Talk about pot calling a kettle black: Former Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders admitted that President Joe Biden’s age will definitely be a factor in what voters look at in the upcoming presidential election next year.
Democrats Admit the Obvious on Joe Biden
Sanders made the admission – after considerable prodding from NBC anchor Chuck Todd – and said that “age IS an issue,” but clarified that “it’s much broader than that”.
Sanders also said that he recently met with the president and “he seemed fine to me.”
The Vermont senator, who is also an octogenarian and only a year older than Joe Biden, said that there are more important factors to consider than just age.
“But I think at the end of the day what we have got to ask ourselves is what do people stand for? Do you believe that women have the right to control their own bodies? The president has been strong with that. Do you think that climate change is real or do you agree with the Republicans that it’s a non-issue? Do you think we should raise the minimum wage? Do you think we should reform and take on the pharmaceutical industry? So age is an issue, Chuck, but there are a lot of broader issues than just that,” he said.
Rival turned supporter
Sanders was previously Joe Biden’s chief rival in the 2020 Democratic primary, but said that he will be supporting the president’s re-election bid this time around.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Sanders said that he will do what he can to make sure the Biden wins his re-election bid.
He also said that he believes that the progressive faction of the Liberal party will eventually unify behind Biden as the presidential nominee for 2024 even if he was not necessarily their first choice.
Sanders himself is more left-leaning than many other Democrats, and ran on a modern socialist platform when he was vying for to be the Democratic presidential nominee.
“The last thing this country needs is a Donald Trump or some other right-wing demagogue who is going to try to undermine American democracy or take away a woman’s right to choose, or not address the crisis of gun violence, or racism, sexism or homophobia,” the senator told the news outlet.
“I think Joe Biden will be the Democratic nominee. And my job, and I think the progressive movement’s job, is to make certain that he stands up and fights for the working class of this country and does not take anything for granted,” he added.
Rivals for 2024
While Sanders thinks that Biden will eventually secure the nomination, the president will still face a number of challengers.
Biden’s primary rival is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who belongs to the prominent Kennedy political dynasty.
He is the nephew of President John F. Kennedy who was killed by an assassin while in office, and the son of U.S. Attorney General Bobby Kennedy, who was also died in office.
His platform is radically different from the president’s, however, as Kennedy espouses what many consider anti-vaccine propaganda, although that is a hotly disputed point. He does, however, enjoy the support of many Republicans, and some have speculated that an RFK Jr. win could usher in more bipartisanship in government.
There is also Marianne Williamson, who had a failed run in 2020 and is trying her hand again next year. The self-help author and an associate of Oprah Winfrey is a relative newcomer to politics and is outside the normal political establishment, something she is banking on to attract voters who are tired of the “status quo.”
However, recent polls show Biden enjoying a comfortable lead among Democrats.
Tim Ramos has written for various publications, corporations, and organizations – covering everything from finance, politics, travel, entertainment, and sports – in Asia and the U.S. for more than 10 years.
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