Biden allies wants Sanders out, sooner rather than later

[left-of-center2012]

Joe Biden’s allies are privately grumbling that Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) will not get out of the presidential race, preventing the party from uniting ahead of the general election. Sanders’s decision to stay in the race has Democrats worried they are repeating the problems of 2016, when a long primary fight was seen as hurting Hillary Clinton, the eventual nominee.

“I think he should get out,” one Biden aide said. “It's a lost cause for him and everyone knows it. If you really care about beating Donald Trump, you'd get out and help consolidate the party in what is already a very stressful time for the nation. It’s not helpful to anyone to stay in period.” The aide also said Sanders is unlikely to win more policy concessions from Biden by remaining in the race.

Biden has not publicly called for Sanders to drop out. In interviews from his home, he’s barely talked about his rival at all. However, last week Biden said he didn’t see a need to participate in the final Democratic debate against Sanders, arguing instead that it’s “time to get on with this.”

Sanders does not appear to be feeling any pressure to drop out, and on Monday night he told NBC “Late Night” host Seth Meyers that he still has a path to victory. “There is a path,” Sanders said. “It is admittedly a narrow path, but I would tell you, Seth, that there are a lot of people who are supporting me. We have a strong grass-roots movement."

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/490474-biden-allies-wants-sanders-out-sooner-rather-than-later