Is Bernie Sanders really endorsing Clinton on Tuesday? (Getty)
Will Bernie Sanders endorse Hillary Clinton on Tuesday, before the Democratic National Convention. If Sanders does endorse her, what will happen to his progressive revolution? Rumors have been circulating that Sanders might endorse Clinton as early as Tuesday, during a New Hampshire rally, but is that really happening?
Here’s what you need to know.
Supporters Are Skeptical Because the Rumors About Sanders’ Endorsement Come from Anonymous Sources
The rumors about Sanders’ endorsement come from anonymous sources. (Getty)
Many news outlets have been reporting that Sanders is going to endorse Clinton during a New Hampshire rally on Tuesday. The New York Times, for example, reported that Sanders’ campaign has been in talks with Clinton’s campaign for three weeks. But the stories, so far, are originating from three “confidential” sources who did not want to be named. That’s why it’s unclear if the endorsement news is true or merely a rumor.
The rally in question will take place at Portsmouth High School in Portsmouth, New Hampshire on Tuesday, July 12 at 11 a.m. local time. Doors will open at 9 a.m. (Read more about the rally here.)
In the past, Sanders had said that he would only endorse Clinton if the Democratic party was completely transformed. That would include a $15/hour minimum wage, a single-payer health care system, tougher finance industry regulations, closing corporate tax loopholes and a strong stance on climate change. He has also talked about wanting to take big money out of politics and not backing the TPP. Although a $15 minimum wage (without being adjusted for inflation) was added to the Democratic platform, some other items that he supports were not, including banning fracking, not supporting the TPP, and implementing a single-payer Medicare-for-all type of healthcare system. However, overall the Sanders campaign has seen the latest approved version of the Democratic platform as a win, sharing it as the most progressive platform to date. But, Sanders’ twitter account added, there is still a long way to go:
While we have made great progress advancing important issues, the fight is just beginning.
t.co/luc5pT1Cd5
Sanders Has Tweeted a Few Positive Messages About Clinton
Today’s proposal by @HillaryClinton is an important step toward expanding health insurance and health care access to millions of Americans.
Sanders’ message as it concerns Clinton has been changing. For example, he started tweeting positive messages about Clinton, which might be signaling an attempt to prepare his supporters to change their minds about his Democratic opponent. Or, as some of his supporters are guessing, he might just be following Democratic protocol of agreeing to eventually support the party’s nominee.
Another reason that some supporters are concerned is because Sanders is no longer focusing his talking points on switching superdelegates’ minds. Less than a month ago, when a supporter was worried that Sanders might drop out after the California primary, the campaign sent an email which said, in part:
“Because he is the only candidate who appeals not just to Democrats, but to Independents and Republicans all across this country, Bernie consistently polls nationally as the strongest candidate to beat Donald Trump in the general election. You can review the poll results here: https://berniesanders.com/press-release/sanders-strongest-candidate-to-beat-trump/. As Bernie and his senior campaign staff have said many times – our job between now and the convention is to convince the superdelegates of this fact. We will actively campaign all the way to the Democratic Convention, where our delegates will continue to fight for the important issues at the heart of this movement. ”
But recently, his campaign has no longer been talking publicly about changing superdelegates’ minds. His message has still been that the most important goal of the party is to defeat Trump. But the message of doing that through Sanders has become more diluted, and supporters aren’t sure how to interpret this.
Sanders Is Still Asking for Support for His Delegates
However, Sanders is still seeking support for his delegates. On Saturday, his campaign posted a message on Facebook asking supporters to “adopt a Bernie delegate.” Many of his supporters are reasoning that if he’s posting this, he surely intends to stay in the race through the Convention, like he promised in the past, and not drop out early. One supporter, Crystal Roberts, wrote on Facebook in response to Sanders’ campaign’s post: “IMO this is proof he will not be endorsing her Tuesday. He is trying to fundraise for his 1900+ delegates to get to a CONTESTED convention. He can’t do both he cannot endorse but at the same time contest her. Think people and quit listening to the propaganda.”
At this point, it’s unclear if Sanders will be endorsing Clinton or not. Until his campaign makes an announcement one way or another, supporters will remain skeptical about the authenticity of the “anonymous” sources.