The Cenk Uygur "Problem" Highlights Both How Far The Left Has Come, & How Much More Work There Is To Do

For some very good takes, visit Jimmy Dore, Secular Talk, Niko House and Status Coup (Chariton talks about it for the first 20+ minutes or so). Please note that of these four, House is the only one who has not had a "working with TYT relationship" with Uygur.

The ordeal does tell me two things:

1. The Establishment is scared to death of anyone left of center politically. They will never bring up that Uygur was in his Rush Limbaugh Republican Lite days (let's not forget that Ed Schultz was of the same mold before he realized that the GOP were not champions of the working class; so people can change). They won't because the goal was to discredit the policies he advocates, not necessarily his character. And as House points out, there is plenty to critique Uygur on (like the Jeffrey Katzenberg). The attacks on Bernie Sanders and Tulsi Gabbard are well known in left/progressive circles. Dore, Kyle Kulinski, House and Chariton are always talking about how everyone from centrists to moderates to corporate Democrats to the GOP will fight back against anyone advocating for a living wage, Medicare For All/Universal Healthcare, eliminating college debt, ending war and a host of other positions. The Left knows who's against them, and has a fairly good idea what those forces will do to keep the status quo going.
2. The Left is still not organized enough to face attacks and smears. Kulisnki and Dore can talk all they want about how the Left is eating itself or is being tricked, but the bottom line is: Cenk Uygur did not have a plan to deal with the smears. Neither did Bernie Sanders' campaign. And neither did anyone who supports either/or both of these guys (as noticed by all the reactionary videos and posts). Uygur knew what he said was out there, he had to have known that running for office was going to invite a encore of accusations. If he didn't, that's on him. Sanders' people had to known that there would be a (manufacture or otherwise) backlash. Uygur's closest friends should have taken off the blinders long enough to remind Uygur that 80% of their videos lately has been about debunking smears and he should tread carefully. People are still using the Assad attack on Gabbard, for goodness sake! Also, are we going to ignore that we are still in the midst of the Me Too Movement? I don't think Uygur's comments raise to the level of what the movement is addressing, but it's not about my opinion; it's about the opinion of millions of women who've had to put up with unwarranted...well, everything, from men. And whether it's just another movement that's been diluted or co-opted, it's still here and it is still playing a role in our politics. 

As much as I hate to say it, Uygur should have taken a page from the leadership of the Commonwealth. A few months ago Virginia's governor was in trouble for years-old actions (blackface, ugh) and instead of running around like his head were on fire, he (eventually) acknowledged, apologized and pressed through. Haven't heard too much about it since, have we? 

Acknowledge. Apologize. Press Through. 

That said, the Left's next big hurdle is to learn that emotions will win over facts more often than not. People may not know the vote tally or legislation or election that lead to them getting a $10,000 medical bill, but they know how that bill made them feel. And for anyone who believes that facts win the day, sadly no!

UPDATE: Uygur's campaign actually benefited (financially) from the ordeal. Good for him. Still doesn't addressing his preparedness in a positive light; either he knew that this would end in a donation windfall meaning that he set Bernie and others up (not likely) or he lucked out that his supporters are forgiving (most likely).