Sanders criticizes Biden, appeals to Warren supporters at Phoenix rally
Mar 5, 2020, 8:49 PM | Updated: 8:55 pm
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
PHOENIX — Following a disappointing finish on Super Tuesday, Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders sought to reinvigorate his Phoenix supporters during a rally Thursday at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Soon after taking the stage, Sanders told supporters he will continue to fight to secure the Democratic Party’s nomination for what he described as “the most important and consequential election in the modern history of our country.”
Sanders then described follow Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who dropped out of the race earlier in the day, as a “good friend,” congratulating her for leading a “strong, issue-oriented campaign.”
After addressing Warren, Sanders had a message for her supporters: “Tonight, we invite Senator Warren’s supporters into our campaign.”
Given the ideological similarities of the two campaigns, Sanders argued, his camp represents the next logical step for Warren’s displaced supporters.
Before emphasizing the differences between himself and former Vice President Joe Biden, Sanders described the current Democratic Party front-runner as an old friend with whom he shares minimal differences compared with President Donald Trump.
However, Sanders did not shy away from contrasting his campaign with Biden’s.
Sanders criticized the Biden campaign for accepting contributions from “at least 60 billionaires,” including Mayor Bloomberg, while also maintaining an active Super PAC.
The Vermont senator then touted his own sources of financial support, claiming 8 million contributions from 2 million Americans with single donations averaging $18.50.
Speaking of the former vice president, Sanders asked the crowd: “Does anybody seriously think that a candidate who takes money from Wall Street and the drug companies and has a Super PAC is going to stand up for the working class and make the real changes that we need?”
Sanders spent the rest of his rally extolling campaign promises familiar to many of his supporters including universal healthcare, sweeping gun reform, immigration reform, and battling climate change.
After Warren dropped out of the 2020 presidential race earlier in the day, Sanders, former Vice-President Joe Biden and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard remain as the last hopefuls for the Democratic Party’s nomination.
