Bernie Sanders resuming in-person campaigning to back Biden

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By WILL WEISSERT

WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Bernie Sanders is returning to in-person campaigning for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March, heading to the battleground states of New Hampshire and Michigan to promote Joe Biden and sooth any lingering tensions between the Democratic Party’s progressive and centrist wings.

Spokesman Mike Casca says the Vermont senator will hold a socially distanced, outdoor rally Saturday in Lebanon, New Hampshire which will be capped to keep crowds from growing too large. On Monday, Sanders will host a drive-in rally in Macomb County, Michigan — a Detroit suburb that voted Republican in 2016 and was instrumental in clinching the White House for President Donald Trump.

Sanders ended his presidential primary campaign in April and endorsed Biden just days later, as both candidates worked to promote party unity that largely eluded Hillary Clinton in 2016. Some of Sanders’ top advisers and supporters later formed joint task forces with their counterparts from Biden’s camp to hammer out agreements on major policy issues that were reflected in the Democratic Party platform. Also, high ranking Sanders campaign leaders have formed two Super PACs to promote Biden — despite Sanders personally opposing outside money in politics.

Sanders hitting the road again comes as Trump has increasingly sought to paint Biden as beholden to progressive activists and the “radical left.” Biden, who won the primary largely as a moderate, says he wants to build a broad coalition of support from all Democrats and as many Republicans as possible — but has noted that he doesn’t support some of Sanders’ most progressive ideas.



FILE - In this March 15, 2020 file photo, now Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, left, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., right, greet one another before they participate in a Democratic presidential primary debate at CNN Studios in Washington. Former staffers from Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign want to harness strong support for the Vermont senator among Hispanics to bolster Joe Biden in two battleground states that could prove critical in November’s election. Nuestro PAC is launching a 30-second spot that will begin airing Thursday for two weeks in heavily Hispanic Nevada and Iowa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-joe-biden-donald-trump-new-hampshire-9f535e2b04bbdc55cd51b94738e1783a

[still_one]

1. I am sure he will, but Bernie don't take unecessary risks

[IronLionZion]

2. He should tell his bros (and the female equivalent) to vote for Biden

because I still see a few too many of them online claiming Biden is too centrist and they're too principled to vote this year, both candidates are too old, or whatever. One troll claimed we need Trump to completely destroy civilization before we can build it back in a more liberal way.

[edhopper]

3. So true

I see some of them on Facebook, alternating between post about how bad Trump is with post about how the DNC screwed over Bernie.

They need to stop whining and help save the country.

[LiberalLovinLug]

4. Yes there are those out there. But not enough to worry

There will always be those on the left who can't pull back once the primaries are over, and accept the results, and then start to look forward as to how more progressive policy can still be pushed forward. Concentrate on trying to work towards an eventual M4A, $15 min wage etc..regardless of who won. Try and move the goalposts a bit closer at least, but from within the party.

Sanders knows all too well this route. He is doing his part. He can't rid himself of his most ardent supporters of him because it never was about him, it always was his more progressive platform, which is what they REALLY are disappointed about not advancing. Need I remind that there were more PUMA Hillary supporters that refused to vote for Obama, than "Bernie Bros" that refused to vote for Hillary in '16. There will always be that segment. And it is even less of a factor this time, after 4 years of Trump.

Sanders, and AOC, for that matter, are going out of their way to lead by example for that disgruntled left. I'll just say that I think many make enemies of those more left than them, more than those on the right of them. Those who want more progressive policies, sooner, are not bad people. They are passionate about those issues, and believe that America would be a much better, fairer, healthier, happier nation if they implemented these policies sooner rather than later.

Yes some are angry that, in their minds, even Democratic delegates, don't have the courage to elect someone who will champion those ideals. So they wonder if the Democratic party is worth supporting. (This is THEIR point of view not mine alert bots)

This is why its so important that Sanders steps up and helps to assure them that he still has a good relationship with Biden. That he, while still retaining the option of criticizing the party where he feels necessary, as AOC does, still supports the Democratic nominee, and the party, and that if he feels he can still push progressive policy in a new Biden Presidency, then his past supporters should to. And the vast majority ARE following his lead. It does not help continuing to ridicule past Sanders supporters with the troll invented "Bernie Bros" meme. Sanders had up to 37% of delegates support before California voting tilted the race to Biden. Those Democrats are still here. They have swallowed their disappointment and support Joe 100% now. No need to keep poking them.