Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is reconsidering his role in the presidential race, campaign manager Faiz Shakir said in a written statement Wednesday morning.
“The next primary contest is at least three weeks away,” Shakir wrote. “Sen. Sanders is going to be having conversations with supporters to assess his campaign.”
In the meantime, Shakir continued, the senator “is focused on the government response to the coronavirus outbreak and ensuring that we take care of working people and the most vulnerable.”
Asked by a CNN reporter at the U.S. capitol on Wednesday for more details about the state of his candidacy, Sanders said, “Anybody who suggests that at this point we are ending the campaign is not telling the truth.”
Later on Wednesday, Sanders erupted at a group of reporters when asked again about his campaign. “I’m dealing with a fucking global crisis,” he said, adding, “Right now, I’m trying to do my best to make sure that we don’t have an economic meltdown and that people don’t die. Is that enough for you to keep me busy for today?”
The remarks came a day after former vice president Joe Biden defeated Sanders in Florida, Illinois and Arizona, widening his lead by at least 133 delegates to the Democratic National Convention. Biden now has 1,147 pledged delegates, and Sanders has 861.
In recent days, several states have delayed primaries in response to public health concerns over the coronavirus outbreak. Puerto Rico is currently scheduled to hold a primary on March 29, and Alaska, Hawaii and Wyoming are slated to vote April 4.
The Sanders campaign has suspended all television and digital advertising for the time being in order to conserve resources, according to spokesperson Mike Casca.
In an email to supporters Monday morning, Shakir was blunt. “No sugarcoating it, last night did not go the way we wanted,” he wrote. “And while our campaign has won the battle of ideas, we are losing the battle over electability to Joe Biden.”
According to Shakir, Sanders and his wife, Jane O’Meara Sanders, plan to return to Vermont after he casts votes on a coronavirus relief package. “Once there, they’ll begin holding conversations with supporters to get input and assess the path forward for our campaign,” Shakir wrote.
Though Sanders has not publicly indicated he would drop out of the campaign, he also has not vowed to fight on to its conclusion. Often in politics, statements that a candidate is reassessing his or her role in a race are followed by the candidate’s withdrawal.
On Tuesday night, Sanders delivered remarks from his campaign office in Washington, D.C., outlining several policy proposals to address the coronavirus crisis. Those included a $2,000 monthly payment to every American, free healthcare for the duration of the outbreak and stronger enforcement measures to crack down on price gouging.
For the second week in a row, Sanders did not immediately respond to the day’s election results.
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In the case of Biden vs. Trump, Biden is the lesser of two evils, just like Hillary was (and she won the popular vote by three million votes).
Bernie. It’s time to come home and stay home.
Bernie, the writing is on the wall, read it.
It’s in English with a Russian translation.
You couldn’t have chosen a better photo? Did you tell him his dog died right before you took the photo?
$2,000 a month ??
Geezumcrow BoiKnee ,
publishers clearing house already has a president.
Everything he’s done is okay with me. He’s a sensible guy. I trust his judgement, and I think he’ll help Joe if that’s what the people want. Please – enough with this idea that he’s connected to Russia. That’s the other fellow – Donald something.
He can’t win ..and now needs TO PUT ON HIS BIG BOY PANTS AND EXIT STAGE RIGHT……and if not, well no surprise there. Bernie over Country.
Lincoln foresaw the candidacy of de facto religious zealots like William Jennings Bryan and Bernie: “You can fool some of the people all the time….”
Religious zealot? Bryan was one thing. I think Lincoln would have liked Bernie. Don’t build an argument on sand, eh?
Considering the total media lockout and smear campaigns against him, I think he’s doing extraordinarily well. It’s also obvious his leadership and progressive agenda scares the heck out of corporate media and the corrupt DNC and they both will do everything in their power to stop him. But as many of us were raised to know: ain’t no power like the power of the people and the power of the people don’t stop!!
Bernie has learned that any interaction with corporate media is bound to be a set up for attempts to smear and embarrass so I don’t see why there’s an expectation to have him comment on manufactured stories and opinions at this point. After all, the news took nearly 2 weeks to declare him the winner of CA! 2 weeks!!!!! Even though it was known he was the winner. Meanwhile Joe gets an SC win announcement before half the votes were even counted, at the very minute the polls close. People are not stupid. They see the manipulation. They know republicans are voting in an uncontested election as crossover Dems who will either vote trump in November or not vote at all.
News stations waited to announce Bernie’s CA win until after 3/10 primaries. That was a mistake that come to light in the future. People are getting sick of being manipulated by the media and the DNC and the resulting election in November will show the detachment and dissatisfaction of people across the country. And that will greatly effect the presidential race as well as all down ballot races too.
Anyone who says anything critical of Bernie, everything bad that happens to Bernie, any media reporting that is less than completely flattering — it’s all part of a big, huge conspiracy!
Of course, Bernie’s politics, his delightful personality, and the simple matter of voter preference — none of that could possibly have anything to do with the fact that he is losing to Biden. Nah, it’s a big conspiracy.
Right, sure.
EAO – Dude, your double sarcasm is confusing. Are you trying to say something about Bernie? Are you saying that media coverage is never biased?
Yeah, right.
Plain and simple. The primary is over. Bernie, you lost. Drop out and support Biden now. If you dont you will prove what everyone suspects, that you are not really a Democrat. You are only willing to use the Democratic Party for your own ambitions. And your advisors are stubborn fools.