Written by Bock Oliver   

The final Democratic debate on Sunday jerked my head around as I listened to the three candidates make their arguments for the support of the American voters. What I first noticed from O’Malley and Clinton was that familiar feeling of disgust that rises in me when I hear politicians take personal credit for all of the amazingly wonderful things they have accomplished.
Somehow, when Sanders describes his past and his accomplishments, I don't get that same feeling. Is it just because I resonate more with Sanders and his message? That may be part of it, but I also noted that O’Malley’s concise articulation of his plans to build out the green economy resonated deeply with me. So what is going on here?
As I listened, I began to notice that Sanders effortlessly avoids using the personal pronouns ‘I’ and ‘my’. When Sanders talks about his accomplishments, his language goes something like this: “My colleagues and I drafted legislation while serving together on the Committee for Veteran’s Affairs.”
When talking about his bid for the White House, Sanders refers to ‘our’ campaign. Instead of promising to help the nation with heroic personal powers, Sanders repeatedly reminds us of our role as engaged citizens in a reinvigorated democracy.
Now that I am tuned into Sanders’ use of language, I am beginning to understand why my excitement about his candidacy is growing. The small word choices that Sanders makes are impacting me in a number of ways:
1. The other candidates appear dishonest by claiming so much personal responsibility for accomplishments that they claim credit for.
2. My level of trust in the Sanders campaign grows each time Sanders reminds me that the work this country needs to get done relies on so much more than a powerful ego and a giant stack of dollars.
3. My sense of personal responsibility for the fate of the nation and the planet is being urged into action by a campaign that repeatedly reminds me that each and every one of us is the hero that we are waiting for.
With the challenges and opportunities facing our nation and the planet, a candidate for President who doesn’t claim superhuman powers and reminds us that our fate will be determined by each of us is refreshing, inspiring and loud call to action.
Let’s get this done!