Well, after the first presidential candidate nominations in Iowa last week, should we still be saying that?
Yes, she did win.
But only by a smidgen, a morsel, a sliver and all the other synonyms for ‘small.’
Back in the summer, it seemed pretty clear that no other democrat mattered, let alone any other presidential candidate. The White House was going to get its first female president, a milestone for the hegemonic country. It seemed to make sense with her impressive resume: secretary of state, first lady, lawyer. Her long history with the White House and the Democratic party, especially with her advocacy and activism for human rights, made it seem like President was next on that list.
Yet after Tuesday, the first results came out: 49.9% Hillary and 49.6%… Bernie Sanders?
No, that’s not him up there. But if anyone’s seen Larry David’s spot on impression of Bernie Sanders on SNL, then one might understand the shocking – perhaps even astonishing! – results of Tuesday. Socialist jokes galore, Bernie Sanders is just plain radical! And no one seems to let it go.
But they are embracing this.
Now, before I get into a (relieving) rant on Donald Trump’s loss that night, let me explain why Bernie Sanders isn’t going to go away.
This is a guy who has marched with Martin Luther King. His active history with civil rights ground his calls for an upheaval of Wall Street and free schooling. He wants radical change, and frankly, I agree with him.
I’m not a U.S. citizen, but radical change is needed in a lot of places, not just inside the United States. His growing youth vote demonstrates how the leaders of tomorrow, and all the other clichés used to describe young generations, are finding him an inspiration – a voice for a better country. His rhetoric, whether or not its true, is like that of classic politicians – pop culture figures almost, with forceful and articulate speeches that cut the bull. His are speeches ones that every writer wishes to create one day, with the promise that they will be delivered by a guy like him. Tuesday night shocked the world, and Bernie Sanders isn’t afraid to shove it in the face of all establishments.
What does this mean for Hillary? Well, a recent poll of Democrats says that her national lead is falling. Sanders is gaining momentum. Maybe she, too, needs to go beyond the White House comfort zones and bring something new to the table that isn’t just fighting off hard-headed Congressmen.
So whether you’re a fan of Bernie or Hillary, let’s just be thankful that even the most Republican of Republicans didn’t vote Donald Trump (though he, too, didn’t lose by much to Senator Ted Cruz). Okay, maybe I’m giving the guy a hard time, but I must say, he does often put me into a state of anxiety with his anti-this and anti-that speeches (definitely NOT the same anti-this-and-that as Bernie Sanders). Whether you say he’s mean, racist, or just plain rambunctious, Trump is a businessman, doing what he does to get what he wants. And whether that’s admirable or not, remember, he only lost by ALMOST 3%.
This year, the Presidential Elections will provide more entertainment that a whole Netflix series can give you (at least, if you’re a polisci student like myself!). If you’re a Hillary fan, don’t worry. This one poll is pushing her, and maybe that’s a good thing. If you’re for the Democrats in general, then maybe you can still say that they at least got it in the bag, as they don’t have as many candidates dividing their votes. And for the Republicans, well, that’s still a little unclear with so many candidates. And if you’re not at all into politicians, rhetoric and the U.S., then Google’s got just the right amount of 2016 Election gifs to keep you updated and amused.
References and Pictures:
http://national.suntimes.com/national-world-news/7/72/779125/greatest-hillary-clinton-gifs-all-time
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/feb/02/hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-iowa-caucus-cruz-trump
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2016/feb/01/iowa-caucus-vote-liv…
http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-ted-cruz-debate-2016-2
https://media.giphy.com/media/11lLn6lwsdicLK/giphy-facebook_s.jpg
https://www.google.ca/search?q=hillary+clinton+gif&espv=2&biw=1314&bih=7…
https://www.google.ca/search?q=donald+trump+gif&espv=2&biw=1314&bih=762&…