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ELECTION2016

HillaryClintonandBernieSanders
BringTheirBattletoBrooklyn
ByYAMICHEALCINDOR

APRIL8,2016

InBrooklynHeights,onthe11thfloorofanofficebuilding,Hillary
ClintonspresidentialcampaignheadquarterswashummingonMonday.
Staffmembersandvolunteerswereworkingthephonesinspaciousoffices
withwindowsthatlookoutontheManhattanskyline.Photosofsupporters,
anarrayofcampaignbuttonsandahanginggong,withthenamesofstates
shehaswonscribbledontoitinmarker,adornedthesleeklydesigned
space.AretiredNewYorkpoliceofficerstoodguard.
Twomilesaway,inagrittyopenfloorofficespaceinGowanus,
Brooklyn,thatsmelledoffreshpaint,anarmyofmostlyyoungBernie
Sanderssupportersbegangatheringtwoweeksagotospreadhismessage.
Lastweekend,theynibbledonorangeslices,perchedonplasticfolding
chairsandsiftedthroughmountainsofnewlydeliveredcardboardboxes
filledwithBernieforPresidentpamphlets.Visitorswalkedupadriveway
andthroughahalfopensidedoortoenter.
Brooklyn,whereMr.SandersgrewupandwhereMrs.Clinton
establishedhercampaignheadquartersayearago,isthecenterofthenext
politicalcontest:theNewYorkDemocraticprimaryonApril19.Itisa
crucialoneinaraceandanelectionyearthathasbeenfullof

surprises.
Thestatehas291delegates,including247pledgeddelegatesupfor
grabs.(Therearealso44superdelegates.)Evenwithhisrecentwinsin
Washington,Alaska,Idaho,Utah,HawaiiandWisconsin,Mr.Sanders
wouldneedanestimated56percentoftheremainingpledgeddelegates
nationwidetoovertakeMrs.Clinton,whomaintainsaleadof219.Awinfor
Mr.SandersinNewYorkwouldnotonlybuoyhiscandidacy,butitwould
alsobeanembarrassmenttotheformersenatorfromNewYork.
OfthethreemillionpeopleregisteredtovoteasDemocratsinNew
YorkCity,about945,600liveinBrooklyn,meaningtheboroughthe
mostpopulousinthecityishometoasignificantportionofthe5.8
millionDemocratsregisteredacrossthestate.Drawingevenmoreattention
totheborough,thetwocampaigns,afterweeksofsquabbling,haveagreed
toateleviseddebatebetweenthecandidatesonApril14tobeheldatthe
BrooklynNavyYard.
Thestyles,staffsandsettingsofthetwocampaignsaretelling,bothof
theDemocraticraceandofBrooklynitself,arapidlychangingamalgamof
affluentParkSlopeprofessionals,newlyarrivedWilliamsburghipsters,
longtimeownersofFortGreenebrownstones,diverseCaribbeanAmerican
residentsofCrownHeightsandmembersoftightknitOrthodoxJewish
communitiesinBoroughPark.Milliondollarcondominiumsarerisingnext
doortoblocksofdecayingpublichousingcomplexesshinynewcoffee
shopsandhighpricedgymsareappearingonformerlyblightedstreets.
WhilemostpollsshowMrs.Clinton,68,leadinginNewYork,the
contestisprovingtobeemblematicofthesameissuesthataredrivingthe
Democraticracenationally.Mr.Sanders,the74yearoldsenatorof
Vermont,wherehehasbasedhiscampaignheadquarters,hopestomake
gainsamongvotersbyarguingthatheformedhiscoreideasaboutincome
inequalitywhilegrowingupthesonofaPolishimmigrantinBrooklyn.
YetthelocationofhisBrooklynfieldofficeafarleaneroperation
thanMrs.Clintonsheadquartersinagentrifyingneighborhoodservesas

