Cummings: Protesters during DNC speech were ‘disrespectful’
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., spoke during the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on Monday.
PHILADELPHIA » Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings says he thinks liberal supporters of Bernie Sanders who chanted an anti-trade slogan during his speech to the Democratic National Convention were “disrespectful.”
But Cummings says he is not upset about it because he is a veteran of civil rights protests and understands the passions that drove the mostly young delegates to shout over him on Monday. More than 100 people have since apologized for the outbursts, Cummings said.
In an interview today, Cummings said most of those who were shouting probably didn’t know that he worked with Sanders as chairman of the convention’s platform drafting committee. “Bernie got 90 percent of what he wanted,” he said.
Cummings, an African American and close ally of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, was in the middle of a speech in which he remembered his late father — a sharecropper in South Carolina — and spoke about the Black Lives Matter movement when Sanders’ supporters started chanting “No TPP” and holding up signs.
The chants referred to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which Sanders and many other liberals, including Cummings, oppose as a job-killer and a way to promote business interests over workers.
The sight of a 65-year-old black man — and veteran congressional leader — being shouted over by mostly young, white liberals was jarring to many.
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Kweisi Mfume, a former Maryland congressman and head of the NAACP, said the treatment of Cummings was “a low point” of the four-day convention.
“It was downright disrespectful,” said Mfume, a Clinton delegate. “I think it does not necessarily help the relations that Bernie’s people may have with the larger African-American community.”
Liberals and unions hate the trade deal, even though it was negotiated and is supported by President Barack Obama. Sanders’ supporters tried to include a rejection of the agreement in the Democratic platform, but were rebuffed.
Ironically, Cummings, a 10-term Democrat from Baltimore, said he agrees with the protesters and has consistently opposed trade legislation.
“The optics were not pretty,” Cummings said of the impromptu protest, “but I couldn’t be upset with them. Two or three years ago, they would have been outside politics” and likely protesting in the streets. “I am so glad these people are under our tent.”
Cummings’ only regret about the episode is that it may have obscured his heart-felt story about his late father, Robert Cummings Sr., who moved the family from rural South Carolina to Baltimore to give his children a chance at a better life.
Robert Cummings, who picked cotton and lived in a home without running water, stressed the value of education to his children. When Elijah Cummings enrolled at Howard University, he said his father told him, “‘You go in those walls and get blessed so you can bless’” others.
56 responses to “Cummings: Protesters during DNC speech were ‘disrespectful’”
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agree with him. Sanders is a real disappointment. He should have run as a socialist, not as a Democrat as he is not a Democrat. His followers are arrogant, ignorant and unrealistic. They mistake their ignorance and rudeness with rebellion.
Rebellion isn’t always a good thing either. More like rebels without a cause. Send these squirts to Iraq where they can get blown to pieces.
Let’s get it on…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXRgAXU1-T4
Being like sheep isn’t good either. Democrats are supposed to be like herding cats. I think you will find Bernie supporters not to be supportive of wars to support the American empire. Those would be Hillary supporters. I wonder how many will enlist if she starts another war?
Agree with Boots. OMG
Bernie’s Army had free mobile body piercing at all the rallies. They represented the new order.
This is a ridiculous statement on many levels. This is a driveby comment. Irrational and meant to inflame. How are you any different?
You’re wrong. He’s both. Being a Democrat and a socialist are not mutually exclusive. He’s rightly a democratic socialist. And your generalizations about all his supporters are as bad as Trump’s generalizations about Mexicans and Muslims. There are a vocal minority of his supporters who are arrogant and unrealistic, but many more who are not.
Why is he a disappointment? I think he is great. Sweet Hillary just thought she was going to be coronated because why exactly? Debate is good and Bernie has been successful in pushing the democratic party a bit to the left. Frankly I am tired of having to support republican lite. My main problem with sweet Hillary is that she tends to be a hawk.
There is nothing sweet about that lady. After the election she can play with her grandkids. She is not fit to be the POTUS.
IS THE IDIOTIC BIGOT TRUMPY FIT TO BE PRESIDENT?
Allie, is this the best comment you can provide? Do you know any of these people? Are you involved in political movements? In the nextgen consciousness? Are you out there at all or simply an armchair commentator?
Extreme liberals are just as dangerous and foul as extreme conservatives. They’re also just as narcissistic and brainless. They get a tiny bit of information, turn it into a cause, and yell and scream till they’re blue in the face just so they can feel alive. It doesn’t require brains but it does require lots of free time and pent up emotion that can’t be released elsewhere. Throw these squirts and far right wingers into a pit and let them fight it out to the death.
Agreed. Operative word is “extreme.” It seems that there is a direct correlation between the degree of extremity and the degree of self-centeredness.
How sweet of the man to show understanding & then kiss & make up.
CLAIM: Rep. Elijah Cummings incorrectly stated during his 2016 DNC speech that Democrats gave black people the right to vote.
MOSTLY FALSE
WHAT’S TRUE: The 15th Amendment was predominantly supported by Republicans in 1869, and rejected by Democrats.
WHAT’S FALSE: Rep. Elijah Cummings explicitly claimed otherwise in his 2016 DNC Speech.
Very true fact, also note that the democrat president Johnson at the time vetoed the 15th ammendment, but lucky was overruled and reversed by REPUBLICANS. Now everyone has a legal right to vote.
And a lot of Blacks voted from 1869 to say 1960. lol, Obviously you don’t know your history. Ever heard of the voters right act? Do you know why the south is predominantly republican today? Hint: Another Johnson signed the Voters right act in 1965. This is what Cummings was referring to.
This is really sad today. How can so many people be so remarkably ignorant of history?
When MLK referred to the meek and poor, he was referring to the mind and intellect of many of our posters, which are obviously rather meek in capacity and very poor in intellect.
