Hillary Clinton has been the presumptive nominee for the entirety of the contest and the last election was nearly a month ago, but Bernie Sanders has refused to endorse her. That will chance, according to numerous reports, on Tuesday, when Clinton and Sanders will appear together in Vermont and Sanders will endorse her, finally ending the Democratic primary just before the Democratic National Convention begins in Philadelphia later this month.
Depending on your perspective on Sanders, his decision to play things andante could be seen as an example of steadfastness or obstinance. A week ago, House Democrats booed Sanders during a tense meeting that focused on his foot-dragging. But Sanders’s approach has reaped dividends for progressives. While Sanders’s team didn’t win concessions on the TPP or Israeli statements, the party’s platform has moved left on a host of issues, including the minimum wage, the public option, the death penalty, and Federal Reserve, criminal justice, and Wall Street reform. Of course, Sanders’s decision to hold out for more platform concessions may mean that some of his supporters have hardened their resolve to never vote for Hillary Clinton. But Sanders’s endorsement will certainly sway many of his supporters, likely adding to Clinton’s post-convention “bounce,” especially given the relatively progressive party platform.