Bernie Sanders To Campaign With Clinton Tuesday, Endorsement Expected, #BernieOrBust Folks Furious [Video]
It’s been over a month since the last Democratic primary, and now it appears that Bernie Sanders is finally ready to concede to Hillary Clinton. The Sanders campaign has released a statement on Monday that confirmed what many media outlets had reported all weekend: Bernie Sanders is going to be campaigning with Hillary Clinton at an event in New Hampshire on Tuesday. Sources close to the campaign expect Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders to officially endorse Clinton at the event, reports USA Today.
Bernie to endorse Hillary, #BernieOrBust heads explode: 'Traitor! Give us Jill Stein, Gertrude Stein, Frankenstein!' https://t.co/URTvcwB212
— Bill Madden (he/him/él) ?? (@maddenifico) July 11, 2016
The Bernie Sanders statement confirmed that, at the joint event, Bernie and Hillary are going to “discuss their commitment to building an America that is stronger together and an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB_AIJMk-w4
Hillary Clinton became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee back in June, but so far, Bernie Sanders has refused to drop out of the race. He has continued to receive expensive Secret Service protection and has vowed to take his fight for POTUS all the way to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia later this month.
Bernie Sanders has even refused to suspend his presidential campaign despite an announcement in late June that he would be voting for Clinton in November to help thwart Donald Trump.
Donald Trump has alleged that Senator Sanders was continuing his campaign in case Clinton was indicted for her email scandal. Now that Attorney General Lynch has declined to pursue criminal charges against the former secretary of state, it appears that Hillary has finally put her email scandal behind her.
Bernie Sanders is continuing his quest because he believes that Crooked Hillary Clinton will be forced out of the race – e-mail scandal!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 22, 2016
Now that it appears the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign is coming to an official end, Bernie’s loyal (and enthusiastic) #BernieOrBust supporters are reportedly furious. They’ve taken to social media to call Bernie Sanders a “traitor” for trying to unify the Democratic party, reports the Daily Banter.
The 2016 Democratic primary has been a contentious one, with Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton’s respective supporters often getting crazy at Democratic primary venues and the hashtags #BernieOrBust and #NeverHillary popping up among those who have stridently vowed to support Bernie Sanders to the end and Clinton supporters.
Now that the Bernie Sanders campaign appears to be coming to an end, many of Bernie’s loyal supporters don’t appear to be quite as loyal. Despite months of blatant Bernie-worship, it appears that the #BernieOrBust crowd were more about the ideology than the man himself.
He can endorse. We won't vote for her. We hold the power.
— 3ChicsPolitico (@3ChicsPolitico) July 11, 2016
@guardian supporting imperialist war monger hilary Clinton is a huge success? What a joke.
— Sam Porter Bridges (@RustyMila1917) July 11, 2016
Sanders set to endorse Clinton. Several people about to reveal they were less Bernie Sanders supporters and more Hillary Clinton haters.
— Fake Dispatch (@Fake_Dispatch) July 11, 2016
It appears that Bernie Sanders is willing to compromise at this point in the race for the White House. He has publicly stated that the most important thing at this point isn’t to win — it’s to keep Donald Trump from winning. And Bernie Sanders is an experienced enough politician to know that if he continues to split the Democratic base or does something as insane as running as an Independent now that he’s lost the nomination, he will be effectively handing the presidency to Donald Trump on a silver platter.
Apparently, the #BernieOrBust folks don’t care about who wins the presidency. They care about proving a point, and Bernie Sanders has risen above that, making himself a target for the rage they have (previously) been directing at Hillary Clinton and “the establishment.”
95% of my followers are #NeverHillary (I polled them) We'll know in 48hrs if #Bernie will endorse. Only Bernie knowshttps://t.co/XyWlidgmL6
— Bernie Wan Kenobi (@Old_Bern_Kenobi) July 11, 2016
According to many ardent #BernieOrBust supporters, if Bernie endorses Clinton, he becomes part of “the establishment” and an anathema to his own campaign promises, which have focused on smaller government and a divergence from the political status quo.
The thing is that Bernie Sanders lost the primary. He doesn’t have the delegate count to secure the Democratic nomination. Hillary Clinton has become the presumptive nominee, yet she has had to continue to focus her campaign efforts on fighting with Bernie Sanders rather than being able to focus her campaign on defeating Donald Trump in November.
A Donald Trump victory is not a win for the #BernieOrBust movement, even if its members don’t recognize it yet. And apparently, they don’t.
Now, many of Bernie Sanders’ most loyal supporters are encouraging one another to support an Independent presidential campaign rather than rallying behind their candidate and backing his endorsement of the presumptive Democratic nominee.
I hope not list of who IL vote 4 in nov. 1Bernie 2Jill 3Johnson 4homeless man with tinfoil hat 5Trump but #NeverHillary
— Anthony Badamo (@BadamoAnthony) July 11, 2016
If Bernie’s loyal supporters refuse to back Clinton, they may be doing just what Sanders appears to fear most: putting Donald Trump in the White House.
What do you think? Is it about time for Bernie to unify the party, or will a Bernie Sanders endorsement of Hillary Clinton be a betrayal?
[Image via Andrew Cline/Shutterstock]