Bernie Sanders Just Sent This Text Message About Protesting at the DNC
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Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders sent an urgent message to his supporters on Monday afternoon: don't protest on the convention floor.
After his own supporters booed his endorsement of Democratic nominee and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a rally earlier that day, Sanders sent a text message to delegates asking everyone to calm down, according to Buzzfeed News.
“I ask you as a personal courtesy to me to not engage in any kind of protest on the floor. It's of utmost importance you explain this to your delegations. -Bernie.”
Bernie texts his delegate whips: Please don't protest on the DNC floor, via @lizcgoodwin https://t.co/aZhhQklYLg pic.twitter.com/uXHfH2BUCQ
— Colin Campbell (@BKcolin) July 25, 2016
Earlier on Monday, Sanders called for party unity at a rally for his supporters.
When he told the crowd to vote for Clinton and running mate Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), they started shouting and booing. Sanders tried to calm the crowd by making a case against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
"Brothers and sisters, brothers and sisters, this is the real world that we live in. Trump has made bigotry and hatred the cornerstone of his campaign. Throughout this campaign he has insulted Mexicans and Latinos. He has insulted Muslims. He has insulted women and African-Americans."
Party unity could be a tough sell to Sanders supporters only a day after the Democratic National Party Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz was forced to resign after leaked emails solidified suspicions of bias against Sanders within the DNC. An email leak exposed messages showing some DNC officials seemed to favor Clinton to be the Democratic nominee when the process was supposed to be impartial. The Sanders campaign previously made claims in May that Schultz was "working against" the Sanders campaign.
The DNC has since apologized for comments made by officials, which included a suggestion by CFO Brad Marshall that the committee should get a reporter to ask Sanders about his religious beliefs in order to harm his stature with voters in West Virginia and Kentucky.
Despite Sanders endorsement of Clinton and calls for party unity against Trump, many progressives are protesting at the Democratic National Convention. A crowd of people outside of the convention shouted "Bernie or Bust and others brought "Hillary for Prison" signs.
Some people on Twitter questioned the "Bernie or Bust" ideology because it could usher in a Trump presidency by taking votes from Clinton.
Sanders is scheduled to speak Monday night at the Democratic National Convention.
