Bernie Sanders’s Duty

Bernie Sanders isn’t going to be the Democratic nominee for president. Yet he insists on remaining in the race and arguing and allowing  his supporters to argue that he would be a superior choice than Biden.  This involves sharp criticism of Biden.

This is reprehensible, because it increases the chance that Trump will be reelected. Sanders is violating his primary duty, which is just the opposite. Basically decent people who commit wrongs often allow themselves to do so by rationalizing their behavior. I’m sure that Sanders is thinking that by staying in the race he will increase the chances that his policies, which are more progressive than Biden’s, will gain greater political traction. In particular, Sanders hopes that he will be able to persuade more people to support “Medicare-for-All.”

I think that would be a good thing, but it’s of trivial importance compared to the stark necessity of getting rid of Trump. It’s a tragic failing of Sanders that he doesn’t see that.