TheChat: Democrats fret-fret-fretting over Bernie Sanders

Good morning.

▪ “The way he’s been acting now is a demonstration of why he’s had no support from his colleagues.” — former Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank on fellow Democrat Bernie Sanders.

The level of angst among Democrats over the ongoing primary battle between Sanders and Hillary Clinton is soaring through the roof. The concern: A protracted fight will doom the party in November against Donald Trump. Sanders’ supporters are increasingly saying the nomination contest was rigged, and that’s not a good sign.

▪ “The Obama administration just once again thinks that every decision can be made in Washington better than it can be made somewhere else.” — Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt, a Republican, on the transgender bathroom issue.

The Missouri delegation is split on the president’s directive, which orders schools to allow students to use the bathroom of the gender they identify with. Obama’s heavy reliance on executive action appears to be at the root of the bathroom frenzy.

▪ “A record high.” — an AP story reporting that the number of employed Missourians has never been higher.

Missouri’s Economic Development Development is reporting that non-farm payroll employment hit a record high of more than 2.8 million in April. The state gained 15,000 jobs that month, and that’s up by 5,500 jobs compared with the previous record in February 2008.

▪  “It will just add to the chaos.” — Kansas state Sen. Laura Kelly, a Topeka Democrat, on the latest round of Kansas budget cuts.

For some agencies, such as the Department for Children and Families and the Department of Commerce, the cuts only make things tougher because they are already are understaffed, Kelly said.

This story was originally published May 20, 2016 at 6:11 AM.