The Assertion of Leadership Through Bernie Sanders' COVID-19 Response

Bernie Sanders, who recently dropped out of the 2020 Presidential race, gave a speech on March 12th in which he addressed the pandemic known as COVID-19. Sanders uses elements of cultural performance in his speech in order to assert authority as a legitimate leader and employs an apocalyptic narrative structure in order to highlight the necessity of his own political agenda. In The Performative Presidency, Jason Mast explains that “actors take on meanings in relation to other actors in the drama, and in relation to the settings, plots, and vagaries of everyday life that can be picked up by a video camera” (11). Sanders emphasizes his own legitimacy as a leader by criticizing President Trump’s response to the health crisis. He argues that “the current administration is largely incompetent, and its incompetence and recklessness has threatened the lives of many people” and declares that “President Trump is unable and unwilling to lead selflessly." Sanders codes Trump as a counterdemocratic actor who is irrational and selfish, and in opposition, he codes himself as rational, realistic and dedicated to helping the nation. Sanders shows that he cares about the lives of Americans as he states that “we must fight with love and compassion for those most vulnerable to the effects of this pandemic” and that “we are in this together." While the Trump administration is incompetent and reckless, Sanders vows to protect the lives of Americans by taking the pandemic seriously.

It is also important that actors embody authenticity to their audience, as audiences are aware that “people have the ability to project meanings that can be misleading or disingenuous” (Mast 2012:11). Sanders proves his authenticity by stating that “the American people deserve transparency” and need “daily information - clear, science-based information - from credible scientific voices, not politicians." He attacks Trump’s authenticity by claiming that transparency is something “the Trump administration has fought day after day to stifle." Sanders portrays Trump as untrustworthy and deceitful while portraying himself as open and honest. Even though Sanders discredits politicians, he portrays himself as credible by calling out the lies of politicians and standing by scientists and facts.

Mast writes that “the office of presidency affords a vast array of forms of power, yet his exercise of power is continuously interpreted and critiqued through the performative lens” (13). Sanders believes that Trump’s disastrous response to the crisis necessitates hiring a “bipartisan authority of experts to support and direct a response that is comprehensive, compassionate, and based first and foremost on science and fact." Additionally, Sanders announces that “we are dealing with a national emergency and the president should declare one now." Sander’s suggestion to delegate authority to experts and his call for a declaration of a national emergency delegitimize and pollute the power of the President, who has proved unable to deal with the crisis. By exposing the negligence of the President, he casts himself as a leader who is equipped to handle tough situations. Also, Trump decided to declare a national emergency the day after Sander’s speech, which makes it seem as if he is clueless and lacking autonomy since he takes action only after being prompted.

Lastly, Sanders uses an apocalyptic narrative in his speech to show why his policy goals are essential for Americans in combating and recovering from the coronavirus. In Why War?, Smith states that “in such apocalyptic narratives events are seen as unequivocally world-historical, and as in need of heroic interventions, for the object of struggle is the future destiny of the planet or civilization” (27). Sanders begins his speech by explaining that the crisis “is on the scale of a major war, and we must act accordingly” and asserts that “it is an absolute moral imperative that our response...meets the enormity of this crisis." Sanders also uses the phrase “we need” 21 times in his speech before articulating his political goals that advocate for more socialist policies. This repetition further emphasizes how the coronavirus demands that we take immediate action. By narrating the coronavirus in this way, he justifies the use of extreme policy measures such as universal health care by highlighting the extreme magnitude of the pandemic.

Even though Sanders recently dropped out of the Presidential race, it will be interesting to see whether the gravity of the coronavirus will cause his socialist policies to be seen more favorably among voters. It will also be important to think about how other politicians respond to COVID-19 and whether these performances are criticized, proved authentic or used to delimit authority and power.

Sources:
Mast, Jason L. 2012. The Performative Presidency: Crisis and Resurrection During the Clinton Years. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Sanders, Bernie. “Bernie Addresses the Nation on the Health and Economic Crisis.” Bernie Sanders. Burlington, Vermont, berniesanders.com/latest/bernie-addresses-nation-health-and-economic-crisis/.

Smith, Philip. 2005. Why War? The Cultural Logic of Iraq, the Gulf War, and Suez. Chicago: University of Chicago press.