CSN student body president becomes pawn in battle between Clinton and Sanders in Nevada

When is an endorsement not an endorsement?

Brenda Romero says she didn't mean to "endorse" Bernie Sanders when she agreed to serve on his "voluntary steering committee."

And the young DREAMer, who is the student body president at a Community College of Southern Nevada campus, did not raise a stink on Jan. 21 when she was listed in a release headlined, "Sanders Campaign Unveils Nevada Latino Steering Committee."

But now, two weeks later, she has endorsed Hillary Clinton, claiming she was misled by the Sanders campaign. In response, the Sanders campaign has released an email exchange that seems to make it clear she was on board Team Bernie. Indeed, the exchange makes clear Romero only wanted not to have her school title released, and she was told about the coming press release.

I talked late Monday with Romero, who seemed shaken and naive.

"An endorsement was not something I had agreed to," she told me. "I was still deciding which candidate I would support."

I pressed Romero on what the emails said, and she insisted, "From my viewpoint, we would be meeting other community members."

The email clearly says she "would be serving the campaign,"and Romero says she would be "honored" to serve on the panel.

I can see Team Hillary doing a divide and conquer strategy now, and I believe that a young student might be an unwitting pawn for both campaigns. You have one -- Sanders -- desperate to show what he doesn't really have, a lot of Hispanic support -- and another -- Clinton -- desperate not to give ground as it becomes soft beneath her.

Pretty grotesque, no? Using a college student to gain ephemeral advantage.

And it's only Feb. 9; 11 more days until the caucus.

 

 

 

 

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