The Real Reasons Bernie Sanders Is Transforming The Election: Here’s Why He Galvanizes The Left

[Purveyor]

With Bernie Sanders, it's leadership on the issues -- not a cult of personality -- propelling his long-shot bid

By Sophia Tesfaye


(Credit: AP/Evan Vucci)

CNN dubbed this “the summer of Sanders” as media outlets finally picked up on the large crowds Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has attracted during campaign stops. His rocketing poll numbers in early primary states like Iowa and New Hampshire led to countless stories heralding a Sanders surge — but the story is as much about the issues as it is about the man.

Even Republican candidates have taken notice of Sanders’ rise. Ahead of a recent stop in Madison, Wisconsin, likely 2016 contender and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker welcomed Sanders to the state with a series of tweets attacking the democratic socialist once dismissed as too fringe. Walker may not have taken too fondly to Sanders attracting a record 10,000 people in his home state.

But Sanders’ campaign, surely more so than that of any of the Republican candidates, seems to be gaining traction more for the ideas he espouses than because of a cult of personality.

Granted, many supporters have pointed to Sanders’ straightforward manner and willingness to call out bad actors as refreshingly appealing, but unlike with Republican presidential candidates Donald Trump and Chris Christie, it isn’t just a brash style that’s being sold. Sanders makes a direct effort to address many of the issues that have arisen since the Hope & Change campaign of 2008 and it appears as though he is tapping into very real and long-simmering sentiments in the Democratic base.

More than a protest vote against Hillary Clinton, as some have suggested, Sanders’ support appears to be support for issues Clinton’s yet to fully address. Here are some of the ways that Sanders is gaining support by leading on issues or movements that other candidates ignore:

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http://www.salon.com/2015/07/03/the_real_reasons_bernie_sanders_is_transforming_the_election_heres_why_he_galvanizes_the_left/

[peacebird]

1. Woot! K&R! "The Summer of Sanders!"

[RufusTFirefly]

4. Reminds me of...

Summer Sanders

[merrily]

8. Don't you love it? CNN finally did something cool again.

[appalachiablue]

37. K & R. Love it, the SUMMER OF SANDERS! Thanks for the OP Purveyor.

Go Bernie 2016!

JEB! (Just Elect Bernie!)

[azmom]

2. k&R

[LiberalElite]

3. K&R

[madfloridian]

5. Exactly! "it's leadership on the issues -- not a cult of personality"

I think a lot of people don't understand that.

[RufusTFirefly]

7. Yes! And that's what democracy looks like! n/t

[Spitfire of ATJ]

12. CNN doesn't know how to cover that....

They don't feel it's their job to point out problems.

They would rather debate if the American Public* believes the problem even exists.

*A cherry picked sample of 1000 of them based on one of their CNN/Wall Street Journal polls.

[BrotherIvan]

19. It's funny when that is hurled at the Sanders supporters

in an explosion of irony kind of way. Projection is a deep character flaw.

[Live and Learn]

27. +1 nt

[cui bono]

6. "gaining traction more for the ideas he espouses than because of a cult of personality"

Exactly! Don't listen to those who really did follow a cult of personality trying to project that onto Bernie supporters.

Bernie is the real deal and people support him for what he stands for, and they can actually discuss his policies and not just trust him no matter what.

FEEL THE BERN!!!

[MisterP]

11. personality cultists actually believe that if someone criticizes their leader is doing so because

they themselves are personality cultists

just like when the fundies deny evolution or warming they're so damn sure that everyone else is proposing those things because of some fundamentalist doctrine of their own ...

and it's very important that it's not a cult thing--the policies, not the personality are what's central, because with cult politics any policy can be dropped and the cheering will continue: the candidate's supported because they make supporters tingly in the bathing-suit zone, and such emotion unmoored from anything concrete is very dangerous (hence all the mobbing 2008-11)

[cui bono]

21. Agree. Plus, I can attest that I certainly do NOT want to see Bernie in a bathing suit!

And if I did I would NOT post it as an OP in the Bernie Sanders Group.

