A little story I heard about Bernie Sanders that seems very illuminating

[Armstead]

This is something I heard on a Vermont Public Radio documentary about Bernie Sanders, a lifelong profile that was balanced.

Apparently he was a track star in high school. During a race one season there was a fellow runner who was not terribly good. Sanders had won a lot of races. But this time, he deliberately slowed down just enough to let the guy pull ahead and win the race, so he could have a win....He didn't make a big deal out of it, but he just did it to give someone else a little boost.

The other guy remembered that for the rest of his life.

IMO, as a reflection of character and integrity, that says something about the sincerity of all that Sanders has done since then.

[olddots]

1. thats what I was taught leadership is all about

Unfortunately to many people winning is everything even though that is totally anti scientific .

[DemocratSinceBirth]

2. That is an awesome and heart warming story. Major kudos to Senator Sanders.

EOM

[blackspade]

6. Your courtesy does you credit.

[BeanMusical]

7. +1 Totally agree.

[Qutzupalotl]

3. Another one...

from Facebook's "Moderates for Bernie" group:

https://www.facebook.com/PeopleForBernie/photos/a.1657630031123871.1073741829.1645816202305254/1719987438221463/?type=3

[Armstead]

5. Another incident

THis is from someone who tagged along one night in the 80's while Mayor Sanders and an alderman were out visiting constituents, just to talk to them to see if they had any problems or concerns....


http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/10/bernie-sanders-mayor/407413/

An elderly woman answers Sanders’ knock this time. When he asks if she’s got any complaints, she answers precisely in French-accented English. The recent state reappraisal of real estate values has increased her taxes over a thousand dollars a year, she points out, but her income has remained the same. She owns the house and lets her granddaughter and her children live next door for nothing, so it doesn’t help that the state says that the apartment can be rented on the open market for $300-$500 a month. “I can’t put my great-grandchildren out in the street, just to get the rent money to pay the taxes,” she explains. “I’m a widow, my husband died, so all I have is my social security. My granddaughter can’t work. She has problems.”

The Mayor shakes his head and bites his lower lip. He is listening.

The alderman speaks up. He reminds the woman of Vermont’s property tax rebate program, which surely she must qualify for. Sanders seems to have drifted into a melancholy that deepens as the woman explains how hard it is for her to heat her house in winter, how frightened she is of the effect the new condominiums going up on the other side of the park will have on her taxes, how worried she is about tripping on the sections of the sidewalk ripped up for the new gas main....

Thabault stands by the door, clipboard in hand, taking notes. “I’ll get that rebate information for you,” he assures her in a low voice.

She murmurs, “I don’t take welfare.”

The mayor says, “It’s not welfare. It’s money that never should have been taken from you in the first place, for God’s sake.”
------------------
Sanders finally ended his tour at the St. John’s Club. It’s an old-fashioned neighborhood political clubhouse...Sanders sat down at a table, sipped at a bottle of beer and explained to a small group of voters from the neighborhood, men and women of various ages, all of them working people, how the state property-tax rebate works, assuring them that if their annual income is below $35,000, they can quality for a rebate. These folks are householders barely holding on to their houses, and they need to know what Sanders is telling them, so they listen intently.

It’s more a private than a public occasion, but Sanders’s intensity, heating up as he speaks, is unmodulated and is almost inappropriate.

[Agschmid]

12. It's a weird article to read...

I've been there, it's right on the bike trail in Burlington. We didn't call them alderman they were city councilors and afaik still are. Burlington is a funny pace politically a liberal center in a politically interesting state.

If it's the St. John's club which was on College St. (I googled it but couldn't determine if it was) it's closed now, great property I'm sure Champlain College will turn it into a dorm soon enough.

Interesting article, thanks for posting.

[chervilant]

32. The way you cobbled together excerpts

from that article... are you trying to denigrate Senator Sanders? Those of us who read the entire article can see what you've done.

[Armstead]

33. What?

[chervilant]

39. The last sentence:

It’s more a private than a public occasion, but Sanders’s intensity, heating up as he speaks, is unmodulated and is almost inappropriate.

This sounds as though you are cherry-picking (out of context, too) a negative about Bernie, and that's confusing to me, because I thought you are a supporter.

[roguevalley]

40. that is an odd sentence to me too. Just odd.

not a criticism but it reads oddly in keeping with the rest.

[chervilant]

41. It's completely out of context. n/t

[gregcrawford]

4. Yeah, Jane Lindholm & company did a great job putting that show together.

Bernie's got a bunch of stories like that. You just won't hear any of them from him. Bernie is the Anti-Trump!

