Bernard Center

The vice presidential debate made three things crystal clear: We are not yet a post-racial nation. We are not yet a post-sexist nation. And Mike Pence is nothing more than Donald Trump’s white-haired, achromatic, smooth-talking doppelganger.

Published in Politico Magazine, September 30, 3030 By, Michelle D. Bernard Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images ‘It was the most undignified, unpresidential presidential debate in the history of the country’ It was the most undignified, unpresidential presidential debate in the history of the country. The moderator appeared impotent in his ability to wrangle and control of Trump […]

AP Photo/Evan Vucci Published in Politico Magazine, March 16, 2020 By, Michelle D. Bernard For Bernie Sanders, the 11th Democratic primary debate was Custer’s Last Stand. And Sanders was Custer. It was the effective end of democratic socialism. As with Custer, in the short term, many will romanticize Sanders’ loss. They will see him as […]

Win McNamee/Getty Images Published in Politico Magazine, 02/26/2020 01:41 AM EST By, Michelle D. Bernard In the wake of Sanders’ decisive victory in Nevada with a broad coalition that included the largest number of nonwhite voters in the state, I could see why so many “feel the Bern.” I saw why so many Americans of […]

By, Michelle D. Bernard, Published in POLITICO MAGAZINE 02/20/2020 01:50 AM EST Michelle Bernard is a political analyst, lawyer, author and president and CEO of the Bernard Center for Women, Politics & Public Policy. After 10 weeks of hype, millions of dollars spent on ads, endorsements from highly respected members of the African American community […]

By Michelle D. Bernard, Published in POLITICO MAGAZINE 02/08/2020 01:27 AM EST Michelle Bernard is a political analyst, lawyer, author and president and CEO of the Bernard Center for Women, Politics & Public Policy. One week after Iowa, the winner of the night was ABC’s Linsey Davis. Her performance in the two debates she has […]

By Michelle D. Bernard, Published in POLITICO MAGAZINE 01/15/2020 02:42 AM EST Michelle Bernard is a political analyst, lawyer, author and president and CEO of the Bernard Center for Women, Politics & Public Policy. Anne O’Hare McCormick, the renowned foreign news correspondent and a woman ahead of her time, once said: “The real test of […]

Remember #OscarsSoWhite? I’m now thinking, #DebateSoWhite! The contrast in the demographic makeup of those who made it to Thursday night’s debate stage as opposed to those who stood there only a few short weeks ago was enough to give viewers a near fatal case of whiplash.

Harris won the debate when she fired off these seventeen words: “A criminal is living in the White House,”“Justice is on the ballot,” and “Show up for me.”

If the Democrats are to win this election, it will not be by flipping Trump voters; it will be because they gave their own side reasons to leave home or work, go to the polls, possibly fight off attempts to suppress their votes, stand in long lines and vote in droves.