By Doug Porter

There was no knockout blow thrown at last night’s Brawl in Brooklyn between Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Sanders threw haymakers, never quite connecting. Clinton responded with deft political footwork and an ongoing series of jabs. Both were hoping to draw support from New York voters in next week’s primary.

“Does Secretary Clinton have the experience, the intelligence to be president? Of course she does,” Sanders said. He pivoted, pointing out her ties to Wall Street and her vote for the war in Iraq, closing with, “I don’t believe that is the kind of judgment we need.”

Asked if he could name one decision (one does exist) Clinton made as senator favoring banks because of the money she received, Sanders dodged the question. He fell back to accusing Clinton of being “busy giving speeches to Goldman Sachs.”

“As you can tell, he cannot come up with any example because there is no example,” Clinton responded. “I called them out on their mortgage behavior.”

(Really? Did it do any good?)

On a day where supporters of the #Fight4Fifteen movement held protests in 300 US cities, it was significant that the former Secretary of State modified her previous position on the minimum wage, saying she definitely would sign a bill from passed by Congress raising the national minimum wage to $15 per hour.

And so it went. Partisans went on social media and declared their candidate to be the winner.

From Sam Stein at Huffington Post:

The night had all the elements of a movie: The native son, back home, making one last impassioned plea to fellow New Yorkers to propel him past the better known former secretary of state, Hillary Clinton. Had Aaron Sorkin penned the script, Clinton would have walked off the stage after Sanders’ opening remarks, the futility of responding coming into full view with his soaring prose.

But campaigns are messy. They aren’t broken into clean theatrical acts. And even the most heart-tugging debate moments are complicated by things like delegate counts, primary rules, election calendars and, yes, the fact that the “villain” in this particularly drama happens to be admired and supported by many others.

California Showdown

The latest USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll offers a window into where voters in California stood at the end of March.

In that survey, Clinton held an eight point (45%-37%) lead over Sanders, though there are enough undecided voters to theoretically make up the difference. The Sanders campaign is working hard throughout the state with local “barnstorming” events scheduled just about anywhere they could find a space.

A search within 100 miles of central San Diego on the Sanders website turns up 479 events ranging from 99% Pot Luck dinners (to protest George Clooney’s lavish fundraiser for Hillary Clinton) to registering voters at Naturalization Ceremonies.

A similar search on the Hillary website turns up 3 events: phone banking from Congressman Scott Peters office and two events in Oceanside. This number is deceptive in that it doesn’t reflect the support within the ranks of Democratic party regulars.

While you can give the Sanders campaign an “A” for effort, it’s difficult to ignore the numbers, even if one discounts the “super delegate votes are rigged” argument put forth by Bernie boosters.

From the Los Angeles Times:

While both Democratic camps prepare for a final battle in the state’s June 7 primary, the latest USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times statewide poll found that just over half of Sanders’ supporters said they expected Clinton to be the next president. About a third of Sanders’ backers said they expected the Vermont senator to emerge the winner, and 12% said they thought Donald Trump would prevail.

Close to 8 in 10 Sanders supporters said in the survey that they would vote for Clinton in a race against Trump, although many said they would do so reluctantly.

Those findings show the reality underlying the still-heated rhetoric of the Democratic primaries: By contrast with the civil war that divides Republicans, Democrats in the country’s largest state have begun to coalesce behind their front-runner.

Although the actual delegates for the Democratic National won’t be announced until after the June 7th voting, slates for Clinton and Sanders are being voted on in caucuses throughout the state on May 1st. (The deadline for those wishing to be delegates has passed. Click on the links about for locations and times)

California delegations are created via proportional results following the primary, with the basic unit being Congressional districts. There are also statewide and alternate delegates. Here’s the link for how the 546 delegates are selected. I should also note that delegates are responsible for coming up with the $4000 (travel, hotels, etc) or so it takes to attend the national convention.

Looking Past the Conventions

The desperate yearning of Republicans for a candidate who won’t destroy the party come November is plain enough to see when you realize they settled on house-wrecker Ted Cruz and the go-to guy to beat Trump at the Cincinnati convention.

Although certain Trumpanistas and talking heads in search of social media mentions have talked up the possibility of “riots” if The Donald doesn’t get his way, Los Angeles Times columnist George Skelton dismisses the idea:

First, there’s a lot of delusion out there. Who in their right mind would risk being tear-gassed and billy clubbed because some billionaire blowhard who spews bigotry was denied the presidential nomination by the Party of Lincoln? Hardly anyone.

Or, there are a lot of unstable Republicans headed to Cleveland who have truly lost their minds and senses of priority. A very bad sign for the nation…

…Republican strategist Alex Castellanos had an excellent response: “Riot, though, is Republicans giving up their country club memberships. We don’t … work that way.”

Let’s painfully remember what those 1968 riots were about: certainly not who might win the Democratic nomination. They were about the life-and-death issue of the increasingly unpopular Vietnam War.  

