Some would say that Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has no chance at beating Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination, but stranger things have happened in the election process. Clinton has her strong points but Sanders does too. For right now the final result is anyone’s guess and both have to be on their best A Games to win the nomination.
Clinton has the advantage of having tons of allies in the political and financial and media realms. These are people who got made because of her husband Bill Clinton’s presidency. They owe their careers and fortunes to the Clintons and aren’t about to jump ship just yet. The media loves Hillary giving her three times as much air time as Sanders, even when Sanders has gotten far more money and record breaking attendance records.
Clinton’s downside is also her association with her husband. His sexual transgressions were a major part of Al Gore’s failure to win the 2000 election even though he had the popular vote. Bill Clinton still isn’t out of the woods regarding his womanizing and that is a smear on Clinton, but the public is more forgiving and the media isn’t pressing the issue. Also, Clinton has problems with her associations with the banking industry. She’s still friends with banking organizations who engaged in reckless behavior leading to the financial crisis of 2007-2008. These ties to Wall St. brings a frown down on her campaign. In addition, her ongoing battle regarding her emails continues to raise its head and she has a pall of dishonesty hovering over her like a rain cloud.
Sanders has far more advantages than disadvantages. He’s got the ear of the young, the disenfranchised, the hurt, and the betrayed. He’s come out of the gate like a thunderstorm and has beat the odds of critics and speculators who thought the press would disable him from the start. They were wrong. Sanders has garnered massive crowds of followers to the point of breaking records. Hi social media presence is unmatched. He’s so popular that even foreign countries are supporting him. He speaks logic and common sense which is a direct danger to the corrupt end of government and industry. His promises bring about a foreboding to the criminal element that may erupt in all sorts of attacks and retaliation but Sanders has so much support, such actions could definitely backfire.
Sanders’ shortcomings appear in his broad promises to remedy just about everything. It would take more than 4 years for one president to do as much as he claims he can do. It’s unrealistic but a good foundation. He’ll need that 8 years to get just half of what he wants done and he’ll have to convince voters to overwhelm the local Republicans so that Congress has a majority of Democrats so that his agendas get passed into law and not blocked at every turn like what has happened to President Obama. Sanders is going to have to do an admirable job of converting many citizens and politicians to his banner.
Whether the two team up like president and vice president is highly unlikely. Clinton doesn’t want Sanders anywhere near her because of her associations and Sanders doesn’t want Clinton anywhere near him for the same reason.
Truth be told, Sanders does have a chance, a very good one but it eill only come if Clinton cannot hold up to the scrutiny that is constantly bearing down on her.
Who do you think should have the Democratic nomination? Add your comments below.
