Bernie Sanders did an Associated Press interview yesterday, the day after he endorsed Joe Biden on a Biden-produced livestream. While I’ve never supported Sanders in any way, I do appreciate the fact that he totally took the legs out of HIS supporters’ arguments. Too many Sanders supporters were hollering about not supporting Biden or waiting until their messiah told them what to do. And then Bernie endorsed Biden and told his supporters to do the same. It’s kind of beautiful to see all the wind go out of so many toxic sails. Anyway, Sanders told the AP that he believes it’s “irresponsible” for anyone to say that they refuse to vote or get involved just because they don’t agree with Biden on certain issues. So many bros just lost their Bernie boners. Some highlights from this interview:
On how his former national press secretary, Briahna Joy Gray, said she wasn’t supporting Biden: “She is my former press secretary — not on the payroll,” Sanders noted. A spokesman later clarified that all campaign staffers were no longer on the payroll as of Tuesday, though they will get a severance check in May.
On supporting Biden: “Do we be as active as we can in electing Joe Biden and doing everything we can to move Joe and his campaign in a more progressive direction? Or do we choose to sit it out and allow the most dangerous president in modern American history to get reelected? I believe that it’s irresponsible for anybody to say, ‘Well, I disagree with Joe Biden — I disagree with Joe Biden! — and therefore I’m not going to be involved.’”
What’s happening to his campaign: Sanders said he would not actively campaign or spend money on advertising in the primary contests that are still on the calendar in the coming months. But he still encouraged Democrats in those states to vote for him, hoping to amass as many delegates as possible for leverage to shape the party platform and the direction of Biden’s campaign. “If people want to vote for me, we’d appreciate it,” Sanders said of the roughly 20 primary contests that remain where his name will appear on the ballot. He later added, “I think you’re going to see significant movement on the part of the Biden campaign into a more progressive direction on a whole lot of issues.”
Why he suspended his campaign & endorsed Biden so early: Sanders brushed away questions about why he was willing to back Biden so much sooner than he did Clinton, whom he waited until June to endorse. He said recent conversations with former President Barack Obama did not influence his decision. It came down to simple math, he said. In 2016, Sanders said he had a mathematical path to the nomination all the way until the California primary, which was held on the last day of voting in June. That simply wasn’t the case this year. “What would be the sense of staying in, of spending a whole lot of money, of attacking the vice president, giving fodder for Trump — what’s the sense of doing that when you can’t win? I will do everything I can to help elect Joe. We had a contentious campaign. We disagree on issues. But my job now is to not only rally my supporters, but to do everything I can to bring the party together to see that (Trump) is not elected president.”
So he basically suspended his campaign because he was getting his ass whooped by Biden in nearly every state after New Hampshire and Iowa. And even then, the primary states’ votes looked so different from 2016 to 2020. As loud as the Sanders’ supporters are online, Sanders’ actual base of support with real, physical supporters coming out to vote from him has steeply declined from 2016 to 2020. So that too was why he stepped down so “early” (relatively speaking). As for what he says about hoping people still vote for him so he can influence the Biden campaign… eh. Whatever.
Sanders also did a live thing with Cardi B, and she’s now voting for Biden.
During their Instagram live, @iamcardib, who has long been a Sanders’ fan announced that she would support Joe Biden. She then asked Sanders: “I want you to tell my platform why you are endorsing him. Like why should we vote for him?” pic.twitter.com/npme7UTiBB
— Annie Grayer (@AnnieGrayerCNN) April 15, 2020
Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red.
Warren will endorse Biden today. This is a very carefully coordinated roll out. Everyone gets their day to announce and their news cycle and then coordinated attacks on Trump and the GOP for the next six months. The DNC isn’t coming to play; it’s coming to bring a Blue Tsunami in November and they’re not just coming for Trump; McConnell, Graham, and lesser GOP players like McSally are targets.
From your lips to G-d’s ears. I want McConnell, Gaetz and others out as much as I want 45 gone. It would be a joyous day in Mudville, if Graham got the boot too.
Very good news! I want to hear more from Sen. Warren about how we’re going to get out of this mess. She’s always spot on.
