Bernie gets personal – POLITICO

When the New Yorker profiled Sen. Bernie Sanders during the presidential campaign, when he was asked about his earlier life.

"I understand," he said. "I really do. For people to elect a president, you've got to know that – you've got to trust them. "

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But, the magazine wrote, "it could not resist sermonizing first," joking, "I know those issues are not as important as my personal life."

More than three years later, Sanders' advisers would like to take a closer look at this issue, and Sanders and his team are now looking for a warmer and fuzzier version of Bernie.

It is not coincidental that Sanders is holding two kickoff rallies in Brooklyn and Chicago: He is spending his childhood in the Flatbush neighborhood, and is attending Brooklyn College for one year. The University of Chicago is where he earned his college degree, and joined the Congress of Racial Equality.

"I grew up a few miles away from here in Brooklyn, in a three-and-one-room apartment. My father was a paint salesman who worked hard, but never made much money, "Sanders is expected to say Saturday, according to his prepared remarks. "Coming from a lower-middle-class family I will never forget how much money – or really lack of money – was always a point of stress in our home. My mother's dream was that someday we would move out of that rent-controlled apartment to a home of our own. "

The embrace of his personal story is the latest sign that Sanders is trying to learn from his mistakes. After facing criticism over a 2016 senior staff member, Sanders also reported to various slates and co-chairs for his second bid.

"I do not think there will be a radical transformation of the way he presents issues to voters," said Jeff Weaver, a top adviser and longtime friend to Sanders. "But I do not think about it when they are elected president, they are not just electing a stack of policy proposals."

The added tour, added, is "an attempt to draw a connection between Bernie Sanders' and the story that it is putting forward in the campaign."

Sanders' campaign has also been tweeting and issuing press releases, which, when he "helped lead student protests against segregated campus housing, segregated schools and police brutality."

Sanders' allies think of his personal story -he's a son of a Polish immigrant whose family members were killed in the Holocaust, grew up lower-middle class, mourned the death of his parents at a young age, and participated in the civil rights movement – could prove powerful in a time when many feel President Donald Trump and income inequality is on the rise.

They also think it could help him / her / him / her / him / her / them / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / , Sanders lost by large margins among their older counterparts.

But there is a chance that Cuban dictator Fidel Castro "totally transformed the society." And there's a chance it will be viewed by some of his fans as phony.

Sanders will talk extensively about his biography.

Sanders' supporters have long urged him to talk more about his background.

This week Justice Democrats, a progressive political action committee that recruited Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Posted a video on Twitter suggesting Sanders should spotlight his biography.

"Bernie believes he's the leader for today," Waleed Shahid, communications director for Justice Democrats and a Sanders staffer, told POLITICO. "Bernie is selling himself a This article focuses on how to tackle the crisis of our time, and how to relate it to one's family.

"Bernie did not discuss this issue," said Weaver. "But I also think about it, it's important for people to understand and understand it. "

Weaver provided some clues about what Sanders might say Saturday and Sunday. The help said that Brooklyn College was "virtually free" when Sanders was a student there. Free college tuition is a centerpiece of his agenda.

"I think it is not a new idea, but an idea that has been used in the past," said Weaver.

He also said, "His family's immigrant experience was powerful in 2016," and "growing up in a community in the face of the worst kind of oppression, to the point of genocide," Bernie Sanders said. person. "

According to prepared statements, Sanders is planning to say that this week he has learned a great deal about immigration as a child because my father came to this country from the age of 17, with a nickel in his pocket. He came to escape the crushing poverty that existed in his community, and to escape widespread anti-Semitism. Needless to say I would not have had anything to do with this trip from Poland because of the Nazis. "

Lawrence Moore, the South Carolina political director for Sanders' 2016 campaign, said Sanders may be able to connect with more voters if he talks about his past.

"I would think it would work better, as long as they do not overdo it," said Moore, who is now the co-chair of the Sanders-founded group of our revolution. "From what I know of him, I do not think that he will let that happen."