Let's talk about Massachusetts

Today's primary is being heralded as "Bernie's last stand"

It's stupid. Bernie is over.

More importantly, the two races they point to are far too complex to be reduced to "Bernie/AOC vs the Establishment."

Neither would be a "win" for Bernie.
1/

Markey vs. Kennedy

This is counter-intuitive because incumbent Markey is the "Bernie" candidate.

Markey shortsightedly cast his lot of with AOC on climate change.

I'm sure he thought she would generate "energy and enthusiasm" about an issue he's spent decades fighting for.

2/

And that miscalculation might prove to be Markey's downfall.

He didn't know AOC was an idiot who "doesn't care what Republicans think" and would advocate bans on beef and air travel and suggest offering public assistance for "people unwilling to work."

3/

So "Green New Deal" - which Markey intended to be an aspirational "Sense of the Senate/House" resolution - turned into a radical zero-tolerance litmus test imposed by the fringe left.

The narrative ran away from him, and Markey was stuck defending what she did in his name.

4/

McConnell saw AOC's ridiculous proposal for the opportunity it was. He brought her bill to a vote.

Senate Dems had to choose between voting against "fighting climate change" or voting against cheeseburgers.

Not one Senate Dem voted for it. They all wisely voted present.

5/

Ed Markey is a really good guy, a liberal giant who has served Massachusetts in Congress since 1976
(in the statehouse even longer.) In the House, he Chaired the Energy Committee. People know him and his record.

In short, he might win on his own. She doesn't get the credit.

6/

Neal vs Morse

Oh boy, this race is a doozie of a mess. Normally an upstart mayor of a tiny town would have zero chance against the powerful Chairman of House Ways and Means.

And Richard Neal is a really nice guy.

He would have been fine, if not for some meddling kids.

7/

In summary, Alex Morse is young, single and gay.

College Dems conspired with MA Dems and hatched a scheme to MeToo Morse, thinking they could get jobs with Neal if they set him up and drummed him out of the race.

8/

Some guys sought out Morse on Tinder and Insta, then used his replies to cast him as a predator.

It was HORRIBLE. What's worse, the messages were harmless

College Dems didn't even release "evidence" they just sent a press release that he was no longer welcome at their events
9/

But they conspired on a group text that included some Bernie kids, who immediately cried foul and released the messages to Intercept

So the truth came out. This got the LGBT community fired up, and rightly so. Now a previously insignificant race was in the national spotlight
10/

Alex Morse became a cause.

Donations flooded in. Morse got the kind of media attention money can't buy. The polls tightened. I'm told Morse might actually win.

But did Neal do anything wrong?

In my view, no, but yes.

Let me elaborate.

11/

Neal's campaign had nothing to do with this.

BUT they applauded "courageous students" who spoke out. They did not say "Morse and the students are all consenting adults and it's none of our business"

In short, they were fine with a witch hunt and didn't bother to investigate
12/

So here's another race where "Bernie's candidate" might take out an "Establishment" candidate.

But again, it has nothing to do with Bernie, Justice Dems, or the issues.

This was a MeToo attempt that backfired and Richard Neal, the intended beneficiary, might be the casualty
13/

If Alex Morse wins, it's because he's a good guy who was set up and STILL did nothing wrong.

It would be a win for the LGBT community, a testament to their strength in electoral politics and how they stepped up in the face of a tremendous injustice.

Bernie gets no credit.

14/

Bernie & Co will try to claim these victories.

But if these candidates win, they will win on their own merit.

They will win in SPITE of their affiliation with the fringe left, not because of it.

15/

Everyone knows how I feel about the weaponization and overreach of MeToo, so let me say this:

If a female college student had done this to a straight, male candidate, it would have worked. He would have been forced out of the race on her word alone, with no evidence.

16/

There's no organization or movement that defends straight men against MeToo, even when they've done nothing wrong

There was no investigation, there was no call for an investigation. The "courageous students" heralded by Neal's campaign were the Bernie kids, not the Democrats
17/

Sadly, this is the future of politics and the disgraceful legacy of MeToo

One girl pointing her finger at anyone can, and usually does, ruin their careers and their lives. No need for evidence or cause.

This is not okay. We have to do better.

18/18

Excellent question.

The answer is, as I've said from the beginning, it's not about the issues. It's not about incumbency.

It's a cult. It's about winning the argument, about "sticking it to the man"

It's about Bernie, and now by proxy, it's about AOC. https://twitter.com/joeshorter/status/1300912106930409474

I've been deeply conflicted about this race, but Rose Twitter's freakout about how close the race is makes me hope Markey loses.

And I hate that, because I adore Ed Markey.

But he brought this on itself.

https://twitter.com/search?q=Markey&src=trend_click&f=live&vertical=trends