Jeff Weaver, Bernie Sanders’s campaign manager says that the Vermont Senator is still an “active candidate” for president despite Hillary Clinton being the presumptive nominee. He insisted that his “political revolution continues” despite Clinton’s effective victory in the delegate race.
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According to both the Clinton and Sanders campaigns, the two congratulated each other on their primary runs and talked about how they could unify the party against “the unsafe threat that Donald Trump poses to our nation”.
Sanders and Clinton later held a meeting in the federal capital from which practically nothing was resolved, although the veteran senator announced he would address his supporters online in a live-stream video on Thursday. “But political and social revolutions that attempt to transform our society never end”, Sanders said during the address.
“We must continue our grassroots efforts to create the America that we know we can become”, he stated.
Sanders began his campaign last April with little expectation of winning more than a handful of delegates or states, let alone seriously challenging the former secretary of state for the nomination, and primarily viewed the process as a way to raise awareness of progressive issues. Elizabeth Warren of MA, both of whom have called for party unity in an effort to defeat Trump in the November election.
Instead, he vowed to drive a hard bargain in talks with Mrs Clinton – whom he met in recent days – to ensure that the Democrats adopt “the most progressive platform in its history” at next month’s national convention in Philadelphia, when the presidential candidate will be officially anointed.
Earlier this week, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump continued to promote an extreme response to the Orlando shooting, this time directing his remarks at President Barack Obama. Warren’s “populist politics” are similar to Sanders’, making her an attractive running mate if Clinton hopes to win over some of Sanders’ supporters.
Sanders had said last week that he would remain in the race through the D.C. primary. “I do believe that we have to replace the current Democratic National Committee leadership”.
Over 200,000 people tuned into Thursday’s 23-minute livestream at one point or another, the Sanders campaign said.
The 74-year-old self-described democratic socialist, surprised most people, including himself, by tapping into anger brewing in the country to galvanize a new crop of voters as a champion of the underpaid, overworked American worker.
“The two discussed a variety of issues where they are seeking common ground: substantially raising the minimum wage; real campaign finance reform; making health care universal and accessible; making college affordable and reducing student debt”, Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs said in a statement.
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Sanders said he would also work to transform how the party selects its nominee, opening up the nominating process, and urged the party to extend its campaigning into all 50 states.
