With all the constant talk about winning, America might expect Republican front-runner Donald Trump to pick Charlie Sheen for his eventual running mate in the 2016 general election. Trump calls himself a winner as often as clowns take a pie to the face—it’s routine. Sunday, however, while speaking in New York, the Donald actually focused the political winner’s limelight away from himself temporarily in a comparison to none other than. . . Bernie Sanders.
That’s right, the man obsessed with winning sees Sanders, not Hillary Clinton, as the one winning the Democratic primaries, probably because Sanders has won eight of the last nine states, even if he does keep getting sucker-punched in delegate counts due to super-delegates doing such a “super” job of screwing the collective voice of voters. Even “Morning Joe” can see how screwed up the super-delegate system is, but at this point, “them’s the rules,” as they say.
Now, whether Trump is sincere in referring to Sanders as a “winner” or just saying so to jab at the candidate both the media and political establishment keep insisting he will be facing in the general election, Hillary Clinton, is anyone’s guess. Until the general election, however, it is to Trump’s advantage to knock Clinton down and exacerbate the recent developing friction between the two Democratic candidates.
Speaking on the issue of Clinton and Sanders arguing via the media who is and isn’t “qualified” to be, or even run, for president, Trump said:
“You saw what Bernie said? They’re starting to get angry at each other. Bernie’s saying she shouldn’t be able to be in that position, because she’s made so many bad decisions — she shouldn’t even be able to be running for the position.
“And she has made bad, bad decisions. I look so forward to going after Hillary.”
And there, folks, is the key—right there. Trump admits he’s “look[ing] so forward to going after Hillary.” While Sanders is winning the primaries, Trump doesn’t need to “go after” Clinton much, if at all. However, Trump gives himself away in the statement above by inadvertently admitting he expects to be running against Clinton in the general election. So, his comment calling Sanders a “winner” is more designed to be a swipe at Clinton and her possible running power than it is to be a genuine recognition of Sanders’ tenacious winning streak.
Of course, both can be true at once, though. Sanders is winning, primary after primary, and Trump can state that at face value, and use it to try to deflate Clinton’s campaign. And whether Trump is giving Sanders his due respect in the race or just using him to poke at Clinton, Trump’s remarks pointing out Sanders as winning, winning, winning, still helps Sanders. Of course, to Trump, helping Sanders is helping himself, but it still helps Sanders nonetheless.
Stumping Sunday, Trump also brought up the wonky issue of delegate counts plaguing himself and the Vermont senator.
“Take a look at what’s happening to Bernie. He wins, he wins, he wins, he wins, and I hear he doesn’t have a chance. This is a crooked system, folks.”
No doubt. That’s not going to change in this election, though, which means it is what it is, and if it is, then voters are just going to have to work that much harder to get out the vote in order to ensure their winning man wins the democratic nomination. Odd as it may seem, the loathsome Donald Trump comparing himself to Bernie Sanders as being a “winner” helps underline in the national conscious that Sanders is a winner, well-capable of winning the nomination, as well as the general election. And because he’s a “winner” in Trump’s eyes, that somehow makes Sanders a winner in most everyone’s eyes, and someone worthy of the public’s vote. Even those who live and breathe #AnyoneButTrump will see Sanders as more of a winner due to Trump’s comments.
Trump said:
“I’m not a fan of Bernie. I couldn’t care less about Bernie. But he wins, like me.”
Yes he does, yes he can, and with the right amount of support, yes he will. Here’s one moment where Donald Trump actually knows what he’s talking about: Bernie Sanders is a winner.
Featured image by Michael Vadon via Flickr, available under Creative Commons license.
