His presidential campaign has been over for a month, but analysts said Sen. Bernard Sanders’ endorsement could still help Hillary Clinton — particularly if the former first lady continues to make her own overtures by moving further to the left on issues Mr. Sanders has championed.
The senator from Vermont confirmed this week that he is negotiating with the Clinton campaign about an endorsement, and NBC News reported Thursday that the endorsement could be announced as early as next week.
Mr. Sanders’ reluctance to put formal support behind his primary rival has irked Clinton supporters and congressional Democrats — some booed the senator when he spoke at a private Capitol Hill meeting Wednesday — but it’s clear he still holds a great deal of influence over progressives.
Analysts say some of his supporters who have been lukewarm, at best, to Mrs. Clinton could be swayed by an endorsement.
“The Sanders endorsement still is meaningful because Clinton needs to consolidate support from young people and progressives,” said Darrell West, director of governance studies at the Brookings Institution. “Sanders can help her do that by supporting her candidacy and actively campaigning for her. He has terrific credibility among reform elements in the party and can help her unify the party.”
Mr. Sanders remains the most high-profile Democrat to not back Mrs. Clinton. President Obama, Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and a host of others have come out in support of the former first lady.
Mr. Sanders, however, has been clear that he wants Mrs. Clinton to shift left on a number of key issues before he offers his endorsement. The shift began this week when Mrs. Clinton announced a free college tuition plan that closely mirrors the proposal Mr. Sanders put forth during the primary.
Mr. Sanders not only hailed the move, but he also took partial credit for it, saying Mrs. Clinton’s new higher education platform was the result of both campaigns’ work over the past year.
Mrs. Clinton’s plan “says that in America, any family of $125,000 or less will be able to send their kids to college tuition-free,” Mr. Sanders told CNN Wednesday. “That is a revolutionary breakthrough for the middle class and the working class of this country.”
He also said he wants Mrs. Clinton to take a tougher stand on Wall Street reform and climate change, including coming out against the drilling technique known as fracking.
Mr. Sanders told MSNBC on Wednesday night that he is waiting for Mrs. Clinton to adopt more progressive positions on those and other issues before he will make an endorsement.
“We’re working on some other ideas, and I think at the end of the day, there is going to be a coming-together, and we’re going to go forward together and not only defeat [Donald] Trump, but defeat him badly,” he said, also confirming reports that the two campaigns are in talks about an endorsement.
But there remains some ill will in Democratic circles toward Mr. Sanders and the way he has conducted himself over the past month. The senator acknowledged that some House Democrats booed him Wednesday when he wouldn’t directly address why he has not endorsed Mrs. Clinton.
Clinton supporters have become increasingly frustrated and argue that Mr. Sanders has missed an opportunity to bring the party together in quick fashion after the primary.
“I have no idea what he is trying to do at this point. While I am encouraged by reports that he will soon endorse Clinton, as far as I am concerned he is a day late and a dollar short,” said Clinton backer Jim Manley, director of the communications practice at QGA Public Affairs and a former spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat. “There is no reason why he couldn’t have done this awhile ago.”
NBC News reported Thursday that Mr. Sanders could make his endorsement at a Clinton campaign rally Tuesday in New Hampshire.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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