Stronger together? Bernie Sanders wrote in a New York Times op-ed piece published on Friday, November 11, that he is willing to be open to Donald Trump‘s ideas if it means that they can help move America forward.
“I will keep an open mind to see what ideas Mr. Trump offers and when and how we can work together,” the 75-year-old senator wrote. “Having lost the nationwide popular vote, however, he would do well to heed the views of progressives. If the president-elect is serious about pursuing policies that improve the lives of working families, I’m going to present some very real opportunities for him to earn my support.”
Sanders, who ran a fierce campaign against Democratic party nominee Hillary Clinton, added that he could understand the “very real and justified anger” that many Trump supporters, and even “traditional Democrats,” may have felt.
“I am saddened, but not surprised, by the outcome,” he wrote. “It is no shock to me that millions of people who voted for Mr. Trump did so because they are sick and tired of the economic, political and media status quo.”
“President-elect Trump is right: The American people want change. But what kind of change will he be offering them?” the Vermont senator asked. “Will he have the courage to stand up to the most powerful people in this country who are responsible for the economic pain that so many working families feel, or will he turn the anger of the majority against minorities, immigrants, the poor and the helpless?”
This is not the first time that Sanders has made mention of working with Trump, 70, in order to further the nation and fix its problems.
“To the degree that Mr. Trump is serious about pursuing policies that improve the lives of working families in this country, I and other progressives are prepared to work with him,” he said in a statement issued on Wednesday, November 9. “To the degree that he pursues racist, sexist, xenophobic and anti-environment policies, we will vigorously oppose him.”
Both critics and supporters of the former presidential hopeful had strong reactions to his piece on social media, with some suggesting he was pandering to the president-elect, while others praised his bipartisan stance. Read some of the tweets below.
