Former President Barack Obama once warned he would intervene to stop Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., from winning the Democratic presidential nomination, according to a new report that sheds light on Obama’s personal views of the jam-packed primary field with no clear front-runner.
Obama has largely stayed on the sidelines to date, refraining from any endorsements though he has issued general warnings to the party to avoid calls for radical upheaval in their policy pitches. These warnings were seen as a swipe at candidates like Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Sanders.
But a new Politico Magazine report gives a clearer picture of what Obama is worried about — claiming he has said in private he’d speak out against Sanders if it looked like he could actually win.
“Back when Sanders seemed like more of a threat than he does now, Obama said privately that if Bernie were running away with the nomination, Obama would speak up to stop him,” the report says. An Obama spokesperson, however, reportedly noted that the former president has stated that he would get behind the Democratic nominee regardless of who it is.
One adviser said that while they personally had no knowledge of this, the threat of a Sanders nomination would likely be cause for action.
“I can’t really confirm that,” the adviser said, regarding the possibility of Obama trying to stop Sanders. “He hasn’t said that directly to me. The only reason I’m hesitating at all is because, yeah, if Bernie were running away with it, I think maybe we would all have to say something. But I don’t think that’s likely. It’s not happening.”
This aversion to Sanders would be in line with Obama’s recent comments. At an Obama Foundation Summit event in October, Obama took aim at political “wokeness” and cancel culture.
“This idea of purity and you’re never compromised and you’re always politically woke, and all that stuff, you should get over that quickly,” Obama said…….read more
Source: Fox News
