Obama Insider Confirms Former President Ready to Back Whoever Wins 2020 Nomination, Even Bernie

[Donkees]

"Whoever emerges from the primary process, I will work my tail off to make sure that they are the next president."

by Eoin Higgins, staff writer

Excerpt:

If Sen. Bernie Sanders is the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee, he can reportedly count on the backing of former President Barack Obama.

That's according to a source close to the 44th president, speaking to The Hill, who said that Obama is ready to "go to bat" for whoever wins the nomination.

Obama himself said as much in mid-November at a Democracy Alliance event in Washington, D.C.

"Look, we have a field that is very accomplished, very serious and passionate and smart people who have a history of public service," the former president said, "and whoever emerges from the primary process, I will work my tail off to make sure that they are the next president."

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/12/24/obama-insider-confirms-former-president-ready-back-whoever-wins-2020-nomination-even

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. Of course he did, where does he say EVEN BERNIE?

[guillaumeb]

51. It was the headline.

I do the same thing. I always post the headline as it is written.

[George II]

2. All of our candidates agreed to support our nominee, all but one that is. He ducked the question.

[Tiggeroshii]

4. No reason to think he wouldn't do it again.

[NurseJackie]

8. FUD is not a winning tactic. It only leads to distrust and resentment.

[thesquanderer]

15. Actually, six candidates have not taken the pledge to support our nominee.

You can see who has and has not at:

https://pledge.indivisible.org/#lp-pom-text-108

Who ducked the question?

[George II]

19. One of those who signed it. Of those six, though, two are new, two have dropped out, and then...

....there's Gabbard.

[thesquanderer]

20. One can't sign it AND duck it. (n/t)

[George II]

21. One would normally think so. I wonder why Yang hasn't yet?

[UniteFightBack]

22. +1000

[thesquanderer]

24. re: "One of those who signed it" -- thinking Sanders?

Last edited Fri Dec 27, 2019, 08:57 AM - Edit history (1)

There were people here posting that, in an interview, he avoided committing to supporting the nominee, but actually he only avoided committing to any presumed nominee before that person were actually nominated at the convention. AFAIK, no one else has committed to doing that, either. This position is not inconsistent with the pledge, nor with Obama's position as stated in the OP, for that matter.

[George II]

27. In the interview I saw, when asked he said, "I intend on being the nominee." Nothing else.

[thesquanderer]

28. But what was the question that was the answer to?

You can't necessarily understand the meaning of an answer without knowing what the question was.

In this case, the question was very specific: "If it's clear that you are not going to be the Democratic nominee, will you leave the race before the convention?"

*Before* the convention.

To take that answer and imply that he is hedging or ducking or contradicting his earlier pledge to support the nominee (who becomes nominee AT the convention) is disingenuous.

[George II]

29. He was asked if he would support the nominee, to which he only said...

"I intend on being the nominee."

[Wawannabe]

33. This!

He is not gonna be the nominee and he is going to fuck us again! Fuck!

[thesquanderer]

37. No, he wasn't asked if he would support the nominee.

He was asked if he would leave the race before the convention (if it were clear that he was not going to be the nominee). That's a different question. You can't take his answer to one question and apply it to a different (unasked) question.

He was NOT asked what he would do once the nominee actually BECAME the nominee (at the convention)--he has already pledged to support that person. Rather, he was asked what he would do BEFORE that point. And without knowing exactly what the situation will be at that point, probably few would make such a commitment. AFAIK, no one has made such a commitment. For one thing, one person's idea of it being "clear" who the nominee will be may not be the same as someone else's, depending on how much consideration you give to even what are admittedly highly improbable scenarios. This could make such a commitment a PR trap.

Here's the video:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/video/bernie-sanders-i-intend-to-be-the-democratic-nominee/vp-AADsS02

skip to 8:13

[booley]

46. thanks

I can't imagine any other candidate not answering the same way.

No serious candidate goes in saying they plan on losing.

[Clash City Rocker]

3. As opposed to supporting Trump?

Of course he’ll support the Democratic nominee, he’s a Democrat.

