News

Hey Girl, Ryan Gosling Wants You To Feel The Bern

by Hope Racine

There are a handful of people in the world I'd do anything for — my mom, my dog, and Ryan Gosling, who just supported Bernie Sanders on Twitter, and is hoping you will too. Gosling, who turned 35 on Thursday, broke his lengthy Twitter silence to ask the Internet citizens for a birthday present of his choice: sharing a Sanders video.

The video in question features Sanders as a town hall meeting at George Mason University in October, answering a question from a Muslim-American student. "They're constantly bashing Muslims in the media," the student said. "Ben Carson, Donald Trump. The biggest bigots. As a Muslim student, as an American-Muslim student who aspires to change this world ... Hearing the rhetoric that is going on in the media makes me sick because I as an individual am constantly trying to raise awareness and make sure that everyone is treated equally in this country. So to the next president of the United States, what do you think about that?" The student had to pause in the middle of her question, however, as Sanders walked over to give her a hug.

"Let me be very personal if I might. I’m Jewish, my father’s family died in concentration camps,” Sanders told the student. “I will do everything that I can to rid this country of the ugly stain of racism that has existed for far too many years.”

Gosling later followed up with a second Tweet, saying, "I'm not endorsing a political candidate btw. It's more the talking and listening I'm a fan of." But with the second Democratic debate quickly approaching, an approving nod from Gosling is a good sign for Sanders, who's been slowly bringing in more celebrity endorsements.

Currently, Sanders can't match Clinton on celebrity supporters, however. Clinton has enjoyed support and shoutouts from A-listers like Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, Lena Dunham, Katy Perry, and even Beyonce. Meanwhile, Sanders is pulling in a different type of supporter. Earlier this month UFC champion Ronda Rousey told Maxim that she was feeling the Bern. “I’m voting for Bernie Sanders, because he doesn’t take any corporate money,” Rousey said. “I don’t think politicians should be allowed to take money for their campaigns from outside interests.”

Although Gosling may be a fan of Sanders' vow against racism, other celebrities are in agreement with Rousey in regard to Sanders' stance against corporations. Mark Ruffalo, an early Sanders supporter, has previously said that Clinton needs to "adopt" Sanders' message about campaign financing. Also in the Sanders camp are celebrities like Will Ferrell, Susan Sarandon, Lewis Black, and Sarah Silverman.

Even if Gosling isn't directly endorsing Sanders, its still more support than many Republican candidates are receiving from celebrities. Currently, Mike Huckabee has received endorsements from the Duggar family and Chuck Norris, while Ben Carson got a shout out from Kid Rock.

Celebrity endorsements won't win an election — and Sanders probably couldn't care less about who endorses him. However, the fact that Sanders' message about wealth inequality is reverberating among some of the richest members of society is a loud testament to how pervasive the issue is in America, and how well Sanders is connecting with voters. So he should be feeling pretty good about himself right now as he prepares to take on Clinton in Iowa on Saturday, Gosling endorsement or not.