On Sunday, during a pre-taped interview for CBS’ “Face the Nation” Sanders said many of Trump’s supporters are “working-class people” who have “legitimate” angers and fears because of decreasing wages and the rising cost of college tuition among other reasons. Because of this he apparently believes his message will resonate with the average Trump supporter.
Tell me again how the Sanders “Revolution” isn’t the Disaffected White Man’s Revolution. Tell me again that this a a true political revolution and not one based on wishing and hoping the political landscape were different.
Before I go any further I want to address the initial response I expect which is, “Just saying those people will like certain things about Sanders doesn’t mean that he is like them, his campaign is indebted to them or that he would be in the pocket of those people:” Because I read the diaries and comments about Hillary Clinton saying that she would hope that everyone (including Wall Street) would like her. I read that this means Hillary is a corporatist sell out. So, for the purposes of talking about what the candidates mean when they say something, lets be intellectually consistent.
Bernie Sanders went further in the interview to say that Trump has taken the “legitimate” fear of his supporters and converted it into anger against Mexicans and Muslims. Not, as I believe, those supporters already had the “anger” against Mexicans, Muslims and anyone that isn’t a white male. And for “anger” read hatred.
I have avoided writing a diary about the Trump/Hillary race because of the unpleasantness associated with the very topic. But what I have wanted to write about for a while is the fact that I very much want to vote for Bernie and very much want him to be able to win. Because I believe his message about income inequality is one of the most important messages of this campaign cycle. However, I have worried about whether or not he can defeat Republicans in the general election. That worry is based on a lifetime of watching politics. (In my case beginning in 1976 when I first worked on a local campaign). And a lifetime of watching how difficult it is for someone with Sanders’ message and background to win.
His ability to defeat any Republican is and will continue to be my concern. I read as much as I can about Sanders but I am still concerned about they very real possibility that he will not be able to withstand the onslaught of negative campaigning that will come his way. So I have looked for concrete reasons that can convince me that he can win. Instead, I see a path to victory that is essentially-- Announce my candidacy and talk about the economic revolution, something something, inauguration.
So the “something, something” is what concerns me. I saw this “something, something” more simply stated as “la la la, I can’t hear you” FROM A BERNIE SUPPORTER in a recent (wrecklisted) diary that posited the claim that Bernie is the frontrunner.
I have heard that polling doesn’t matter. I have heard that the Tea Party will support him. And now, Mr. Sanders himself believes that Trump supporters are his natural constituency because they have the same fears about economics that he does. At the very, very best these statements show a complete misunderstanding of the right wing and the people who vote in Presidential elections. Now I am seeing that Mr. Sanders is courting the most vile among us. And believes we basically have the same values except the Trump followers have been “scared” by Trump into being fascist, racists.
As a woman and a grandmother to children who have the color of skin the supporters of Donald Trump hate, I am frankly horrified. Donald Trump did not create the misogyny and racist beliefs of his supporters. Income inequality did not create the woman hating, white supremacist beliefs of his supporters. The hate they have for anyone who is not a white male is inbred and supported through centuries of hate.
I bothers me a lot about Mr. Sanders that he would think these people would or should be his natural allies. Because it takes a hell of a lot of compromise to welcome those people to the “Revolution” just because they are also concerned about making a living wage and paying for college for their children. (I even question that paying for college is a mutual concern of the academic elitist-hating, education-hating Trump supporter). It speaks volumes to people of color and women who are the constant targets of these fascist fucks that Sanders considers his Revolution to have common ground with those people.
From the beginning I have read that Sanders has been misconstrued and unfairly treated by people of color who have not joined his revolution. And now I see that Mr. Sanders believes the most racist, fascist portion of our society will be open to his message. To me, that message now includes a message to women and people of color about what his priorities really are. (If you don’t think his intent was to be dismissive of the issues women and people of color are concerned about see his response later in the interview when questioned about Trump’s attack on Bill Clinton re: sexism. Instead of decrying the attack he dismisses it as Trumps “vulgarity” and immediate pivots to the minimum wage). Income inequality is a big deal and I hope all of the candidates make it important. But the concerns of women and minorities can’t get subsumed by that message. I hope Mr. Sanders’ answer was in response to a “gotcha” question designed to make him look bad to the people from whom he needs support. But as I read the message across all... forms ...of... media, all I see is that Sanders is courting the Trump follower vote.
If getting the Trump supporter vote is the “something, something” path to victory that Sanders supporters mean when they say “la la la we can’t hear you” then my initial concerns about his ability to win the general election remain. If it is truly Mr. Sander’s strategy, my concerns remain. If Mr. Sanders is simply naive about who the Trump supporters are...I am still worried. If it is just a tone-deaf response that essentially means “I hope everyone would like me” then fine. But someone should clear up the message that is coming across, which is, "Sanders says he's courting Trump supporters"
