What time will Obama endorse Clinton tomorrow?

[hill2016]

Fat lady has to be warming up now...

[tonyt53]

1. I think he will wait until Wednesday or Thursday to say "get behind her".

But for some reason, Bernie and many of his supporters don't care for Obama either, so they will ignore him.

[notadmblnd]

51. Um no, it was Hillary supporters that hated Obama.

Just as they now hate Sanders

[CrowCityDem]

2. Wednesday afternoon, just in time for the major newscasts.

[geek tragedy]

3. I think they'll give Sanders time to do the right thing.

Obama almost certainly will say Clinton won on Wednesday, but a formal endorsement may lag by a 7-10 days.

[onenote]

11. I agree 100 percent.

I would imagine some conversations between the Obama political folks and Sanders' team have begun in this regard.

[Hortensis]

27. Agree. These sound like good projections.

[workinclasszero]

13. But will he do the right thing

is the question.

[geek tragedy]

17. indeed. he will have the opportunity but he's not a sure thing to do it.

given his flailing about the Clinton Foundation lately, I think he's going out guns blazing

[obamanut2012]

21. Yup, June 16 is my guess

[JoePhilly]

39. +1

[Algernon Moncrieff]

4. I don't think he will endorse tomorrow.

I do think he may ask Senator Sanders over for a beer to discuss what has to be done, however.

[KingFlorez]

6. They don't like each other, so that's not going to happen

Besides, the President isn't going to ask the loser for permission on who to endorse. He doesn't need Sanders permission to do anything.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

23. No - Obama would tell Sanders it's time to get with the program

..and spell out what happens if he doesn't

[Hortensis]

31. I imagine any spelling out would be of how Obama

and the party could be of help to Sanders if they worked together. They could help Sanders a great deal if he wanted what they could offer, but I also have read that there is little they could do to Sanders if he chose fight his own foes in his own way, including them.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

40. Sanders can follow or get out of the way

Leading is most likely not an option after tomorrow.

Sanders can still play an important role even if he is not the nominee. I think he'll be told that.

[Hortensis]

41. Well, he won't be our nominee, but we

can't tell him to just get out of the public picture, for instance. That's up to him and his followers.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

42. I think if he's generally cooperative to getting Democrats elected, he'll be extended every courtesy

by which I mean:

- Committee assignments as good as or better than he has now
- Obama would come campaign on his behalf should he run again, and he could get more say in his successor
- Hillary will at least consult him on the Veep pick

The alternative is:

- He becomes invisible in the Senate
- He does not receive choice committee assignments
- He gets no help from any Democrats come reelection

I don't think he needs to be lovey-dovey with Hillary, but if he wants to continue to work with Democrats in the Senate (and really what are his other options?), he needs to at least convey that Hillary is a better choice than Trump.

[democrattotheend]

43. I basically agree

I'm not in the "fight until the convention" camp. I would rather see him go out on a high note. He doesn't have to release his delegates though.

That said, I don't think he will need help from the president or anyone else winning reelection to his Senate seat.

[Hortensis]

45. Sanders made me so mad a couple of times

when I thought he might end up as just a spoiler, leaving everyone else to try to undo his damage, but he is saying that we must defeat Trump, so I believe he will end up, as Algernon says, "generally cooperative."

His idea of "a high note," though, is going to be more push, push, pushing the party farther left if he can. Not going out so much as moving to a next stage.

He may concede soon, and of course that'd be nice, but I'm inclined to believe he means just what he says: That he's in through the convention, as he puts it, or that he's going to try to overset the majority vote as I put it.

He won't have to run for senate again for 4 years in any case--if he even does. (He'll be 78 and it's a 6-year-term.) So I also doubt concerns about reelection will shape his decisions.

All in all, I'm mostly expecting to be irritated and probably occasionally angry for some weeks still. Feel free to prove me wrong, Bernie.

In my view, there is no justice when the 15 wealthiest people in this country in the last two years, saw their wealth increase by $170 billion. That is more wealth acquired in a two year period than is owned by the bottom 130 million Americans.

Income and wealth inequality have reached obscene levels, the threat of climate change is more frightening than ever, and the billionaire class is now allowed to spend unlimited amounts of money to buy the candidate they want. And it is up to us to stand up and fight back. If we stand together, there is no limit to what we can accomplish.

If you can't afford to take care of your veterans , then don't go to war. - Bernie Sanders

(If this man had the simple competence to understand liberals and radicals in and out of office are on the same side of these issues and to put that force to work, imo he'd probably be our nominee.)

[azurnoir]

36. so you're saying Obama will threaten Sanders if he doesn't comply?

and just what would the POTUS be threatening the Senator with?

[Exilednight]

46. and what exactly happens? If they try and strip him of his

Committee seats he can choose to caucus as a true independent and possibly cost the Democratic Party a slim chance at a majority in 2017.

They need Bernie as much as Bernie needed them to run for president.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

47. You can't caucus in the Senate as an independent as I understand it

He's have to stand with the GOP. Not likely.

[Exilednight]

48. it's more of a gray area. he could choose to not caucus with

Either party and abstain from voting for the Senate Majority Leader. If the party controls 48 seats, plus one independent from Maine, that gives us 49 seats. Republicans would hold 50, neither would hold a majority.

True, Sanders wouldn't get any seats on committee, but he could throw the whole thing into disarray.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

50. As a practical matter, if you don't serve on committes, you aren't useful

Right now -- he has some of the best committee assignments in the Senate.

