If the federal government weren’t closed, it’s possible that Sen. Bernie Sanders would have better things to do than critique the long-dead presidential campaign of former Vice President Kamala Harris. Since the budgetary stalemate is creeping toward the record set under the last Donald Trump presidency, the Vermont independent was free to Monday morning quarterback nearly a year after Election Day.
Sanders shared his theories with conservative comedian, conspiracy theorist and podcaster Tim Dillon. The internet personality, who couches his right-wing leanings in layer upon layer of too-online irony, broached the subject of the 2024 election during a chat about Sanders’ book, “Fight Oligarchy.” Dillon wondered about a lack of “transparency” from the Democratic Party in selecting Harris to run.
“Why is there no primary, a quick one even, after [Joe Biden] is judged unfit to run? Why is there no transparency there?” he said. “That’s a huge problem, and I think it delivered — I mean, I know people blame five podcasters, but I think that process helped deliver the country.”
Sanders didn’t follow Dillon’s reasoning, pointing out that Harris is an “incredibly focused, intelligent person” and touting his own support of her campaign. However, he added that Harris lost because she failed to “run a campaign focused on the needs of the working class.”
Start your day with essential news from Salon.Sign up for our free morning newsletter, Crash Course.
“[Harris] didn’t run a campaign focused on healthcare, on economics, and raising the minimum wage, on paid family and medical leave, on housing, on all of the issues that working people are struggling with right now,” he said. “And I think her not focused on those issues allowed Trump to win, in my view.”
Watch the interview below via YouTube:
Read more
about this topic
