Just a Wee Blether…

About the night I ‘Felt the Bern’

Bur-nee, Bur-nee, Bur-nee. Three guesses where I was this week. Yep, I had my first up-close and personal experience of the crazy world of American politics.

It was exactly as I had imagined it would be. Somewhere between a rock concert and an evangelical Christian service. For years I had watched American political rallies from a distance, marvelled at the razzmatazz, and wished I could have been there in person. This week I got my chance.

On Tuesday night Bernie Sanders was in town. I got a call asking if I wanted to go along – hold me back. Sanders is running against Hillary Clinton for the Democrat nomination and has cast himself as a Democrat Socialist. His policies are left wing by American standards, the first time for many years that voters here have been given a “socialist” option.

So I joined more than 10,000 whooping and hollering Sanders supporters in the Phoenix Convention Centre. Most were young people, millennials and first-time voters. This was Arizona student territory and the enthusiasm was palpable.

Sanders

A group of hand-picked party faithful cheerleader types whipped the waiting crowd into a frenzy. Bur-nee, Bur-nee, Bur-nee they chanted. The audience responded in kind. The stage was dominated by a giant American flag on one side, an Arizona State flag on the other, and a massive banner with the slogan “A Future to Believe In” at the back.

Neil Young’s Rockin’ in the Free World blared from a very loud sound system. Then a local Democrat official bounded on stage, escalating the sense of anticipation by a few notches. He yelled into the mic, “It is my honour and pleasure to welcome……” and that’s as far as he got.

Forget Beatle-mania. The crowd screamed in Bernie-mania – 2016 style. And just as the noise reached a crescendo, suddenly there he was. The great man strode confidently on stage to an even more deafening cheer. Thousands of mobile phones were lifted in the air as supporters tried to capture the moment. It took a good five minutes before he was able to be heard. “This crowd is Yoooooge,” he said, mocking a certain Republican candidate.

For those of us who have snoozed through dreary party conference speeches by the likes of John Major, the hoopla and sheer passion that surrounds an American rally is something completely different. There is enormous excitement, and what seems an intense adoration for the person on stage. It was gripping from the first second.

Sanders is a 74-year old, grey-haired, smartly-dressed chap who represents the state of Vermont. What struck me was the difference in age between him and most of those who were cheering him on. He is not just a father figure; he could be their great-grandfather.

For an hour, Sanders delivered his message. His appearance, his habit of leaning forward and grasping the sides of the podium, and his occasional waving of his arms, resembled a 1980s Michael Foot. He is very well-spoken with a distinct New York City accent and a sincere passion for his political beliefs.

There was no violence, not even a hint of unpleasantness. When the end came it was abrupt, Sanders turned and walked off with David Bowie’s Starman and the roars of approval from the crowd ringing in his ears.

I might have been one of the oldest people there – I was certainly the token Scot. One Sanders fan told me his three favourite Scotsmen were Sean Connery, Craig Ferguson and Mel Gibson. It was that kind of night. But I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.

American politics is as bizarre and way out as it seemed when I was observing it from the other side of the Atlantic. It may be uncomfortable to listen to sometimes, but it is immensely entertaining.

One thought on “Just a Wee Blether…”

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