Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont announced Monday he will run for reelection this year, squelching speculation that the 82-year-old progressive icon might retire at a time when the Democratic Party is anxious about the advancing age of its top leaders.
Hailing from a Democratic stronghold, Sanders’ decision virtually guarantees that he will return to Washington for a fourth Senate term. And his announcement comes at a critical moment for Democrats as the party navigates a growing divide over Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
Sanders has criticized President Joe Biden’s handling of the U.S. relationship with Israel even as he’s hailed much of Biden’s domestic agenda ahead of what could be a tough reelection fight for Biden against presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.
Bernie is one of the few senators that actually understands the opportunity barriers that young people face in the US. That said, I’m going to feel pretty hypocritical backing his candidacy, while I’ve said his 80+ year old colleagues are too old for the job.
He’s still sharp as a damn tack, but at some point, you’re just at a very high risk of the machinery breaking down on the job.
Senate is a 6 year term so he’ll be 88 at the end if he survives.
Besides just being with his family, the most important thing he could be doing is finding a replacement with similar politics to him and endorsing the shit out of them. Otherwise when he dies it will be a blood bath that might not end up with a progressive like him.
He’s going to pull an RBG…
Vermont, at worst, will elect a moderate Democrat. And likely will elect someone similar to him as a replacement. Things can’t really get very messed up by his untimely demise
Which is the opposite of how things were with RBG
“liberal icon”
The only two acceptable viewpoints are “liberal” and “conservative”, so center-right to far-right. Everything else is extremism and has no place in current politics.
Blame Rush Limbaugh. He turned ‘liberal’ into a word that means ‘anyone and everyone to the left of the current Republican party agenda.’
“Liberal” sheesh way to insult the man for being a hero to the working class.
Well shit.
I misread what was on the ticker on TV. I thought he was running for president.
I’d be okay with that. Bernie and gore as presidents would have changed the face of the nation.
Now we’re fucked to either swirl the toilet or force the cosmic plumber to break out a plunger.
Bernie is too far left to be a liberal. Good luck to him though.
Jesus with all these ever shifting labels
If you’ve never bothered to learn anything about political science, there’s no need to be proud of it. Just read a little and educate yourself
Elitist white college kid attitude right there. For a bunch of people claiming to be left and progressive, some of you do everything possible up push people away with your elitist, nose in the air, white patriarchal bullshit.
I got a 2 year degree from a community college and then went to technical school. Im a blue collar hourly worker. None of my formal education (which ended nearly 20 years ago) included political science.
I educated myself so i wouldn’t sound ignorant talking about things i am interested in. It’s not hard. Libraries are free and the internet is full of information
High school dropout here calling bullshit on that. Being informed is not “elitist”.
The problem is when people equate college and university to being informed, which is what the guy I’m replying to did
Elitist white college kid attitude right there
Says the person using Lemmy
Ok…??
So you’re being a hypocrite given what you’re criticizing and what this site is
Just because you’re learning of the existence of these terms now doesn’t mean they just came into existence today.
I said shifting. As in they’ve changed meaning over time.
I’m really conflicted here. I love Bernie, and I’m afraid of a cooperate centrist taking the place of one of the few truly progressive votes in the Senate, but 82 is way to old to be signing up for another term. He still seems as sharp as ever, but will that be true for another 6 years? I don’t want to see him go out like Diane Feinstein.
Run for president instead, you would win this time, I swear
The DNC would nominate a literal puppet – strings and all as a nominee instead of giving Bernie the nomination because they know he would win and actually make them work for the people again.
Dude’s 82. I’d vote for him, fuck I’d almost die to get him into office, but it is not a job for such an age. He’s stressed as hell already, the presidency would almost definitely kill him with how awful being president is. He could seriously do a lot of good for us but he’s gotta worry about himself too.
Love Bernie but it’s time to move over for someone younger.
Yes, his seat is safely blue if he has to quit early, but meanwhile someone younger isn’t getting the experience to lead into the future.
I would say AOC fits that description. No reason why we can’t have both at the same time. There just aren’t enough people like them.
AOC is in New York. Bernie is in Vermont.
The only reasonable replacement would be Howard Dean.
Vermont is a very small state. Bernie is an OG with ties to actual radical movements. Dean, not so much.
For a senator of Vermont, Bernie is fine. For the population, his age isn’t as problematic; we don’t have as many viable candidates.
When it comes to something like president? Absolutely. But also, Bernie should have been president twice, and Biden, Hillary, and Trump all know it. Bernie isn’t bowing out of the game before them if he can help it, and I don’t blame him.
I was referring to the old giving way to the young, not explicitly who should fill Bernie’s seat in Vermont.
Because the young are already here, working alongside the old. And that’s better than the alternatives. The biggest problem is that you can count people of Bernie & AOC’s caliber (people who prioritize human wellbeing above financial gain & personal power) on one hand.
I do. I blame him. How are we supposed to cultivate the next generation of progressive leadership when the previous one refuses to leave?
And I don’t care if it’s ageist. 80 year olds have no business being in positions this important. I’m sick of seeing people being literally wheeled into the Senate chambers to cast votes before being sent back to a hospital.
I mean if you’re not a Vermonter it doesn’t really make a difference to you. You’re not going to get a Vermonter more radically left in that seat. If you want left, Bernie is your best bet second to Dean.
He’s a Senator. This doesn’t just affect Vermont. Having yet another Senator over the age of 85 will absolutely make a difference to me! I just can’t vote on it because I live in Ohio.
Not when your goal is radical left and your candidate is Bernie Sanders.
Ew. Don’t say squelch.
Also: Eww, don’t slander him by calling him a liberal
Get old white men out of politics! -Lemmy
Vote Bernie!! -also Lemmy
