Bernie was right. It was a sucker bet. Had we invested the same money in improving our schools, rebuilding our infrastructure, or improving neighborhood safety, those funds could have created much more positive change.
Mayor Bernie with McGruff, the crime-fighting dog who urged children to 'take a bite out of crime.'
(Image by University of Vermont) Details DMCA
JB: Before coming to Hamilton, Bernie was once mayor of Burlington. Did he talk policies with you? How did he teach you what he wanted you to know?
BM: He definitely was not shy about talking politics in and outside of class. While he was travelling back and forth to Vermont when he wasn't teaching, he was accessible for office hours when he was on campus. I recall dropping by his office at least once just to talk politics and government and he was quite colorful when he did.
The unique aspect about his class was that he kicked us off campus to visit nearby Utica, NY to interact with city officials and residents to see the human side of urban policy. I have no vivid recollection of the meeting, but we had a chance to meet the Mayor of Utica. (Clearly THAT mayor did not go on to run for president.) But, I definitely recall interacting with other officials in the drab Utica government buildings. Most important, I recall connecting with Utica residents and speaking with them to put real faces on the topics we discussed in class.
This was very different from most courses (although a visit to a nearby Air-Force Base was a highlight of another class), which featured texts and research, but little hands-on, real-world connection. That was definitely my biggest recollection of Sanders as a professor and what strikes me when I hear him speak on the campaign trail -- these aren't ideas we are debating or policy abstracts we are discussing, they are people with lives that will either be better or worse depending on what we are doing.
JB: It's pretty cool to have a former professor making news on the national landscape. Bernie not only won the New Hampshire primary, but by a larger margin, 22%, than has been seen there by any candidate at any time, including incumbent presidents, running for re-election. [See MSNBC coverage: Sanders makes history with New Hampshire landslide] That is amazing and definitely newsworthy. But, let's keep a sense of perspective. That was one primary. Should we be taking off our rose-colored glasses? Based on your experiences, albeit long ago, have you got any caveats in your support for this candidate that you'd care to share?
BM: I have no insight into this campaign based on my interactions with the candidate as a college professor 25 years ago, but the fact that Bernie Sanders has set records for donors and fundraising support tells me that he's not just resonating with former students.
The evening of the primary, I made a modest congratulatory contribution to the campaign. By the next day, I noted the campaign had raised a total of nearly $7 million. Any candidate with that kind of support (both the donors and the amounts), is a candidate who can compete in the process. It is certainly possible that the Super Delegate system will push back against his performance as an insurgent in the primaries, and his opponent is certainly formidable, but it looks like there will be a lot of talk about my former professor for the coming months -- and maybe for the next eight years!
JB: Indeed. You're in Pennsylvania. That's often a swing state. What's going on there? Anyone besides you feeling the Bern?
BM: I'm active in local party politics and I can state that most Philadelphia political people are lined up squarely behind Sanders' opponent. But, outside of the political class, I often see Bernie stickers, buttons, and signs. We probably will not start thinking about this election for another month or so here in the Keystone State, but real Pennsylvanians should be very receptive to Bernie's message.
JB: That's so interesting. It seems like a fairly typical phenomenon, with many party officials all over lining up for Clinton while many of their "common folk" constituency are strongly behind Bernie. It'll be interesting to watch this play out. Anything you'd like to add before we close?
BM: I certainly don't know how this will play out and I don't pretend that my experience with Bernie Sanders as a college professor gives me any true insight about Senator Sanders as presidential timber. But I do know that it is inspiring to consider how much excitement his presidential campaign has created. That's what we want from teachers and professors, right? We want them to inspire us and it is incredible to know that Sanders was able to do that as a professor -- and as a politician as well.
JB: You're right there, Brett. Thanks so much for talking with me. It was fun!
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