The primary mission for candidates on stage at Tuesday evening’s Democratic debate was to distinguish themselves from frontrunner Hillary Clinton in a positive way, thus showing potential voters that there are viable alternatives for president worthy of consideration. According to members of one very enthusiastic focus group conducted by pollster Frank Luntz, only one candidate was able to dojust that.
Using descriptors like “for the people” and “powerful,” Sen. Bernie Sanders and his promises of revolution won the debate hands down, according to those polled. When asked why Sanders is so appealing, members of the focus group credited the senator’s “straight-forward” nature and apparent sincerity on the issues he champions.
“But he’s a socialist," clarified Luntz. "He’s a proud [socialist] ... Do you think he can win?”
In response, most members of the focus group seemed completely unfazed by Sanders' hard-left political bent – either because they don’t fully believe that he is a socialist, or because they don’t mind. One participant, however, was sage enough to identify the senator’s populist rhetoric and cede that it would pose a problem in the general election.
“He’s a populist,” she began, “I understand the appeal of his proposals, but don’t think he can win.”
Others were not so sure, claiming the country’s desire for “radical change is so deep” (we remember what desire for "radical change" got us in 2008 and 2012), that “this could be the year someone like that gets in [wins presidency].”
Of course, Sanders shining moment of the evening came when he defended former Secretary of State Clinton from a barrage of questions related to her email-scandal. Sanders’ “enough about the damn emails” comment was the clear crowd-pleaser of the night, striking a chord with over 90% of those in the focus group.
When asked why his email comment resonated so much with them, focus group members essentially said they found it chivalrous. The consensus: Sanders was being a “man” and “protecting” Clinton from the onslaught. “[He was being] a gentleman,” added one woman.
Other participants in the group said they found the focus on Clinton’s email controversy “petty” and that they were glad Sanders changed the topic to what really matters in the country today. Apparently, tackling “real issues” is what Democrats do best, as opposed to Republicans who just foment “fear.”
The term "out of left-field" truly seems apropos. Whether Sanders will continue his somewhat inexplicable ascent remains to be seen. No doubt, he is an interesting character -- someone who speaks his mind boldly and who seemingly holds true to his convictions (genuinely rare qualities among those operating in the halls of Washington), but those convictions are what cause concern. Under normal circumstances, an ideologue vowing “revolution” claiming the highest office in the land seems more than a long-shot. But then again, the country did elect Barack Obama twice. In the Orwellian universe of 2015, even a "Bernie for President" can't easily be dismissed.