avividreminderthathisbaseofsupportislikelytocomefromnew
residentsoftheborough,manyofwhomareunfamiliarwiththeBrooklyn
ofhisboyhoodbutareeagertobackamoreleftleaningfigure.Mrs.
ClintonsconnectionstoBrooklynaremorerecent,andwithhertwoterms
asasenatorfromNewYork,theyrundeep.Shehasbackingfromalonglist
ofelectedofficials,including,somewhatrecently,MayorBilldeBlasio,and
hasanetworkofcommunityleaderspoweringhergetoutthevoteefforts,
asshehasinmanycities.ShehasalreadybeguntouringBrooklyn,visiting
churchesandmakinghercaseasahometownpolitician.
Shehasalltheadvantage,saidHankSheinkopf,alongtimepolitical
operativewhoisnotaffiliatedwitheithercampaign,butwhohasworked
withMichaelR.Bloomberg,theformerNewYorkCitymayorEliotSpitzer,
theformerNewYorkgovernorandPresidentBillClinton.Bernies
chancesaretough.Couldhewinit?Yes.Isitlikely?No.
Manyothers,includingSanderssupporters,agreewithMr.Sheinkopf.
ButMr.SandershasprovedthroughavirtualtieinIowaandhissurprising
victoryinMichiganthathecanbeattheodds.OnTuesday,Mr.Sanders
won57percentofthevoteinWisconsin.Inhisvictoryspeech,thesenator
saidthatwiththemomentumfromhisvictoryinthatstate,hehadan
excellentchancetowinNewYork.
Mr.Sandersispoisedtospendabout$2.5milliononadvertisingin
NewYorkCityandsurroundingareas,withalotofthatmoneygoing
towardwinningBrooklyn,saidTadDevine,hisseniorcampaignstrategist.
Mr.DevineaddedthatMr.Sandersplannedtomakeseveralvisitsaround
theboroughandholdthekindoflargerallieshehasstagedinotherstates.
Itsabigplace,anditsareallyprogressiveareainNewYork,sothere
aregreattargetvoters,Mr.DevinesaidofBrooklyn.Wearegoingtotalk
abouthisownuniqueNewYorkexperience,hisupbringing,thevaluesthat
helearnedgrowingupthereandhowthathasshapedhiminthecourseof
hispubliccareer.
LastSunday,Mrs.Clintonsadvantageintheboroughwasondisplayat

theChristianCulturalCenterinEastNewYork,oneofthelargest
evangelicalchurchesinthecity,whichclaimsover37,000membersone
ofthreechurchesshevisitedthatday.Thechurchisregularlyvisitedby
politicalleaders,particularlyduringelectionseason.TheRev.A.R.
Bernard,thechurchspastor,introducedMrs.Clinton,sayingthathehad
knownherformorethan20yearsandthatthecountryneededsomeonein
powerwhoknowshowtomanagethatdelicatebalancebetween
maintainingorderandstabilityandfightingforjusticeandequality.
Iwouldbesohumbledandhonoredtoearnyoursupport,Mrs.
Clintonsaid,pledgingtoreformthecriminaljusticesystemandfocuson
policekillings.
Aftershespoke,Mr.Bernardaddedthatthecountrywasata
crossroads,sociallyandpolitically.
Ineverthoughtthatanopenlyannouncedsocialistwouldeverbeona
presidentialticket,hesaid.And,thisisnothingagainstBernieSanders,
butsocialismisgreatintheory.Butweveseenwhatitisinpracticewith
thebirthandcollapseoftheSovietUnioninRussiaandwhatitleftin
Europe.
DanielleCassidy,a39yearoldnursewholivesinEastNewYork,was
amongthoseapplaudingMrs.Clintonsvisit.Itwasreallyimportantfor
hertocomehere,shesaid.Ms.Cassidysaidthatchurchandpoliticswere
separate,butsheacknowledgedthattheykindofgohandinhand.
Mrs.Clintonsstrengthsalsoincludelongtimerelationshipswiththe
boroughsOrthodoxJewishandCaribbeanAmericancommunitiesseveral
leadersinthosecommunitiessaidtheyhadyettohearfromtheSanders
campaign.
RabbiDavidNiederman,presidentoftheUnitedJewishOrganizations
ofWilliamsburgandNorthBrooklyn,saidthatlatelastyearafriendcalled
himaskinghimtosupportMr.Sanders.Herespondedthathewantedto
learnmorehehadsupportedMrs.Clintoninthe2008Democratic

