Sanders Advisor and 2024 Memo Author Says No Chance Senator a Primary Threat to Biden, Won’t Say Same for Harris.
There is no chance Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) will be a potential primary challenge for President Joe Biden ahead of the 2024 presidential election, but the same cannot be said for Vice President Kamala Harris, at least according to Faiz Shakir, a Sanders advisor and the author of a recent memo stating Sanders is not ruling out another presidential run.
The memo has only furthered speculation about Biden’s future in 2024, despite the president himself giving no indication he will not run, as long as he’s in good health. Biden is 79-years-old, while Sanders is 80. In a recent ranking of possible Democrats who could get the nomination in 2024, the Washington Post put Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at number two, followed by Harris.
Biden stood at the number one spot, with an explanation that they’ve included him in the ranking due to the “increasing” possibility he could face a real primary and may not even be the likeliest victor.
Sanders advisor Shakir would not give a concrete answer on the Vermont senator’s future political intentions but said he is keeping the door open. Shakir claimed the memo that has earned Sanders numerous headlines as a possible contender was not originally “intended for public consumption.”
Shakir argued that “there is a divide in the Democratic Party,” but argued Sanders remains a popular figure with needed “progressive muscularity.” Biden has meanwhile faced generally falling poll numbers amid crises affecting working Americans like booming inflation.
Shakir said the Democrat Party is not doing enough on issues and called on Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) for a vote on Build Back Better and for the party to be clearer on “what the fight is” their supporters should be getting behind.
Asked whether that fight could be Biden and Sanders in a primary battle for the party’s nomination, Shakir denied any such outcome, saying Sanders is supporting the president and his agenda “aggressively,” despite the party also currently facing a divide, as Shakir said.
“Primary’s not on the table,” he said in regards to Biden. He would not, however, give the same assurance to Harris.
Todd noted Sanders does not have “the same deference for the vice president” as the president.
“No, he respects Senator Harris,” Shakir said before correcting himself on her title and getting back on message.
“The question on Vice President Harris if she were to run, or anybody, is to just say, what are you going to run for? What’s your agenda going to be? And then Sen. Sanders would make his determination and judgment at that point,” he said.
Watch above, via MSNBC.
