Bernie Sanders is no Ron Paul: What the press gets all wrong about the Vermont senator
Wednesday, Jul 8, 2015 05:00 AM EST
He'll always be an underdog, but Sanders is a more viable candidate than even the left-wing media will acknowledge
Zaid Jilani, AlterNet
Monday night, Bernie Sanders drew 7,500 people in the town of Portland, Maine, a locale that only has a population of 66,000. The Portland rally was the latest in a series of high turnouts, as Sanders is drawing more Americans to his events than any other candidate in either party.
In response to the high turnouts at Sanders’s events, many in the media have sought to downplay his momentum by comparing him to former GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul, who also inspired an enthusiastic following:
“Bernie Sanders is the left’s Ron Paul.” [Slate Magazine]
“Why Bernie Sanders is the Ron Paul of 2016” [The Week]
“Bernie Sanders could be the Ron Paul of 2016” [Washington Examiner]
“Can Bernie Sanders be the left’s Ron Paul?” [Rare]
“Is Bernie Sanders the next Ron Paul?” [Fox News]
The message these outlets are promoting is that Sanders, like Paul, will be able to get an enthusiastic base but will ultimately fail in his quest for the presidency and will only make only a minor impact on the debate. The implication seems to be that Sanders’ views are on the fringe, like Ron Paul’s. But are they? Or is it just that he is the only one articulating the need to address extreme inequality and expanding social security, which millions of Americans support?
The media message seems to rely on the idea that the two men are similar because they spark genuine enthusiasm among their supporters – which is perhaps a sad commentary on American politics that there are so few candidates who can do this that when they do they are instantly compared.
in full: http://www.salon.com/2015/07/08/bernie_sanders_is_no_ron_paul_what_even_the_left_gets_wrong_about_the_vermont_senator_partner/
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