Hillary vs. Bernie: A First in 2016

Published in La Presse
(Canada) on 2 May 2016
by Richard Hétu (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by William Hochstettler. Edited by Melanie Rehfuss.
For the first time since the beginning of the year, Hillary Clinton received more money than Bernie Sanders over the course of the same month. The former secretary of state collected $36.5 million in donations in April, compared to the Vermont senator's $28.5 million – a decrease of 40 percent from the previous month.

The amount of $28.5 million translates to a deceleration of Sanders’ campaign, who announced the dismissal of hundreds of employees last week, the day before the primaries in five eastern American states, of which only one went favorably for him (Rhode Island).

However, as part of a speech at the National Press Club yesterday, the social democratic candidate resumed his campaign director's argument that the superdelegates who have declared their support for Clinton should revisit their decision and lend him their support.

“At the end of the day, the responsibility that superdelegates have is to decide what is best for this country and what is best for the Democratic Party,” declared Sanders in predicting a contested Democratic convention in Philadelphia in July. “And if those superdelegates conclude that Bernie Sanders is the best candidate, the strongest candidate, to defeat Trump and anybody else, yes, I would very much welcome their support.”

Imagine if Clinton had maintained this kind of discourse after registering losses that had left her millions of votes and hundreds of delegates behind Sanders.

She would have been accused of affording greater importance to the Democratic elites than to the regular voters. She would be criticized for her exercise in denial. And she would be told to go take a hike. The only difference: One would not have charged her with hypocrisy, because she is indeed part of the establishment from which the superdelegates come.


Hillary contre Bernie : une première en 2016

Pour la première fois depuis le début de l’année, Hillary Clinton récolte plus d’argent que Bernie Sanders au cours d’un même mois. L’ancienne secrétaire d’État a amassé 36,5 millions de dollars de dons en avril contre 28,5 millions pour le sénateur du Vermont, une diminution de 40% par rapport au mois précédent.

La somme de 28,5 millions traduit une décélération de la campagne de Sanders, qui a annoncé le licenciement de centaines d’employés la semaine dernière, au lendemain des primaires dans cinq États de l’Est américain, dont un seul lui a souri (le Rhode Island).

Qu’à cela ne tienne : lors d’une intervention au National Press Club hier, le candidat démocrate socialiste a repris l’argument de son directeur de campagne selon lequel les super-délégués qui ont annoncé leur soutien à Clinton devraient revenir sur cette décision et lui apporter leur appui.

«En dernière analyse, la responsabilité que les super-délégués ont est de décider ce qui est le mieux pour ce pays et ce qui est le mieux pour le Parti démocrate», a déclaré Sanders en prédisant une convention démocrate contestée en juillet à Philadelphie. «Et si ces super-délégués en viennent à la conclusion que Bernie Sanders est le meilleur candidat, le plus fort candidat, pour battre Trump ou un autre, oui, j’accepterais leur appui.»

Imaginez si Clinton avait tenu ce genre de discours après avoir encaissé des défaites qui l’auraient laissée à des millions de voix et des centaines de délégués «élus» derrière Sanders.

On l’aurait accusée d’accorder une plus grande importance à l’appui des élites démocrates qu’à celui des simples électeurs. On lui aurait reproché de pratiquer le déni. Et on lui aurait dit d’aller se faire cuire un oeuf.

Seule différence : on ne l’aurait pas taxée d’hypocrisie car elle fait bel et bien partie de l’establishment dont sont issues les super-délégués.

This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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