Mother Jones - "I Don't Know Who 'I' Am": Bernie Sanders' Brutally Honest Mayoral Memos [View all]

[TomCADem]

What is really interesting in this story from Mother Jones is their depiction of Bernie's unease at going from a protest candidate to an executive, and after being in Congress since 1991, Bernie is once again seeking to make a similar transition.

In addition, what is unnerving is how as a mayor of a city of less than 40,000 people, Bernie complained often about the harsh glare of the media.

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/05/bernie-sanders-brutally-honest-mayoral-memos/

The media was a recurring villain in Sanders’ public remarks and private missives throughout his early career. During his time as mayor, he viewed the coverage of his administration and of national and international issues as emblematic of the way corporate ownership and new technology were impeding civic growth, and he sought out new avenues to circumvent the press, such as a public-access television program called Bernie Speaks. (In 1985, he even participated in a reverse press conference, under the tagline “Does the media lie?!” in which reporters fielded questions from Sanders about their jobs.)

In another memo from this period, Sanders offered a cold assessment of his own personal flaws:

It seemed to me this morning that planning and decision-making were two of the biggest weaknesses that I have. Not only do I not pay bills every month—”What, every month?”—I am unable to plan vacations or intelligent “leisure time activity.” It would be fun going white-[water] rafting or sailing down a Maine river or on a sailing trip, or traveling, etc. etc. Actually, I am better now than I used to be—but pretty poor.

Sanders believed he was trapped in a cycle of his own making.

Bad planning is having a house that is filthy and looks like shit because I don’t hire someone to clean for $15 a week. That, in turn, results in my not wanting people over—and fully enjoying the house…Poor planning is not getting the car fixed, etc.