Clinton nod in sight, Sanders still seeking platform changes

Sanders has avoided that moment for weeks as he focused much of his energy on shaping the Democratic platform to mirror his liberal campaign, citing his millions of supporters as motivation to keep pushing his agenda. He still wants the platform to register opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, which Clinton has come out against but Obama supports.

Regarding a Sanders-Stein ticket, she told Democracy Now! she was unsure of how the rules worked, saying, “It would probably have to be taken to the Green Party convention”, which takes place August 4-7 in Houston. After the Orlando meeting, the document will be voted on at the convention in Philadelphia this month.

“They’re in the final stages of negotiating an agreement between the two campaigns. So this is the table”, he said.

The platform is a nonbinding document that serves as a guidepost for the party. The three anonymous sources say that Sanders is experiencing a “natural grieving period” over his failure to cinch the Democratic nomination.

“That’s correct”, the 74-year-old Vermont senator replied.

But he’s stayed in the race specifically to influence the platform process, even though some Democratic critics say he’s lost leverage by waiting too long.

Sanders policy adviser Warren Gunnels expressed confidence that there is still “a great deal we can negotiate”, especially on the trade deal.

But it looks like Sanders will soon throw in the towel, because he’s reportedly planning on endorsing Clinton for president next week! That means that for Sanders to get a majority of votes to pass something, he will need to find about 20 extra votes from beyond his own ranks.

“The platform today reflects the success of the Sanders campaign, but the ultimate victory of Hillary Clinton”, said Neera Tanden, president of the Center for American Progress and a Clinton appointee to the platform drafting committee. The earlier draft did not explicitly call for the $15 federal minimum wage.

Still, she said, “I would be very interested in having this discussion”.

Third on Sanders’ list is a ban on fracking, using language proposed by anti-fracking filmmaker Josh Fox.

Aides to Clinton said that they have not nailed down a location yet for next Thursday’s event with Kaine in Virginia, one of eight battleground states where the campaign is up on the air with television ads in the race against Trump. While one faction worries that Sanders is having a negative impact on presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton’s general election prospects by keeping the Democrats divided, results from NY offer a counter opinion that maybe Sanders still has a few lessons left to teach.

Clinton’s stop in New Hampshire on Tuesday comes during a week when she will also be campaigning with a potential vice presidential pick.

On Wednesday, Clinton announced her support for providing free tuition at public colleges and universities to families making up to $125,000 a year – a major nod to a free-tuition-for-all proposal pushed by Sanders during his campaign that was wildly popular among younger voters.