[BrotherIvan]

20. Couldn't agree more!!

If someone is bashing you for having principles, that person holds none.

[SoapBox]

9. He's honest...authentic...and consistent.

Oh ya...and supports the 99%.

That's pretty much all I need to know.

Bern Baby Bern!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

10. "Sanders’ support appears to be support for issues Clinton’s yet to fully address."

Not according to Clinton supporters I've met.

[Purveyor]

16. Hillary Who? eom

[calimary]

13. It's a VERY fascinating evolution that appears to be happening.

I'm thinking back to all the various elections and campaigns, and ...

WHEN has it EVER been more about the issues than about the personalities? Not very often. If that were the case, Dennis Kucinich or some such idealist would have been President. I remember interviewing politicians who wanted to talk about the issues or SAID they wanted to talk about the issues. But it was always something a lot more superficial - and that "issue" did nothing but gain momentum.

For Pete's Sake, we had Occupy out there in the freezing cold all over the place. That was a HUGELY critical issue. Got nothing. Put almost TOTALLY on ignore. Michael Moore's films, for all their critically important focus on the issues - are still considered on-the-fringe. The anti-war movement - back during Vietnam, four students had to get shot and killed by itchy-trigger-finger National Guard troops before it got widespread attention. Back during the run-up to Iraq? The objections to THAT - got nothing. Even with masses of people. Put on ignore. I remember a weekend-long rally and march through the streets of Manhattan, against the Iraq War, the summer that the GOP CONvention was in town. The march went on for most of an entire day. Damn near took over the whole city. And NO coverage except on C-SPAN. Didn't even move the ol' proverbial meter. NOTHING.

It's only very lately that something like this has been able to catch on. AND get noticed.

[vlyons]

17. republican lies and BS have gotten so over the top

that regular folks are just fed up with the phoniness and fear-mongering and racist hate-mongering. We want common-sense solutions to our myriad problems, and we want to have a decent life with a decent job and decent education for our children.

[CrispyQ]

39. Bumper sticker I saw a long time ago:

The liberal media is only as liberal as the conservative corporations that own it.


Yes, I remember there was hardly any coverage of the anti-war marches, and those who did report, gave gross misrepresentations of the numbers of protesters.

The media is such a huge, huge part of our problem! "Fair & balanced" is the biggest pile of journalistic bullshit I've ever heard & now it's mainstream & most American's think that's what a news station should be.


The 'for-profit' model corrupts every public institution. There is a reason why somethings are not for profit.

[Le Taz Hot]

14. Great article.

There is no other candidate that shines in any four of the areas listed in the article, much less all of them.

[Red Oak]

15. Sen. Sanders is capturing attention across the political spectrum

Last edited Sat Jul 4, 2015, 12:27 AM - Edit history (1)

I am finding it easy to turn friends and family, liberal and conservative, on to Sen. Sanders' message of opportunity for all and not just a small wealthy sliver of America.

The conservatives that I have talked to are receptive to his economic message. It is easy to show them Sen. Clinton's top donor list and then discuss her silence on TAA/TPP. I do have to explain what TAA/TPP is and why it matters. They listen. We discuss the GOP position on TAA/TPP. They ask questions, they listen.

People are fed up with politicians that act against their constituents' interests (e.g. Rep. Pelosi's interview on Wall Street regulation) and those that smell of focus groups (Sen. Clinton's parsing of "small donations" yesterday).

Sen. Sanders may not be a perfect fit for everyone, but he is the only real person running right now and that is really helping him build a broad coalition.

[rhett o rick]

18. k & r. Thanks for posting. nm

[Babel_17]

22. He has the record ...

He has the record of consistently taking considered stands on a long list of important issues. This is the internet era, lots of us do our homework and dig into the history of what's happening in the world.

