Austin, Texas. The 90’s.

Long before the hoopla, long before the massive audiences and certainly long before he ever had an inkling about running for president, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders was my guest during The Eric Blumberg Show on KLBJ-AM in Austin, TX.

In fact, this fall marks the 25th anniversary of our meeting over the phone shortly after his initial victory running for Congress. It’s funny about Vermont and a few other states. The citizens there elect two U.S. Senators but only one member of the House of Representatives. So Bernie was it if you wanted to talk congressional policies affecting the Green Mountain State.

But that wasn’t where my interest lied. In looking over election results in November 1990, my attention was drawn to the fact Congressman-Elect Sanders won while running as a Socialist. That was just a wee bit bizarre in the realm of national politics back then so I was all over getting him on the show to explain just how the hell a Socialist gets elected in the first place. Bernie had plenty of experience since he was previously elected as Burlington, VT’s mayor, so he must have known what he was doing.

Frankly, I can’t recall specific questions or answers. However, after he assured me and the audience he wasn’t planning a second Russian Revolution, we got to talking about his social justice values and how the Military-Industrial Complex was running the country into the ground.

Isn’t it weird how he hasn’t changed much in 25 years and neither has the way this nation operates?

I have regrets, though. I’m far removed from the radio business these days and would likely never be in a similar position. Nonetheless, I have a few questions to pose.
Why did you initially give Hillary a pass on her email stuff? Its good you flip-flopped. It’s understandable why you ushered her through at the first debate. But Bernie, being the consummate gentleman brings to mind the saying, “The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.”

How do you convince the general public that, if elected, you wouldn’t plan a second Russian Revolution? Your socialist tag has a bunch of folks uncomfortable. I suppose this gives you an opportunity to spend your campaign tour educating the public about who you are. Once people know you and what you call Democratic Socialism, your rhetoric will no longer be thought of as threatening, but rather totally rational and uplifting.

America is in a psychic slump. This country needs enlightenment and enlivening. Who better than the man who actually does care about the common man and woman? The same guy who I once thought was so weird because he was a Socialist. Twenty-five years is a long time, but I, for one. would rather sail down a river that is straight and predictable than one with a crooked path.