Bernie Sanders Says Apology His Campaign Sent to Black Lives Matter ‘was not necessary’, Came From a Staffer, Not Him

by McGuire | August 18, 2015 1:39 pm

Bernie Sanders, the Independent from Vermont seeking the Democratic nomination, is now saying that an ‘apology’ issued by his campaign to Black Lives Matter activists was not necessary and was authored by a staffer without his approval. The Daily Mail[1] reports:

bernie[2]

The Democratic presidential hopeful appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press, when host Chuck Todd asked the about email which was acquired by BuzzFeed.

In it, the Sanders campaign’s African American outreach director Marcus Ferrell apologised that ‘it our campaign so long to officially reach out.’

His boss, the junior Senator from Vermont, told Todd: ‘That was sent out by a staffer, not by me.’
He continued: ‘Look, we are reaching out to all kinds of groups, absolutely.

‘But on this issue of Black Lives Matter, let me be very clear. The issue that they are raising is a very, very important issue.

‘And there is no candidate for president who would be stronger in fighting against institutional racism, and by the way, reforming a broken criminal justice system.’

Todd again pressed him on the e-mail issue, saying: ‘You said a staffer put it out, but you felt an apology was necessary?’

‘No, I don’t,’ Sanders replied. ‘I think we’re going to be working with all groups. This was sent out without my knowledge.’

Sanders was shoved aside by several Black Lives Matter activists and eventually left a Saturday afternoon event on August 9 in Seattle without giving a speech.

The 73-year-old was just starting to address several thousand people gathered shoulder to shoulder at Westlake Park when two women took over the microphone.

Organisers couldn’t persuade the pair to wait and agreed to give them a few minutes but 20 minutes later, after the women had held a four minute silence in memory of the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson and reportedly harangued the crowd, Sanders was pushed away when he tried to take the microphone back.

Instead, he waved goodbye, left the stage with a raised fist salute and waded into the crowd.He shook hands and posed for photos with supporters for about 15 minutes, and then left.

So, not so much an apology, but a retraction? As if Bernie Sanders wasn’t a confusing enough creature as is. Looks like it went over SUPER well, though. Let’s look at his speech he didn’t get to give for more Bernie gems. Sorry, not sorry. That one was written by me and not a staffer. Maybe he should keep a better eye on his campaign that appears to be built on sand.

Written by Katie McGuire. Send your hate mail to the author at katiefmcguire@gmail.com, or feel free to mean tweet me at @GOPKatie[3], where I will be sure to do very little about it.

Endnotes:
  1. Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3200972/Bernie-Sanders-says-apology-campaign-sent-Black-Lives-Matter-not-necessary.html
  2. [Image]: https://rightwingnews1.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/bernie-e1439918879850.jpg
  3. GOPKatie: http://twitter.com/GOPKAtie

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