2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: WOW!WOW! & WOW! An Atlantic Magazine profile of Bernie from 1985 never published until now [View all]BernieforPres2016
(3,017 posts)Thabault stands by the door, clipboard in hand, taking notes. Ill get that rebate information for you, he assures her in a low voice.
She murmurs, I dont take welfare.
The mayor says, Its not welfare. Its money that never should have been taken from you in the first place, for Gods sake.
The old woman looks at him and smiles indulgently. She clearly likes the mayor. I shouldnt say this, she tells him, but I saw you on TV the other night, with my son, when they finish fixing North Avenue? And my son says to me, That Mayor Sanders, hes a communist, you know. And do you know what I say to him?
Sanders shakes his head no.
I say to my son, Dont go around saying such things where intelligent people can hear. Theyll think you are stupid.
She laughs, a silvery laugh, and the mayor laughs, too, and rising from the sofa, he puts his huge hands on her tiny shoulders, thanks her and makes sure Thabault has got her address.
Stopping him at the door, the woman says, I told my son that youre a socialist, not a communist.
Precisely! the mayor shouts.
My son, he tells me, Whats the difference? And you know what I tell him? I say, If you cant tell the difference, then you should not call the mayor a communist!