This has been great news for people in the industry of revisionist history, but also for thoughtful types like Sanders who've gone on the record, at length, taking on the issues that serious voters are interested in. These types usually don't have the resources for self promotion, so the information age has been a blessing for them and, in this regard, for us.

[snagglepuss]

23. k and r

[blackspade]

24. Great read!

[2banon]

25. "tapping into very real and long-simmering sentiments in the Democratic base"

it appears as though he is tapping into very real and long-simmering sentiments in the Democratic base.

EGGS-ACT-LY!

[orpupilofnature57]

26. Someone who uses the time to explain, instead of filling time with poetry & Platitudes .

[Fuddnik]

28. The Tampa Bay Times finally mentioned him in their online edition today.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/bernie-sanders-turns-into-force-on-presidential-campaign-trail/2236070

[McKim]

29. Longshot?

Is it really a longshot? Hasn't he already shown he is now a close second? Change the headline!

[McKim]

30. Longshot?

Is it really a longshot? Hasn't he already shown he is now a close second? Change the headline!

[Purveyor]

32. I leave the source title intact but I'll be one of the first to post copy "close contender"

that they soon won't be able it ignore.

[Indepatriot]

31. I thought it was his youthful, trendy, good looks, carefully managed appearences poll-tested

statements, and shift with the wind priorities that were pullin' them in...

[C Moon]

33. The L.A. Times?: (crickets)

The L.A. Times seems to wait until something is banging on their door to give it coverage.
I guess they're afraid of being labeled as a left-wing rag.
I still enjoy reading papers as well as online news. I'm guessing that those who read the paper is probably in the minority now.
As such, the Times is trying not to insult what little subscribers they have.

[markpkessinger]

34. Yes, it's about the issues, but it's the candidate, too . . .

. . . Let's face it -- there is something immensely appealing about a candidate who so clearly states his positions -- positions that are clearly consistent with what he has been saying for years -- and whose stated positions don't sound like the work of some political consultant, who tries to make his candidate seem sincere while avoiding saying anything that will trying at once to make you think he is sincere yet avoiding saying anything too committal. He says what he means and means what he says, without any need for his hearers to parse every statement for some hidden, later-to-be-invoked hedge (something people have learned by bitter experience they must do with President Obama).

[Cosmocat]

35. Correct - it is both

He is one of a disturbingly few democrats who in no way equivocate, who make a full and fiery defense of democratic ideas and flat out call republicans on their bullshit.

BUT, not in a crass manner like a Alan Grayson.

Most of our ideas are what most people actually believe in past the muddled up social stances on things.

He has to this point in his career been able to champion those things w/o getting caught up in the weeds.

The more he gains momentum, the harder it is going to be, because he IS going to face more and stronger bullshit memes the more he is viewed as a truly viable candidate to win the nomination. How he weathers that is going to be interesting.

[appalachiablue]

36. God yes, the relief it is to have Bernie now who is highly effective, clear and passionate about

what he says, and you know it's genuine. Trying to discern what Obama means and intends to do which is obscure at times is darn near mind breaking! How refreshing to have a candidate who delivers the message so naturally, powerfully and successfully, and it takes both, the right issues and the right candidate.

Here's to The Summer of Sanders!

And JEB! Just Elect Bernie!

[L0oniX]

38. Getting sun Bern'd this summer.

[CrispyQ]

40. This is the most telling of all:

Even Republican candidates have taken notice of Sanders’ rise.

He has a decades long solid liberal record. Hard to attack that. His message resonates across party lines. He's articulate, he talks issues instead of sniping at his competition and he has a sense of humor. He's not pretty but he's truthful. I think a lot of American's are sick of nice looking candidates that talk the talk, but don't walk the walk.

Can he win? I don't know but the fact that dem leadership & repubs both, are attacking him, makes me believe that TPTB have taken note of Bernie & the Bernie wave.

[zentrum]

41. He's never held back

…on his true beliefs. He has that inner rudder every leader needs to have.

Don't agree with him on all his past votes, but he never hid his position from his voters and he could never be bought.

Longing for him to be President.