Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) may not be a senator for much longer, but it’s neither because he is facing a difficult challenger or thinking about retiring.
Rather, Politico reports that Sen. Sanders is pushing for a position in the administration of Joe Biden, should Biden be fortunate enough to win the presidency.
“An interest”
According to insiders, Sanders is looking to be a member of a potential Biden administration’s cabinet, specifically as Secretary of Labor.
“I can confirm he’s trying to figure out how to land that role or something like it,” one insider told Politico. “He, personally, does have an interest in it.”
Politico got the information for its report from “two people familiar with the conversations” between Biden’s people and Sanders. Sanders, however, has been less forthcoming about his plans.
He told Politico on Wednesday that he can neither confirm nor deny this information. “Right now I am focused on seeing that Biden is elected president. That’s what my main focus is,” he said.
Could it happen?
In order to win this November, Biden needs the support of both progressive and establishment Democrats. This has led to some interesting dynamics considering that it’s hard to appease the progressives without upsetting the moderates.
Sanders, for example, has been going around the country doing what he can to help Biden get elected. Sanders continues to do this despite Biden’s frequent attempts to distance himself from Sanders and his extreme ideas, like Medicare for All.
From this, it is clear that Sanders and the other progressives are expecting to get some power in a Biden administration, that is, if they help Biden to get elected. The question, of course, is whether Biden would allow progressives to play such an important role in his administration.
The answer would seem to be “yes” considering that he has one of the farthest-left politicians in America, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA), as a running mate. Politico reports, however, that one insider told them that, at least when it comes to Sanders, he has “zero chance” of getting such a position because he’s a “Lone Ranger” in terms of how he works with people.
Bernie’s future
If Sanders were to get a position in a Biden administration, he, of course, would have to give up his role as a senator. But, he also has big plans should he remain a senator and the Democrats retake the Senate. At the beginning of the month, Sanders told a crowd at a Lebanon, New Hampshire, rally, that “If the Democrats gain control of the Senate, you’re looking at the chairman of the Subcommittee on Health.”
Sanders is clearly making moves trying to gain more power in government, which is as strong a reason as any to vote Republican this November.
The post Bernie Sanders has his eyes set on a role in the Biden administration first appeared on Conservative Institute.
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