his people into all those states for long enough to change anyone’s mind. Hillary has been lining up the machine and the endorsements for a long time, she’s got Bernie beat on the ground game. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507/33 "2016-02-08T20:13:48Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Loyalty to the Party is the most important thing, after all. It is for a lot of Democrats. Nothing wrong with it either, TBH. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507/34 "2016-02-08T20:21:42Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Loyalty to the Party is the most important thing, after all. Well said, Comrade. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507/35 "2016-02-08T20:30:02Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Loyalty to the Party is the most important thing, after all. The Republicans are not merely the best illustration of this, they’re the best illustration of why the Democrats need to ensure that no Republican gets elected president. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507/36 "2016-02-08T20:32:47Z")
Really very confused by this op. It seems to be trying to make the case that bashing Hillary is fine and dandy because “those of us on the Bernie side have legitimate criticisms of Hillary” but expressing concerns about Bernie, in particular about his electability and how “socialist” will play in a general election with severe Swift Boat style tactics being used, or otherwise stating that he is not the best current option, is disallowed as it might “depress turnout” … his supporters are that fragile I guess. It does not make any coherent sense. And if anything this has been a remarkable low (not zero) negative attack campaign so far with the negativity from Sanders supporters far outpacing the negativity from the Hillary-side to my experience. Mostly Hillary supporters are expressing concern that Sanders would be ineffectual if elected, concerns that his plans are unrealistic, and worry that he may be unelectable in the first place, which are all issues that are very reasonable to discuss and to consider. Really those are polite critiques to what Bernie’s people say about Hillary and what Bernie himself clearly implies. Which again, by any standard of past elections, is pretty mild itself. ---
**Author:** ![Hank\_Beecher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hank_beecher/32/7275_2.png) [@Hank\_Beecher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hank_Beecher)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507/37 "2016-02-08T21:05:23Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > Look, those of us on the Bernie side have legitimate criticisms of Hillary. And those of us on the Hillary side have legit criticisms of Bernie. In my experience, the main difference between Trump supporters and Sanders supporters is that while both tend towards a simplistic and naive understand of the big issues, like economics or global security, Sanders supporters have an image of themselves as being far more sophisticated in their views than everyone else. They don’t just think that their criticisms are legitimate, but that they are the _only_ legitimate criticisms currently being voiced in the public political discussion. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507/38 "2016-02-08T21:15:03Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Really very confused by this op. That makes two of us. If anything it’s Bernie supporters that need to calm down. And i have no idea how either one is depressing turn out. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507/39 "2016-02-08T21:26:38Z")
What exactly is either campaign doing that’s likely to “depress primary turnout” anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507/40 "2016-02-08T21:30:53Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Euphemism alert! Along those lines, the Washington Post ran an [article](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/02/08/bill-clinton-unloads-on-bernie-sanders-ahead-of-crucial-new-hampshire-primary/) today titled “Bill Clinton unloads on Bernie Sanders.” Eww. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillarys-supporters-need-to-calm-down-and-stop-depressing-primary-turnout/745507.md?page=3)