Sen. Sanders, We Respect Your Passion But it's Time to Withdraw, Endorse Biden & Help Defeat Trump
Human nature being what it is, Sen. Bernie Sanders may want to continue his campaign for the Democratic nomination, even after his losses in Michigan, Missouri, Idaho and Mississippi yesterday. Politicians often soldier on in the primaries long after the result has become apparent to everyone else because they believe that they can find a way to turn the contest around. Sen. Sanders, however, should recognize that staying in the race will only help Donald Trump by giving the President the opportunity to divide the Democratic Party. Trump has already been pounding away at the "Democratic establishment" for thwarting Sanders, much as he did in 2016. Trump realizes that his only path to victory in November is by depressing Democratic voter turn-out in some key states like Wisconsin and Michigan, and that he can only accomplish that by separating the progressive wing of the Party from its nominee, Joe Biden. For instance, this rather contemptible tidbit from our dignity-challenged President:
Trump, Twitter: "Pocahontas, working in conjunction with the Democrat Party, totally destroyed the campaign of Bernie Sanders. If she would have quit 3 days earlier, Sanders would have beaten Biden in a route, it wouldn’t even have been close. They also got two other losers to support Sleepy Joe!"
Joe Biden is certainly not a perfect candidate, and he wasn't our first choice, but he will return us to a time when facts and the rule of law mattered, when our public policies were driven by research and science rather than bigotry and superstition, when we worked with allies to achieve common goals rather than kowtowing to tyrants, and when our leaders were respected globally for their decency and dignity. Biden captured much of that in his victory speech last night.
Dan Rather: "Joe Biden’s speech tonight was inclusive, soft-spoken, empathetic, and positive. It was about decency, dignity, and honor. It included one of my favorite words - "steady." It suited him well and may bode for a heck of a showdown of style and substance in November."
Some Sanders supporters try to paint Joe Biden as the status quo, but nothing is further from the truth. The 2020 election will decide whether we will address climate change, if Obamacare survives, and if we even begin to tackle such issues as affordable child-care, the cost of higher education, reducing the prices of prescription drugs, and comprehensive immigration reform. It would be easy to name 20 other vital issues that will hinge on the outcome in November, but consider this one; the next President will likely nominate at least two new members to the Supreme Court. If that doesn't get you to the polls in November, I'm not sure what will.
Sen. Sanders certainly realizes all of this, but that won't make his choice any easier. He has worked tirelessly to promote initiatives that address poverty and inclusiveness in America and withdrawing may feel like defeat. However, getting out of the race now will give him more leverage to shape Biden's policy agenda. Last night, Biden promised to unite the Democratic Party and he knows that he will need Sanders supporters in the Fall. The former Vice-President is going to extend a hand and Bernie should take it in order to influence the nation's direction.
Moreover, he should withdraw, and wholeheartedly endorse Biden, because he realizes that the America he envisages will slip even further away from those he cares about if Donald Trump garners another four years.
By: Don Lam & Curated Content
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