The rise of Sanders and the fall of Clinton. Is an upset on the cards?

As of late, the Clinton campaign has begun to slow down. In a recent Washington Post/ABC poll, 52 percent say she’s not honest and trustworthy, compared with 41 percent who think she is. This, coupled with the meteoric rise of Bernie Sanders, an Independent Senator from Vermont, has got many thinking that perhaps the Clinton hegemony can in fact be quelled.

So, what’s Clinton doing wrong?

When it comes to an life free of scandal, I’m afraid Hillary doesn’t quite cut it. As Secretary of State, Clinton used a private email, which she explains was ‘for convenience’. As you can imagine, this has left many suspicious of her. She only responded to congressional inquiries of her private email once she stepped down, and by that time she had deleted 30,000 emails she deemed were ‘personal in nature’ which left another 30,000 to be handed to the State Department.

What was in those 30,000 emails?

Had she followed the conventional procedure* of having both a work and personal email, this could be found out without intruding her privacy. However, thanks to an amalgamation of the two, she managed to delete them at the time unnoticed.

On top of this the Clintons have made over $26 million dollars in speaking fees. This total includes the fees commanded by Clinton’s daughter, Chelsea. Clearly the ‘Clinton’ name sells. And it sells very handsomely. Even when it’s Chelsea Clinton we’re talking about.

Well, what’s Bernie offering that Hillary isn’t?

All of the aforementioned points paint a picture of Hillary that simply cannot connect with the working class.   Bernie on the other hand, supports tax hikes for the rich and want the minimum wage to be increased to $15/hour. Clinton too has endorsed this, but remains ambiguous about it and how high she would rally for it to increase.  Sanders’ more fleshed out opinions on income inequality have not gone unnoticed, gaining the support of Robert Reich and much of the disillusioned youth struggling with impediments like college tuition fees.

Wait, are you telling me that Sanders has a chance?

Well, not quite. The announcement that Liz Warren, another progressive candidate will not run means that the Anti-Hillary vote will not be further split in the primaries. That leaves us with Martin O’Malley, former Governor of Maryland to duke it out with Bernie. It’s hard to see past a Hillary landslide, but recent events show perhaps that people are growing tired of a continuation of the Bush-Clinton power of old.

But, knows. If people vote for who they want to win rather than who they think will win, suddenly things can get a lot tighter, and with that a lot more interesting.

* It’s reported Colin Powell, Secretary of State under the most recent Bush administration also used a personal email, so what do I know? It’s a bit weird if you ask me though.

5 Comments Add yours

  1. Delighted you are writing about this political situation. I am a political junkie and watch far too much news that tries to be fair and balanced. I hope you will research and write about the state of journalism today. May I suggest a wonderful read…The Paper Chase by Harold Evans who was once Editor of the London Times. He knew everyone in the business when newspapers were investigative. Evans wound up in the States married to the gal who ran Cosmopolitan Magazine. Nonfiction, and SO interesting.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Adi says:

      I’ll read that. Sounds intriguing. Thanks for commenting!

      Like

  2. CBPS says:

    If it weren’t for Citizen’s United, I’d think that Sanders has a chance. But the establishment is going to bury Sanders in money for the two Republican candidates, Hillary and who ever else they nominate.

    If millennials get out an vote, they can do it, but they need to get out an vote or this thing is going to Hillary. The Republicans have nobody.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Adi says:

      I agree, the Republican field is far too crowded and they lack a candidate with a real presence. Thanks for commenting! I’ll brush up Citizen’s United, I lack knowledge on that. And yes, most millennials (myself included) favour Sanders.

      Like

  3. I lived in Vermont. Bernie was awesome. I’d love it if he goes all the way. It would be good for the entire world.

    Like

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