[Hortensis]

5. Yup. Simple as that.

[Wawannabe]

34. How about that Independent Senator running as a Democrat?

Will he support the nominee. Of course not. He is Independent. Oh. And he intends to be the nominee. Like in 2016???

[Clash City Rocker]

44. If he's the nominee of the Democratic Party, Democrats will support him

Maybe not enthusiastically, but they will support him.

[booley]

47. Sanders has supported numerous Democrats before.

I don't see why he would stop now.

After the convention, for instance, Sanders did ore events for Clinton than any other person who's last name wasn't Clinton. 34 in all. 17 of those less than a week if I am recalling correctly.

And he intends to be the nominee

just like every other person who is running in the Democratic Primaries right now.

If there's a criticism there, not sure I see it.

[sheshe2]

52. Do you have a link to these 17 events?

The ones directly after the convention?

After the convention, for instance, Sanders did ore events for Clinton than any other person who's last name wasn't Clinton. 34 in all. 17 of those less than a week if I am recalling correctly.

[ritapria]

6. Obama is indicating that he is not going try to stop a Bernie nomination

There was an article published in Politico that he would intervene if it looked like Bernie was on the verge of winning the nomination ….He is indicating, via leak, that he will campaign strongly for whomever is chosen by the voters to carry the Democratic Standard in November of 2020 ….If the story is true , it is good news for Bernard

[ArcticFox]

7. Good news for Our Democracy

A primary process without any thumbs on the scale. Wouldn't that be great?

[OldRed2450]

18. Jimmy Carter endorsed Bernie in 2016

He is a former president. How is that not a thumb on the scale?

[George II]

10. From the article Obama didn't name a single candidate, that "even Bernie" came from the writer.

The Politico article was based on rumor and opinion. Even the article that came out the other day about Obama pushing Warren was based on rumor and opinion.

No cold, hard, facts or quotes in either case.

[thesquanderer]

16. He'll support the nominee, as if there was ever any doubt. But that doesn't mean...

...he won't quietly work in favor off--or against--certain candidates BEFORE they get the nomination.

[seaglass]

45. Well who would be gullible enough to believe Obama would intervene - and do what? Of course he's

going to support whoever the nominee is, he's not a fair weather Democrat.

[booley]

48. And hopefully Obama means it

I want to think the first one was someone misunderstanding Obama.

But I still have bad feelings after what he did with Perez and Ellison.

I also think however he understands if it was seen as sabotaging Sanders, it would split the party in two.

[PatrickforO]

9. I think Obama speaks for most of us when he says that.

You bet.

[evertonfc]

11. I support Joe

buy will support any of our candidates with passion.

[LonePirate]

12. Our nominee needs to have Obama focus on AZ, FL, GA, MI, NC, PA, TX and WI.

Obama will drive Dem turnout in all of those states. Maybe toss in an occasional trip to MN and NV along with Omaha and western Maine. Possibly stop in IA and yes, KS, as well. We need to do everything we can to push a Dem victory north of 400 EVs. Republicans across the country need to be sent a clear message that the positions they represent have no place in this country’s future.

[underthematrix]

13. Of course President Obama will support whoever wins the nomination

just like me. He's doesn't get sucked in by emo-politics or outrage or the latest headline. Like most African Americans (even though he's part European) he knows our COMMON GROUND must be the RULE of LAW. Without that common ground, democracy dies and so does healthcare, a woman's right to choose, freedom of religion, a just judicial systems, voting rights, civil rights, gun sense laws, comprehensive immigration reform that gives dreamers a pathway to citizenship, national security and improving life expectancy outcomes for white Americans and more much more.

We also need the senate. I don't have to like the candidate we end up with. All I have to do is vote BLUE no matter who and I'm absolutely positively committed to doing that.

[LongtimeAZDem]

14. Well, duh

[beastie boy]

17. What, no purity test?

That's very moderate incrementalist neo-liberal third way behind the times of him!

Disqualifying!

[The Valley Below]

43. LOL.

[MrsCoffee]

23. What else would he do?

[greatauntoftriplets]

25. It's not like he'd ever vote for Spanky, go third party or stay home.

[bluedye33139]

26. If Sanders is the nominee, Democrats must unite behind him

It's a moral imperative at this point in our history

[samnsara]

30. and thats the way it should be. Question is: will BS supporters do the same?..NOT like last time???

