Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on Thursday announced his support for Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) to lead the Democratic National Committee.
Sanders gave his pick for DNC chair in an interview with the Associated Press. Ellison, perhaps more than other candidates to succeed former chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), has put himself forward for the job. According to an October Politico report, Ellison had reached out to state party chairs, Hillary Clinton campaign officials and other Democrats connected to the committee.
Ellison and Sanders were brothers in arms for much of the presidential campaign season. Ellison, one of two Muslim members of Congress, was the second member of that body to endorse Sander’s bid for the Democratic nomination for president.
Ellison was one of Sanders’ picks to bring his progressive message into the DNC’s official platform via a series of negotiations with representatives of the Clinton campaign. He also introduced Sanders’ primetime speech at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.
Sanders was a vocally critic of Wasserman Schultz, especially stolen emails from various DNC staffers were published by WikiLeaks showing them mock Sanders’ campaign.
In the same interview with the AP, Sanders said it was an “embarrassment” to the Democratic Party that white working class Americans voted in large numbers for President-elect Donald Trump.
He also failed to rule out the possibility he would run for president again in 2020, saying “four years is a long time from now.”
Excellent choice. Ellison will give the DNC a newer younger face.
Not a bad idea. As I said, those protests need to be harnessed etc. and they were largely activated, motivated Bernie supporters…or at least some of the organizers were in some cities based ont he reports I saw. Maybe Ellison can function in aspects as a means of bringing these people into the fold.
The real problem though, is how to make it abundantly clear to them that they’re becoming part of a team, a coalition, not taking over and not achieving the coup they wished they’d achieved during the primaries.
that’s looks like a scab to me…pass
I support Ellison though.
it will take time, but that’s a good first step.
Keith Ellison, yes, continuing to obsess on the “white” working class – whatever that means – no.