Bernie Sanders Tries to Ease Supporters: ‘The Struggle Continues’

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) tried to ease supporters as he announced the suspension of his presidential campaign on Wednesday, reminding them that the movement, and accompanying  “struggle,” continues.

Sanders formally announced the suspension of his presidential campaign but encouraged supporters to keep up their fight, stressing that the progressive movement does not end with his campaign.

“I wish I could give you better news, but I think you know the truth,” he said, admitting that his path toward victory is “virtually impossible.”

Nevertheless, Sanders told supporters that they are winning the ideological battle, which, given the embrace of radical proposals — from free college to the Green New Deal to government paid health care for illegal immigrants — appears to be true.

“So while we are winning the ideological battle, and while we are winning the support of so many young people and working people throughout the country, I have concluded that this battle for the Democratic nomination will not be successful,” he said.

“If I believed we had a feasible path to the nomination, I would certainly continue the campaign, but it’s just not there,” he continued, stating that he cannot, in good conscience, continue to mount a campaign that could “interfere with the important work required all of us in this difficult hour” of the coronavirus crisis.

He emphasized that this campaign was part of a “grassroots multiracial, multigenerational movement, which has always believed that real change does not come from the top on down but always from the bottom on up.”

We have taken on Wall Street, the insurance companies, the drug companies, the fossil fuel industry, the military industrial complex, the prison industrial complex and the greed of the entire corporate elite. That struggle continues. While this campaign is coming to an end, our movement is not.

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The fight for justice is what our campaign has been about. The fight for justice is what our movement remains about.

While he congratulated Joe Biden (D), the party’s presumptive nominee — calling him a “very decent” man and pledging to work with him to “move our progressive ideas forward” — he also emphasized the need to continue to garner delegates so the movement can wield significant influence on the party platform at the Democrat National Convention in August.

“Please stay in this fight with me. Let us go forward together,” Sanders added. “The struggle continues.”