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Rep. Tulsi Gabbard appeared in an emotional ad for Bernie Sanders' presidential bid
Gabbard quit her post as a DNC vice chairwoman when she endorsed Sanders last month
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who has endorsed Bernie Sanders’ presidential bid, appears in an emotional new ad for the Vermont senator, talking about her military service and why she believes he is the best choice for the next Commander-in-Chief.
The ad, titled “The Cost of War,” features Gabbard, a Democrat from Hawaii who served a 12-month tour in Iraq, discussing why she decided to join the military and praising Sanders’ foreign policy.
Replete with images of Gabbard surfing in Hawaii and accompanied by shots of the island and its residents, the ad is a big assist from a popular home-state representative and rising star in the party, ahead of the Democratic caucuses in Hawaii that take place Saturday.
“I felt a sense of duty and I could not in good conscience stay back here in beautiful Hawaii and watch my brothers and sisters in uniform go off to combat,” she says of her decision to enlist in the 90-second spot.
A visibly emotional Gabbard chokes up and continues, “These are people and friends who we never forget, and who we strive to honor every day that we are blessed to live and breathe.”
Gabbard then praises Sanders, noting his vote against the Iraq War and his pledge to “take the trillions of dollars that are sent on these interventionist, regime change, unnecessary wars, and invest it here at home.”
Gabbard quit her post as a Democratic National Committee vice chairwoman when she endorsed Sanders last month, and she had a public disagreement with DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz over the number debates held for the Democratic primary.
The ad features what could be a subtle shot at Hillary Clinton, who has criticized Sanders’ proposals for being unrealistic while championing a more incremental form of progress, the Iraq veteran adds, “The American people are not looking to settle for inches. They’re looking for real change.”
“What I saw in Bernie Sanders was the heart of Aloha,” Gabbard adds, “no matter who you are or where you come from in this country, that we are all in this together.”