Can anyone take Bernie Sanders seriously now?
I'm not saying he shouldn't have endorsed Clinton. I would have applauded had he encouraged his supporters to form a popular front with Clinton's supporters, defeat Trump, and then pressure President Clinton to make more concessions to progressivism. Had he done so, it's possible that enough of his supporters would have held their noses and voted for Clinton, even though they despise her, that she might have had a chance of winning.
But instead he's eaten his words in a political about-turn so cynical it's worthy of Clinton herself. After months of criticizing her disgraceful record as secretary of state, he praised Clinton, a neocon owned by Wall Street who has said that war should be regarded as "a business opportunity" and has declared that the US will never have universal healthcare. This is who Sanders now calls "far and away the best candidate," claiming she "will make an outstanding President."
He tells us that Clinton "believes that we should raise the minimum wage to a living wage" (she actually opposes raising the minimum wage to $15), and that she "will appoint new justices on the Supreme Court who will defend a woman's right to choose, the rights of the LGBT community, workers' rights, the needs of minorities and immigrants, and the government's ability to protect the environment." Her record suggests the opposite.
Sanders' pandering ensures that only his most myopic disciples will still follow his bidding. The rest will turn away in despair or disgust or both. It's not that they'll vote for Clinton's friend Donald Trump"--"they won't vote at all, and the partisan Democrats who do vote won't be enough to defeat Trump (who is more progressive than her in a couple of areas).
Trump was right when he tweeted: "I am somewhat surprised that Bernie Sanders was not true to himself and his supporters. They are not happy that he is selling out!"
I'm saddened by Bernie Sanders' expedient politicking, and shocked by his lack of judgment. The only vote that makes sense now is a vote for Jill Stein.
