George Boyle
In 1988, Bernie Sanders and his wife Jane took a trip to the Soviet Union, which has been described as a honeymoon. The trip, which took place the day after their wedding, was an official visit to establish a sister-city relationship between Burlington, Vermont, and Yaroslavl, Russia. Sanders himself has referred to the trip as a romantic honeymoon and a very strange honeymoon, seemingly in jest. The couple had a more traditional honeymoon in St. Lucia the following year.
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What You'll Learn
Bernie Sanders' 1988 trip to the Soviet Union
In 1988, Bernie Sanders, then the socialist mayor of Burlington, Vermont, travelled to the Soviet Union with his wife, Jane Sanders, and a 12-person delegation. The trip, which took place immediately after their wedding, was jokingly referred to as a "romantic" and “very strange honeymoon” by the couple. However, it was primarily an official diplomatic trip to establish a “sister-city” relationship between Burlington and the city of Yaroslavl in the Soviet Union.
During their 10-day stay, the Sanderses and their delegation were treated to a visit to a sauna and numerous toasts of vodka and Russian folk songs. Sanders, joining in the spirit of things, sang the Woody Guthrie socialist classic "This Land Is Your Land" bare-chested and clad only in a towel. The trip also included meetings, interviews, and diplomatic functions. Sanders met with Yaroslavl city officials, including Mayor Alexander Riabkov, and discussed central planning, Soviet-style. He noted that while the quality of housing and healthcare in America was "significantly better" than in the communist state, the cost of these services was "much, much higher" in the United States.
The delegation also visited factories, hospitals, and schools in Yaroslavl, which had been spruced up for their visit. They also travelled to other parts of the Soviet Union, including Red Square and Lenin's tomb in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), and took a boat ride on the Volga River. Sanders found things he liked about the Soviet Union, such as the affordable housing, which cost only 5% of a Russian's income compared to 40% in the United States.
The trip to the Soviet Union has attracted scrutiny, especially during the 2020 election, with critics accusing Sanders of Bolshevism and condoning Soviet torture practices. However, it is important to note that the trip occurred during a period of improving relations between the United States and the Soviet Union, with negotiations between President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev leading to restructuring policies and increased cultural exchanges. The sister-city relationship between Burlington and Yaroslavl was intended to ease tensions between the two countries and facilitate citizen-to-citizen exchanges.
Despite the official nature of the trip, the Sanderses did find time for some leisure activities. They took a more traditional honeymoon the following year in St. Lucia in the Caribbean.
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The trip's purpose to establish a sister-city relationship
The trip's purpose was to establish a sister-city relationship between Burlington, Vermont, and Yaroslavl, Russia. This relationship was intended to ease tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union through citizen-to-citizen exchanges.
The idea for this relationship did not originate with Bernie Sanders, who led the delegation, but with Robert Daniels, a history professor at the University of Vermont. Daniels suggested that Burlington and Yaroslavl, with their similar environments and educational institutions, would make good sister cities.
Sanders and his wife, Jane, were part of a 12-person delegation from Burlington that visited Yaroslavl in 1988, just a day after their wedding. The trip was jokingly referred to as their honeymoon, although they had a more traditional honeymoon in St. Lucia the following year.
During the trip, Sanders met with Yaroslavl's mayor, Alexander Riabkov, and discussed central planning, Soviet-style. Sanders noted that while the quality of housing and healthcare in the United States was better, the cost of these services was much higher. He also visited factories, hospitals, and schools, and took part in diplomatic functions and cultural exchanges.
The sister-city relationship between Burlington and Yaroslavl has continued since, with many cultural exchange visits taking place between the two cities.
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Sanders' description of the trip as a strange honeymoon
Bernie Sanders, the Democratic presidential candidate, travelled to the Soviet Union shortly after his wedding in 1988. This trip has been referred to as his "honeymoon in Russia" by critics and the media, with Fox News anchor Sean Hannity claiming that Sanders honeymooned in the Soviet Union during the ""height of the Cold War".
However, Sanders himself has described the trip as a strange honeymoon, a very strange honeymoon, and a romantic honeymoon in a tongue-in-cheek manner. In his 2015 book, "Outsider in the White House", Sanders wrote about the trip: "On the next day, we began a quiet, romantic honeymoon. We went to Yaroslavl, in the Soviet Union, along with ten other Burlingtonians, to finalize our sister-city relationship with that city. Trust me. It was a very strange honeymoon."
The trip to the Soviet Union was not a traditional honeymoon, as it was a pre-scheduled government trip with a delegation of city representatives and officials, including Sanders' new wife, Jane Sanders. The purpose of the trip was to establish a sister-city relationship between Burlington, Vermont, and Yaroslavl, and to foster cultural exchange and dialogue between the two cities.
During the trip, Sanders attended meetings, interviews, and diplomatic functions, and he was enthralled by the hospitality shown by his Soviet hosts. He also sang "This Land Is Your Land" while bare-chested and draped in a towel at a banquet attended by about 100 people. Sanders has faced criticism for his comments during the trip, where he criticized the cost of housing and healthcare in the United States while praising the lower prices in the Soviet Union.
