Bernie Sanders
Related: About this forumEditorial: This Bernie thing might be catching on
Vermont's Bernie Sanders is the political phenomenon of the moment and that speaks to hunger among a large number of Americans for blunt talk on the working-class issues of social and economic inequality.
On Thursday, the Sanders campaign reported raising $15 million since its April 30 launch, more than anyone except former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
On Wednesday, 10,000 people filled the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Madison, Wisconsin, for a Sanders rally, the largest turnout for any presidential candidate this cycle.
Sen. Sanders, an independent presidential aspirant seeking the Democratic nomination, is rising in the polls in Iowa and New Hampshire, the two states that have first say on the candidate field.
The man who identifies himself as a European-style social democrat is already having an impact on the political debate, pushing issues such as too-big-to-fail banks, the wealth gap and marriage equality to more prominent places on the Democratic campaign trail.
Clinton remains solidly in the lead, but Sanders has momentum.
Sanders fundraising has topped pundits' forecasts by a wide margin. The Vermont senator tapped 250,000 people for 400,000 contributions, 99 percent of them for $250 or less. The average donation was $33.51.
The campaign's focus on garnering small contributions from as many people as possible, makes the point that the candidate is unbeholden to big money while helping to build his grassroots network.
In Iowa, a Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday shows Clinton's lead over Sanders narrowing to 52 percent to 33 percent from 60 percent to 15 percent in early May.
The money, the turnout and poll numbers give Sanders increased credibility as a challenger to Clinton, generally treated as the presumptive nominee with only token opposition.
More here: http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/opinion/
daleanime
(17,796 posts)JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)My husband donated money, but both of us are supporters. So there are lots of people donating money as couples that should be counted as two supporters, not just one.
jwirr
(39,215 posts)TBF
(31,922 posts)When I donate I think of family members who support him but can't afford to send anything. We are dealing with a country in which the very wealthy have gamed the system so badly that they are sitting on billions while most other families are dual earner and still having a hard time paying the bills. How can they really afford anything? I'm glad they are focusing on donations though - as opposed to total collected - because every single dollar donated means someone has heard of Bernie and will likely show up to vote for him. I'd love to see the comparison from other campaigns of actual number of individuals donating (and I don't consider Goldman Sachs an individual!).
sorechasm
(631 posts)Honest Convictions Trump Reflexive Platitudes 24/7/360.
fasttense
(17,301 posts)In American politics. I think we are already getting the benefits of a Bernie Presidency.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)Iwillnevergiveup
(9,298 posts)appalachiablue
(41,055 posts)Go Bernie 2016! Feel the Bern!
SUMMER OF SANDERS! BERNIEMENTUM!
4th of July Independence Day 2015
Sanders 2016! Campaign Kickoff Event, Burlington Vermont
DFW
(54,057 posts)So far, anyway. I'm still undecided, but I want his voice heard, no matter what the outcome, so I was an early donor.
My wife can't vote anyway, so it's just me, if and when.