Bernie Sanders and Elle Woods are two people most would not reference when discussing fierce and inspirational public figures. A mystery, when all the public has seen from this duo is a strong refusal to give on their dreams: Elle's of attending Harvard and Bernie's of becoming President of the United States. Not to mention the fact that despite their vast number of haters, they've always found a way to stay true to themselves. It's attributes such as these, and those mentioned below, that make Bernie and Elle are two role models worth bragging about.
1. They rose to the top of the ranks, despite everyone's doubts.
When Bernie first entered the race for president in May 2015, a very small percentage recognized his name. One year later, and he is winning primaries across the country and trailing or beating Hillary in all the polls, something few expected last May.
Elle was a "dumb blonde" sorority president with a 4.0 in fashion merchandising when we first met her. Though before our eyes she rose to become a fierce lawyer, and valedictorian of her Harvard Law class. Not only did few expect her to pass her classes, but even fewer expected she would graduate. She proved them all wrong.
2. They're unwavering on their goals, no matter how difficult they seem.
Elle aced her L.S.A.T.s, got accepted into Harvard Law School, nailed a coveted internship, and rose to be valedictorian of her class. She not only proved Warner wrong, but also all the people and professors in her life who said she wasn't smart enough to do anything worthwhile. In the same way, Bernie rose from a little known Vermont senator to be neck in neck as one of the two democratic choices for presidential candidate in the 2016 election. Not only that, but he has done it with complete support from the people through his anti-super PAC campaign.
This just goes to show, that Elle and Bernie are the two most prime candidates to win the "least likely to give up on their dreams" paper plate award at this year's picnic.
3. They've dealt with, and rose above, adversity.
I can't even count how many times Bernie's age has been brought into the conversation regarding his capability as president. But despite the criticism, he has proven himself sturdy, over and over again. Similarly, Elle's looks have been thrown in her face as a reason why her boyfriend is dumping her or why she wouldn't make a good law student. Obviously, she showed them when she proved her client's innocence during a murder trial as a first year law student. Too often, people use insignificant details to try to discredit or tear down people, who otherwise, are pretty kick ass.
4. They're vocal in their opinions.
Bernie believes in dismantling the one percent and rebuilding the middle class for the better of the American people. Though this seems wrong, crazy, or improbable to many people, he stands by his words because he truly believes in what he preaches. Through running for president, he has secured himself an audience when he appears on talk shows or news networks. This, then, guarantees that when he speaks up for minorities, the environment, or equal rights people have to listen and hear what he is saying. An advantage few of us have when voicing our opinions and being heard.
When Brooke gives Elle her alibi on the condition that it remains a secret, Elle keeps her word, despite the anger from her law team. Elle then goes on to prove Brooke's innocence without breaking her trust, showing that she never needs to sacrifice her morals to get what she wants. By refusing Callahan the alibi, and later moving to Washington to fight for animal rights, Elle is given the opportunity to voice her opinion where it matters, thus demanding that congress hears her, and implements change.
5. They stay true to themselves despite the haters.
Despite the fact that Bernie is in a presidential race against Hillary, he refuses to lie or discredit her based on anything but fact. He is in the race to start a political revolution with the support of the American people, not to tear others down. Similarly, Elle could have turned dirty and spread rumors about Vivian, but instead she is relatively nice to her, despite who she's engaged to. Elle and Bernie are two people who refuse to compromise their principles, no matter the advantages such a move might bring.
6. They're fierce.
Bernie, an unknown Vermont senator, choosing to go neck to neck with the assumed Democratic pick for president was a ballsy move. But so far, it's paying off and providing the American people with an alternative they didn't know they had. This is especially critical when discussing the early voters in states. In August 2015 there was a name recognition poll given nationwide among voters regarding potential presidential candidates. Thirty-nine percent of voters didn't recognize Bernie's name. Now, consider that in comparison to the eight percent that didn't recognize Clinton's, obviously there is a lot less work for the Clinton campaign from the beginning seeing as how she had greater name recognition. As a result, people who voted prior to campaign commercials being released or Bernie getting a chance to campaign in their state actually lost out on their chance to vote for Bernie simply because they didn't do their research and had no idea who he was.
