ST. LOUIS // Democrat hopeful Bernie Sanders finally gave Hillary Clinton what she wanted — his vote. In an interview he said he was “pretty good at arithmetic” and understood that Ms Clinton was ahead on pledged votes. Asked if he would vote for her, Mr Sanders replied, “Yes,” adding: “I will do everything I can to defeat Donald Trump.”
However he stopped short of a full endorsement for the former secretary of state and has not said he would cam[aign for her. Nor has he urged his supporters to vote for her. But he seemed to be acknowledging that he cannot now overtake her.
Since the final primary on June 14, Sanders has repeatedly said he would not quit his presidential campaign, pledging to “go all the way to Philadelphia” — the venue for the Democratic party convention next month. The Vermont senator believes the Democratic party isn’t doing enough to address poverty and to protect the interests of lower-income voters, and his main focus now is on representing them and fighting inequality. As he made campaign stops in New York, his allies in St Louis were working to incorporate many of his ideas on trade, climate change and universal health care into the platform that will be adopted at the July convention.
“My job right now is to fight for the strongest possible platform in the Democrat election,” he said on Friday. That would include an agenda to create jobs and raise the minimum wage, he said.
In New York City on Thursday night, Sanders told supporters that his campaign is “just getting started”.
Speaking to a packed hall in Manhattan, Sanders took something of a victory lap as he reviewed the states he won and the fact that more young people preferred him over Hillary Clinton. But he did not mention her name, let alone endorse her as leading Democrats have urged.
Ms Clinton earlier this month clinched the delegates required to carry the Democrats’ banner against Trump. While Sanders has acknowledged that he would not be the nominee he has yet to enthusiastically endorse Clinton, pointing to the need for the former New York senator and first lady to voice support for the issues that he staked his campaign on.
Sanders has raised about $2.5 million for congressional and legislative candidates in recent weeks, sending out fund-raising emails on behalf of liberals who could further his message.
* Associated Press
