It seems like this election cycle is one that is inundated with colorful language. At a rally in New York City, Bernie Sanders advocate, Paul Song, was recorded saying how Medicare For All will not be a thing in the foreseeable future due to “Democratic whores” who have ties to big money. The comment drew a mixture of gasps and applause from the 27,000 supporters in Washington Square Park. It does not take much to ascertain that the snide comment was pointed at Hillary Clinton and her camp.
Who Is Paul Song?
A son of Korean immigrants, Paul Song’s mother worked for Shirley Chisholm, the first major-party Black Candidate for President of the United States. During her campaign trail in the 1970s, Shirley Chisholm remarked how campaign financing can only come from a presidential hopeful who was already a millionaire, or from a presidential hopeful who catered to wealthy interest groups.
As a radiation oncologist, Paul Song has had first-hand experience in seeing his patients go into debt or struggle to secure medical insurance. It makes sense that Paul Song aligns himself with Bernie Sanders’ stance against the establishment, as well as stand behind politics that support free or reduced medical care.
This Wasn’t The First Time
The current presidential race has been deluged with dog whistles, crass language, and cursing. Unsurprisingly, most of the foul language comes from the right of the political spectrum.
- Donald Trump says he will casually bomb the Islamic State.
- Sarah Palin had a few gargled words when she publicly endorsed Donald Trump.
- Fox Analyst Ralph Peters called Barack Obama a derogatory term that is sometimes used for female genitalia.
At Least Bernie Sanders Apologized
Bernie Sanders emphasizes honesty, accountability, and transparency during this Democratic presidential run. It is no surprise that Bernie Sanders swiftly condemned Paul Song’s commentary, calling the remark “inappropriate and insensitive.” Paul Song followed suit by tweeting an apology and publicly apologizing, according to the Huffington Post. Unlike a certain Republican who flip flops, Bernie Sanders and his constituents were quick to damage control the situation before it had the chance to metastasize into something that could severely damage his reputation.
Featured image via Flickr, available under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
