Is Bernie’s Niceness Going to be His Downfall?
It might be time for him to throw caution to the wind, and call out his colleagues.
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As the Democratic Primary continues, clear frontrunners have begun to solidify their positions and distance themselves from the rest of the crowded field of candidates. Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, and Bernie Sanders have emerged as the big three, with virtually no other candidates having any chance of surpassing them. As of late, Biden has begin to fade. But at least in my view, that hasn’t been the most interesting recent development in the race.
In more ways than one, Elizabeth Warren has either intentionally or unintentionally begun to differentiate herself from Bernie Sanders in a number of subtle ways. While Biden continues to fall, she continues to rise and has pulled ahead of both Bernie and Biden in polls from Iowa, New Hampshire, and is even beginning creep ahead nationally.
While Elizabeth Warren is a solid candidate and I would not go so far as to compare her to Neoliberals like Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton, there is just no denying that she is not on the same level of Bernie Sanders in terms of the changes that they both are proposing. Of course, she has some incredible plans, but most would acknowledge that Bernie’s proposals go far deeper in addressing the systemic problems facing average Americans, whether it be healthcare or the wealthy avoiding taxation.
Of course, Bernie is still a strong candidate and is certainly capable of an upset, there is no denying he’s struggling and it may be time for his campaign to reflect, figure out what’s going on, and how best to address it. After signs began to point to Warren overtaking him, I have started to wonder if Bernie’s instinctual niceness may be hurting him.
While I understand it goes against his instincts, perhaps it is time for Bernie to throw a little caution to the wind, and get a little more brave when it comes to calling out his colleagues. Perhaps at this stage in the game, Bernie might be better off by just naming names, and becoming more clear in differentiating himself from the rest of the field, including Warren.
Of course, it clearly goes against Bernie’s nature to be aggressive and critique people he…