Looking at the down-ballot implications of a Trump Vs. Clinton matchup in the fall, California Target Book Editor Tony Quinn says to expect up to 3 million new voters and a third to a half of all Republican incumbents losing their seats this fall.

It’s easy for many Democrats to want to gloat about the prospects of an electoral earthquake come November; it’s not so easy for many in the party’s leadership to understand they are also facing a turning point.

Steve Almond at Salon points to the future:

Sanders supporters don’t just want a candidate who can stand up to nihilistic bullies across the aisle, the old white guys (and their corporate minders) who trot out aggrieved nativism and intransigence every four years. They want a candidate who rejects the failed strategy of moral accommodation embraced by the Democratic Party itself.

Hillary Clinton will probably be the Democratic nominee for president, and will in all likelihood beat Donald Trump or Ted Cruz, if either one is her opponent. But beating an unpopular right-wing lunatic will not mend the rift among Democrats. It will only forestall a broader and more divisive fight for the soul of the party.

The center cannot hold. A growing plurality of democratic voters wants a true progressive agenda. If Clinton and party insiders ignore this reality, such voters will begin to look elsewhere. They will not view themselves as having left the Party. The Party will have left them.

Weekly Progressive Calendar: Upcoming in San Diego

An Enchanting Evening of Stories and Songs in the Round!
w/ Nena Anderson, Cindy Lee Berryhill and Kimm Rogers

Grass Roots Oasis
Friday, August 15, 7:30-10:30pm
3130 Moore St. (Old Town)
Info & Updates (Admission)

You don’t want to miss our mid-month celebration kicking off The GO’s 2nd Year with 3 powerful women of song and story, PLUS the premiere of The GO Gratitude Wall by Listen Local SD impresario, and very talented artist, Cathryn Beeks! Reserve your seats NOW and support this space for progressive culture and organizing.

Nena Anderson, Cindy Lee Berryhill and Kimm Rogers represent the fullness of lives lived with ache, beauty, humor and alchemy, reflected in words and music rendered honestly and artfully.

During our 1st Year Anniversary Month, the Grassroots Oasis is very pleased to present “An Enchanting Evening of Stories and Songs in the Round” with these amazing artists based here in San Diego.

Howard Blackson Talks About Beer, Bikes, and Breakfast

Saturday, April 16th, 9:30am
NewSchool of Architecture & Design
1249 F St, San Diego
Info & Updates ($5 Donation Suggested)

Howard M. Blackson III. As a local urban designer, Howard is excited to discuss San Diego’s cultural shift towards its Beer, Bikes, and Breakfast attitude of today.

Born and raised in San Diego during its surf, sun and sailing culture, Howard is eagerly watching and documenting this cultural shift as expressed in our buildings, art, dialog, and what makes life worth living in San Diego. As a designer, author, and lecturer, he believes he can help make San Diego one of the best cities in the world by transforming our neighborhoods through meaningful visioning, coding and implementation tools and then going further by actively advocating for the city to improve its inherently high quality-of-life.

EarthFair in Balboa Park

Sunday, April 17th, 10am-5pm
Balboa Park
Info & Updates

Our annual EarthFair in Balboa Park is the largest free annual environmental fair in the world. EarthFair 2016 will be our 27th annual event! Each year, the EarthFair draws around 60,000 visitors.

Produced by 400 volunteers, EarthFair 2016 will feature more than 300 exhibitors, special theme areas, a Food Pavilion, a special Children’s Activity Area, four entertainment venues, the Children’s Earth Parade, the eARTh Gallery arts and crafts show, and the Cleaner Car Concourse.

ACTION ALERT!
Police Accountability Moves to Charter Review Committee

Wednesday, April 20th, 9am
Charter Review Committee Meeting
San Diego City Hall
12th Floor, 202 C Street
Info & Updates

On March 23, a community-backed proposal to make the Citizens Review Board on Police Practices more independent and transparent was presented to the City Council Committee on Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods.

The committee voted to recommend a very small portion of the proposal to the Council Charter Review Committee. This will be considered at the next Charter Review meeting on April 20. The recommendations are:

1) To amend  the City  Charter to change the name to “Community” rather than “Citizens” Review Board

2) To change authority from the City Manager to joint Mayor/City Council

3) To specify that CRB’s scope includes all police shootings and in-custody deaths.

These recommendations do not even begin to address the real problems, which are lack of transparency and trust in the police.

The City Attorney has ruled that CRB operations can only be changed by the Mayor or Ballot Measure.  In light of this, we must demand that the Charter Review Committee include these important needed reforms on the November Ballot: independent legal counsel, independent investigators and subpoena power.  

San Diego County Budget Forums

Thursday, April 21st, 6pm
MAAC, 1385 Third Ave., Chula Vista
Info & Updates

Is the County of San Diego using its budget of $5.4 billion wisely? We need a budget that improves San Diego’s economy by investing in families and our community — not stockpiling money in Wall Street banks.

COME JOIN YOUR NEIGHBORS TO DISCUSS WHAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS

San Diego County has $1.6 BILLION in cash sitting in the bank, 3 TIMES more than financial experts recommend.

