Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has picked up a high-profile endorsement in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, as the Rev. Jesse Jackson has put his support behind Sanders’ White House bid.
In a statement released by the Sanders campaign, Jackson praised the senator’s platform, saying that the needs of the African-American community in the United States are “not moderate.”
“A people far behind cannot catch up choosing the most moderate path,” Jackson said. “The most progressive social and economic path gives us the best chance to catch up, and Senator Bernie Sanders represents the most progressive path. That’s why I choose to endorse him today.”
In an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” Sanders praised Jackson as a “great civil rights leader,” and noted his ability to bring people together to fight for racial justice.
“Jesse has been one of the great civil rights leader in the modern history of this country,” he said. “He changed American politics with the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, bringing blacks, whites and Latinos together in 1984 and 1988. He’s been a leader in helping to transform this country.”
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When asked about the flow of endorsements to Biden, Sanders continued to emphasize that his focus is not on obtaining the support of fellow elected officials, but on continuing to aim for the support of grassroots organizations.
“We have the support of virtually every grassroots organization representing millions of workers,” he said in the ABC interview. “We have the support of a number of major union. We’re not going to get the support of most elected leaders, but we are winning the support of grassroots America because we have an agenda that speaks to working people.”
