Well, sort of.
Bernie Sanders ended his presidential campaign, he announced on Wednesday, leaving former Vice President Joe Biden as the apparent Democratic presidential nominee.
"I have concluded that this battle for the Democratic nomination will not be successful, and so today I am announcing the suspension of my campaign," Sanders told supporters in a livestream, saying he wished he could provide supporters with "better news" but "I think you know the truth."
"We are now some 300 delegates behind Vice President Biden and the path to victory is virtually impossible," he said. Sanders called Biden "a very decent man who I will work with to move our progressive ideas forward."
Calling the decision "difficult and painful," Sanders said he had to make an "honest assessment of the prospects for victory."
He added that he understands some supporters who want him to fight on through the convention, but he could not "in good conscience continue to mount a campaign that cannot win and would interfere with the important work required of all of us in this difficult hour" as the COVID-19 outbreak grips the nation.
He pledged to have significant influence over the party platform this summer, as he did during the 2016 convention. He pointed to policies like a $15 minimum wage, which has been picked up in some states and cities since he first began campaigning for it at the presidential level five years ago, as evidence that his progressive platform is winning.
It's good to see him accept reality. I fully expected him to stay on through whatever virtual train wreck the convention would be at this point, but he's going to settle for fighting his battle on the platform and making Biden's better.
But he'll still never endorse Joe. He never really endorsed Hillary either, saying he would do everything to help her win in July of that year and then famously telling his own voters bitterly that they were released to "their own conscience" .
I expect more of the same.
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