Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) took aim at the progressive Democratic primary challengers to President Biden.
NBC’s Chuck Todd asked Sanders on “Meet the Press” whether he believed there should be a competitive Democratic primary. Sanders instead called for unity among progressives for 2024, saying that the threat of former President Trump taking office should be a call to consensus among the left.
“Well, I think in this particular time, this particular moment in American history, when we’re taking on the former President, who in fact does not believe in democracy, he is an authoritarian, and a very, very dangerous person,” he said.
“I think at this moment there has to be a unification of progressive people in general in all of this country, people who are prepared to make sure that women control their own body, that we deal with climate change, that we represent the needs of the working class of this country, and take on the billionaire class,” he continued.
He also defended his endorsement of Biden on CNN’s “State of the Union” and pushed back against criticism from third-party progressive candidate Cornel West, who accused the senator of supporting Biden because he’s “fearful of neo-fascism of Trump.”
“Where I disagree with my good friend of Cornel West is, I think in these really, very difficult times where there is a real question whether democracy is going to remain in the United States of America,” Sanders said on CNN’s “State of the Union” when asked about West’s remarks.