Clinton lies about Sanders on Abortion, then expects his votes?

This post and 3 short videos below (posted at YouTube) perfectly illustrates how the media and Hillary Clinton took 9 words out of context from Bernie Sanders's 30-minute interview with MSNBC's Rachel Maddow to deliberately mislead the public into believing that Bernie Sanders doesn't take abortion rights for women seriously.

When Bernie Sanders brings up Hillary Clinton's speeches to bankers on Wall Street, or mentions her campaign donations from them, he's not lying about the facts — he's making a genuine contrast between the two candidates. Sanders doesn't need to lie, misconstrue the facts, embellish the truth, misrepresent the circumstances, or take her words out of context. He just says, what is in fact, true.

Hillary Clinton's campaign, because Bernie Sanders had dared to tell the truth, had accused him of running a negative campaign, and was using this false excuse as a reason for not wanting to debate Sanders in New York prior to their primary election.

Hillary — and her supporters, her political surrogates, the pundits in the media, and her campaign managers — use those dirty tactics against Bernie Sanders all the time. And then Hillary Clinton has the gall to expect Bernie's supporters to vote for her. Below is a quote from her sit-down interview with Rachel Maddow on MSNBC yesterday:

CLINTON: "I'm ahead [in the votes against Bernie Sanders]. I'm ahead by a significant number. I believe I'm going to continue to add to that number. And I believe that I will be the Democratic nominee. And I certainly hope that Senator Sanders and his supporters will join ranks, the way that I did with President Obama."

But then the very next day she lied about Bernie Sanders. Here is a perfect example (out of many examples) of how Hillary Clinton usually misconstrues Bernie Sanders' remarks and takes his words out of context to attack him in her campaign rallies, and then expects Bernie Sanders' supporters to vote for her in a general election against a Republican candidate.

Last night (on March 30, 2016 on MSNBC) Rachel Maddow conducted what she called a "long-form interview" with Bernie Sanders, lasting just under 30 minutes (The full interview is here on YouTube and the full transcript for that interview is here at Newsweek.) At one point she had asked Bernie about Donald Trump's comment about how he thinks there should be some form of punishment for women who get abortions.

Bernie Sanders actual quote to Rachel Maddow:

"Because media is what media is today, any stupid, absurd remark made by Donald Trump becomes the story of the week. Maybe, just maybe, we might want to have a serious discussion about the serious issues facing America." (To see this quote in context to all his remarks on the subject of abortion in his interview with Rachel Maddow are in the 5-minute video below, with the transcript at the bottom of this post.)

Here's what Rachel Maddow told Hillary Clinton what Bernie Sanders had said in his interview with her last night, just after she had interviewed Clinton. Rachel Maddow had to chase down Hillary after her interview with her to get those remarks — and then told her viewers that this was the first time she had every done this:

"MADDOW TO CLINTON ABOUT SANDERS: "I spoke with your Democratic opponent Bernie Sanders after this [Trump's remarks] happened, and he was critical of mister Trump's remark, but then he also said that this is basically another 'Donald Trump stupid remark' — that the media would cover ad nauseum — as opposed to something like his position on the minimum wage, on taxes or climate change — that might be more deserving of extended attention. Do you think this was just another Donald Trump stupid comment and that the media might be making too much of this?" (Full remarks with Clinton's very long-winded response in the 2½ minute video below.)

Afterwards, Maddow and her “guest panel” (including the usual MSNBC pundits) were criticizing Bernie for not vigorously attacking Trump for his remarks about punishing women and/or their doctors for abortions — because when Sanders was asked about it, he more or less blew it off because the media always hangs on every word Trump says. Of course, as usual, none of Bernie Sanders' supporters were on their "panel debate" at the time to offer their opposing views.

Then here's what Hillary Clinton said the very next day at her campaign rally in Purchase, NY (full remarks in the 2 minute- video below):

CLINTON: "I want you to hear this, because last night Senator Sanders agreed that Donald Trump's comments were shameful, but then he said, they were a distraction from, and I quote: 'a serious discussion about the serious issues facing America.'" (Notice that her supporters booed, but when Sanders' supporters boo Clinton, they are usually criticized by the media.)

