Obama Reportedly Said He Would Intervene to Stop Bernie Sanders 2020 Nomination

Obama recently warned Democratic candidates from leaning too far left, as the average American doesn't want to "tear down the system."

November 26, 2019

Bernie Sanders and Barack Obama — Image via Getty/Mandel Ngan/AFP
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Though he said he'd remain neutral during the Democratic primary, Barack Obama reportedly vowed to stop one candidate from securing the party's nomination.

According to a newly published Politico report, the former president privately told advisers he "would speak up to stop" Bernie Sanders from becoming the nominee, if the Vermont senator was significantly leading the race. A spokesperson for Obama could not confirm nor deny the report, but suggested a Sanders nomination seemed unlikely at this point.

Per Ryan Lizza of Politico:

Sen. Sanders has remained a front-runner throughout the primary season and has become the fastest candidate in history to reach 4 million individual donations. Sanders' progressive proposals—such as Medicare for All, student loan cancelation, and free college tuition—have received pushback from a number of centrist Democrats who say his policies are "too far left" for Americans. Obama has echoed this sentiment, recently warning 2020 candidates about straying too far from the center.

"Even as we push the envelope and we are bold in our vision we also have to be rooted in reality," Obama said earlier this month while addressing the Democracy Alliance. "The average American doesn’t think we have to completely tear down the system and remake it. They just don't want to see crazy stuff."

Obama didn't name names, of course, but his warning was seemingly directed at Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, another top-tier candidate who is also a favorite among self-identified progressives. Politico also addressed Obama and Warren's "complicated" relationship, as he reportedly told advisers that significant support for Warren would be seen as a rejection of his economic policies.

Other highlights of the report include Obama's purported skepticism of Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Kamala Harris—doubting the former's ability to appeal to black voters.