Meme alert: Bernie is the new DK
Just to be upfront. I was a supporter of Dennis Kucinich, although I was well aware of some of his shortcomings. He is/was a seeker, which could make his opinions and observations seem unconventional to say the least. (I think the all-too-easily ridiculed Department of Peace, for example, could lead to a fundamental change in our country's self-image.) In some respects, Kucinich inherited the mantle of Henry Wallace. From a more practical standpoint, he never won a statewide election. That didn't have to be a drawback, but it could be. The most valuable contribution DK made was in voicing opinions that many Americans believed but that rarely received the exposure they deserved. Needless to say, he was completely marginalized and ultimately gerrymandered out of his district.
It is with this background that I issue a caution. My well-tuned political antennae are tingling.
There now appears to be an effort to equate Bernie to DK. In many respects this could and should be viewed as a compliment. Like Dennis, he is giving voice to the voiceless. But I don't think this is the meme's purpose. Often conveyed by concern trolls, its goal is to passively marginalize and ridicule Bernie.
It is a distant cousin of the observation that Bernie is the Donald Trump of the Left, or, in the past, that Keith Olbermann was the Left's Rush Limbaugh. It is designed to set up a false equivalency that can ultimately be used against the candidate.
I remember something similar was tried back in 2004 when the execrable Cokie Roberts observed that candidates like Al Sharpton and Howard Dean were out of the mainstream. That pissed me off to such an extent that I fired off an angry e-mail (no reply, of course). Once again, there are a lot of things to admire about Reverend Al. He is whip smart and has a knack for thinking on his feet that is almost unsurpassed. But he is a polarizing figure and more than a little of a self-promoter. Linking him to Dean was definitely not designed to be a compliment.
Nor are observations that link Bernie to Dennis. At least that's my take.
I don't have any advice on how to counter this, but I see it as one of a host of efforts designed to discredit a Sanders candidacy and thought it might be helpful to point out before it gains traction.
= new reply since forum marked as read
" He can't expect my vote."
and that has the authoritarians up in arms. He refuses to run as a long-shot third party. He wants a real chance at the presidency. And people are audacious enough to show up for his rallies. We were supposed to be Ready for Hillary! or Jeb!
This is not "getting with the program".
Politics is like pop culture , every once in a while people go for substance ,talent and issues over TV
Q .D.K. had to contend with the story book looks of what was his name ?
For years I thought Charleton Heston was going to Emperor.
