PHILADELPHIA — Less than an hour after Debbie Wasserman Schultz announced Sunday she would step down from her post as chair of the Democratic National Committee after the convention, Hillary Clinton offered her a prominent job with presidential campaign — and Bernie Sanders delegates are not happy about that.
Wasserman Schultz resigned from her DNC post after a massive DNC e-mail leak revealed she and other DNC personnel undermined the Sanders campaign in favor of helping Hillary Clinton during the Democratic primaries.
“I want to thank my longtime friend Debbie Wasserman Schultz for her leadership of the Democratic National Committee over the past five years. I am grateful to Debbie for getting the Democratic Party to this year’s historic convention in Philadelphia, and I know that this week’s events will be a success thanks to her hard work and leadership,” Clinton said in a statement following Wasserman Schultz’s resignation.
Clinton went on to say, “There’s simply no one better at taking the fight to the Republicans than Debbie–which is why I am glad that she has agreed to serve as honorary chair of my campaign’s 50-state program to gain ground and elect Democrats in every part of the country, and will continue to serve as a surrogate for my campaign nationally, in Florida, and in other key states. I look forward to campaigning with Debbie in Florida and helping her in her re-election bid–because as President, I will need fighters like Debbie in Congress who are ready on day one to get to work for the American people.”
Sanders delegates told The Daily Caller Monday they felt further betrayed by Clinton after she hired the now former DNC chair.
“Bernie supporters are very offended that the person we rightfully or wrongfully responsible for putting her thumb on the scale and tipped it in favor of someone we thought who was not the best candidate or stronger candidate to go up against Trump. You don’t employ bad behavior by employing her 32 minutes after she has stepped down as an admission that you did something wrong,” Florida Democratic Delegate Shane Harris said.
Nebraska Democratic Delegate Aaron Ramirez felt similarly, saying the hire was “convenient” for both Clinton and Wasserman Schultz.
“Someone does a good job for you, you want them on your team, right? Promoting, rousing the spirits,” Ramirez said.
Florida Democratic Delegate Bruce Jacobs seemed offended that Clinton first reached out to Wasserman Schultz as opposed to Sanders supporters.
“It doesn’t look good. It’s not very political in my opinion. I think the dangerous decision Hillary’s making seems like she’s turning right to the disaffected Trump voters and away from the 13 million voters who carried 22 states and came very close in others,” said Jacobs, an Orlando lawyer.
“I think it’s a problem people are upset about, of course, because there are lots of people here who voted for Bernie Sanders knowing he was running in a primary that wasn’t run fairly,” he said, adding, “There wasn’t enough debates, cutting off his access to the data base, and now we see the truth of it. This is a chance for the Democratic Party to reach out to the Bernie people and start making amends.”