[Bernblu]

8. Yes, he's an honorable, humane man

Unfortunately, this is unusual in politics today.

[BeanMusical]

9. Kick and R

[WillyT]

10. HUGE K & R !!! - THANK YOU !!!

[appalachiablue]

11. K & R. Glad to hear these Bernie stories. He's a true mensch.

[tclambert]

13. The Republican version of this story would involve throwing rocks at the people ahead of you.

Or in Donald Trump's case, throwing rocks in all directions.

[Armstead]

16. I think they're more into football than track

[klook]

14. Empathy is something that can't be faked or focus-grouped.

Bernie Sanders is a sincere guy who really wants everyone to have an even break.

[Doctor_J]

15. too kind hearted and altruistic to survive the hillarians onslaught. makes me wonder just

how deluded and really dark hearted posters like this are.

Rec

[Armstead]

17. Well, he's tough as nails too

A good combination methinks.

[Adrahil]

22. It's not like Bernie supporters are pure as the driven snow....

I satvon the jury for a post that called all Clinton supporters assholes. So there ya go.

[INdemo]

24. Now if that was posted about Hillary no one could read it now

because it would have been hidden
I don't understand how anyone especially those that call themselves Democrats can vote for a corporate owned,
Wall St owned candidate.

[Doctor_J]

27. I alerted that post, probably my fifth alert in 14 years

Until then I didn't realize how rabid some of them are. That was like something you see at freeperville or Fox nation.

[MisterP]

34. heck, there'd be three Left Column posts hall-monitoring about how not voting

for the not-really-Dem is gonna turn the country over to the Pubs

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

26. They don't have much policywise to lash out at him on.

So a common theme is that his supporters suck, and thus by association he's horrible.

[dreamnightwind]

43. Indeed.

[rhett o rick]

18. But some see that as weakness. They are looking for a tough authoritarian candidate.

That's more important than empathy. Conservatives love strong, tough authoritarian leaders and are willing to give up freedoms and liberties. It's not unlike Jr High when some kids were attracted to the biggest bully, hoping he/she will protect them and give them power.

[Armstead]

20. Actually I think his image is more on the tough side....This part of him doesn't get much attention

[Doctor_J]

28. how can Mrs Clinton be a tough leader when she can't stick to any of her beliefs?

[rhett o rick]

29. And how tough can she be to let Bush talk her into helping sell the Iraq War. The truly tough ones

were the ones that took the less popular "progressive" side.

[Adrahil]

19. Love Bernie. Well done, Sir. nt

[Uncle Joe]

21. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Armstead.

[jtuck004]

23. President Carter told us we needed to slow down our economy, let everyone catch up.

We didn't and are paying the price.

I wonder if President Sanders can pull it off? He is the only one who would try.

[Enthusiast]

25. Kicked and recommended!

Thank you, Armstead!

[L0oniX]

30. K & R

[maindawg]

31. I player catcher

I knew the other catcher wanted to play and I wanted him to play. I told him to go in for me and he geared up.All hell broke loose. Coaches freaking out. I knew they would. I told them I was hurt. I cant play. I di dnot act hurt, I just told them I was. Looked em in the eye. People are f d up man. Be fair. I wasnt that good anyway. I hate games ,I did not understand winning but, I hate loosing too. I like to compete. I liked to run. I wanted to do well. I just liked to play.
I understand a runner who may give in to his body in a race and accept defeat. I think thats what Bernie did here. Because that is what its like , to race.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

35. I wonder what Hillary would have done?

[egduj]

36. How do we know he deliberately slowed down? Maybe it was just an off day. We all have those.

[MohRokTah]

37. And George Washington chopped down a cherry tree...

[Armstead]

38. Jeepers, try to put something positive up and look what happens....

[ErikJ]

42. SPRINTER OR LONG DISTANCE?

Geesh dont leave us hangin!

[Armstead]

45. Long distance as I recall

[Orrex]

44. I would resent a competitor who threw a race for me.

What others have chosen to see as a grand and selfless act, I see instead as patronizing and vaguely insulting.

Sanders' intention might have been good, but I would never want to claim a victory simply because a superior competitor chose to throw a race for me. That would be no victory at all.

[Armstead]

46. Well from the radio story, the other guy was impressed and grateful for the gesture

[Orrex]

48. I understand that, but I'm saying that I wouldn't feel the same way

Especially not if that incident were cited decades later as a feelgood story about a prospective candidate for the Whitehouse.

[TeamPooka]

47. I hope he doesn't ease up in this race. nt