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Talking Sanders' Run At The Rutland Farmers Market

Oliver Parini for VPR
Sen. Bernie Sanders kicked off his 2016 presidential campaign with a rally in Burlington Tuesday. VPR's Alex Keefe went to the Rutland Farmers Market to gauge the response from Vermonters in that part of the state.

Vermont U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders kicked off his 2016 presidential campaign with a rally in Burlington Tuesday.

Sanders actually announced he’d be running about a month ago.

Since then, national media and cable TV pundits have been speculating whether the long-time independent has half-a-chance of beating Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.

But what do Vermonters think of their senator in the spotlight?

To find out, I recently spent some time at one of those most Vermont-y of Vermont institutions: the farmers market.

In downtown Rutland, the live mandolin player sets the score as shoppers stroll among stands of fresh fruit, fresh bread, vibrant greens – and, at one stall, variegated mountains of potatoes.

Diane Heleba says she grows about 40 different kinds of potatoes.

As for president, she’s got one pick: Bernie Sanders. “I think he would be a breath of fresh air,” she says. ”… I just like his policies. He’s down to earth and, you know, he’s for the people.”

In fact, it would prove difficult to find any Sanders detractors on this particular Saturday.

He was re-elected in 2012 with 71 percent of the vote.

Despite her support, Heleba considers herself a political independent. When given the choice between Hillary Clinton and Sanders, Heleba says she’d go with Sanders. “I like Bernie’s ... philosophy much better than Hillary’s,” she says.

But Sanders’ liberal philosophy had even some supporters wondering how far he could really go.

Christine Geisler, also at the market, sports a faded, turquoise hoodie bearing the slogan “Eat More Kale.”

Before I can even begin to ask her about politics, she’s out with another slogan – “Go Bernie,” she says. “I love Bernie Sanders.” Geisler doesn’t buy the whole “lost cause campaign” argument from some national media pundits.

"I hope that his message gets out there that there's a lot of poor people in non-Democratic areas that aren't represented by the people that they're voting for. And I'm wondering if maybe just hearing it from a different point of view might be helpful." - Christine Geisler

And she says – win or lose – she hopes Sanders’ message will find some traction, even in traditionally red states. “I hope that his message gets out there that there’s a lot of poor people in non-Democratic areas that aren’t represented by the people that they’re voting for,” says Geisler. “And I’m wondering if maybe just hearing it from a different point of view might be helpful.”

In fact, that message already seems to have reached a guy just up the street, who I spotted walking with his son, fresh from Saturday morning soccer.

Bill Jalbert works for the Springfield School District, in the IT department. His son, Rowan, likes cats. When asked if he likes Bernie Sanders, Rowan replies, “Uh …”

OK, so Sanders has a name recognition issue with 7-year-old Rowan.

But the senator’s message – about strengthening the middle class – struck an unlikely chord with Rowan’s dad. “It’s kinda funny. I’m usually a little more on the conservative side. But, uh, I’m a little disgusted with what’s happening to the middle-income [workers] in this country,” he says.

Jalbert says he’s had some credit troubles in the past, but is now ready to buy a house.

“I’m tired of really busting my butt to get ahead. And I feel like I’m not really moving anywhere ... I don’t even see this as a Democratic or a Republican issue. It’s an American issue. We’re all Americans. We’re all working. And I don’t think the middle class is really going anywhere. It’s going down, not up.” - Bill Jalbert

But Jalbert has run into trouble getting a mortgage and feels like he doesn’t make enough to become a homeowner on his own, but makes too much to qualify for help. “I’m tired of really busting my butt to get ahead. And I feel like I’m not really moving anywhere ... I don’t even see this as a Democratic or a Republican issue. It’s an American issue. We’re all Americans. We’re all working. And I don’t think the middle class is really going anywhere. It’s going down, not up,” he says.

That message – about income inequality – is one that Sanders has been trumpeting for years. Even decades.

Down the street, I catch Raymond Clifford sitting outside a coffee shop with a well-behaved, but curious, dog at his feet. Her name is Irene, named after the Hurricane, Clifford explains.

Clifford says he supported Sanders in his first electoral victory – a hair-thin, 10-vote win to become Burlington’s mayor back in 1981.

He says he’s been voting Bernie ever since.

"He does not change his story. Everything he says is the same thing he's said ten years ago, 20 years ago. He's the common man politician. He really is." - Raymond Clifford

“He does not change his story. Everything he says is the same thing he’s said ten years ago, 20 years ago. He’s the common man politician. He really is,” says Clifford.

Still, when I ask whether he thinks Sanders really has a shot at winning the White House, Clifford has to think for a second. “I’m gonna vote for him, and I might even go into church, where I haven’t been for, like, 35 years,” he says.

I ask if he means he would go to church to pray for Sanders.

“Yeah, and I’m a recovering Catholic,” he replies. But it wouldn’t quite bring him back to the flock, Clifford admits. “I would just go in for that one prayer.”

Like many Vermonters we heard from, Clifford hopes Sanders’ campaign will at least spread his message – and maybe even win over a few converts.

Alex was a reporter and host of VPR's local All Things Considered. He was also the co-host and co-creator of the VPR program Brave Little State.
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