Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has endorsed presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton for president…. “Secretary Clinton has won the Democratic nominating process, and I congratulate her for that,” Sanders said. “She will be the Democratic nominee for president and I intend to do everything I can to make certain she will be the next president of the United States.”…. Sanders thanked those who voted for him during the Democratic primary ― especially the people of New Hampshire, where he got his first primary win, and his home state of Vermont. He also warned against presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, arguing the business mogul would be bad for working families, calling Trump’s economic policies “reckless.”…. “In these stressful times for our country, this election must be about bringing our people together, not dividing us up,” Sanders said. “While Donald Trump is busy insulting Mexicans, Muslims, women, African Americans and veterans, Hillary Clinton understands that our diversity is one of our greatest strengths. Yes. We become stronger when black and white, Latino, Asian American, Native American - all of us - stand together. Yes. We become stronger when men and women, young and old, gay and straight, native born and immigrant fight to rid this country of all forms of bigotry.”
Several months ago I endorsed Bernie Sanders for President. I felt- and still continue to feel- that he’s the candidate best equipped to lead America into a fairer and more equitable future.
Ultimately, my preferred candidate fell short of winning the Democratic nomination. As happens in politics (and life), sometimes you don’t always get what you want. While it’s taken me awhile to warm up to Hillary Clinton as the Democratic stand bearer, it now appears she’s what this country needs…and I’m prepared to wholeheartedly support her. Tuesday, Sen. Sanders acquiesced to the inevitable and endorsed Sec. Clinton.
Sanders’ endorsement was a necessary part of the process. Frankly, the alternative is simply too freakin’ horrific to contemplate. President Donald Trump would be an unqualified disaster for America, representing as he would the final inexorable step in the creation of our new idiocracy. While the GOP has reaped the whirlwind of racism, homopobia, Islamophobia, nativism, and sexism, electing Trump would subject the entire country to that fate. America can’t afford a President whose idea of standing up to resistance is to call those in opposition “losers.”
Some of Sen. Sanders supporters are upset and disappointed- understandably so. The passion of those supporters is what propelled the Sanders campaign as far as it went. In the end, it wasn’t enough.
I fully expect that once the butthurt subsides and Sen. Sanders’ supporters do what I did- consider the alternative- they’ll do the right thing and support Hillary Clinton. No, she’s not the candidate I wanted, but I’ll believe she’s what this country needs…especially when you consider what a Trump Presidency would mean for America.
