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I watched Bernie's campaign kickoff speech today in Brooklyn, NY, the place where Bernie grew up. His speech was quite good and inspirational for the passionate crowd attending. At times Bernie was interrupted with the shouts of "Bernie, Bernie, Bernie". I'll give him credit, he knows how to motivate the crowd.
He went through a long list of "promises", and I put that word in quotation marks because although I do not think some are realistic, that's the way they came across to the crowd -- absolute campaign promises -- no ifs, ands, or buts. If he wins these are what he promised, and his constituents will expect him to deliver: Free health care, free college tuition, major infrastructure spending, $15 minimum wage, taxing the wealthy and corporations, slashing military spending, passage of comprehensive immigration reform, DACA, climate change regulations, campaign finance reform, and more. Not much different from 2016, and like 2016, no mention of costs or how it could realistically be accomplished with the make-up of the Senate. That's a minor point and no one in the crowd yelled, "Who's going to pay for it?"
He also spent some time talking about his roots, the son of a Polish immigrant escaping persecution. And Jane will be right with him all the way.
I would put Bernie as the front runner right now. He has the organization -- he really hasn't stopped campaigning since 2016, and he has tons of money. He thanked Nina Turner for all she has done to keep the "Our Revolution" movement alive after 2016. I wonder if he has in the back of his mind Nina Turner as his VP pick.
Still it's early and I wonder if he will be vetted more thoroughly this time around -- that is, if his past is relevant to the current day. I really do not care about his past as much as what is in his proposals, what they will cost and how they can be accomplished. However, it would be good to get all that stuff out of the way because Republicans will crucify him on it in the general election campaign.