Why Panama Papers leak is a blessing for Bernie Sanders
Washington, April 6: While former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton had backed the Panama free trade agreement, her opponent in this year's race for presidential nomination Bernie Sanders opposed it warning it would restrict the government's ability to deal with dubious or illegal activity.
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He had said this five years ago.
The issue now can boost Sanders's chances in the race against Clinton who the former has beaten in five of the last six states where Democratic primary/caucus has been held, including Wisconsin.
It doesn't matter if the Clintons' names do not appear in the Panama Papers leak (it is yet to name an American) but Sanders's campaign can still make it count by citing Clinton as a part of the establishment that allowed the free trade deal to go through and saw the system getting abused through trade deals. [Will Panama Papers leak impact US Prez poll?]
Sanders had predicted the Panama Paper leak issue five years ago
President Barack Obama, too, had backed the deal which was negotiated by the previous Bush administration but given the fact that Obama is just a lame-duck president now, it doesn't really matter how the Panama leak affects him. It is Hillary Clinton who has more at stake now even though she recently described Sanders as a "pie in the sky" politician who could not fulfil his promise. [What is Panama Papers leak?]
Undecided voters now can tilt in Sanders's favour
There is every possibility now of the voters, who are still undecided, prefering Sanders in the important primaries coming up next. In fact, the Panama Papers leak episode could help Sanders even if gets the nomination and eventually the general election of November witnesses a fight between him and Republian Donald Trump.
The latter's infamous tax dodging could leave him in trouble in case he fights against Sanders, who has a clean record.