Former mayor Michael Bloomberg, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders debating Wednesday in Las Vegas Credit: Associated Press
Before he decided to run for president in 2016, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) famously waited to see whether his friend and progressive ally, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), would do so first.

Now, following Warren’s announcement Thursday that she’s exiting the 2020 race, Sanders is waiting to see whether she’ll endorse his candidacy — and unite the progressive wing of the Democratic Party behind his campaign.

Speaking Thursday at Burlington International Airport, Sanders confirmed that he had spoken to Warren for a second day in row since her disappointing finish in the Super Tuesday primaries. He would not say whether he had asked for her support, but he characterized their conversation as “positive” and praised her candidacy.

“You know, I’ve been in politics for a little while, and I have seen many, many campaigns — including campaigns that have spent a lot of money — kind of fade away. The message fades away the day after the candidate drops out or loses,” Sanders said. “That will not be the case with Sen. Warren.”

Warren, he continued, had run “a very strong, issue-oriented campaign, and the reason that her campaign ideas will remain viable for many, many years is she has changed political consciousness in America, which at the end of the day is the most important thing that any candidate can do.”

Warren has not made clear whether she will endorse either of the major candidates remaining in the Democratic primary: Sanders or former vice president Joe Biden.

“Let’s take a deep breath and spend a little time on that. We don’t have to decide right this minute,” Warren told reporters Thursday outside her home in Cambridge, Mass. “I want to take a little time to think a little more.”

Warren and Sanders have been friendly for years, and for much of the 2020 primary they avoided publicly criticizing one another. That changed early this year after CNN reported that Sanders had said in a private meeting with Warren that a woman could not win the presidency in 2020. Warren confirmed the story, but Sanders denied it.

In the closing weeks of her candidacy, Warren publicly questioned Sanders’ efficacy in the Senate, and Sanders campaigned in her home state on the eve of Super Tuesday.

In the end, Biden beat both of them in Massachusetts. 

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Paul Heintz was part of the Seven Days news team from 2012 to 2020. He served as political editor and wrote the "Fair Game" political column before becoming a staff writer.

14 replies on “As Warren Drops Out, Sanders Praises Her ‘Issue-Oriented Campaign’”

  1. Warren’s not endorsing until she hears the deals from Sleepy Joe and Bernie. Just wait and see.

  2. “Warren’s not endorsing until she hears the deals from Sleepy Joe and Bernie.”

    That*s exactly what she should do. But if she*s smart (and she is very smart) she will know that any deal Biden offers her is better than the best deal that Bernie offers her. And that is because any deal Bernie offers her is illusory: because Bernie “Fidel Castro” Sanders will never, ever, ever be President of the United States. So she should know that any position he offers he in a Sanders Administration is a joke.

    I would love to see a smart, accomplished female and consumer advocate like Warren in Biden*s administration.

  3. That’s funny… A lot of people said Trump would never be president, either. Never say never.

  4. Warren endorsed Hillary back in 2016 so I expect she will endorse Biden this time . Liz knows which side of the bread the butter is on. Should she get a job in a Biden administration she will be constrained by Biden’s long time loyalty to Big Banks and the credit card industry. The Wall Street owned Democrats are great at making small changes to things while keeping their 1%er Paymasters safe from harm. Biden would be no different. At least Trump’s corruption is out in plain sight.

    Biden versus Trump in 2020 . . . not really much of a choice, as one is slightly less odious than the other.

    Dark days indeed.

  5. LOL, there won’t be a Biden administration and it doesn’t matter which victim the Dems ultimately put forward as their sacrificial offering, the choice is easy and clear to re-elect President Trump, who is clearly and easily one of the most effective presidents to ever sit in the Oval Office.

    But sure, Trump’s corruption is so obvious that a three year $45M investigation found absolutely zero!

  6. She lost because she*s honest: she dared to put a price tag on Medicare For All, which Bernie was and is too chickenshit to do.

    And she lost because of old fashioned misogyny, which Bernie and his Bro-thugs are excellent at.

  7. So, Warren comes up with plans to support and explain all of Bernie’s policies, and takes all the blame for their optical shortcomings. Nice.

    Unfortunately, she will probably end up having to endorse Biden, because she wants to keep her job. It wouldn’t be a failing on her part, just a sensible decision: Bernie isn’t a Democrat, and won’t be able to offer her any support for future campaigns except for his personal endorsement. Supporting Biden means she stays in the good graces of the national committee. A no-brainer.

    Here’s one more Democrat getting ready to sit out this election cycle and let Sleepy Joe Mondale remind us of what the 1984 map looked like. Probably for the best. The DNC made the bed in 2016 and, until we all lie in it long enough to get serious about winning, nothing will change.

  8. She lost because she is completely dishonest and unlikable. Although she has worked hard to exceed Hillary’s fabrications and outright lies, she’s just not in that league.

    She even lied when she tried to fool people by putting a price tag on Medicare-for-all, which even Bernie is smart enough to avoid. It’s not a good look when a socialist outsmarts you on something as basic as that.

    She lied and cheated to get where she is and it has finally caught up with her and even the liberals know it, which is why she was soundly rejected in her adopted state of Massachusetts.

    Everyone has reservations about the fake indian.

  9. *Sadly, Biden will not beat Trump.*

    Especially when sore loser Sanders pulls a repeat of 2016 and signals to the Bros that they should not vote the Democrat in the general election.

  10. *Sadly, Biden will not beat Trump.*

    Especially when sore loser Sanders pulls a repeat of 2016 and signals to the Bros that they should not vote the Democrat in the general election.

    But, but, but I thought it was the Russians that tanked the otherwise highly likable and extremely electable Hillary Clinton.

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