Hillary Clinton has made history in becoming the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. But Bernie Sanders vows to fight on for what he calls “an American Revolution.” What do his words “fight on” mean exactly, and what’s next for his campaign and his supporters?
We will find out with Cenk Uygur, host of the online news and commentary show The Young Turks, founder and CEO of the TYT network, and vocal Bernie Sanders supporter and defender.
Larry King: You have to be brought down by the size of the California defeat…Where are you now?
Cenk Uygur: First of all, Hillary Clinton was likely to win the pledge delegates comfortably even if Bernie Sanders had won California. So, it’s not like we didn’t know going into the night that it wasn’t going to be a great night no matter what. I am surprised at the size of the California win for Hillary Clinton. I don’t know how much it had to do with the Associated Press and the rest of the press saying: “Don’t show up to vote. This race is already over.”
LK: Well, they didn’t say “don’t show up.”
CU: I mean, by declaring “the race over” that is in effect what you’re saying. In fact, they had record registration, more people signing up to vote, but then it was actually 28 percent lower turnout than in 2008. That’s because every press outlet said: “This race is already over.” You know, that if the press declares the race over, then less people are going to show up to vote.
LK: But Bernie [Sanders] said on Tuesday: “The struggle continues. We’re going to fight hard to win the primary in Washington, D.C. We take our fight for social, economic, racial and environmental justice to Philadelphia… “What is taking the fight mean?
CU: I’ll give you my interpretation, because I don’t speak for Bernie Sanders. She has won a lot more pledged delegates. If all things being equal, she’s got more super delegates, more pledged delegates; the race is over, she’s won. Right? Now, there is one wild card because things are not normal. She is under federal investigation and so there might be an indictment. I have no idea what the chances of that indictment are. People think: “By bringing it up, you’re rooting for it.” No, the FBI isn’t listening to the Young Turks and thinking: “I wonder if we should act based on what they say.” I’m just telling you that there’s some chance that that happens. And if it does, well then that would be a giant wild card. Because the very last election is a super delegate election; they have not voted yet, they vote on July 25. If there’s an indictment between here and there, then they would get to say: “Okay, of course.”
LK: Why doesn’t Bernie, at least, if that happens…Why doesn’t he make peace now? Bring the party together because the last thing he wants is a Trump presidency.
CU: That’s certainly true and we don’t know what he means by carrying on the campaign. My suggestion was to suspend the campaign with reserving the right to re-enter if there’s an indictment. It’s ironic that he doesn’t like talking about the indictment; he thinks that’s too much of an attack against Hillary Clinton. On the other hand, the most important part of this, and to the point of your first question, it means we are going to fight for progressive ideas no matter what. Whether we win the delegate count, whether we win the primary or not, whether we win the election or not…No matter what happens, this political revolution continues.
