Back in June, when NPR asked Senator Bernie Sanders how he reacted when he saw that his presidential campaign speeches were regularly drawing thousands of people — bigger crowds than any other candidate had seen — he admitted that he was as shocked as everyone else. “Stunned,” he said. “Stunned. I mean I had to fight my way to get into the room. Standing room only. Minneapolis was literally beyond belief.”
A few months later, the feeling hasn’t dissipated — especially since his poll numbers have only improved. Recent surveys have Sanders, who won his first successful election by ten votes, besting Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire — although she is still miles ahead in national polls. Wolf Blitzer asked him Thursday to talk about the success. “You want me to tell you the truth? Yes, I’m stunned. Look, we have a message that I believed from day one was going to resonate with the American people. … Did I think [the issues] would resonate as quickly as they have? The answer is no.”
“Can you really see yourself being president of the United States?” Blitzer asked.
“Increasingly, yes,” he responded — perhaps the clearest admission that Sanders is stunned that people are excited about a socialist who hates talking about anything besides the issues.