We need voter ID to vote. That will be the cure all.
Ike, speak for yourself please.
Democrats the party of the KKK,also voted against the the civil rights act.
Anytime Les, you want to debate me on a pure academic level, go for it….get a day pass from your mom so you can leave the house.
You can’t believe a word these democrat politicians say.
The thing about white entitlement is that it crosses both sides of the street, from D to R.
Clintons have spent a life time living off the entitlements as beneficiaries of having working in government local, State, and Federal governments. Of course since leaving they have now tripled their earnings through their foundations and honorariums. They are worth in excess of 400 Millions.
There is a huge difference between a federal entitlement (e.g. Medicare) and a social behavior phenomenon. Read much?
Entitlements in your phrasing also include veterans benefits–you against those?
“Hillary Clinton. She’ll say anything, and change nothing. It’s time to turn the page. Paid for by Obama for America.”
Obama 2008 Campaign Ad
Sarge, funny how these two were calling each other dastardly names and now are best friends. Happens only in the Democratic Party. Two faced, two headed snakes. Phonies.
And the Trumps got rich (Fred Trump, who left the empire to his rotten son) by renting real estate to white people.
Only white people.
Don’t be mad just because Mr Trump raised your rent.
Not true, there were a few blacks. You sound so racist. Trump sued the Federal Government for 100 million. They settled with no admission of wrong doing. This happen over 45 years ago. It was a win for Trump.
Non profit my foot.
White entitlement? Is that half the reason Obama is in office?
Probably the only reason. That sure didn’t work out. Now they want a woman which is great. Just not lying crooked HiLIARy.
Yep, he sure covered every demographic. His 1/2 brother is voting for Trump. Probably never gave him a bone.
How can a racist, sexist, bigoted, bankrupt, corrupt guy like Trump be in the same room let alone race with the exalted Hillary Clinton.
I’ll tell you why. Hillary Clinton is a crook.
“It was downright disrespectful,” said Mfume, a Clinton delegate. “I think it does not necessarily help the relations that Bernie’s people may have with the larger African-American community.”
What does this incident have to do with the African-American community? Mfune wants to make this a racial matter as oppose to a protest by pro-Bernie delegates. Would Mfune have an issue if the protestors were shouting during a white person’s speech? Why do some black people always want to turn thing into a matter of race?
Because they have to battle constantly against racists. Just read these comments.
So your saying Mfune read these comments? Or are you saying that, because people write racist comments, someone like Mfune is correct in making any incident into a racial matter?
Didn’t the SCOTUS rule that Gov Bill Clinton violated the Voter Rights Act in 1988? Something I read about racial profiling also. I could be wrong. You’re the expert.
Elijah Cummings is loose Cannon himself! What is he talking? “Disrespectful”? Give me a break!Serves them right! My Tutu Kane used to say, “Did you get a taste of your own medicine ?”.. …
They got scammed big time! Don’t mess around with Bernie’s supporter bro! They are true anarchist, Flag burning,disruptors to the very last man and woman.
After rigging the system,how do you expect Bernie’s supporters to react,especially when Bernie himself threw them under the Bus…….Wish it was November,so all this baloney can finally be over.
Bernie and they got a lot… trouble is that they can’t get any more. And if they act this way, they’ll get even less. Clinton needs to directly address them. Perhaps she will sometime before her speech. Would be something if they went inside to harass her and disrupt her speech.
Bernie supporters did not get opposition to TPP into the party platform as they wanted. This is what they were shouting about, and this was because the DNC refused to opposed a major priority of the Democratic president. nevertheless, they were successful in persuading Hillary to separate from Obama by hardening her position against this version of the TPP and to include this into her campaign.
They should be ashamed of themselves and if they had any class would apologize to this American hero. Some were also quite rude to this man while he was on the Today show this morning.
Creeps like this need to be taken to the woodshed.
Baltimore is a mess. What they need is a POTUS to go in there and straighten out the corruption. Cummings is a do nothing anti white with a no hope agenda for his colorful constituents.
Protesters wanted to be disrespectful and disruptive.
What do the top ten cities (over 250,000 pop.) with the highest poverty rate
all have in common?
Detroit, MI – (1st on poverty rate list) hasn’t elected a Republican mayor
since 1961
Buffalo, NY – (2nd) hasn’t elected one since 1954
Cincinnati, OH – (3rd) not since 1984
Cleveland, OH – (4th) not since 1989
Miami, FL – (5th) has never had a Republican mayor
St. Louis, MO – (6th) not since 1949
El Paso, TX – (7th) has never had a Republican mayor
Milwaukee, WI – (8th) not since 1908
Philadelphia, PA – (9th) not since 1952
Newark, NJ – (10th) not since 1907
A. Back off and let those men who want to marry men, marry men.
B. Allow those women who want to marry women, marry women.
C. Allow those folks who want to abort their babies, abort their babies.
D. In three generations, there will be no Democrats.
I love it when a plan comes together; don’t you?
one problem, barry and co will bring in immigrants to replace them
Where is Bernie with all this stuff going down with his followers??? Leadership lacking??? Responsibility for what he created??? Seems like Bernie losing control of at least some of the “entitlement entities” he created. Maybe he should do more to keep it civil.
BERNIE SHOULD CONTROL HIS DISOBEDIENT SUPPORTERS. THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN BARRED FROM THE CENTER FOR THEIR DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR. THEY LOST SO BELIEVE IT, DON’T BE STUPID AND VINDICTIVE. SUCH POOR LOSERS WITH NO CLASS.
Cummings was disresptful. A BLM advocate — Discriminatory Policy.
Hope you all feeling better after letting of some steamed. Wow! Many seems masters of the English language, but their artfully proposed disposable of their subjects are frightening! Have more aloha kids!