Will the 2016 primary season ever end? After what seems like 100 years of campaigning, debates and petty fighting, we’re rolling toward the finish line. If the Republican race was a fictional TV drama — and admittedly, it has felt like one at times — we’d be approaching its heavily advertised two-part finale. Whether or not Donald Trump becomes the Republican nominee, it’s a safe bet that he will not go quietly. The season finale at the Republican National Convention will be a real ratings grabber.
This is not nearly as true for the Democrats. Their race for the nomination probably would have been canceled due to low ratings midway through the season. Despite the sometimes-desperate attempts of the press to turn that race into a real drama, the fighting between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders remains incredibly tame, relatively speaking.
That’s not to say that either of them have stopped trying — they’re both very much still in it. They are talking about each other more than they were at the beginning of the primary season (which is to be expected), but their digs are not nearly as personal as the media is making them out to be.
Take, for example, the story that blew up following Sanders’ words about Clinton’s qualifications at a rally in Pennsylvania last week. Sanders told the crowd Clinton had been saying he is “not qualified to be president,” and then followed up with, “ I don’t believe that she is qualified if she is through her super PAC, taking tens of millions of dollars in special-interest funds.” He listed some of Clinton’s other decisions, including her vote for the Iraq war.
These remarks followed an interview that Clinton did on MSNBC’s Morning Joe where she was questioned about Sanders’ preparedness for the presidency. While she raised doubts, she would not directly answer the question about his qualifications.
The story blew up in the press. “Clinton questions whether Sanders is qualified to be president,” cried one headline in The Washington Post. “Clinton and Sanders clash over presidential qualifications,” The New York Times stated.
At a news conference the following Thursday, Sanders downplayed his statements, asking for a return to the issues. He did, however, continue to question Clinton’s judgment, saying it was “clearly lacking,” which only added fuel to the press’ imaginary fire.
Think back to February of this year (I know it feels like millennia ago). Remember the Democratic debate where Henry Kissinger came up? During a question on foreign policy, Sanders said to Clinton, “You’ve got a bit of experience. But judgment matters as well.”
Sound familiar? Sanders was expressing the same sentiment that he is now. But these comments were framed in a debate that The Atlantic called “wonkish, if you’re charitable — or dull, if you’re not.” These comments were seen as a legitimate part of a debate, not the blustery character attacks they’re being framed as right now.
Clinton has made questionable past foreign policy decisions. Sanders has little to no experience in foreign policy. These are the things critics of each candidate have been saying for months. But if one of them uses it on the other, it’s suddenly a low blow? Frankly, it’s ridiculous.
The media is just looking for a fight to pick. It’s been hard to find one, especially in a race where the candidates still agree on most issues — remember that, everybody? Their main differences lie in the means to achieve their similar ends — while the other side of the race has reached theatrics of ridiculous proportions.
Granted, now is make or break for Bernie Sanders. He’s been on a winning streak as of late, but he is still behind Clinton in pledged delegates and superdelegates. In terms of pledged delegates, Sanders could win every single delegate in New York on April 19 and still be slightly behind Clinton in numbers. If you factor in superdelegates, the divide is even greater.
It makes sense that Sanders would ratchet up his blows on Clinton. And Clinton can’t get too comfortable, as Sanders has vowed to stay in the race until the convention.
In other words, this is still a competition. It’s possible for Sanders and Clinton to respect one another and still assert why they’re the best candidate. That is the purpose for an election. As long as these two aren’t making lewd, thinly veiled references to hand size, they are doing just fine.
