Biden mounts behind-the-scenes mission to win over wary progressives

[beastie boy]

With full appreciation of the progressive voters being a far broader segment than just the die-hard Bernie fans, Joe is implementing a behind-the scenes push to bring them to his side. This may explain why Bernie is so unnerved lately and so reluctant to drop out of the race: as far as Bernie is concerned, this is a direct assault on his movement, not just his presidential aspirations. He can only counter Biden's efforts to bring large portions of Bernie's base to his side if he remains in the race and maintains some semblance of an alternative to Biden.

https://news.yahoo.com/biden-mounts-behind-scenes-mission-110035973.html

Joe Biden’s campaign is mounting an aggressive behind-the-scenes effort to address the biggest weakness of his candidacy: A lack of enthusiasm among the liberal base, particularly young voters.

Since his landslide victories earlier this month, Biden’s advisers have engaged in talks with a range of top progressive groups, including some that endorsed his chief rival, Bernie Sanders, according to multiple sources familiar with the conversations. The outreach to left-wing organizations and individuals — representing causes from climate change and immigrant rights to gun control and mobilizing underserved black and brown communities — is focused on young activists. Broadly speaking, they viewed Biden as one of the least-inspiring candidates in the sprawling Democratic primary field.

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“The dirty little secret is everyone’s talking to Biden’s campaign,” said Sean McElwee, co-founder of the liberal think tank Data for Progress. “There will be fights, but at the end of the day, progressives still hold votes in the Senate and increasingly Democratic voters stand behind our views. I expect we’ll see Biden embracing key planks of the ambitious agenda progressives have outlined on issues like climate and pharmaceutical policy.”

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The moves are just the beginning of a “coordinated and robust effort to unite the party and beat Donald Trump,” the adviser said.

Biden aides are taking a two-pronged approach. They're reaching out to what they see as traditional progressive groups with longer legacies such as Planned Parenthood, with which the campaign held a long call ahead of the most recent debate, and movement groups that came of age more recently, including liberal organization Indivisible and climate change-focused Sunrise Movement.

Biden has also backed proposals from Sanders and Elizabeth Warren in recent weeks on the issues of student debt and free college, respectively.