Today, Sanders remains on the veterans committee and was tapped by Senate leadership to be the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee. He also serves on the Environment and Public Works Committee, where he has focused on global warming and rebuilding our nation’s crumbling infrastructure. He is a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, where he has championed efforts to transform our energy system from fossil fuels to renewable power sources like solar and wind. He also sits on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, where he has fought for greater access to affordable health care and improved education programs from pre-K to college.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=post&forum=1251&pid=2149389

The Budget Committee is a very powerful spot for obvious reasons, and the Veterans Committee gives him a unique ability to aid constituents. Energy and NR is also powerful. I don't think he'd want to lose those.

[PepperHarlan]

30. Bernie wanted Obama fired in 2012 so I doubt the POTUS has forgotten that.

[Hortensis]

32. No, but Obama is not a small man, and the prize

his eye is on is not the chance to kick a losing primary candidate. It's all going to be about what Sanders could do to help elect Democrats.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

52. It's like I'm psychic

White House: President Obama and Bernie Sanders to Meet Thursday

President Barack Obama will meet with Bernie Sanders on Thursday, the White House announced in a statement Tuesday night, following Sanders' projected win by The AP in the North Dakota primary, and Hillary Clinton's projected wins in New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota. The winner of the California primary had not yet been projected,

The White House statement appeared to ratify Hillary Clinton's claim to the nomination: "The President congratulated Secretary Clinton for securing the delegates necessary to clinch the Democratic Nomination for President," the statement, issued by the White House press secretary, read.

According to the statement, President Obama called both Clinton and Sanders, and "congratulated both candidates for running inspiring campaigns that have energized Democrats, brought a new generation of Americans into the political process, and shined a spotlight on important policy ideas aimed at making sure our economy and our politics work for everybody, not just those with wealth and power."

Obama "thanked Senator Sanders for energizing millions of Americans with his commitment to issues like fighting economic inequality and special interests' influence on our politics."

[Demsrule86]

8. Obama does not like Sanders

Who wanted to primary Obama in 12.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

22. Rule #1 in Washington: you don't have to like one another to do business

[Hortensis]

34. Or to hug and clap shoulders like the best of friends. :)

[Proud Public Servant]

5. He will only endorse

After the DC primary or Bernie's concession, whichever comes first. Same with Biden and Warren.

[Demsrule86]

9. I disagree. She is the presumptive nominee as of Tuesday.

There is no reason to wait. And it will put an end to Sander's nonsense.

[Proud Public Servant]

10. 40%+ of Democratic voters

Are Sanders supporters. As the head of the party and the leader of ALL Democrats, the president should -- and will -- let the primary process run its course before weighing in.

[firebrand80]

12. Generally agree, but this year we seem to have

many on Bernie's side taking what is in my opinion quite a warped view of "run it's course."

[Proud Public Servant]

19. On this we agree

and I say that as a Bernie voter.

[Hortensis]

35. A large number of that relatively small number

typically have an outside-the-mainstream view that's normally one of disappointment in the end, though. I believe they will do this properly like gentlemen and like the very competent political leaders they are. A slap at Bernie would be a slap at all those who wanted him for president, including those ready to move on to support the nominee. They won't do that.

[tonyt53]

29. Where did you get that number? The overwhelming majority of Bernie's vote are from indies.

Open primaries do that.

[Proud Public Servant]

38. There's abundant data that shows

That so-called independents are overwhelmingly either very reliable Dem or very reliable GOP voters. The notion that non-party-affiliated voters are independent in their thinking is a myth.

[democrattotheend]

44. I hope you are right, for the sake of DC voters

Who are so marginalized and do not deserve to be treated like their primary doesn't matter.

[KingFlorez]

7. Wednesday

He'll be in New York that day.

[firebrand80]

15. He planning it ahead of time?

He must be in on the rigging

[KingFlorez]

18. He's there for fundraisers

But everyone knows he teamed up with Hillary Clinton to steal the nomination from Bernie.

[Maru Kitteh]

28. Bingo, that must be it. CNN reported PBO will endorse this week.

He's going to her turf to do it. How awesome. Love that guy.

[onenote]

14. As others have suggested, it probably will be after DC or Bernie conceding, whichever occurs first

And, as others have suggested, I think the Obama team will let the Sanders team know that they have a very short window after the DC primary to announce that they're acknowledging Clinton as the nominee before Obama makes his announcement. But they won't let Sanders slow roll them.

[MineralMan]

16. He'll wait until Wednesday, at the earliest, and

may wait until after the DC primary to issue a formal message of endorsement. But, he will privately or subtly indicate his intent very soon.

[Lucinda]

24. +1

Wed at the earliest.

[Hortensis]

37. Sounds good. Official when very proper,

intent signifying sooner and maybe more indirectly than subtly? Supposedly he's eager to charge into the GE battle.

[leftynyc]

20. I think he'll wait until DC votes

So I'm guessing around 10AM on 6/15.

[Maru Kitteh]

25. CNN reports PBO will endorse this week. My guess is on the 8th.

[Agnosticsherbet]

26. Sometime after California is announced.

It could be Wednesday morning, even.

[Jack Bone]

33. July 25th 2016 nt

[Surya Gayatri]

49. Actually, the fat cat and not the lady, is warming up for a bravura performance...

The inimitable Maria Catlas preparing for a rendition of "O mio babbino gatto".