By Arthur Z. Schwartz
As this paper goes to press, we are six days away from the Presidential election. Although the FBI has reopened its investigation of the Clinton emails, I assume, for the purposes of this piece, that Hillary will win, not by a landslide, but in a squeaker. Even though I know you have heard too much about the election, I can’t resist leaving you, as your District Leader, with a few thoughts.
The true highlight of this year was Bernie Sanders. Did he run a great campaign? In some respects, yes (how about rally after rally of 10,000–20,000 and 30,000 or more people), some with no (or not enough) advanced planning. But it was inspiring. He showed us that politicians can be principled, that politicians can run campaigns based on issues. And that politicians aren’t all slick and stage-managed.
Donald Trump has unlocked a movement, which, if successful, could have unleashed a fascist movement in the United States. He himself, as Charles Blow said in the Times, “is the logical extension of toxic masculinity and ambient misogyny…rampant racism, wealth worship…and anti-intellectualism.” If invented as a movie character, he would have gotten bad reviews.
Hillary Clinton was, and is, who Hillary Clinton promised to be. Somehow, she broke a barrier for women, but few got excited (compare her with Obama). She did indeed have low energy. In the last month, except for one campaign stop with Michelle Obama, the crowds at her rallies never broke 2000. It’s gonna be a long four years.
But the Bernie movement, the Bernie Revolution, as I reported in the last issue of WestView, has not died. A giant has been unleashed.