primary.RabbiNiedermansaidhehadneverheardfromtheSanders
campaigndirectlyandeventuallydecidedtovoteforMrs.Clintonagain
afterspeakingwithhertwice.
Atthispoint,IhaveacandidatewhomIknow,whohasworkedverywell,
whounderstandsthegeneralneedsofthecountry,whounderstandsand
respectstheJewishcommunitiesandothercommunitiesreligionsand
rights,hesaid.AndthatissomebodythatIamonapersonallevelgoing
tosupport.
RabbiNiedermanwasoneofseveralJewsinterviewedforthisarticle
whoexpresseddisappointmentthatMr.Sanderswasplayingdownhis
Jewishheritage.
UnaS.T.Clarke,thefirstJamaicanbornmemberoftheCityCouncil
andapersonwellconnectedwiththeboroughsCaribbeanneighborhoods,
andHenryL.Butler,presidentoftheVanguardIndependentDemocratic
AssociationClub,agroupwithsome200members,havebothendorsed
Mrs.Clintonandareworkingtoturnoutvotesforherbyaskingforsupport
atcommunitymeetings,workingthetelephonesandcanvassing
neighborhoods.
Berniecantry,butBernieisnotgoingtowin,Ms.Clarkesaid.He
seemstonowidentifywithBrooklyn,butwhathashedoneforBrooklyn?
Mr.SandersscampaignadviserssaidheplannedtobarnstormNew
Yorkbeforetheprimary,speakingtothousandsinhisunshakableBrooklyn
accent.ButasMrs.ClintonturnedherattentiontoNewYorklastweek,Mr.
SanderscampedoutinWisconsin,holdingbacktobackeventsthere,and
thenheadedtoPennsylvania.
ManyalsosayMr.SandershasnotspentmuchtimeinBrooklynsince
hegraduatedfromJamesMadisonHighSchool,transferredfromBrooklyn
CollegetotheUniversityofChicagoandultimatelybuilthiscareerin
Vermont.HedidappearatarallyintheBronxonMarch31,whichhis
campaignsaiddrewabout18,500people.

ButinaninterviewwiththeeditorialboardofTheDailyNewsthis
month,Mr.SandersbungledaquestionabouttheNewYorkCitysubway.
Yougetatokenandyougetin,hesaid,eventhoughtokenswerelongago
replacedbyMetroCards.ThetabloidalsomarkedMr.Sanderssturn
towardNewYorkwithacoverstorythisweekattackinghispositionon
grantingimmunitytogunmanufacturers.
RichardByrnes,57,aretiredlawyerwhovolunteersforMrs.Clinton
fiveorsixtimesaweek,saidMr.Sandershadaverytenuousconnection
toBrooklyn.
BernieslifehasbeenVermont,Mr.Byrnessaidbetweenphonebank
callsatMrs.Clintonsheadquarters.HewasfactuallyborninBrooklyn.I
dontthinkhedevotedmuchofhislife,especiallyhisprofessionallife,to
Brooklyn.Ithinkitsbasicallyanaccidentofbirth.Weareallborn
somewhere.
HarrellKirstein,aspokesmanforMrs.Clinton,saidthecampaignheld
organizingmeetingslastmonthinParkSlopeandFlatbushandhadbeen
usingBrooklynvolunteerstoencouragevotersinotherstatestovote.Now
thosevolunteersarefocusingontheirownneighborhoods.Ithinkpeople
inNewYorksawthatshealwayshadtheirbackasaU.S.senatorandthey
knowshewillhavetheirbackaspresidentoftheUnitedStates,hesaid.
ThoughMr.Sandershasfewerendorsementsandasmallerstaff,he
doeshavesomehighprofilebackers,includingCouncilmanRafaelEspinal,
thefilmmakerSpikeLeeandsomeclubsliketheCentralBrooklyn
IndependentDemocrats.
Inaninterview,Mr.LeesaidMr.SanderssbeingfromBrooklyn,along
withhismessageaboutrejectingthesupportofsuperPACs,persuaded
himtobackthesenatoroverMrs.Clinton.
Ididnotreallyknowthatmuchabouthim,becauseheisasenator
fromVermont,Mr.Leesaid.AndthenIstartedreadingstoriesandthat
hesfromBrooklyn.Waitaminute.Thatreallypiquedmyinterest,andI

