In an interview with NPR, VP Biden said that he spoke to Sen. Bernie Sanders, who told him that he would endorse Hillary Clinton.
Here’s the news, according to Biden:
VP Biden in sit down interview with us just now: "I've talked to Bernie. Bernie is going to endorse her." @NPRWeekend
— Rachel Martin (@rachelnpr) June 30, 2016
Michael Briggs, Sen. Sanders’ spokesman, would not confirm or deny, Biden’s claim, “We are in the process of talking.”
It is not a matter of if Bernie Sanders endorses Hillary Clinton, but when.
Sen. Sanders has been dodging questions about endorsing Clinton for weeks while inching closer to an endorsement. Sen. Sanders is in a unique position. His campaign was funded by millions of small donors and the Senator from Vermont feels an obligation to make sure that their interests are represented within the Democratic Party.
The draft of the party’s platform that accepted the vast majority of Sanders’ policy positions was a big step forward towards this goal. Sen. Sanders might save his endorsement for a dramatic speech at the Democratic convention, or he may endorse before the convention. Either way, it will be big.
No one should undervalue what the Sanders endorsement will mean for the Clinton campaign. Hillary Clinton could see her lead go from upper single digits to solidly double digits over Trump after an endorsement from Bernie Sanders. Sen. Sanders could provide more fuel to Hillary Clinton get over the top, and if a majority of his supporters join the Democratic cause, they could turn the 2016 election into a big blue rout of Donald Trump.
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