On Sanders' home turf, Biden has a good amount of supporters too
05 March, 2020
In Bernie Sanders' Vermont stronghold, leftists say they could vote for once-again Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden, backing him as a "charming" guy with the capacity of reducing tensions in the us.
From the Green Mountain State, self-described democratic socialist Sanders has spent 40 years denouncing the Democratic establishment -- including Biden, who he links to Wall Street billionaires and other interest groups.
But Super Tuesday voting suggested many in Vermont believe that the pragmatism of Biden has an improved potential for defeating Donald Trump in November compared to the progressive idealism of Sanders.
Sanders easily won on his home turf, as expected, but he did so by a much smaller margin than in 2016. He took 50.7 percent of votes, down from 86.1 percent four years back.
Across the 14 states that voted on Tuesday, Biden won 10 of these, with Sanders picking right up just three. The race in California was still up in the air, with Sanders leading.
"I am personally disappointed," said Bobby Lussier, a 22-year-old Sanders voter.
"But I sort of need to accept that the rest of the country is coalescing around a different candidate," he told AFP.
Lussier, who works in environmental protection, said he had not been yet ready to give up a Sanders candidacy but said he'd back Biden if he wins the nomination.
He considers Biden a "career politician" and is hesitant to trust him, but admits there is something about Barack Obama's vice president that's appealing.
"I think he's very charming, I can understand why he includes a lot of support.
"He includes a really amazing story," added Lussier, discussing the death of Biden's first wife and daughter in an automobile crash in 1972 and the death of son Beau from brain cancer in 2015.
Less conciliatory is 28-year-old Melanie G, who's fiercely pro-Sanders and continues to denounce the "status quo" that Biden represents.
'Experience'
But Melanie, who didn't disclose her last name, concedes she would still vote for him against Trump.
"He's the lesser of two evils," she told AFP.
Shawnna Lea Zeranek, a 41-year-old project coordinator for a software company, said she voted for Biden on Tuesday.
"I was really pleased with the Obama administration therefore as much as there has been some complaints about Joe Biden himself, I have faith he spent eight years with a guy who did an extremely good job and I think he could continue that," she told AFP.
Thirty-eight-year-old Scott Gale, who runs an advertising on the internet company, in addition has come to terms with the thought of voting for Biden.
Gale would have preferred Pete Buttigieg, the young former mayor from Indiana, but he pulled out of the race on Sunday and backed Biden after an unhealthy result in the SC primary.
"He is not really a fantastic orator," Gale said of Biden, who has appeared confused at times on the campaign trail and made several odd remarks.
"I'd wish to have someone who does not have these gaffes. But I think he gets the right heart for the work. He has a lot of experience and I believe he would be capable of trying to pull the country together."
As much voters do, Gale also likes that Biden regularly smiles.
"When I see Trump touring factories and stuff, he is always very serious. I love seeing a smile on the president's face from time to time," he said.
Source: www.thejakartapost.com