What Is Even Happening?

[Content Note: Violence; harassment; threats.]

So, over the weekend, Nevada held its Democratic convention, at which pledged delegates were awarded following the caucus in February. And, basically, all hell broke loose. Why? Because Sanders supporters were aggrieved that the rules were not changed according to their demands, and thus determined the process was "rigged."

As a reminder, Hillary Clinton won the Nevada caucus.

And then following the convention, Nevada Democratic Party chair Roberta Lange was targeted in the most heinous ways:

"It's been vile," said Ms. Lange, who riled Sanders supporters by refusing their requests for rule changes at the event in Las Vegas. "It's been threatening messages, threatening my family, threatening my life, threatening my grandchild."

...Supporters of Mr. Sanders used similar tactics to exert pressure on Ms. Lange, who has received more than 1,000 calls since Saturday night and as many as three text messages per minute. The threats, which came from men and women from across the country, were haunting and personal.

"Loved how you broke the system," one person wrote in a text message that said he or she knew where Ms. Lange's grandchildren went to school. "Prepare for hell. Calls won't stop."

Another person left a voice mail message saying he thought Ms. Lange should be "hung in public execution" for her actions.

"I'm scared for my family," Ms. Lange said. "Scared for my kids."

Michael Briggs, a spokesman for Mr. Sanders, said the Vermont senator did not condone violence of any kind. However, he said the campaign was still determining whether it would challenge the Nevada results.

Unbelievable. Briggs further went on to criticize the Democratic Party for not being more welcoming. "The senator believes that the Democratic Party all over the country would serve its own interests better if it were to figure out a way to welcome people who have been energized and excited by his campaign into the party. It would behoove the party to be more welcoming and engage those people."

So, Sanders supporters shut down the convention by shouting at Senator Barbara Boxer, throwing chairs, and generally behaving like a mob of reckless dipshits, then spend days harassing and threatening a Democratic state chair, and Sanders' spokesperson scolds the Democratic Party that they should be more welcoming to them?! The fuck.

Meanwhile, Sanders' campaign manager was on CNN this morning, incredibly asserting that Sanders is helping Clinton by staying in the race:

Bernie Sanders' campaign manager: By staying in the race, we are "helping Hillary Clinton" https://t.co/6OZtrg079U https://t.co/0HrioIBC4i

— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) May 17, 2016

Chris Cuomo: Is it even on your radar as to whether or not your campaign is helping or hurting Hillary Clinton?

Jeff Weaver: Well, I would say that we are helping Hillary Clinton, as a matter of fact. Assuming that she's the nominee, and I think that Hillary Clinton is helping Bernie Sanders, assuming that he is the nominee. You know, as soon as this Democratic primary process is over, we're not gonna hear any more talk about the minimum wage, we're not gonna hear any more talk about making college affordable, or providing healthcare to everybody; it's gonna be a mudslinging contest. The Trump people, the Republican Party, all their super PACs are gonna engage in character assassination, no matter who the nominee is, and that's what's gonna be focused on. It's unfortunate, but as long as the Democratic primary process is going on, people are talking about issues that are important to not only the Democrats, but to Americans as a whole.

Weaver is still pretending that Sanders has a chance of winning the nomination, which is utterly absurd. He needs to win 70% of the remaining pledged delegates, which is simply not going to happen. He has lost. This fantasy is what underwrites shit like what happened in Nevada, where foolish supporters believe every delegate matters, when the fact is that Sanders is so far behind that he can't possibly win, failing Clinton dropping out of the race.

Obliging Clinton to keep fighting on two fronts is not helping her. I can't put it any more plainly than that.

And if Team Sanders is going to take this fantastical garbage "all the way to the convention," and bring their increasingly reactionary supporters with them, that sure as shit ain't gonna help her, either.