How passionate are Bernie voters? Ask the Canadian taking US citizenship for him

Some people will knock on doors, stuffenvelopes, or make phone calls for a political candidate.

Kim De Lutis is so enthusiastic about hers she's changing her citizenship.

The Canadian-born woman is keen to vote for Bernie Sanders so muchso that after having lived in the U.S. for 21 years, she's justapplied for dual citizenship.

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A passionate movement has pushed the septuagenarian socialist into aposition unimaginable just a few months ago: Sanders is now heavilyfavoured to beat Hillary Clinton in Tuesday's New Hampshire primary.

"He was definitely the first candidate that spurred me to want tovote (in the U.S.),'' said De Lutis, a native of Montreal's South Shore.

"It definitely spurred me to get my citizenship.... He's inspired apolitical revolution."

Anyone relying on television will not see the reality, the buzz, theexcitement his campaign is generating.... Hillary is no longer thefront-runner, Bernie is no longer unelectable.- Kim DeLutis, a native of Montreal's South Shore

De Lutis had originally moved to New Hampshire for her husband's workin 1995. They're now paying two kids' college tuition, which shelikens to having a second mortgage.

She's been stirred to action by the senator's central message: thatthe world's wealthiest country should not lack social programs othercountries deem basic.

Free college tuition is one of his bolder ideas.Another less revolutionary idea: parental leave, something the U.S.
doesn't have.

De Lutis expects to have her citizenship by November so she can votefor Sanders in the general election and send him to the White House,overcoming the obstacles of special-interest money, a pro-Clintonparty establishment and hostile media.

Long road ahead

It won't be easy: The campaign heads south next, and polls haveSanders dozens of percentage points behind in the next-voting state ofSouth Carolina.

He also faces a wall of resistance from party brass. That much wasevident Monday. Clinton was introduced at a rally by the governor ofNew Hampshire; the state's Democratic senator; and the mayor of nearbyBoston.

Clinton noted that virtually every major party player fromSanders' own state, Vermont, supports her.

A certain former president was there too.

Bill Clinton argued that a Sanders White House would face anotherimpediment: reality.

Stumping for his wife, an older, hoarser-voiced 42nd president flashedthe same ability to weave statistics and storytelling as he did in hisfirst national campaign, when he became a contender with his strongshowing in New Hampshire.

Clinton acknowledged the angry national mood: 84 per cent of Americanshadn't had a raise in years, he said. He quoted Irish poet WilliamButler Yeats: "Too long a sacrifice can make a stone of the heart.''

The question, he said, isn't whether the country needs changes. Thequestion is whether a politician can achieve changes that leave thecountry better off: ``The rest is just background noise.''

Canadian-style medicare

Sanders proposes Canadian-style medicare. To Clinton, that's likepeddling science fiction a belief in some alternate universe whereit could get the necessary 60 per cent of Senate votes.

Same thing with free tuition. Hillary Clinton has a multi-layered planto fight skyrocketing costs that involve a tax rebate and refinancedloans at lower rates. Sanders' policy is easier to explain: zerotuition.

One Clinton supporter in the crowd said she likes some of Sanders'message. She just doesn't buy its viability.

"Sounds nice,'' said Robbie Grady, a retired military spouse. "Butrealistically, I want to get things done... (The message) may beinspirational, motivational. But I'd rather have some solid goals.''

That clash of centrist-versus-socialist had been playing out politelythrough the campaign. The increased stakes, however, have brought outthe nasty in some partisans.

One Sanders supporter heckled his rival over her paid speeches to WallStreet: "Why did you take their money?"

In an interview, Sandersurged some supporters to cut out the sexist insults against womensupporting Clinton: "We don't want that crap."

'No longer unelectable'

The Clinton campaign has levelled attacks of varying veracity. But theformer first couple sounds exasperated by what they consider drive-bysmears and insinuations that those opposing Sanders are corrupted byspecial-interest money.

De Lutis went out of her way to keep the tone civil. She declined tosay anything about Clinton in an interview. She crafted an emaillater, laying out some differences.

"There's been a media blackout on Bernie Sanders both in the UnitedStates and abroad,"she wrote.

"Anyone relying on television will not see the reality, the buzz, theexcitement his campaign is generating.... Hillary is no longer thefront-runner, Bernie is no longer unelectable.''