WASHINGTON – On July 13, Senator Bernie Sanders, a key figure of the US political left, expressed his support for President Joe Biden’s presidential candidacy in a New York Times column, despite growing calls for Biden to withdraw over health concerns.
“Enough! Mr. Biden may not be the ideal candidate, but he will be the candidate and should be the candidate,” the independent senator wrote, urging Democrats to cease their “bickering and nit-picking.”
Sanders’ column comes amidst increasing pressure from Democratic officials and donors for the 81-year-old president to step aside following a poor performance in his June 27 debate with former President Donald Trump. To date, about 20 members of Congress have urged Biden to leave the race.
Recent polls show Trump, who is 78, leading Biden nationally, though within the margin of error, with some key battleground states trending in the Republican’s favor. In his op-ed, Sanders acknowledged his disagreements with Biden on several issues. Sanders, who is 82 and has significant support among young Americans, criticized US support for “Israel’s horrific war against the Palestinian people.”
Sanders also recognized the visible signs of Biden’s aging but emphasized Biden’s accomplishments and the importance of defeating Trump, who Sanders noted has “34 felony convictions and… has told thousands of documented lies.”
“Yes, I know,” Sanders wrote. “Mr. Biden is old, is prone to gaffes, walks stiffly, and had a disastrous debate with Mr. Trump. But this I also know: A presidential election is not an entertainment contest. It does not begin or end with a 90-minute debate.”
Sanders described Biden as “a good and decent Democratic president with a record of real accomplishment” who holds “the most difficult and stressful job in the world.” He concluded, “For the sake of our kids and future generations, he must win.”