Sen. Bernie Sanders said Friday he plans to bring back robust policy debate with Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential nominee, after the election, but stressed the importance of “coalition politics.”
As a self-described democratic socialist, Mr. Sanders said he obviously disagrees with Mr. Biden on a number of issues, but that the Democratic Party needs to unite ahead of the November election.
The Vermont independent even extended that call for unity to Republicans like former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who endorsed Mr. Biden at the Democratic National Convention this week.
“We’re going to come together to defeat Trump,” Mr. Sanders told “The Daily Show” host Trevor Noah. “And the day after Biden is elected, we’re going to have a serious debate about the future of this country, but it will be done within the framework of a democratic society.”
“What you’re seeing now is what I would call a united front of people of many different points of view,” he added. “So this is what coalition politics is about.”
Some progressives were frustrated that Republicans got so much time to participate in the DNC convention, feeling like some of their liberal voices weren’t given the same amount of time.
Mr. Sanders was Mr. Biden’s closest competition in the Democratic presidential primary, though he suspended his campaign in April. However, he had collected enough delegate votes to be formally nominated at the convention.
Part of the GOP’s strategy has been to link Mr. Biden to Mr. Sanders, framing their connection as the nominee’s embrace of the “radical left.”
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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