Bernie Sanders: The Democratic primary gave me 'leverage I intend to use' to pressure Hillary Clinton
Sen. Bernie Sanders laid out the ways he would leverage his popularity that emerged from the Democratic primary to continue to push Hillary Clinton to
the left if she wins the presidency next month.
In an interview published Monday with The Washington Post,Sanders argued that the Democratic Party is "more progressive" than its presidential nominee.
He emphasized that he saw it as his role to "demand that the Democratic Party implement" the party platform his allies helped shape, and would be "vigorously in opposition" if Clinton attempted to abandon the platform's progressive elements.
"The leverage that I think I take into the Senate is taking on the entire Democratic Party establishment, and, you know, taking on a very powerful political organization with the Clinton people," Sanders said. He then referenced the number of states he won during the primary, 22.
"That gives me a lot of leverage, leverage that I intend to use," he added.
The Vermont senator also emphasized that he would not be cowed by the knowledge that his proposals would not be well received by a likely Republican-controlled House of Representatives. Sanders promised to hold the GOP politically accountable if it tried to block measures that he supports, such as raising the minimum wage and making public college free for a large number of Americans.
"It's not
good enough for me, or anybody, to say, 'Well, look, Republicans control the
House: From Day One, we're going to have to compromise,'" Sanders said.
"The Democratic Party, before they start compromising, has got to rally
the American people around our ideas and make it clear that if Republicans do
not go along with reasonable ideas to benefit the middle class and the working
class, they are going to pay a very heavy political price."
Though he
didn't win the Democratic presidential primary, Sanders has seen his popularity
soar following his bid.
A Morning
Consult poll conducted this year found that Sanders was the most popular
current US senator, and several other surveys show that he has a higher
favorable rating than other popular political figures including first lady
Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and former President Bill Clinton.
Since
conceding the presidential nomination earlier this year, Sanders has hit the
campaign trail numerous times on Clinton's behalf, attempting to convince some
of his supporters that the former secretary of state shares far more in common
politically with Sanders than Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
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