Hillary Clinton

(Photo illustration by Christa Lemczak)

The choice New York Democrats must make in Tuesday's presidential primary is between Hillary Clinton, a pragmatist, and Bernie Sanders, the idealist.

We believe Clinton has the experience and political savvy for uncertain times. She's a proven leader on the world stage and especially in New York, where she served ably in the Senate and represented Upstate interests.

Clinton's long public life has been a help and hindrance. She expanded the role of first lady, ran for the Senate, pursued the presidency and served President Barack Obama as his secretary of state. The world is messy and complicated and so is her record _ a vote to go to war in Iraq that she now regrets, a fatal attack on diplomats in Libya, Syria in turmoil and an email controversy that won't go away.

Her missteps could be considered a liability -- or they could prove to be the ultimate lessons learned and never to be repeated. She knows what's at stake on the human and political level both here and abroad.

Clinton has a plan to reinvigorate manufacturing, which she unveiled in Syracuse earlier this month. She would raise taxes on the wealthy, create a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants and offer debt-free college tuition at public colleges. Clinton would preserve the Affordable Care Act, with fixes.

When Clinton represented New York, she showed up and listened to the needs and concerns of farmers, small businesses and big corporations.

Sanders is running as a Democrat, but at times in his long political career he has called himself an Independent or a Democratic Socialist. He's calling for a political revolution to reduce income inequality through taxation, break up Wall Street banks, expand Medicare for all and make college educations free. While those ideas resonate with his supporters, taken as a whole those policies will certainly bankrupt the country and ruin the economy.

Like Donald Trump on the Republican side, Sanders blames all our problems on one thing -- wealthy people and big corporations. He offers simplistic answers to complex problems.

Sanders has always positioned himself as an outsider. As an agitator, he doesn't have to worry about making political calculations. As president, he would have to if he wants to accomplish anything with his lofty promises.

We are confident Clinton understands the big picture -- of global politics --and the little picture -- of the everyday lives of Upstate New York's people and businesses, thanks largely to her time in the Senate.

On Tuesday, April 19, we think Clinton is a better choice.