Sanders says Obama would 'be there at my side' if he's the nominee

[Donkees]

By Ryan Nobles and Annie Grayer, CNN

Updated 7:00 PM ET, Thu February 20, 2020

Las Vegas (CNN)Sen. Bernie Sanders has no doubt that should he win the Democratic nomination he will have a very powerful figure by his side: former President Barack Obama. Obama has chosen to sit out his party's 2020 presidential primary fight but has promised to support whomever the nominee is. Sanders, in an interview Thursday with CNN, said he looks forward to the former president's support.

"If I win, I'm sure he'll be there at my side. If somebody else wins, he'll be there at their side," the Vermont independent said. "But I expect and know that he will play an enormously important role in helping us to defeat Trump."

Sanders now describes a warm relationship with the former president and said the two are in fairly regular contact.

"I'm not going to tell you that he and I are best friends, but we're friends. And I have talked to him on and off for the last many years, was sitting down alone with him in the Oval Office on more than one occasion. Talked to him on the telephone every now and then. He is an icon, clearly, in the Democratic Party, and I have absolute confidence that he will play a vigorous, vigorous role," Sanders said.

"Everybody, I'm sure, is tugging at his sleeve. I've talked to him a couple of times in the last month or two. And I'm sure everybody else has. And I think, by the way, he did this in 2016 as well, and I think that's exactly the right thing," Sanders said. "I think his view is 'Play it out, and I'll be there.' I don't want to talk for him, but I think his view is 'Play it out, let's see who wins and I'll be there for the winner,' and I think that's the right decision."

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/20/politics/bernie-sanders-obama-2020/index.html

CNN's Kevin Brunelli and Gregory Krieg contributed to this report.

Link to tweet

[NedBraden]

1. Biden

Biden and Bloomberg hint the same.....

Can't Obama juSt run again?!!!!

[left-of-center2012]

2. Can't Obama juSt run again?!!!!

No. It's in the Constitution.

[katmondoo]

3. Baloney

[sheshe2]

4. Of course he will.

Obama is a Democrat and supports our party no matter the candidates prior affiliation.

Sadly Bernie, himself, wanted to primary a very popular sitting President in 2012. That would be Obama. See the difference. Obama will stand with him should he win when Bernie made the moves to primary him. Bernie had plans to run against our beloved Democratic nominee

See the difference? Obama is a Democrat and loyal to our party.

"I'm not going to tell you that he and I are best friends, but we're friends. And I have talked to him on and off for the last many years, was sitting down alone with him in the Oval Office on more than one occasion. Talked to him on the telephone every now and then. He is an icon, clearly, in the Democratic Party, and I have absolute confidence that he will play a vigorous, vigorous role," Sanders said.

An icon you wanted to primary.

[aikoaiko]

5. Bernie endorsed Obama in 2008 and 2012.

[sheshe2]

6. ...

The Secret History of Sanders’s Plot to Primary Obama
February 19, 2020 at 12:58 pm EST By Taegan Goddard

https://politicalwire.com/2020/02/19/the-secret-history-of-sanderss-plot-to-primary-obama/

[aikoaiko]

8. Double Super Secret Primary with no paperwork submitted or committees formed.

lol.

[sheshe2]

15. Okay.

We form committees when someone wants to run? Since when?

Okay. Never happened. Reid never told him to knock it off.

He, Sanders, has been quoted as saying just that.

[David__77]

7. That is correct.

...

[sheshe2]

10. After BS tried to primary him.

Obama is a Democrat and does what is best for the party. BS, not so much.

[David__77]

22. It may be a love fest.

...

[George II]

14. In 2008 only after Obama was the nominee and in 2012 only after he previously called....

....for Obama to face a primary challenge.

Nothing to boast about - that's not really sticking one's neck out. Who else would he have endorsed, McCain or Romney?

[aikoaiko]

18. If he were the enemy of Obama as some would like to paint him, he could have dodged any endorsement

[Cha]

25. Pete got it right..

Last edited Fri Feb 21, 2020, 07:02 AM - Edit history (1)

Link to tweet

Then there's BS' own words in 2011..

But, he explains, he is not interested in the White House. "I would likely end up causing a right-wing extremist to be president of the United States. That is not something I would be happy to do," he said.
Then he added for emphasis: "It would likely be a futile and losing campaign. That would not be too smart."

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/oct/21/bernie-sanders-socialist-vermont-interview

[George II]

26. ...

[Cha]

28. :)

I miss him!

[sheshe2]

33. Thank you Cha.

Obama says goodbye.

[Cha]

35. President Obama didn't deserve

Last edited Fri Feb 21, 2020, 07:00 AM - Edit history (2)

that ".. a good idea to primary President Obama 2012.."

Mahalo, she

[Jamaal510]

37. RIP Pete's mentions after that tweet

[Cha]

38. ..

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

27. Stop with the facts!!

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[sheshe2]

32. What facts.

He wanted to primary Obama. Fact.

[George II]

9. The question is will Sanders be at Biden's/Warren's/Buttigieg's/Bloomberg's side if any of them...

....win the nomination?

[sheshe2]

11. Damn good question, George.

[Laelth]

16. Eventually, I think so.

But it will be difficult for him if he comes into the convention with a plurality (but not a majority) of delegates, and the party decides to band together to give the nomination to someone else.

Still, in the end, I think he will line up behind the party's nominee. He did in 2016 ... eventually.

-Laelth

[George II]

19. Yes, eventually. Like after he disappeared for six weeks after the convention and then only....

....grudgingly.

[Laelth]

21. That IS what happened. I am not going to deny it. n/t

-Laelth

[Corgigal]

30. Nope.

Put me down for 5, please.

[TexasTowelie]

12. So since Obama wants it to play out,

does that mean that the nominee won't be decided in the first round of ballots if Bernie doesn't have a majority of the delegates? Let it play out to the next rounds when the superdelegates get to vote?

[Laelth]

13. Sadners is right, here.

Obama is going to back the Democratic nominee, no matter whom it may be. He has made that very clear.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287528472

-Laelth

[George II]

17. After going on an on in that interview he wraps it up with "I don't want to talk for him"???

[still_one]

20. I know one thing Obama won't do if Sanders becomes president, suugest he be primaried in his

second term like some people i know did for President Obama

[sheshe2]

24. This! nt

[Cha]

29. Scorch!

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

23. In spite of calling for and considering running for a primary challenge in 2012

[Moderateguy]

31. What a non-story..

There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that Obama will fully support whoever the nominee is... I think Sanders is muddying the waters to make it look like Obama is backing him now

[MrsCoffee]

34. Lol. So which nominee does he think Obama wouldn't stand by?

Ffs.

[Bleacher Creature]

36. Of course. What kind of person wouldn't go 100% all put for the Democratic nominee???