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| Sanders Supporters Propose ‘Mobilizing Voters’ to Beat Trump | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A group of Bernie Sanders supporters who have worked or volunteered for his campaign have come up with a draft proposal calling for the Vermont senator to suspend his presidential bid after the June 7 California primary, eventually concede to Hillary Clinton and build an independent organization aimed at defeating Donald J. Trump. | A group of Bernie Sanders supporters who have worked or volunteered for his campaign have come up with a draft proposal calling for the Vermont senator to suspend his presidential bid after the June 7 California primary, eventually concede to Hillary Clinton and build an independent organization aimed at defeating Donald J. Trump. |
| The three-page document addresses a question now facing Mr. Sanders’s most ardent supporters: how to harness the energy of a movement now that his presidential bid appears to be bowing to the reality that Mrs. Clinton will capture the Democratic nomination. The document suggests building “an organization, completely independent of the Clinton campaign,” to defeat Mr. Trump before focusing on other goals after the November election. | The three-page document addresses a question now facing Mr. Sanders’s most ardent supporters: how to harness the energy of a movement now that his presidential bid appears to be bowing to the reality that Mrs. Clinton will capture the Democratic nomination. The document suggests building “an organization, completely independent of the Clinton campaign,” to defeat Mr. Trump before focusing on other goals after the November election. |
| About a dozen current and former Sanders staff members and volunteers have been collaborating on the draft proposal, which was obtained by The New York Times and first reported on by Politico. | About a dozen current and former Sanders staff members and volunteers have been collaborating on the draft proposal, which was obtained by The New York Times and first reported on by Politico. |
| While the authors believe Mr. Sanders will win the California primary, they write that “barring a miracle,” he will not become the party’s nominee. Two of the authors, who are former campaign staff members, confirmed the authenticity of the document. The authors all spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were working without the campaign’s authorization. | While the authors believe Mr. Sanders will win the California primary, they write that “barring a miracle,” he will not become the party’s nominee. Two of the authors, who are former campaign staff members, confirmed the authenticity of the document. The authors all spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were working without the campaign’s authorization. |
| The draft lays out a scenario for Mr. Sanders leaving the race. “Senator Sanders may graciously concede and enthusiastically endorse Hillary Clinton’s bid to defeat the threatened right-wing takeover of our country by Donald Trump at this time, or may withhold that final step in anticipation of discussions with the Clinton camp before the convention,” the draft says. | The draft lays out a scenario for Mr. Sanders leaving the race. “Senator Sanders may graciously concede and enthusiastically endorse Hillary Clinton’s bid to defeat the threatened right-wing takeover of our country by Donald Trump at this time, or may withhold that final step in anticipation of discussions with the Clinton camp before the convention,” the draft says. |
| Michael Briggs, a spokesman for the Sanders campaign called the draft plan “totally irrelevant.” | Michael Briggs, a spokesman for the Sanders campaign called the draft plan “totally irrelevant.” |
| “We are focused on winning the Democratic nomination,” Mr. Briggs said in an email. “This document is something that neither the senator nor anyone he works with has seen. We have no idea who wrote it. We could care less about the document.” | “We are focused on winning the Democratic nomination,” Mr. Briggs said in an email. “This document is something that neither the senator nor anyone he works with has seen. We have no idea who wrote it. We could care less about the document.” |
| He added that Mr. Sanders “expects to win more delegates in the weeks ahead” and that “he is campaigning to win the nomination.” | He added that Mr. Sanders “expects to win more delegates in the weeks ahead” and that “he is campaigning to win the nomination.” |
| However, the authors argue that Mr. Sanders should pivot away from trying to win the nomination after California votes. He should build an organization to “facilitate the growing voice of a new generation of activists” to focus initially on defeating Mr. Trump in November. | However, the authors argue that Mr. Sanders should pivot away from trying to win the nomination after California votes. He should build an organization to “facilitate the growing voice of a new generation of activists” to focus initially on defeating Mr. Trump in November. |
| Such an organization would be devoted to “mobilizing voters to defend our democracy in November 2016 and beyond,” the authors of the plan write. | Such an organization would be devoted to “mobilizing voters to defend our democracy in November 2016 and beyond,” the authors of the plan write. |
| The draft says Mr. Sanders can help bring together “young, newly political Sanders supporters” who see “rejection of Hillary and the Democratic Party establishment as core to their identity.” They also suggest that his supporters should not only work to influence the party’s platform at the Democratic National Convention this July in Philadelphia, but that Mr. Sanders himself should host his own “convention” on transforming American politics separate from the party’s gathering. | The draft says Mr. Sanders can help bring together “young, newly political Sanders supporters” who see “rejection of Hillary and the Democratic Party establishment as core to their identity.” They also suggest that his supporters should not only work to influence the party’s platform at the Democratic National Convention this July in Philadelphia, but that Mr. Sanders himself should host his own “convention” on transforming American politics separate from the party’s gathering. |
| “Coming out of their own convention, the goal will be to launch the best-organized independent expenditure organization in history and give the vast (and deeply anti-establishment) base a vehicle into which they will wholeheartedly pour their energy,” the draft said. | “Coming out of their own convention, the goal will be to launch the best-organized independent expenditure organization in history and give the vast (and deeply anti-establishment) base a vehicle into which they will wholeheartedly pour their energy,” the draft said. |
| The proposal also included a section about the challenges of building an independent organization, chief among them fund-raising. They write that Mr. Sanders will have to decide whether such a group would take money from “wealthier progressives” and even suggests the possibility of creating a panel of volunteers who would decide whether to take large donations. | The proposal also included a section about the challenges of building an independent organization, chief among them fund-raising. They write that Mr. Sanders will have to decide whether such a group would take money from “wealthier progressives” and even suggests the possibility of creating a panel of volunteers who would decide whether to take large donations. |
| The group also says Mr. Sanders sits in a similar position as Senator Barack Obama after he energized millions of supporters during his 2008 presidential campaign. However, they say Mr. Obama failed to capitalize on the opportunity to change the power structure in America. | The group also says Mr. Sanders sits in a similar position as Senator Barack Obama after he energized millions of supporters during his 2008 presidential campaign. However, they say Mr. Obama failed to capitalize on the opportunity to change the power structure in America. |
| “Does Bernie Sanders and his campaign facilitate the growing voice of a new generation of activists who can rack up the defeat of Donald Trump as their first major achievement?” the draft asks. “Or does he raise hell at a party convention and leave the remains of his organization to be picked over by the existing groups on the left that, to date, have been mostly marginal to the broad majority of Americans and Sanders supporters alike?” | “Does Bernie Sanders and his campaign facilitate the growing voice of a new generation of activists who can rack up the defeat of Donald Trump as their first major achievement?” the draft asks. “Or does he raise hell at a party convention and leave the remains of his organization to be picked over by the existing groups on the left that, to date, have been mostly marginal to the broad majority of Americans and Sanders supporters alike?” |
| The authors say, “Bernie Sanders will have to decide these priorities.” | The authors say, “Bernie Sanders will have to decide these priorities.” |