Obama said in an NBC interview pre-taped on Wednesday that he hoped divisions between Democrats would start to heal in coming weeks now that Clinton has clinched the party’s nomination for the November 8 presidential election. “That’s why I know that Hillary will be so good at it”, Obama said in a video posted to Clinton’s campaign website.
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Sanders’ campaign spokesman, Michael Briggs, had little to say about the conversation with the president.
Obama, who is expected to endorse Clinton soon, welcomed Sanders to the White House, chatting and chuckling as they walked into the Oval Office. The campaign said Obama and Clinton will discuss building on the progress made during his presidency “and their vision for an America that is stronger together”.
Still, Sanders’ stubborn refusal to drop out of the 2016 race and his sharp criticism of Clinton have irked plenty of Democrats.
Even though she remained on the sidelines, Warren has emerged as a fierce attack dog against presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump, calling him a “nasty, think-skinned fraud” just Thursday. He has run a brilliant campaign, invigorated the left, pushed Clinton in his direction and made his populist politics ascendant in the Democratic Party.
Obama, who taped an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday, which is set to air Thursday night, told the host he applauded Sanders’ campaign while acknowledging Clinton will be the party’s nominee. The Vermont senator was also due to meet with vice President Joe Biden. They said Obama wants to congratulate Sanders on his campaign and discuss a fall campaign strategy that will include numerous economic issues he raised in the primaries.
But he said Sanders progressives – some of whom have deep reservations about supporting Clinton – will unify behind her.
Mr Sanders said he would work with Mrs Clinton to stop the Republican’s presumptive nominee Donald Trump.
Although Sanders told reporters afterward that he still planned to compete in the final nominating contest in Washington, D.C., next Tuesday, he said he would work with Clinton to defeat Trump.
The wording of Sanders’ statement to reporters was prepared in advance of his meeting with Obama.
Warren’s populist credentials will boost Clinton’s ability to court Sanders voters as she prepares to battle Trump.
“Bernie’s message is a message that has resonated with people all over the country”, Nolan said.
Looking ahead to the fall campaign, Sanders said after the meeting with the president that his top priority is to defeat Trump, saying the NY businessman had made “bigotry and discrimination” the cornerstones of his campaign. “Sanders’ campaign had so much success in part because he inspired so many young people”, Earnest said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly about the layoffs. Obama has said he’s “fired up” and ready to get started. The key question is whether voters who helped elect him twice will follow his lead now that he’s not on the ballot.
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“One of the things that President Obama said yesterday is he thought his job was to remind the American people what a really serious job this is, the tough choices, the hard decisions, the high stakes in choosing a president and commander in chief”, Clinton said.