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The trip's diplomatic and official functions
The trip to the Soviet Union by Bernie Sanders and his wife, Jane, was a mix of diplomatic and official functions, sightseeing, and cultural experiences. The couple led a 12-person delegation from Burlington, Vermont, to Yaroslavl, Russia, to establish a "sister-city" relationship between the two cities. This initiative aimed to ease tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union by fostering citizen-to-citizen exchanges.
The trip, which took place in 1988, included meetings and interviews with local officials. Sanders met with Yaroslavl's mayor, Alexander Riabkov, and discussed central planning, Soviet-style. Sanders observed that while the quality of housing and healthcare in the United States was better, the cost of these services was significantly higher. He also toured factories, hospitals, and schools in Yaroslavl, which had been prepared for the American visitors.
During their time in the Soviet Union, the Sanders couple also engaged in cultural experiences. Bernie Sanders walked through Red Square, visited Lenin's tomb, and travelled to Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). He also took a boat ride on the Volga River. The couple and their delegation were treated to a visit to a sauna and enjoyed Russian folk songs and vodka, with a bare-chested Sanders joining in to sing "This Land Is Your Land."
The trip had both diplomatic and official purposes, with Sanders later recalling it as a very strange honeymoon. It contributed to cultural exchange and dialogue-building between Burlington and Yaroslavl, solidifying the sister-city relationship. The trip also provided Sanders with insights into the differences and similarities between the United States and the Soviet Union in terms of housing, healthcare, and other aspects of daily life.
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The trip's impact on Sanders' 2020 election campaign
Bernie Sanders' trip to the Soviet Union in 1988, which he and his wife jokingly referred to as their honeymoon, resurfaced as a topic of discussion during his 2020 election campaign. The trip, which occurred right after the couple's wedding, was an official diplomatic visit to establish a "'sister-city' relationship" between Burlington, Vermont, and Yaroslavl, Russia. While Sanders himself described the trip as a "romantic honeymoon" in his 2015 book, "Outsider in the White House", he also acknowledged its unusual nature, calling it a "very strange honeymoon."
The impact of this trip on Sanders' 2020 election campaign was significant and multifaceted. Firstly, it provided ammunition for his opponents, both Republican and Democrat, who used it to criticize and attack his political stance. The trip reinforced the narrative that Sanders sympathized with communist ideologies, with some accusing him of Bolshevism. This was particularly salient in the context of the Cold War, where any perceived affinity with communist countries could be politically damaging.
Secondly, the trip highlighted Sanders' long-standing interest in socialist policies and his desire to "learn from" other political systems. While in the Soviet Union, Sanders engaged in diplomatic functions, meetings, and cultural exchanges. He visited factories, hospitals, and schools in Yaroslavl, noting the differences in housing and healthcare between the communist state and the United States. Sanders' observations about the affordability of housing and healthcare in the Soviet Union, despite its inferior quality, could be used by his opponents to suggest that he favored certain aspects of communist policies.
Additionally, the trip's timing and Sanders' actions during his visit also drew attention. The fact that Sanders and his wife set their wedding date to coincide with the pre-scheduled trip contributed to the perception of the journey as unusual. Moreover, Sanders' behavior, such as singing "This Land is Your Land" bare-chested while drinking vodka, became a source of scrutiny and potential embarrassment. Opponents could use these moments to portray Sanders as someone who embraced communist symbols and behaviors, further fueling the narrative of his alleged ideological leanings.
However, the trip also had some positive impacts on Sanders' campaign. It showcased his willingness to engage in international diplomacy and his interest in fostering cultural exchange and understanding between nations. Sanders' ability to find common ground and build relationships, even with ideological opponents, could be seen as a strength by some voters. Additionally, the "sister-city" relationship between Burlington and Yaroslavl, which lasted beyond the trip, demonstrated Sanders' commitment to local communities and his ability to initiate and sustain international partnerships.
Overall, the trip's impact on Sanders' 2020 election campaign was complex. While it provided fodder for criticism and attacks from opponents, it also highlighted his diplomatic skills, open-mindedness, and commitment to community-building. The resurfacing of this trip during the 2020 election campaign contributed to a broader discussion about Sanders' political ideology, foreign policy views, and his ability to navigate international relations as a potential president.
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Frequently asked questions
Bernie Sanders, the Democratic candidate for the 2020 election, honeymooned in the Soviet Union in 1988.
Yes, Bernie Sanders referred to his trip to the Soviet Union as a "romantic honeymoon" in his 2015 book "Outsider in the White House". However, he later described the trip as a very strange honeymoon.
Bernie Sanders' trip to the Soviet Union was a diplomatic one, with an official purpose to set up a "'sister city' arrangement with Yaroslavl. He also walked through Red Square and saw Lenin's tomb, visited Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), and took a boat ride down the Volga River.
Yes, Jane Sanders accompanied Bernie Sanders on the trip to the Soviet Union.