MSNBC has showed the very first portion of this clip numerous times this morning — just to make sure all that all their viewers believe that Bernie Sanders doesn't take the issue of abortion seriously.

AS AN ASIDE: Also today, Clinton accused Bernie Sanders of lying (about her accepting donations from the fossil fuel industry); even though he is probably the most honest politician we have ever had in the history of Congress. Whereas, Clinton lies about lying — and has been a known liar for her entire political career! On January 8, 1996 the New York Times wrote: "Americans of all political persuasions are coming to the sad realization that our First Lady — a woman of undoubted talents who was a role model for many in her generation — is a congenital liar."

Last night and today (all day) MSNBC's Hillary Fan Club praised Hillary for vigorously attacking Trump for his remarks. They were trying to make it appear as though Bernie couldn’t give a damn about a woman's legal right to an abortion; even though Bernie only thought ALL of Trump's remarks were outrageous — and just felt that they didn’t deserve as much media attention as they get (Can you imagine if Hillary or Bernie were asked to comment on ALL of Donald Trump's outrageous remarks? It would be a full-time job!)

Admittedly, those 9 words by Bernie Sanders in his interview with Rachel Maddow may have been a slight faux pas for Bernie Sanders, but only because he allowed himself to be off guard with the corporate media for a mere few seconds of time (sarcasm), because when Bernie said: "Maybe, just maybe, we might want to have a serious discussion about the serious issues facing America" — it was used by the media and Hillary Clinton to deceitfully depict Bernie Sanders (with that one sound bite) as if he believed a woman's right to her own body was not really a serious issue. Sanders' statement was totally taken out of context — and repeated over and over again — and now Hillary uses that remark in her campaign speeches.

Of course IT WOULD BE A SERIOUS ISSUE, if Donald Trump actually became the president — and if a majority in Congress overturned the constitutional amendment of Roe v Wade. The only point Sanders was making (at that specific moment of time) was that the corporate media always digs very deep to get short dramatic sound-bites (like they did in this very example) to use in BREAKING NEWS leads to generate profits for themselves, rather than having meaningful discussions on all the other issues that we also face (like the pending TPP trade deal for example) — and that the media was giving Trump far too much serious attention.

So basically, MSNBC and Rachel Maddow had did exactly what Bernie had accused the media of doing, and they exactly made his point by doing just that, what they did with that one sentence from his interview. They used it as a sound bite to generate controversy and to sell advertising on their cable news show. This is totally despicable, and it's absurd to even call it "news" when it's more like cheap "tabloid journalism". Shame on Rachel Maddow. I used to take her more seriously, but now she is in the garbage heap with all the other corporate tools in the media — like MSNBC's Chris Matthews.

This morning as I watched MSNBC (which is owned by Comcast and supports Hillary), they had on another panel of pundits with Hillary supporters, but with no Bernie surrogates in their discussion to debate them. The corporate media has been so obviously biased, trying to further corrupt democracy and influence the election. Of course Bernie HAS ALWAYS supported a woman’s right to choose, and has even been more liberal than Hillary has been on this issue; but now Hillary and her media outlets are using this one remark (9 words) to distort the truth and give Hillary an unfair advantage in the primary. It is total B.S. as usual.

Watch the 3 videos provided in this post and tell me if you think it is fair that Hillary Clinton took that one statement out of context. I could understand if she used this strategy in a general election against a GOP candidate, but not if she wants Bernie's supporters to vote for her against Trump in the general election. This is why I can’t stand the corporate media (and why Bernie can’t either) because they (and Hillary) are all part of the corporate and political climate that’s been screwing us for the last few decades.

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Bernie Sanders' full remarks in context to Donald Trump's remarks (about abortion) from the transcript on March 30, 2016 on MSNBC on the Rachel Maddow show:

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MADDOW: Joining us once again from Madison, Wisconsin is Senator Bernie Sanders. Senator Sanders, thank you again for being with us tonight. Appreciate it. So, sir, you Tweeted today, uh, that it was, quote, "shameful" -- that was the word you used -- when Donald Trump said this to my colleague, Chris Matthews here on MSNBC.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: How do you ban abortion?

How do you actually do it?

DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, you know, you'll go back to a -- a position like they had, where people will perhaps go to illegal places...

MATTHEWS: Yes!

