As the November 8 election approaches, candidates are looking to prove to the public their versatility, which includes getting along with their competitors. Take Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, for example.
On Sunday, Clinton expressed in an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” that while she’s willing to collaborate with Sanders in order to establish a progressive Democratic platform, Sanders will eventually need to “look at the reality” of the race and hand over the presidential reins to the former secretary of state.
“I certainly look forward to working with Sen. Sanders in the lead-up to the convention, in the lead-up to the platform that will represent the Democratic Party,” Clinton said. “It will be a progressive platform. I’ve run on a progressive agenda. I really welcome his ideas and his passion and commitment, because the most important thing is winning in November.”
This announcement came before the Indiana election today, so it’s a bit ironic that Clinton is telling Sanders to prepare for failure when the millennial favorite’s campaign is expected to trump Clinton’s efforts in the Midwestern state.
According to CNN, a major reason Sanders is expected to win Indiana is because of his consistent advertising endeavors. While the Vermont senator has spent a total of $1.8 million on advertising in the state, Clinton has barely spent a dime. Another reason for Sander’s anticipated success is Indian’s prominent white population. The Midwestern state is 86% white, which is a demographic Sanders has won over more times than Clinton.
In an effort to shift his focus from winning the presidential race to making sure Donald Trump does not become president, Sanders gave a speech last week in Springfield, Oregon, outlining specific changes he wants the Democratic Party to make.
“I want to see this country have one of the highest turnout rates in the world,” Sanders told the crowd. “Bring more people into the system and that means if you are 18 years of age, you are registered to vote, end of discussion.”
Along with automatic voter registration, The Vermont senator also requested that the Democratic Party fight for same-day registration and open primaries. Sander’s 50-state strategy, as he calls it, is his attempt to move the party platform to the left at the Democratic National Convention.
Seems like Sanders and Clinton are finally seeing eye-to-eye, but will both candidates stick to their reflective strategies when the November election is here? Only time will tell.
Featured image via Getty/Joe Raedle.
