Bernie Sanders presented a comprehensive progressive agenda that he believes Democrats should implement if Kamala Harris is elected president, during his speech at the party’s nominating convention in Chicago on Tuesday.
While mentioning Harris only a few times, the Vermont senator emphasized the necessity of expanding healthcare access, lowering higher education costs, and increasing the minimum wage. As he campaigns for re-election to a fourth Senate term this November, Sanders expressed confidence that Democrats can unite to enact significant changes, similar to the collective efforts seen during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic when the American Rescue Plan was passed.
“I share this not to revisit those challenging times, but to highlight a critical point. When there is political will, the government can effectively serve the American people,” Sanders stated. “We must regain that will, as many Americans struggle daily to make ends meet.”
His speech resembled his usual rally rhetoric, echoing themes from his past two presidential campaigns. He called on lawmakers to eliminate the influence of large donations in politics, ensure healthcare as a universal human right, and confront the pharmaceutical industry.
While he acknowledged President Joe Biden and the accomplishments of his administration as the most significant since Franklin D. Roosevelt, Sanders asserted that their work is far from complete.
“Much more needs to be achieved,” he emphasized. “We must have the courage to oppose wealth and power and strive for justice at home and globally.”
Sanders’ emphasis on policy over the new Democratic nominee was particularly notable, considering his earlier support for Biden following Biden’s poor debate performance last month. While some Democrats suggested Biden should step aside, Sanders wrote in a New York Times op-ed that Biden was “the strongest candidate to defeat Mr. Trump.”
Recently, Sanders has praised Harris, who has garnered enthusiasm and consolidated support among Democrats. In a Monday interview, he characterized her as “a very strong candidate” and cautioned against complacency. He also labeled Trump as “the most dangerous candidate” in U.S. history, a warning he has repeated throughout the election cycle.
Sanders contrasted his vision of economic populism with the policies outlined in Project 2025, which Democrats criticize as a right-wing agenda. “Let’s be clear: this is not a radical agenda,” he said of his proposals, highlighting that offering more tax breaks to the wealthy and cutting social security and healthcare programs is indeed radical.
The convention crowd warmly received Sanders, who received the loudest applause towards the end of his speech while addressing the conflict in Gaza. As a prominent critic of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, Sanders has voiced his discontent with Biden’s response to the situation.
“Globally, we must put an end to this devastating war in Gaza, bring back the hostages, and call for an immediate ceasefire,” he declared, eliciting enthusiastic cheers from supporters.
Pro-Palestinian protests have occurred throughout Chicago this week, aiming to draw attention to Biden’s handling of the conflict and demanding a shift in Harris’s approach. Progressives are eager to hear her stance on the issue when she speaks at the convention on Thursday.
As the party awaits more details on Harris’s platform, Sanders stated his readiness to work toward her election. “On November 5, let us elect Kamala Harris as our president,” he urged. “And let us move forward to build the nation we know we can create.”