Please be right, please be right! I agree it’s the plan, and I just need to see it roll out well and work. In these dark times, we need the hope. And the fact that I think we are truly doomed as a country if it doesn’t pushes my hope extra hard 🙂
@LightPurple, yes, yes, yes. May you be spot on and this “Blue” tsunami happens, because make no mistake, the Trumpers will be turning out in big numbers to vote to try to keep their deplorable leader in office.
And please take out little Jeffy Beauregard Sessions and Tommy Tuberville, the rabid right wing former Auburn coach who lives in Florida and is running for Senator from Alabama. We need to keep Doug Jones, the only candidate with a moral conscience.
They absolutely need to go for each and every race and unseat as many GOP as possible.
Local elections too! Don’t forget to vote down ballot! And if your state offers voting by mail, apply for it now.
I am all for the democratic process–everyone should get their chance to throw their hat in the ring and have their say. That being said, Sanders was never a Democrat. He’s only a Democrat when it suits him. And we have to realize that Don the Con moved everything so far to the right that nothing but a “moderate” democrat would be palatable to the majority of the country right now. We need to focus on getting this clown out now and then getting more progressive in 2024 (Biden isn’t going to last past that).
THANK YOU. It’s astounding how often I have to keep reminding Berners of this. You want him to get my party’s nomination? JOIN THE PARTY FIRST.
Bernie’s followers aren’t socialists, they are nihilists. They will burn everything down if they don’t get what they want.
And in that way they are similar to Trump supporters who like Trump because he’s a bully with no shame. People cutting off their nose to spite their face just to feel superior to others.
They are children having temper tantrums, but those tantrums have consequences that now have a body count.
And what will the righteous ones the Susan Sarandons of the world) do now that the God gave such a particular and direct instructions?
Sulk for quite a while, but, hopefully, the majority will Eventually listen to Bernie and vote, if good sense prevails. Some are too far gone.
I just hope Sarandon keeps her stupid mouth shut from now on.
She won’t. And she’s going after Democrats all over the place, including Pelosi. Strangely silent about Republicans.
She will have some kind of crisis like the rest of them. Some are saying to vote Green, but the presumptive Green nominee, Howie Hawkins, is, uh, problematic with his views of trans people, so a lot of them aren’t okay with him. The biggest answer I’ve seen is to just write in Bernie.
I will say it was very funny to watch Bernie openly rebuke Briahna Gray by basically pulling a “I don’t pay her.” It’s giving them the vapors.
“Do we choose to sit it out and allow the most dangerous president in modern American history to get reelected?”
That is indeed the question, and kudos to Sanders for putting it so plainly. This is no time for purity tests on the left. It’s a time to pull together and unseat Trump and company.
Also, I’ve read speculation that one reason Sanders stayed in the race through the Wisconsin primary was to boost turnout for downticket races. Thanks to Democratic voters who turned out in unexpectedly high numbers, the WI Supreme Court seat on the ballot went to the Democratic challenger rather than the Republican incumbent.
My respect for Sanders has grown significantly over the past few days.
Yes. And the speculation about WI makes sense. Despite the danger, the determination vote blue — and the GOP’s plan backfiring in the process — was a sight for sore eyes.
Good. He needed to say these things, and he’s right. The math wasn’t in this favor, so the best thing to do is support Biden, push for more progressive policies, and most importantly, get rid of the orange nightmare.
His supporters who are unwilling to listen are being foolish and selfish. I’m just glad their numbers have dwindled.
I have not really ever liked Bernie Sanders, but I have to respect this move.
It would have been really easy to sit back on his throne and do what I see a lot of his most rabid supporters do – which is fold their arms and have tantrums and decide that they’re taking their toys and going home because you know, Biden is no different than Trump. But he’s playing this smart, as he should – the party DOES need to accept that people do want more progressive measures taken and if the Democrats don’t accept that, they are going to die as a party.
He’s handed Biden a huge gift – his early vocal support AND reminded people that to not vote is foolish and only serves to empower 45 and his cabal of fuckery. Hopefully Biden will be smart enough to continue to recognize this luck and use it sensibly and hammer home the message that he is the bridge that gets us from this nightmare and more towards a party and a world that works better for ALL people.
Again, the Dems must make an issue of further relief legislation be tied to national mail in voting rights.
Respect.