Elle showed up at Harvard with one goal: show Warner she can be serious, thus winning back his love. Instead, she proved that to herself and all of her haters. She proved she was up for a fight when she was picked for one of the coveted internship spots, and later won the case using knowledge she was previously ridiculed for having. Though her ferocity doesn't end there. She ups her game even more when, in the second film, she moves to D.C. to fight in support of Bruiser's mom. Showing she is willing to stand not just for herself, but for those who don't have a voice.
7. They're optimistic regarding the future.
Elle doesn't need Warner, or any guy for that matter, to achieve her goals and be happy. We see that through her intensive character development that eventually leaves Warner in her shadow, a complete switch from their first scene. She believes in her ability to achieve her goals solo, and it's because of that that she excels in Harvard, in Washington, and in every aspect of her life. She has a bright future, and she knows it.
Bernie is the same way. He sees the income inequality, rampant racism, and gender gap for what they are: problematic. It's because of his willingness to accept that there are problems, that he will be able to make a change, and fix what is broken. The first step to solving any problem is acceptance, and it's because of his realistic outlook on the problems, that he can look to the future and see a positive change for the people of the United States.
8. They're willing to work harder than any of the other candidates to achieve their goals.
No one wants to hear that the system is broken, but it is, and Bernie knows that, that is why he is here, running for president. Yes, Hillary has more super-delegates, but that doesn't mean he should just give up. He is willing to work harder than any of the other candidates and fight until his last breath, because he fiercely believes in the political revolution that he has begun.
Elle didn't get to Harvard because her parents made a phone call to the dean, and she didn't pass her classes or win her case because she slept with her higher-ups. She achieved as much as she did, despite her setbacks, because she was willing to fight for what she wanted.
9. They're fighting because they care, not for fame or fortune.
If Elle wanted to sacrifice her morals for a win, she easily could have in the beginning, but that wouldn't have made a good movie. Instead, she fought for what she believed in and didn't give into pressure from Warner or Callahan to trade an alibi for a summer internship, or pressure from her parents to remain in California and look for a new boyfriend.
Bernie would have had a much easier presidential run if he had accepted big money donations, but that wasn't what he was about because his moral beliefs trumped the easy route. He genuinely cares about the state of the people and the government, and it is because of that, that he is running for the best position to make a change.
10. They have proven that no challenge is too difficult.
Currently, Bernie has won 19 out of the 43 states that have voted, putting him neck and neck with Hillary, numbers wise, a huge achievement when considered against his summer 2015 rankings. If he can continue the streak and take big delegate states like California and New Jersey, Bernie can catch up in the 300 delegates he is behind and have a fighting chance of securing the Democratic nomination.
Elle went from brokenhearted, sorority president to serious law student, and defender of animal rights. Not only did she completely re-vamp herself and win back the guy who dumped her, but she did it without sacrificing any of her principles, and realizing her self worth in the process. She is not only a changed person, but a killer lawyer and politician. Plus, she married to the one guy who believed in her from the start.
I'd say they won this round.
11. Despite all their struggles, they refuse to give up.
Yes, Elle and Bernie didn't start out as anyone's first choice, but because of their fierceness and refusal to accept defeat, they're finishing at the front. It is only through their optimism despite difficult times, and unwavering faith in themselves that they have the ability to achieve greatness. A goal everyone should strive for.
Elle Woods and Bernie Sanders are completely different -- one is a presidential candidate and the other is a character from a film -- but despite all that, they're two great role models. They stick to their beliefs and refuse to back down from a fight, no matter how meager the outcome -- two qualities we could use more of in public figures. So, yes, they're different than your average pair, but different isn't always bad. In this case, it's just a synonym for better.
