Bernie Sanders followed up the suspension of his presidential campaign by coming right out an enthusiastically endorsing Joe Biden on Monday. This is a big relief not because there’s anything special about Joe Biden, but simply because it’s vital that the left is as united as possible for the battle to beat Donald Trump in November.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, the independent senator from Vermont who ended his White House bid last week, said Monday that he is endorsing former vice president Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
Sanders made the announcement on a live stream hosted by Biden examining the country’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Joe, I know that there is an enormous responsibility on your shoulders right now, and it is imperative that all of us work together,” Sanders said on the live stream.
Biden responded: “Your endorsement means a great deal. … I look forward to working with you. And I am going to need you badly.”
Personally, I hope they follow through on their threat to play chess:
The two displayed a warm relationship that dates to Biden’s days as a fellow senator.
“We’ve been friends. We’ve disagreed, but we’ve been friends,” Biden said.
Sanders added: “I know you are the kind of guy who is going to be inclusive. You want to bring people in — even people who disagree with you.”
As they discussed how to end their livestream, the two joked that they could get out chess boards and play via video.
I’m actually curious who would win. I suspect the answer is Sanders, but who knows? That’s why they play the matches.
There is some actual news involved here beyond the kumbayah.
The two said they had agreed to form six task forces to work on policy matters. Those working groups will cover the economy, education, criminal justice, immigration, climate change and health care.
“It’s no great secret out there, Joe, that you and I have our differences, and we’re not going to paper them over. That’s real,” Sanders said. “But I hope that these task forces will come together utilizing the best minds and people in your campaign and in my campaign to work out real solutions to these very, very important problems.”
Biden told Sanders he is “looking forward to working with you, pal” and said he would “try my best not to let you all down.”
This arrangement is very generous on Biden’s part, and it gives Sanders something tangible to take to his base. The mutual respect they show for each other is infinitely better than the barely concealed animosity that held between Sanders and Hillary Clinton. It’s going to make for a much smoother ride, including at the Democratic National Convention where the platform will be ironed out. If the two factions are working together prior to the convention, then there should be less cause for acrimony.
I am skeptical of Biden’s tendency to promise that personal relationships can do much to overcome ideological differences, but it matters here a lot that he and Bernie are genuine friends. And Biden is smart to be a gracious and generous winner. I needed some positive news, and this delivered.
Good to hear that Biden and Bernie are making nice. Now if Bernie’s most ardent supporters would similarly make nice, that would be most excellent.
Hopefully Biden can convince Bernie that the filibuster must go for everything as the first order of business if Democrats flip the Senate. Otherwise it won’t matter how progressive the platform is. None of it will get through. And, packing the Supreme Court or removing the Boofter to be replaced with a young fire-breathing liberal justice needs to be second. .
Would be great. Unfortunately most of the party is afraid of making waves. Maybe that will change. It certainly makes sense to put it out there and try to normalize these as valid options. But it wasn’t long ago that Sanders was against removing the filibuster.
I really would like to see that filibuster busted.
I just learned that Karofsky, the liberal candidate, just won a spot on the Wisconsin supreme court, despite the decision about not extending the mail in date. That together with this piece of news about Sanders makes me declare this Monday to be a good Monday.
i wrote 400 postcards for Judge Jill and i got my friends to write 800 more. if you put in the work, you get results.
“If you put in the work, you get results.” Yes, this. (Not always of course; sometimes you put in the work and you lose. What *doesn’t* happen is: you *don’t* put in the work, you get results.)
Apparently Karofsky’s win was fueled largely by suburban white women which is no surprise to anyone who’s been listening to country music lately. The amount of anger at Trump and men like him at Krakatoa-in-early-1883 levels.
This is good news, indeed; and may it continue.
There is an irreducible core of Sanders supporters who won’t vote for Biden. (Based on the combined Nader/McKinney vote in 2008, it’s roughly 0.69% of the electorate.) That core will be amplified by 1) social media (on Twitter everyone—not just those who can buy a printing press—can afford to be a publisher); and 2) Russian/Republican bots & trolls desperately seeking to cause turmoil and drive down turnout.
The more the rest of us can do to 1) follow Biden’s example by making Sanders and his supporters welcome; and 2) ignore, as much as possible, the 0.69% so that they’re deprived of the emotional oxygen needed to fuel their efforts, the better.
One last observation: this brings into clearer focus what a Biden presidency would likely be: not “Bidenism” as an ideological agenda, but Biden acting more as a party leader who convenes the party’s various factions, helps smooth over differences, persuades people to work together and to cut deals for the common good. This is very good news for progressives because as long as progressives bring constructive policy ideas, talented people to staff the bureaucracy, and organized power (i.e., people, money, votes) to the political process, they can have tremendous influence in a Biden administration.