TRUMP: But you have to ban it. The answer is that there has to be some form of punishment.

MATTHEWS: For the woman?

TRUMP: Yes. There has to be some form.

MATTHEWS: Ten days or 10 years?

TRUMP: (INAUDIBLE) I don't know. That I don't know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MADDOW: After, uh, the word spread that Donald Trump had made those remarks today about abortion, that a woman needs to be punished, uh, if she seeks an abortion and abortion should be banned, you said today that was shameful. What is shameful about it?

SANDERS: Well, I think it is -- shameful is probably understating that position. First of all, to me, and I think to most Americans, women have the right to control their own bodies and they have the right to make those personal decisions themselves. But to punish a woman for having an abortion is beyond comprehension. I -- I just -- you know, one would say what is in Donald Trump's mind except we're tired of saying that? I don't know what world this person lives in. So obviously, from my perspective, and if elected president, I will do everybody that I can to allow women to make that choice and have access to clinics all over this country so that if they choose to have an abortion, they will be able to do so. The idea of punishing a woman, that is just, you know, beyond comprehension.

MADDOW: And Mr. Trump has made -- is making headlines on -- on this issue today, obviously, because of what he said. It's sort of, you know, taken the media day by storm. Um, that said, I think there may be a case to be made -- and I'd love your -- just your response to this, your perspective on this, uh, that his opponent, Senator Ted Cruz, is more extreme on this issue. And I say that, in part, because one of his national co-chairs on his Pro-Lifers for Cruz coalition, is a man named Troy Newman, who once wrote a book saying that abortion providers should be executed. Is Ted Cruz even further out on this issue than Donald Trump is?

SANDERS: Well, you -- you know, you're living in crazy world there. And that is why, uh, you know, the Republican Party, if they continue in this direction, will be, as I mentioned a moment ago, a fringe party. Uh, look, they have nothing to say. All they can appeal is to a small number of people who feel very rabid, very rabid about a particular issue, whether it's abortion or maybe whether it's gay marriage. That is their constituency. They have nothing of substance. You know, you mentioned a moment ago, Rachel, that the media is paying attention to Donald Trump. Duh? No kidding. Once again, every stupid remark will be broadcast, you know, for the next five days. But what is Donald Trump's position on raising the minimum wage? Well, he doesn't think so. What is Donald Trump's position on wages in America? Well, he said in a Republican debate he thinks wages are too high. What's Donald Trump's position on taxes? Well, he wants to give billionaire families like himself hundreds of billions of dollars in tax breaks. What is Donald Trump's position on climate change? Oh, he thinks it's a hoax perpetrated, shock of all shock, by the Chinese. You know, on and on it goes. But because media is what media is today, any stupid, absurd remark made by Donald Trump becomes the story of the week. Maybe, just maybe, we might want to have a serious discussion about the serious issues facing America. Donald Trump will not look quite so interesting in that context.

MADDOW (Attempting to bait Sanders?) Are you suggesting, though, that the media shouldn't be focusing on his call to potentially jail women who have abortions? Because that's another stupid... (No Rachel, he wasn't suggesting anything like that — and you know he wasn't. Were you looking for another sound bite?)

SANDERS: I am saying that every day he comes up with another stupid remark, absurd remark, of course it should be mentioned. But so should Trump's overall positions. How much talk do we hear about climate change, Rachel? And Trump? Any?

MADDOW: He said that he cares more about nuclear climate change, which is a term that he's invented.

SANDERS: Nuclear climate change?

MADDOW: That's just what he comes up with when he's asked on the subject.

SANDERS: All that I'm saying is that Trump is nobody's fool. He knows how to manipulate the media and you say an absurd thing and the media is all over it. And my concern is that today in America, you've got millions of people who are struggling economically. They want to know how we're going to expand the middle class. Overwhelmingly, people think we should raise the minimum wage. Vast majority of people think climate change is real and a threat to our planet. They want to do something about that. What do we do? Vast majority of the people think the wealthiest people in this country should start paying their fair share of taxes. But if we don't discuss those issues, it creates the climate for people like Donald Trump to do much better than he really has a right to do.

MADDOW: Senator, you have been a fierce critic of the influence of the wealthy and big business on our politics [This is when the subject changes...]