...after last campaign, i wonder........... I want a verbal commitment. I feel BS campaign attracts those who want to disrupt..of course not all...but enough to 'disrupt'. P,lease...NOT AGAIN! not THIS election!!!??? Please????

I still remember/ have the photos of BS supporters tossing $$ at HRC motorcade, the young WOC triumphantly enduring the taunts of the BS supporters as she ran thru their gauntlet .. the BS surrogate calling HRC a 'corporate whore'..this is NOT the type of behavior I will support or vote for in the primaries. I feel Dems dont do that... I'm owning that statement.



But.. (and I want a commitment from BS supporters)..I will vote for THE DEM NOM. WHOMEVER it will be even... a damned loaf of bread. Will you???




PERIOD!


Our caucuses are in March.. I will report back. This time I will film and post the blood bath.

[Wawannabe]

36. Bernie will be the reason they won't support the nominee

When he doesn’t get the nomination.

Bernie isn’t gonna support the nominee and we both (at least) know this to be the truth in our hearts. He is gonna fuck us again because if he won’t support, then his supporters aren’t gonna, are they?

[RazBerryBeret]

41. Seriously?

Bernie did 39 rallies in 13 states in the final 3 months of the 2016 campaign. That's not exactly what I would call non-support.

[booley]

49. They supported Clinton last election

And this is after a lot of stuff that left Sanders supporters feeling he had been treated unfairly.

No, I am not going to argue whether or not he was. That was the perception many had and they voted for Clinton anyway.

Since any Democratic Nominee will need all of those votes, maybe disparaging millions of potential voters is less than productive.

[MineralMan]

31. Of course he will back the Democratic nominee.

He said that very plainly. Someone else added "even Bernie Sanders." Isn't that interesting?

[Wawannabe]

32. But Bernie won't.

Didn’t in 2016 and he will fuck us again in 2020.

Good on Obama but he wouldn’t get the same treatment from the INDEPENDENT Senator. No, Bernie has already said as much in interviews. One can only hope that he will change his mind; so when he doesn’t get the nomination, he will immediately back the nominee.

But he won’t.

[R B Garr]

35. It was very polite that Obama didn't mention Bernie's heart attack,

but he didn’t mention Bernie at all, actually.

Obama just said he would support the nominee, lol.

[highplainsdem]

38. What a silly non-story. I don't think anyone in their right mind expected Obama not to support the

eventual Democratic nominee.

I wish I had as much confidence that some of the people close to Sanders will support the Democratic nominee when it's obvious it won't be Sanders.

[OnDoutside]

39. Of course he will...but just who are commondreams.org ?

[MichMan]

40. Stupid article. Of course he will

[keithbvadu2]

42. If Bernie is the chosen one, that will be my first vote for him.

If Bernie is the chosen one, that will be my first vote for him.

[Gothmog]

50. Fmr. Pres. Obama has reportedly told those close to him that he'd speak out against Sanders

Here is an earlier report that paints a different picture of President Obama's views on sanders https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/474777-sanders-surges-ahead-of-iowa-caucuses

Former President Obama has reportedly told those close to him that he’d speak out against Sanders if he continues to build momentum, and some believe that other party leaders would join a concerted “anyone but Bernie” effort to block him from winning the nomination, if it comes to that.

Many mainstream Democrats continue to be annoyed by Sanders’s persistent lines of attack against the national party and the moderates who refuse to embrace the left’s most ambitious policy proposals.

“He’s still running the same divisive campaign and claiming that it’s all rigged against him,” said Jon Reinish, a Democratic strategist. “So it’s no surprise that you’d have a popular party figure like President Obama speak out, and he’s smart to raise the alarm about what’s at stake here.”

I personally believe that President Obama would prefer an electable candidate to be the nominee and there is so much oppo out there on sanders that trump would win 45+ states.

I understand also that it is best for President Obama to be officially neutral for now in that it is very unlikely that sanders will the nominee

[elleng]

53. No surprise.

Delete 'even Bernie,' please.

Too much divisiveness here.

[Joe941]

54. The anti Bernie crowd needs to take note of this.