During a conversation for the Guardian between Spike Lee and Senator Bernie Sanders, the progressive champion said that he would have likely agreed to be Clinton’s Vice President if the offer had been made.
True to his usual behavior, Sanders cautioned Lee and others not to dwell in the past, but said that he would have agreed to be Clinton’s second in command.
For those who were wondering, Sanders was never offered the Vice Presidential spot, “absolutely not.” But if he had been?
“Er. Probably, yes. But that’s again looking through the rear-view mirror.”
Those who were disappointed to see Sanders endorse Clinton in the general election may be disappointed to hear this answer from Sanders, but as he likely knows, even a Vice President can have significant pull in an administration.
So even though we all know that Sanders was “too good” to serve second to Clinton, a V.P. Sanders would have been so much better than where we are now.
Sanders has already said that without his intervention, he does not believe that Clinton’s platform would have been as progressive as it was. In this way, a Vice President Sanders would have continued to push Clinton to stick to her liberal ideals and not compromise.
As Sanders says, we cannot view the past through the “rear-view mirror,” but it is certainly wistful to imagine a world where Sanders was given that level of power.
And who knows, if Sanders were on the ticket rather than middle-of-the-road Tim Kaine, maybe we wouldn’t be stuck with the Orange fool headed to the White House now.
As Nick from Great Gatsby once told the famed title character: “you can’t repeat the past.” Gatsby replied, “Of course you can, old sport.”