reallystarteddoingmyresearchandlookingatthestuffhewassaying,and
lookingatalternatives.
MarkWinstonGriffith,alongtimeCrownHeightsresidentandthe
executivedirectoroftheBrooklynMovementCenter,isalsosupportingMr.
Sanders,buthesaidhewasnotsurethesenatorcouldwin.
Thereisalotofenergyamongprogressivewhitefolkshere,Mr.
Griffithsaid.Andthereareblackfolkswhoaresortofwavingtheirhands
tosay,Yeah,ImfeelingtheBern,Imgoingtosupport.But,letmenot
overstateit.
LikemanyBrooklynitesinterviewedforthisarticle,Mr.Griffithsaidhe
hadnotseenmucheffortfromeithercandidateinhisneighborhood.
WhenIdontseealotofevidenceofeithercampaigngoingon,thatdoes
notbodewellforBernieSanders,hesaid.Itisamuchbettersignfor
HillaryClinton,becauseonsomelevelsheisinapositiontotakeblack
votesforgrantedandheisnot.
ButSanderssupportershavebeenselforganizingformorethanseven
months,accordingtoKarthikGanapathy,aSandersspokesmanbasedin
Brooklyn,whoalsoexplainedthatthecampaignexpectedtodowellin
CrownHeights,ParkSlopeandBushwick.Themistaketherewouldbeto
assumethatthosearetheonlyplacesthatwearegoingtodowell,Mr.
Ganapathyadded.
OliviaFlood,24,wholivesinFlatbushandworksatanentertainment
company,saidshehadhelpedcollectsignaturestogetMr.Sandersonthe
ballotbecausesupportingMr.SandersinBrooklynmeantacknowledging
theeasilyseeneconomicdifferencesintheborough.Youcantliveina
bubbleinBrooklyn,shesaid.Youstepinoneneighborhood,youvegota
completelydifferentwayoflife.Then,youstepoverthelineandits
anotherwayoflife.
ALongIslandnativewhorecentlymovedtotheborough,Ms.Flood
saidshehopedothernewresidentswouldcomeouttosupportMr.

Sanders.Wecanadvocateforhimandthatsimportant,shesaid.
LisaFlytheofParkSlopeisalsoamongthoseadvocates.Shestarted
volunteeringinDecemberthreeweeksago,shespentaboutthreedays
canvassingonFlatbushAvenue,amainBrooklynthoroughfare.The
experienceforcedhertoconfrontanowfamiliarissue.Thebiggest
problemisthatpeopledidntknowwhohewas,shesaid.
Mr.Sanderssadviserssaytheyfeelconfidentthesenatorcan
overcomeobstacles,ashehasinotherplaces.
Weareunderdogs,Mr.Ganapathysaid.Weareinafamiliar
position.Butthatisjustwhereweliketobe.
Correction:April8,2016
Anearlierversionofapicturecaptionwiththisarticlemisspelledthesurname
ofawomanwhowasworkingatHillaryClintonsBrooklynheadquarters.She
isMegVazquez,notVasquezsheis26,not25.
AversionofthisarticleappearsinprintonApril10,2016,onpageMB1oftheNewYorkedition
withtheheadline:WhoseBrooklynIsIt,Anyway?.

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