DNC Software Breach

[Fenring]

http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/18/politics/bernie-sanders-campaign-dnc-suspension/

This CNN article outlines how the DNC software used by Democrat candidates experienced a software glitch where a campaign could assess data from another campaign when they're not supposed to be able to. The Sanders campaign exposed this glitch and for their trouble they're being denied access to this important software altogether for the time being. The senior data manager of the Sanders campaign claims that he was trying to figure out whether the Sanders campaign information was being compromised in the same way the Clinton data was exposed, and that he was testing to see the nature of the glitch. He denies intentionally using the glitch to observe Clinton data. While he may or may not be telling the truth, it should also be noted that if this glitch did expose data from all candidates then other campaigns may have been doing the same thing but never came forward to say so. Regardless, the Sanders campaign is saying that they didn't 'hack' the software or anything stupid like that, but rather that the software is faulty and that the blame rests with NGP VAN, the private contractor used by the DNC to host the software.

An interesting look into NGP VAN reveals that one of the two founders of NGP VAN is Nathaniel Pearlman:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathaniel_Pearlman

It turns out Pearlman was the chief technology officer for Hillary's 2008 campaign, and now his company is responsible for the Sanders campaign being sanctioned leading up to the Iowa caucuses. It may be a total fluke, but it's certainly interesting, especially since the DNC itself obviously wouldn't want Sanders to win and chose to respond in this way rather than to cut off access by all candidates until the glitch is fixed. I've never before heard of someone exposing a programming bug and being censured for being the one to discover it, especially when there's no direct evidence of foul play.

[JoshuaD]

At this point, I have no doubt that the breach is being used as an excuse to harm the Sanders campaign, and I think that's deplorable.

[Greg Davidson]

How soon can we get to the point where we can agree that we are all sick of hearing about this damn data breach? Someone made a mistake or was overzealous - that person was suspended. The primaries will not turn on this event.

I'd like to follow the example set by Bernie Sanders himself and focus what matters far more than inside politics frenzy: #1 ability to positively implement policies that matter, and #2 importance of a win for Clinton or Sanders or O'Malley over any of the Republican candidates.

[Fenring]

We're sick of hearing about something that just happened? That's an interesting take on breaking news that isn't exactly on the level of the email scandal. I wouldn't have been surprised if most people here hadn't even heard of it, frankly.

[AI Wessex]

The news reports don't explain what the "software problem" was or how it was exploited.  I'm not reading anything nefarious into the root cause yet, and I don't think Sanders' staff strayed too far into vilifiable territory.  His staff access to the site has been restored, so it seems like a media much ado...

[JoshCrow]

We're sick of hearing about something that just happened? That's an interesting take on breaking news that isn't exactly on the level of the email scandal. I wouldn't have been surprised if most people here hadn't even heard of it, frankly.

It was a humorous reference to Sanders' "sick of hearing about your damn e-mails" comment at the Dem debate.

[Fenring]

It was a humorous reference to Sanders' "sick of hearing about your damn e-mails" comment at the Dem debate.

Well, yes, but I assumed he meant something by it as well in addition to merely making the reference. But in any case the matter is now closed with probably no harm done so all is well.

[Greg Davidson]

I was seeing a lot of noise on it, I just wanted the day to pass to talk about something else

[Pete at Home]

How soon can we get to the point where we can agree that we are all sick of hearing about this damn data breach? Someone made a mistake or was overzealous - that person was suspended. The primaries will not turn on this event.

I'd like to follow the example set by Bernie Sanders himself and focus what matters far more than inside politics frenzy: #1 ability to positively implement policies that matter, and #2 importance of a win for Clinton or Sanders or O'Malley over any of the Republican candidates.

Are you serious?  Would Watergate have been nothing to report if it had been carried out by a sitting DNC president against a DNC candidate?  What you said here will hang over your head in every future discussion of Election Fraud.

" I was seeing a lot of noise on it, I just wanted the day to pass to talk about something else"

Then don't open this thread. Don't waste your time and ours trying to silence the discussion.

[Fenring]

The issue seems to have not been as irrelevant as all that. Hillary's campaign was definitely taking it seriously and Hillary herself even admitted that their reaction was overzealous. In Saturday's debate Bernie publicly apologized to Hillary for his staff member looking at the data which should never have been available in the first place, and then went on to say how he wants a joint investigation by their two campaigns into the NGP VAN screwup that shouldn't have happened in the first place. Bernie also mentioned being upset that the DNC decided to penalize his campaign without even consulting him regarding an incident that they caused. He said being banned temporarily from the software was "crippling" to his campaign, for which I'll take him at his word. He also mentioned that there was no evidence that his campaign's data wasn't made similarly available to Hillary's camp, even though no one there came forward to say so. Recall that it was the honesty of the Sanders campaign that got him punished in the first place. Hillary, while happy to accept his apology, nonetheless seemed entirely unenthused while Bernie was mentioning a joint investigation into what went wrong. You'd think she'd have at least feigned interest in showing him good faith in the matter.

I don't think this issue is the end of the world, but I found the connection between the founder of NGP VAN and Hillary's campaign troubling. I'll be disturbed if this incident is mentioned again by Hillary in further campaigning as a strike against Sanders.

[DJQuag]

If it comes to it, I'll vote for Clinton while holding my nose. A much better option then Cruz or Trump.

But I'm pretty sure that I'll always resent her for not being Sanders. I have yet to find an issue that I disagree with him on.

[Pete at Home]

If it comes to it, I'll vote for Clinton while holding my nose. A much better option then Cruz or Trump.

But I'm pretty sure that I'll always resent her for not being Sanders. I have yet to find an issue that I disagree with him on.

I'm pretty sure that's the exact reason Trump entered the race in the first place.  Remembering the fiasco last time it got Caught funneling millions into a Clinton campaign, the People's Republic of China has offered Trump.some sweet real estate or Casino deal if he throws the election to Hillary.  If Sanders wins the DNC, they take him out like they do with other threats to Clinton. Probably another plane crash.

[AI Wessex]

Let the conspiracy theories roll! 

[Fenring]

Let the conspiracy theories roll!

As far as conspiracy theories go this one isn't very far-fetched, especially since Trump has outright said he has a good relationship with Hillary. Campaigns have been unhinged before due to candidates put into the race to deliberately split votes or derail the process. If this was happening now it would by no means be a novelty in campaign strategy.

That being said I wouldn't go as far as Pete to say it's obvious this is happening. I'd leave it at saying that it's a distinct possibility and that I have to wait and see.

[AI Wessex]

There is a tiny, tiny chance that Trump running was a set-up, but like in Dumb&Dumber, at least there's a chance.  As for the plane crash, maybe the odds are only half as good, so there's still a chance!!!!

[Pete at Home]

If Hillary becomes Prez, look for a major Trump expansion in China.