"In seven days, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders role for the Women's Convention in Detroit went from a primary speaker to a panelist to not attending at all.Sanders said he can’t attend the event because he’ll be in Puerto Rico to survey the devastating damage from Hurricane Maria, which hit the island about a month ago.'I want to apologize to the organizers of the Women's Convention for not being able to attend your conference next Friday,' Sanders said in a statement. 'Given the emergency situation in Puerto Rico, I will be traveling there to visit with San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz and other officials to determine the best way forward to deal with the devastation the island is experiencing.'"
It's odd, right, that he has yet to comment on the controversy. A simple, "Women, I hear you, my presence at your convention is clearly a distraction. I'm going to respectfully bow out," would have gone far to let the women who were critical of his presence know that he listens to women who have concerns about his politics.
Let's hope he's able to offer some tangible aid and support to those in Puerto Rico. If he does, and it's not just an awkward photo-op gimmick like when he went to "meet with" the Pope, I agree that going to Puerto Rico is probably a better use of his time than talking at women at the Women's Convention.
Related
We Walk Together: Thoughts on the Women's Convention
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