Not all Vermonters are feelin’ the Bern.
Nearly a week after 5,000 people crowded the Burlington waterfront to watch Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) kick off his presidential campaign, roughly 35 gathered across the street Monday night at Main Street Landing to show their support for former secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
Lopsided though those numbers may sound, Holly Jones of Shelburne reassured her fellow Clintonites that they were hardly a reflection of Clinton’s true support in Vermont.
“There was a lot of talk because he had 5,000 people down there,” Jones said. “But I can tell you what: She would get 10,000 people, if not 20 or 30 — and that’s the truth!”
Beach Conger of Burlington agreed.
“Cheer for Bernie! Vote for Hillary!” he said.
The hour-long event, which featured speeches from Gov. Peter Shumlin and former governor Madeleine Kunin, included plenty of talk about the “everyday Americans” to which Clinton and her surrogates have constantly referred this campaign season.
“Hillary Clinton, when she announced her campaign, pledged to be a champion for everyday Americans and that she would work hard to earn every vote,” her New Hampshire press secretary, Harrell Kirstein, said before the program began.
But few of those gathered Monday evening in the half-filled room could be considered everyday Vermonters. Rather, many were Democratic muckety-mucks, such as Rep. Tim Jerman (D-Essex Junction), former state senator Hinda Miller, former Shumlin chief of staff Bill Lofy, former Vermont Democratic Party spokesman Ben Sarle and Burlington Democratic Party assistant treasurer Andrew Champagne.
Leading the charge was Brandon Batham, whom the Clinton campaign hired in April to serve as its Vermont “grassroots organizer.” The Los Angeles native lives in Marlboro and got his start in Vermont politics last summer working on Sen. Becca Balint’s (D-Windham) primary election campaign. He went on to serve as the VDP’s southern Vermont field organizer last fall.
After playing two campaign-produced videos on a projector and taking a photo of those gathered for the event — “One, two, three, say, ‘Hillary!'” — Batham encouraged audience members to stay involved.
“Take a clipboard. Shoot me an email. I’ll send you signup sheets and voter registration forms. Get people plugged in. Get people excited about this campaign,” he said. “2008 was great … because of that. People were electrified going into the polling place. Voting was sexy. We’ve got to make voting sexy again!”
But even Clinton’s top supporters in the state appeared to acknowledge that, at least in Vermont, Sanders may be the sexier candidate.
“I know that many Vermonters are rightly proud of their almost-native son,” Kunin said, adding that she’s “glad that Bernie is running, because his ideas are important.”
Shumlin said much the same.
“We all know in Vermont that we love Bernie. Bernie is a friend and an extraordinary voice for Vermont. I’m proud that he’s running for president. I think it’s a proud moment for Vermont, and as governor Kunin said, he’s going to raise issues that are really important to this campaign,” Shumlin said, adding that he is also friends with the latest entrant into the Democratic primary, former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley.
“But the question for us at this time is very simple,” Shumlin continued. “Who of the candidates running for president has the ability to hit the ground running and can continue to lift up the economy for the American people that have been fighting and struggling to get a fair shot at a good wage and a good life for themselves and their families? And it is Hillary Clinton.”
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“What I do know is that his rhetoric resonates with the majority of Americans”
Really? Do you have any poll results to show that specifically Bernie’s “rhetoric resonates with the majority of Americans”?
“and I think that is his single biggest accomplishment”
Really? His biggest accomplishment in 24 years of being in Congress is saying things that “resonate with the majority of Americans” (if that is even true)?
“Accomplishments do not have to be in the form of bills past (sic)”
Actually, if your job is being a LAWMAKER, then, yes, they do.
“It’s obvious that Sen. Sanders has had a real and positive impact on many lives”
Got any real data to support that?
“As the world is filled with many intractable problems”
Which ones has he solved?
“trying hard to bring about positive change”
How? And with what results?
Would Commander in Chief Sanders demolish ISIS? Maybe he could model USA after the Scandinavians.
