WASHINGTON – Under mounting pressure from Democratic leaders to abandon his presidential campaign, Bernie Sanders returned home to Vermont on Wednesday following dispiriting losses to Hillary Clinton. He vowed to fight on for a political revolution but showed signs he would bow to the inevitable and bring his insurgent effort to a close.
For Sanders, as his remarkable White House bid runs out of next stops, the only question is when. Just as important for Sanders is how to keep his campaign alive in some form, by converting his newfound political currency into policies to change the Democratic Party, the Senate or even the country itself, on issues including income inequality and campaign finance reform.
To that end the senator was to travel to Washington on Thursday to meet with President Barack Obama and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and speak at a rally his campaign named “A Future to Believe In.” Obama is expected to endorse Clinton imminently, and Reid is prepared to discuss with Sanders how the self-described democratic socialist might advance his goals back in the Senate.
Neither Clinton nor Republican Donald Trump had public events Wednesday, both preparing for the next big hurdle between themselves and the White House – a five-month head-to-head race to November.
Ahead of Thursday’s meetings, Sanders’ Democratic colleagues were growing increasingly outspoken in nudging Sanders to wind down his campaign and throw his support behind Clinton. However, most still worded their entreaties carefully and stopped short of publicly calling on Sanders to drop out right away.