For those who didn’t see it, or didn’t see re-runs of it, Bernie Sanders appeared Sunday on Meet the Press. When asked if he was a capitalist, Sanders responded “No. I’m a democratic socialist.” It’s the “No” that is the problem with that response.
Many have argued that Sanders is not a real socialist just a democratic socialist, i.e. a very liberal Democrat. But, going all the way to “no” on the question of capitalism sets him apart from liberal Democrats. The question now becomes whether he has gone too far to retain any pretense of electability. Remember that polling shows that a clear majority of American voters would not vote for a self described socialist. How does expressly disavowing capitalism fit into that metric?
First Read has its own take on this.
But make no mistake: His comment on “Meet the Press” Sunday that he’s not a capitalist isn’t a winning general-election message, especially when being a socialist running for president is more unpopular than being a Muslim or an atheist.
This could well be an unforced error on Sanders’s part, the first in an otherwise impressive campaign. Americans love them some capitalism. They may not know what it means, but they “know” that it made America great and that there is no better system ever devised in the history of the world. To disavow capitalism is to disavow apple pie and Old Glory.
Will it stop Sanders from attracting attention among some on the left? No. What it is likely to do is define a ceiling on his support, perhaps somewhere in the vicinity of 25% of Democrats and left leaners. If any opponent, Democrat now or Republican later, can run a loop of his MTP moment as a campaign ad, his White House aspirations are over.
For months, interviewers have asked about the difference between a democratic socialist and a liberal Democrat. Sanders just answered the question.
Contributor, aka tidbits. Retired attorney in complex litigation, death penalty defense and constitutional law. Former Nat’l Board Chair: Alzheimer’s Association. Served on multiple political campaigns, including two for U.S. Senator Mark O. Hatfield (R-OR). Contributing author to three legal books and multiple legal publications.