I’ve supported Hillary Clinton for most of the primary season. With that said, I don’t have any problem admitting that Bernie was right about a lot of things. In fact, he was right about things I dismissed outright or even ridiculed at one time.
1. It is possible for a candidate to run a successful primary campaign funded almost entirely through grassroots donations from an engaged base of supporters. Not only that, but from his performance we can also assume that it would be possible to run a successful general election campaign the same way. That is a big deal, and turns a lot of notions about modern campaign finance upside down.
2. Lots of Americans are enthusiastic to entertain a type of liberalism we haven’t seen since the New Deal. Regardless if his policies could truly be called “socialism” or if he could get any of them through congress, the fact that advocating for proposals that would significantly expand government while at the same time dramatically increasing most Americans tax rates did not immediately end his campaign was a surprise to me. These are the types of positions that killed Democrats chances with independents and moderates alike in years past. Not anymore.
3. Many liberals are angry. They are angry at Wall Street for the excesses that led to the economic crash from which we are still recovering. They are angry at corporate America for the policies which have led to growing income inequality. They are angry at the Democratic party for not doing enough to progress liberal values. I knew these feelings existed, but I had no idea how deeply they ran and how motivating they could be for the electorate.
4. Even at her worst, HIllary Clinton is a far better choice than Donald Trump. Bernie has repeatedly said so. He has also said that he will work tirelessly after this primary to do “everything he can” to prevent Donald Trump from becoming president. That clearly would include voting for Hillary Clinton in a two way race for president. It even would include voting for her in a three way (or four way) race for president, assuming that the other candidates don’t have enough support to realistically win.
I’ll stop here. I could easily expand this list to 10 points, but I think this is enough to get my point across. I truly do believe that Bernie Sanders candidacy has changed what I thought was possible, and illuminated the issues and how voters feel about them in new ways. That’s a big deal. I respect him for that, and have no problem admitting that he was right about a great many things and I was wrong.