Bernie Sanders Has Complained about Former Candidates Endorsing Biden [View all]
I understand his problem with that, but don't think he understands it very well. All of those candidates who dropped out of the race are solid, loyal Democrats. All are typical moderate Democrats, as well. Why would they not support Joe Biden, who agrees with their policies far more solidly than Bernie Sanders does?
Senator Sanders became a Democrat to run for President. He made that clear. He is, and always has been, an Independent, and is proud of that. But, he's running for the nomination of the Democratic Party. Aside from Sanders and Tulsi Gabbard, all of the candidates this year have been actual Democrats, who claim membership in and pledge loyalty to the Party.
So, when it became clear that they did not have paths to the nomination, they dropped out of the race and endorsed the Democrat who was most like them and who did have a path to the nomination. Why would they do anything else? Buttigieg and Klobuchar dropped out just before the Super Tuesday primaries. Why? Because they took a look at their chances and made the only rational decision.
Bernie Sanders claims that they did that due to some sort of Party Establishment conspiracy. Nonsense! There's no conspiracy. There is a political party with loyal, long-time members who want to win the election in November. They're not going to endorse a "Democrat of Convenience." That would make no sense at all.
So, Senator Sanders can make any sort of claim he wants. He also claims that his youthful supporters didn't turn out in large enough numbers. Well, OK, he's right about that. They didn't. That's why we hold primary elections - to let voters decide who they want as the Democratic Party nominee. Sorry, Bernie, but it wasn't you in the states you lost.
Complaining and accusing will not help Sanders get more votes. It will only cause people not to vote for him, or not to vote at all in their primary. It looks like that is exactly what his happening. The Democratic Party will choose a nominee who is a solid, trustworthy Democrat in 2020. The Party is not interested in a candidate who isn't really those things.
Sorry, Bernie. 2020 is not your year. It was never going to be your year. How about graciously admitting that you have no path to the nomination and getting behind the person who will be nominated? That would be great. Ask your supporters to do the sensible thing and get behind Joe Biden from here on out. We'd appreciate that.