Buttigieg Says No Vote For Boston Marathon Bomber; Bernie Says Yes & Kamala is a Maybe

As a former resident of Boston, I take all matters pertaining the Boston Marathon Bombing six years ago very, very seriously.


Dzhokar Tsarnaev placed a backpack of explosives next to an eight-year old boy which killed upon detonation. He and his brother murdered an MIT police officer in cold blood. He was found guilty on four counts of murder and 26 other charges related to conspiracy, possession and use of firearms and weapons of mass destruction, carjacking and destruction of property resulting in death. He is currently awaiting his own execution. The voting rights of the Boston Marathon Bomber isn't a tough call.


But for Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris, it evidently is. Fortunately, Pete Buttigieg is another story.




During a series of CNN Town Hall Meetings with various Democratic presidential candidates last night, several weighed in on the question.


Bernie Sanders not only thinks Tsarnaev should have had the vote, he all but asked for his endorsement:

If somebody commits a serious crime, sexual assault, murder, they’re going to be punished,” Sanders said. “They may be in jail for 10 years, 20 years, 50 years, their whole lives. That’s what happens when you commit a serious crime.

But I think the right to vote is inherent to our democracy. Yes, even for terrible people, because once you start chipping away ... you’re running down a slippery slope. ... I do believe that even if they are in jail, they’re paying their price to society, but that should not take away their inherent American right to participate in our democracy.

This is what I believe. Do you believe in democracy? Do you believe that every single American 18 years of age or older who is an American citizen has the right to vote?

"Once you start chipping away at that ... that’s what our Republican governors all over this country are doing. They come up with all kinds of excuses why people of color, young people, poor people can’t vote. And I will do everything I can to resist that.

Uh, I hardly think mass murder is an excuse in denying Tsarnaev his right to vote for Bernie. Tsarnaev doesn't have the right to vote now so his disenfranchisement argument is specious and irrelevant.


But at least Bernie made it clear where he stood. Kamala Harris hemmed and hawed before stating, “I think we should have that conversation.”


Rubbish!!! There is nothing to discuss here. The Boston Marathon Bomber is going to be executed. If he is to forfeit his life for his crimes, he has most certainly forfeited his right to vote. As Cam Edwards tweeted this morning, "Kamala Harris has talked tougher about America’s legal gun owners than the Boston Marathon bomber." This is not a good look for her. For me, it is a deal breaker.


The only Democrat who came out looking good on this question was Pete Buttigieg. He was the only Democrat who said no stating, “Part of the punishment when you were convicted of a crime and you’re incarcerated is you lose certain rights, you lose your freedom." For these remarks, Buttigieg drew huge applause.


If Democrats want to regain the White House this is the kind of language they need to deploy where it concerns the rights of terrorists who kill Americans. There can neither Bernie's full throated defense of "terrible people" nor can we tolerate Harris' suggestion it be put on the table for discussion. There is only one right answer on this question and Buttgieg is the only one who got it right.