Bernie Sanders urges left to back Biden to stop 'very dangerous' Trump

[Uncle Joe]

Leftwing senator advises ‘unification of progressive people in general’ because threat from Republican ex-president is too great

(snip)

“We’re taking on the … former president, who, in fact, does not believe in democracy – he is an authoritarian, and a very, very dangerous person,” the senator and Vermont independent, who caucuses with Democrats, said on NBC’s Meet the Press. “I think at this moment there has to be unification of progressive people in general in all of this country.”

(snip)

Sanders himself was the runner-up for the Democratic nomination in the 2016 White House race won by Trump and in 2020, with West among his supporters. But Sanders this time quickly endorsed Biden’s re-election campaign, a decision which prompted West to accuse him of only backing Biden because he is “fearful of the neo-fascism of Trump”.

The senator responded to that criticism on Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union, saying, “Where I disagree with my good friend Cornel West is – I think, in these really very difficult times, there is a real question whether democracy is going to remain in the United States of America.

(snip)

Sanders nonetheless said he planned to push Biden to tackle “corporate greed and the massive levels of income and wealth inequality” across the US. On Meet the Press, he suggested he would urge Biden to “take on the billionaire class”.

(snip)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/28/bernie-sanders-democrats-support-biden-trump-2024

[JohnSJ]

1. Good for Bernie. Cornell West is a fraud who cares more for his "fragile" ego then the country

[LiberalLovinLug]

11. see....that doesn't help

Honey, not vinegar.

Attacking the personality is cheap. I just think he's passionate about his political beliefs and is using a venue made available to him by the tenets of democracy. West has some very poignant points he brings up. Policies we all would love to see. He'd be perfect running in a proportional representation system like Germany. Its just that for this first-past-the-post system of democracy, the timing is probably never right for a third party from the left. If Democrats were comfortably winning regardless, I'd love to have Cornell stir the pot with a seat in Washington. Its actually a shame the system cannot accommodate him how its structured. Its especially not welcome in the next federal election. Bernie is right to raise the alarm.

I hope Bernie can talk some sense into him.

[Oopsie Daisy]

19. He's a fraud. He's not dumb, he knows EXACTLY what the consequences are.

He just doesn't care. He's more anti-Democrat than he is anti-GOP or anti-Trump. It's clear that he wants to "punish" the Democratic party and intentionally BE the spoiler. Stop defending him. Stop justifying and validating him. He's toxic.

[usonian]

2. I applaud the unity and cooperation that has marked the Biden administration.

Progressives have gotten a whole lot, and benefitted everyone. What a diverse and dedicated team!

Joe knows.

[Aristus]

3. Good.

At least it's not more 'We need Trump in there to speed the revolution!" horseshit...

[Doc Sportello]

4. When did Bernie say that?

I've never seen it. He fully supported Clinton in 2016 (endorsing her in July) and Biden in 2020 and has voted with him 91 percent of the time according to 538.

[Aristus]

5. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply that he did.

People like Susan Sarandon, who think torpedoing the candidacy of mainstream Democrats is somehow 'free-thinking'. Well, she wanted Trump, and she got him. Unfortunately, so did the rest of us.

No matter how badly you want an independent candidate, if you're progressive, liberal, etc, the Democratic candidate is our best hope.

[Lunabell]

7. Well, don't lump Bernie in with rge likes of sarandon

or stein. It's very insulting. He is actually for the people and has proven his desire to help modern Americans.

[Oopsie Daisy]

22. When people like Sarandon and Nina Turner flutter back and forth between Bernie and Stein...

-- they're actually doing Bernie no favors, are they? For the casual observer watching those fickle butterflies, it's quite easy to "lump" together those candidates into a certain group or wing or belief system when high-profile people, like the ones mentioned, can't even seem to make up their OWN minds which one to be loyal to, or which one to support.
> It's very insulting.
Really? Why? You shouldn't be. I'm sure that Bernie can take it. That's the nature of politics. I'm sure he's got a thick skin after all these years in the public eye.

[pnwmom]

18. His support then was half-hearted compared to his full support for Biden. He could have endorsed

Hillary in the spring, as soon as it was clear she'd won a majority of delegates. Instead, he held off endorsing her till just before the convention in July, which many of his followers attended (and protested at), hoping that somehow he'd pull off a win. Then he still didn't campaign for her till September and October, after taking July and August off to write a book. He did a handful of events for her in each of those months.

But, yes, he has fully supported Biden. I guess he underestimated Trump's peril before but he understands it now.

[Oopsie Daisy]

25. That's an accurate assessment of what happened and analysis of the consequences.

Although I'm not a seasoned politician, and although I don't have many years in office, it certainly seems obvious to me what the consequences are for that type of behavior and inaction.

[1WorldHope]

6. I love Bernie Sanders. I still have a "Billionaires can't buy Bernie" bumper sticker on my car. nt

[BWdem4life]

8. Bernie is correct.

I will freely admit to having been all-in for him and having refused to vote for Hillary in my blue state in 2016 as a result of the DNC and superdelegate fiasco. However, I did urge others in swing states to vote for her; and if I had to do it over, I would have voted for her, because every single vote - even in blue or red states in which they could not have changed the outcome - added to the delegitimization of Trump's victory.

[pnwmom]

20. Yes, thank you for explaining this. Every single vote, even in the blue states, adds legitimacy

to the Democratic winner.

[Oopsie Daisy]

21. Wow.

[dalton99a]

9. The GOP is no longer a normal political party. We're dealing with a criminal organization

led by an outright traitor who is hell bent on destroying our country

The above is a factual statement, not a hyperbole

It is a very serious situation

[twodogsbarking]

10. "Very dangerous" is mild compared to what he would do. Vote and get others to vote.

[Initech]

14. Yes. We have to assume everything is on the table.

If given a second term, Trump would commit some absolutely unspeakable atrocities, which would include things like mass murder and mass imprisonment.

[twodogsbarking]

15. If he even runs he will claim he won, again. If he is even the candidate look out.

I think he would do things most people cannot imagine. He has people with him.
Convict him.

[Initech]

17. Convict his enablers too.

Trump wouldn't exist without the Steve Bannons, Sean Hannitys, and Tucker Carlsons aiding and abetting his every move. They are as evil as he is.

[Hekate]

12. Thank you, Bernie

[Initech]

13. Trump will execute his political opponents if he is put back in the White House.

We have to stop this at all costs. The GOP will act out their wildest revenge fantasies and there will be no one to stop them.

Vote Biden like your life depends on it. Fuck Trump, the MAGAs, and Fox News.

[Evolve Dammit]

23. Agreed. And Bernie was right in the 2016 election too. Stumped for Hillary when she won nomination.

[Fresh Water Falling]

16. Hear Hear!

Now is not the fucking time to be experimenting!

[Hortensis]

24. Thank goodness. Seriously.

Where we are v where we might be. On to 2024.

[FakeNoose]

26. I think Biden is smart to listen to Bernie - and Bernie returns the favor

This is more than political backscratching - this is showing how we get things done. It shows how we can continue to win elections. Bernie Sanders will never be President, and I'm OK with that. Because Presidents know they need to listen to Bernie and work with him whenever possible.

Thank you Bernie Sanders!