Bernie Sanders Is Sounding A Lot Like A Guy Who May Want To Be Vice President

Last updated on September 25th, 2023 at 02:01 pm

After listening to Bernie Sanders dodge a question about being Hillary Clinton’s running mate, it is clear that Sen. Sanders is sounding a lot like someone who may really want to be VP.

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Here was the exchange between Sanders and Chuck Todd on Meet The Press:

CHUCK TODD:

Would you take the call if Hillary Clinton asked you to be her running mate?

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS:

Well, right now, again, here we are in California, I’m knocking my brains out to win the Democratic nomination.

CHUCK TODD:

Yes, you are.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS:

That’s where I am right now. What happens afterwards, we will see. But right now, my focus is on winning the nomination.

CHUCK TODD:

Well, that was a very political type of answer that says you’re not answering the question. Fair enough, you’re not ruling it out.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS:

What I am saying right now is our focus is on winning the Democratic nomination.

Sen. Sanders has yet to say no when asked if he would be interested in being Hillary Clinton’s running mate, which raises the question if those who are speculating about the end game for Bernie Sanders have got it all wrong?

Sanders definitely wants to be the Democratic nominee, but what does he have to gain by giving up his leverage until he has to? What if Bernie Sanders wants to be on the Democratic ticket? Sanders knows that even if Clinton wins the White House and Democrats take back the Senate, it could be tough sledding.

Sen. Sanders lived through the early Obama years of endless McConnell obstruction. If Democrats win less than 60 seats, the Senate could be facing a future of more Republican blocking of everything. Sanders has already been there and done that.

The Senator from Vermont could offer Clinton an immediate unification of the party, and the services of an attack dog running mate who would love to spend the fall campaign circling the country and taking on Donald Trump. If the Clinton campaign looks up in July and still sees a somewhat close race with Trump, they will have to give the chances of a Clinton/Sanders ticket some thought.

Bernie Sanders doesn’t sound like a guy who is ready to go back to the Senate. In fact, he sounds a lot like someone who might be very interested in being VP.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association