Editor’s note: This commentary is by Sue Prent, an artist/writer living in St. Albans who routinely blogs on Green Mountain Daily. She is self-employed by Pink House Studios, and works for Fairewinds Energy Education. She also serves on the board of Vermont Conservation Voters.
[I]s it really anyone’s “turn” for a run at the White House?
As Joe Biden weighs his options for stepping into the 2016 Democratic primary race, there is something he should know that the conventional press has simply failed to comprehend.
They have wasted so much focus on the screwy dynamics of Donald Trump’s Republican Party that they cannot see the Democratic field through any other lens.
Bernie Sanders support among Democratic voters does not spring from xenophobic or adolescent power fantasies, as does that of Donald Trump; and it has nothing to do with Hillary Clinton’s “trust issues,” which are largely a media invention.
The growth of Bernie Sanders’ margin does not so much reflect a repudiation of Hillary Clinton as it does his extraordinary ability to connect with faith in our better selves.
We in Vermont recognize this from decades of successful Sanders campaigns, but it has yet to be understood by the national media.
 He has a long way to go to energize voters far beyond Iowa and New Hampshire with his revolutionary message, especially minority voters, but Vermonters can testify to Bernie’s track record of tireless engagement and growing his base.
Â
I remember phone-banking for the Dems and being astonished by the number of voters who planned to support the Republican candidate for governor, but still stood squarely behind Bernie for Congress.
Because he listens respectfully to all of his constituents, even the doubting curmudgeons, Bernie has been incredibly successful in his campaigns through both Republican and Democratic administrations.
There is a cultural foundation in Vermont that has made it possible for progressive values to enter the mainstream well in advance of most other states, while old fashioned fiscal conservatives still find a place for their ideas at the table.
In the 2016 Democratic primary race, those progressive values are finding an even bigger national audience. It is becoming clear that whomever the Democratic nominee might ultimately be, the Sanders agenda must play a key role in his or her platform in order to energize and bring out the base.
This is a clear win for Bernie Sanders, for Vermont and for American social relevance as a whole.
So the vice president should not be influenced by debate over whether his opportunity lies to the left of Hillary Clinton or the to the right of Bernie Sanders.
Bernie is not simply filling a niche among left-leaning voters dissatisfied with politics as usual. The fact that so many very young voters are joining his “revolution” speaks volumes about his authentic appeal.
He has a long way to go to energize voters far beyond Iowa and New Hampshire with his revolutionary message, especially minority voters, but Vermonters can testify to Bernie’s track record of tireless engagement and growing his base.
The progress of the Sanders campaign makes it possible to believe that there might still be a chance for democracy to prevail, in spite of the billionaire king-makers.