Iowa is known for having voters make last minute decisions on caucus day. Andrea Mitchell kept audiences on the edge of their seats while chronicling this internal conflict in one Democrat sophomore college student, Gabe Schabilion. Well the wait is finally over! Gabe announced his final decision on Monday afternoon: “I’ll actually be caucusing for Hillary.”
Mitchell first interviewed Gabe, on January 21, at a Hillary event at Simpson College in Iowa. During his interview he said that he liked what Bernie Sanders had to say. “Bernie's message has struck a chord with me. It's something I'm passionate about, something that I feel –like- a lot of Americans are passionate about.”
At the time he was not sure about supporting Hillary at all: “I'm wondering if that will really be what it takes to -like- help our country, especially looking into the future, if -like- doing what we have always done, -like- politics, -like- politics as usual is that what our country really needs or is what we need -like- Bernie's introducing, kind of an overthrow of the establishment.”
“If you had to summarize it, it's almost like your heart would be with Bernie and what he wants to accomplish. Your mind might be with the more pragmatic approach of Hillary Clinton.” Prodded Mitchell
A visibly excited Mitchell asked what the whole country has been wondering: “What made you decide Hillary, because I know you were really wrestling with this?”
“I did a little bit of risk analysis. I did a lot of research, looked at a lot of historical events and I final came to an understanding of, with myself, what I really wanted from my candidate.” Gabe said. “…this was not an easy vote for me at all. It was hard earned by Hillary and like I said, it was a risk analysis.” Gabe wanted someone electable and would nominate a liberal Supreme Court justice to overturn the Citizen’s United decision. Hard earned vote indeed.
With the Democratic Caucuses just hours away Hillary can rest easy knowing Andrea Mitchell is helping young voters find their way, one voter at a time.
Partial transcripts below:
MSNBC
Andrea Mitchell Reports
January 21, 2016
12:18:59 – 12:20:10GABE SCHABILION: Well, I have no doubt about Hillary's experience. I think that she would be an amazing commander in chief. What I would like to know more from her is, she-- a lot of the policies that she is introducing are policies that are tried and true and I'm wondering if that will really be what it takes to -like- help our country, especially looking into the future, if -like- doing what we have always done, -like- politics, -like- politics as usual is that what our country really needs or is what we need like Bernie's introducing, kind of an overthrow of the establishment.
ANDREA MITCHELL: I mean, if you had to summarize it, it's almost like your heart would be with Bernie and what he wants to accomplish. Your mind might be with the more pragmatic approach of Hillary Clinton.
SCHABILION: Of Hillary, yeah, definitely. Because I feel –like- Bernie's message has struck a chord
with me. It's something I'm passionate about, something that I feel –like- a lot of Americans are passionate about. You can see that reflected in polls leading up to the caucuses, but yeah, like I said, with Hillary, she's just released so much specific policy about what she's actually going to do and she has a lot of past experience she can draw upon where she has gotten results. So that's where the conflict is, really, -like- playing out for me, within me.
...
February 1, 2016
12:54:11 – 12:56:13SCHABILION: Well, how I made my final made-- how I made my final decision was—I did a little bit of risk analysis. I did a lot of research, looked at a lot of historical events and I final came to an understanding of, with myself, what I really wanted from my candidate.
MITCHELL: And what is it?
SCHABILION: Well, I’ll actually be caucusing for Hillary. Yeah so-- [Unzips jacket]
MITCHELL: Ah ha! Now-- and so-- I mean, what made you decide Hillary, because I know you were really wrestling with this?
SCHABILION: Yes, this was not an easy vote for me at all. It was hard earned by Hillary and like I said, it was a risk analysis. Because I think what we really need in the long-term is a democratic candidate to win. We can't afford to have a Republican to win this election. We need somebody who's going to nominate a liberal Supreme Court justice that will help overturn citizens united. And I think Bernie Sanders might be an unnecessary risk for the presidential seat, just because I think his campaign is very comparable to Ralph Nader’s. And I think it would just be a tragedy if we weren’t able to get a democrat elected this cycle.
MITCHELL: Now I know you had some concerns about Hillary Clinton, about her be too pragmatic in fact.
SCHABILION: Yeah, definitely. –Like- Me saying I'm going to caucus for her isn't an endorsement of everything she stands for. I disagree with her on a lot of points. I disagree with her on foreign policy. I'm worried about her ties to Wall Street and big money. But that doesn't mean that I still won't support her as president. She'll have to earn my support definitely. I'll hold her accountable for the decisions she does make as president, but I think all that being said, she's probably our best bet at actually getting a Supreme Court justice that will actually overturn citizens united.
MITCHELL: Gabe Schabilion. Well thank you for wrestling this through with us and letting us participate in your decision making. And good luck at the caucus tonight.
SCHABILION: Yeah yeah, thank you. Thank you for having me.
MITCHELL: I would love to follow up with you. Let’s stay in touch.
SCHABILION: Yeah sounds good.
