stood up for me when it counted'.

Bernie has a long record of supporting Civil Rights, and in that election, Jackson's second run, he, Jackson realized that racism wouldn't end until Economic Justice was achieved for African Americans.

In fact, reading about Jackson's platform for that election, it is very similar to Bernie's today.

Always courageous enough and far sighted enough to see what was the right thing to do, and to do it, no matter what anyone thought of his decisions.

THAT is why Bernie will be such a great President.

Bill Clinton dismissed obama's SC win by saying Jesse Jackson won SC?

I was 14 back in 1988 but i remember excitement for Jackson and people surprised by how well he did.He ended up as Dukakis main
opporent for nomination.

remember this next time someone on DU says bernie doesn't care about minorities.

he relied mostly on and campaigned to and for, the poor, AAs in states where they were. His main theme was racism. By his second campaign, a lot like MLK he realized that economic oppression kept AAs from gaining the power they needed to overcome that. Racism isn't curable, so to demand that a politician 'fix' it, is like demanding that a doctor cure incurable cancer.

Jackson focused on economic injustices in his second campaign. Money is power and keeping minorities without it, is deliberately keeping them from gaining that power.

Bernie of course, agreed and I believe he took lessons from Jackson's and MLK's beliefs regarding economic equality.

As for those struggling to play the race card against THIS CANDIDATE?? It won't work, but it could backfire on them. Eg, their attempts to change Bernie's history on Civil Rights started me wondering, which I never had before frankly, what Hillary and Bill, who are of Bernie's generation were doing back then. We KNOW what Bernie was doing, he was deeply involved in the Civil Rights movement and is one of only two Senators who were present at MLK's speech in Selma. But what about the Clintons?

Stirring a pot that doesn't need stirring, is never a good idea.

And, it goes without saying, that is a vile tactic, based on lies and fantasy, which only reflects unfortunately, on their own candidate.

Which is why it is so great to have a candidate like Bernie. He needs no defense, all we have to do is point to his record and then ask for their candidate's record.

On apartheid also, he was as one would expect, totally opposed to it. He has fought for Civil Rights all his life and anyone who tries to smear him on that score, will find themselves and their candidate on the receiving end of their own deceptions.

But his run for the WH was historic and more successful than might have been imagined. And had other Dems had the courage Bernie and Hightower had, who knows what might have happened?

I do very much respect him. He is part of the history of the Civil Rights Movement and faced incredible odds to gain the position he gained. I have seen the hate filled comments from the far right aimed at him, I'm sure he has experienced the pain of bigotry personally.

Actually, that's OK with me because such bogus charges show the world that's all they've got.

class whites and Latinos against blacks and white liberals who didn't like her corporate/pro-war leanings when she was desperate in the '08 primary. Her camp may want to pretend that didn't happen, but people haven't forgot that shit or any of the nonsense that came out of the "first black president's" mouth.

The fact that team Clinton would deploy their minions to falsely smear a progressive as being a racist given their previous behavior is one of the many reasons why I'll never take Hillary seriously.

she will do anything to win, and seems to attract similar followers.

I'm very concerned about her winning the Presidency.

By "not taking her seriously," I meant that I don't buy this "progressive pivot" that she's embarked on since she started campaigning or anything else that comes out of her mouth when it comes to party politics or domestic and foreign policy.

desperation and will only adversely affect their own candidate. You have to be some kind of nasty individual to lie about the record of someone like Bernie who has spent his entire life, fighting for equality and Civil Rights for all the oppressed in this country. It disgusts me frankly and makes me, maybe unfairly, feel disgusted at their candidate.

But we have no need to pay any attention to them, Bernie's record speaks for itself, let their threads die the death they deserve, he needs no defense on this issue.

I wonder if that was posted by someone with an axe to grind

points. Wait 'til people learn about his life long history, when it actually counted too, not just talking but ACTING as in this case, of activism regarding Civil Rights.

They are afraid of him, he has the creds Corporate candidates lack, and that is his appeal which will spread the more people get to know him AND his history. I will warn every one I know about these talking points so they are prepared when they hear them.

It is a vile and desperate tactic and should have no place in this party. To lie about someone who has done so much for Civil Rights is simply reprehensible. And it reflects on their own candidate, as it did last time.

for black people and minorities despite what's circulating here that he is 'a racist', wow. One poster just said about my comment and others that Bernie marched with MLK Jr. in 1963,- "that means nothing and was 50 years ago. Bill Clinton and Obama are the most influential presidents of my lifetime". So life only began 30 years ago, who knew?

Bernie has been on the right side of history for decades!