As a non-native Vermonter, I hear all the time about how wonderful Bernie Sanders is but truthfully, I don’t know that much about him. What I do know is that his rhetoric resonates with the majority of Americans and I think that is his single biggest accomplishment. Accomplishments do not have to be in the form of bills past but more importantly, measured by the impact they have on real people’s lives. It’s obvious that Sen. Sanders has had a real and positive impact on many lives and garners broad support. As the world is filled with many intractable problems, perhaps all Vermonters (native and those transplants) should just enjoy and take pride in a dedicated Vermonter who is trying hard to bring about positive change for the country he passionately loves and cares about. Go Bernie! p.s. Bernie could also establish himself as a viable VP candidate so his candidacy is no laughing matter.
Bernie’s been in Washington for at least 24 years (first elected to the House in 1990). Tell me about all his great accomplishments there.
Paul, you should consider doing some research on Mr. Brandon Batham whose family ties were responsible for out of state cash fueling State Senator Becca Balint’s campaign. Mr. Batham was an aggressive and obnoxious presence at all of the candidate forums in Windham County and treated other candidates poorly. Clearly, the Clinton campaign is getting bad information on who this “field organizer” really is. Hillary Clinton deserves better than this opportunistic West Coast transplant. Then again, he is in good company with Gov. Shumlin – the penultimate opportunist in the State of Vermont. As I often say, only in Vermont!
Thank you, knowyourassumptions, for stating the obvious! And Jane, I offer you the same response you gave me about Bernie. Keep an open mind and go back and research Hillary’s speeches, her many, many accomplishments over her long career, her humanitarian work, etc…I respect Vermonters supporting the “home town” guy and good luck to them both! Washington needs a change and someone who can work with both parties and get things done. Unfortunately, I don’t think Bernie is savvy enough…
GeishaGirl, if you didn’t hear any solutions at the rally, I would respectfully suggest you may not have been listening closely enough. If you’re open to it, go back and read the transcript. If that still leaves you with questions, search out his most recent speeches and media coverage.
Personally, I’ve heard far, far more common-sense and well articulated solutions from Bernie than I’ve heard … really anything … from Hillary. To me, this is telling. Bernie is running an authentic campaign, down in the trenches with real people, while Hillary is deliberately managing and curating hers. It’s suspect, and a turnoff.
I’d bet Shumlin only supports Hillary because the Democrats are making him… If I was a leader in the party, I’d be sure as hell to not let Bernie make the ticket; he won’t race towards the middle like candidates usually do in the final election months and would unnecessarily lose a lot of the vote. Of course that’s because Bernie is not a typical politician. He is definitely something different, something which might not obey the traditional rules of politics. Personally, I don’t think Hillary’s resumé is of presidential quality judging from the last few years, and if Bernie doesn’t make it, I might honestly consider some of the less conservative Republicans we see.
You want to hear Bernie’s solutions to the problems, then listen and read a little ore carefully. Bernard Sander is a deliberate and thorough man, Hillary is a shill for the corporate interests, she does not have the people’s interests on her agenda. Make no mistake, Bernard Sanders is a serious contender. He’s in it to win for us and we are in it to elect him!!!
How disillusioned everyone is…of course, Vermont’s “homeboy” Bernie is going to be hailed as the hero! But that is Vermont. Soperman3 comments indicate, that 35 vs. 5,000 is, is a “pretty good indication of Secretary Clinton’s support in Vermont” is an unrealistic comment, based on this early, small venue. I watched Bernie’s Waterfront rebel rousing speech as he ranted about everything that is wrong with government, which, yes, I agree with most of his points, YET I did not hear any solutions. I personally like Bernie but I don’t think he has the overall backing or international experience to be a viable candidate. We are talking about getting things done in Washington and moving forward. No matter what you think of Hillary, she is super intelligent, experienced, AND politically savvy. I am not a “Democratic party insider NOR a big money donor” but a hard working, middle class Vermonter (Egmatic). I do think she will do a wonderful job as our first WOMAN President. I support her and I am looking forward to her breaking that “glass ceiling” against all the “good old boys” in Washington and making a difference….