What kind of San Diego County does your family want?

• One with safe and clean neighborhoods, with open spaces for our children to play?
• One with a right to physical and mental healthcare?
• One where no San Diegan is homeless or forced to live in poverty?
• One where all San Diegans have a chance to build a future and improve their community?

46th Chicano Park Day Celebration

Saturday, April 23rd, 10am-5pm
Logan Ave & Caesar E Chavez Parkway
Barrio Logan
Info & Updates

The theme will be “Empowering Our Youth, Ensuring Our Traditions Live On.”

Established by Chicano activists on April 22, 1970, Chicano Park has received international recognition as a major public art site for its commanding mural paintings of the past and present struggle of Mexican and Chicano history. Chicano Park has been listed on the California Register of Historical Resources since 1997 and on the National Register of Historic Place on January 2013.

Visitors to Chicano Park Day will experience traditional music and dance, including one of the most beautiful performances of Aztec Indigenous dance, coordinated by Danza Azteca Calpulli Mexihca. The event will include performances by Ballet Folklórico Libertad, Ballet Folklórico Yaqui, Mujeres en Resistencia, FAMA: Folklórico  & Mariachi Association, USD, Mariachi Imperial de San Diego, La Rondalla Amerindia de Aztlan, Steeltoe, Pleazure Band, Grupo Tierra Chicano, 2MX2, Goma Sound, Generations Blvd Band, Chocolate Revolution, Almas Fronterizas, and Maiz. There will also be speakers representing the Chicano Park Steering Committee, Brown Berets de Aztlán, Amigos Car Club, and Via International.

For National Poetry Month: The Muse & The Mayor
A Music & Poetry Fundraiser for Lori Saldaña

Saturday, April 23rd, 7pm
Grass Roots Oasis
3130 Moore St. (Old Town)
Info & Updates (Admission/Political Fundraiser)

Presented by Jim Moreno and Martha Sullivan

Featuring:

• Leon Alexander, Poetry to spread messages of love, light and inspiration
• Kent Brisby, Slack Key Guitarist, playwright, director, actor
• Rex Butters, Poet and journalist
• Jemma Collins, Steel drums (pre-show)
• Jeeni Criscenzo, Poet and activist for peace, economic justice and the environment
• Nick Crook, Singer-Songwriter and guitar master
• Sonia Gutierrez, Poet, English/Creative Writing professor
• Tomas Huitzilcohuatl Lucero, Poet, writer, translator
• Jim Moreno, Poet, teacher, radio host
• Kimm Rogers, Singer-Songwriter, wrote “It’s Your Time” for the Lori4Mayor campaign
• Michael Turner-Ortega, Navy Veteran of Vietnam War, poetry teacher for mentally ill people
• Chris Vannoy, Poet, San Diego Book Award-winner, Icon in San Diego poetry scene
• and Island Mist, Ukeleles and electric bass play the music and sounds of Guam

Vigil for Valeria Munique Tachiquin

Sunday, April 24th, 6pm
San Ysidro Border Crossing
Info & Updates

Please join Annabell Gomez, Munique Tachiquin’s mom demand justice for her daughter. April 26th is Valeria’s birthday. On Sunday, April 24th, 2016 we will be honoring the life of Valeria Munique and demanding JUSTICE for her murder by Border Patrol agent Justin Tackett. NO JUSTICE NO PEACE!

Get your event listed:  I try to list the next 10 days or so of mostly non-commercial events I think our readers might find of interest. I source my material from social media listings and press releases. In cases where there are competing but similar events or campaigns of the progressive persuasion, I do my best to list everything. (Hint, hint Hillary fans.) Unfortunately, my subscription to the psychic hotline has lapsed so if you don’t tell me or Facebook, etc., about your event it won’t get listed. See my email address below.

On This Day: 1953 – Charlie Chaplin surrendered his U.S. re-entry permit rather than face proceedings by the U.S. Justice Department. Chaplin was accused of sympathizing with Communist groups. 1955 – The first McDonald’s restaurant opens, in Des Plaines, Ill., setting the stage years later for sociologistAmitai Etzioni to coin the term “McJob.” As defined by the Oxford English Dictionary, a McJob is “an unstimulating, low-paid job with few prospects, especially one created by the expansion of the service sector” 1996 – In San Francisco, CA, Jerry Garcia’s remaining ashes were scattered near the Golden Gate Bridge. A small portion of his ashes had been scattered in the Ganges River in India on April 4th.

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Doug Porter

Doug Porter was active in the early days of the alternative press in San Diego, contributing to the OB Liberator, the print version of the OB Rag, the San Diego Door, and the San Diego Street Journal. He went on to have a 35-year career in the Hospitality business and decided to go back into raising hell when he retired. He won numerous awards for his columns from the Society of Professional Journalists in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Doug is a cancer survivor (sans vocal chords) and lives in North Park.

Latest posts by Doug Porter (see all)

• Last Call. Last Column. - December 14, 2018
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