A progressive strategist and former Bernie Sanders campaign staffer fired back at her ex-boss’s endorsement of President Biden after the Vermont lawmaker told Irish media that former President Trump has a strong yet worrisome appeal.
Sanders, who identifies as a “democratic socialist,” told Dublin public service broadcaster Raidio Teilifis Eireann that Trump appeals to many voters because they don’t believe the ruling Democratic Party has properly provided for their health care, educational and standard-of-living needs.
Sanders’ comments, along with his 2023 endorsement of Biden for re-election, led ex-campaign staffer Tezlyn Figaro to ask, “Where’s Bernie Sanders [been]?”
Figaro said Trump’s opposition needs to focus on an economic message rather than repeating warnings about his detente with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and other themes, telling “Jesse Watters Primetime” the Democratic Party’s issue is not about a candidate’s age but who that candidate is.
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She noted Sanders is only a year older than Biden, but projects a very different public image than the gaffe-prone president, whose cognitive abilities have been increasingly under the microscope.
Still, Figaro accused Sanders of abandoning the progressive moment and being M.I.A. when needed most.
“I’ll be honest with you: Where’s been Bernie Sanders the last three or four years?” she asked. “I worked on the Bernie Sanders campaign in 2016. I did not in 2020. And people who have followed him have been looking for his leadership, and he’s kind of been missing in action.”
In his interview with the Irish outlet, Sanders suggested Trump’s brash politicking and populist message was resonating, but not with the same substance as populist progressives such as himself.
“[Voters are asking] what are you doing for me? You’re not doing really much. Trump is coming along: He is an atypical politician. He wants to get rid of all of that stuff. Why not?” Sanders said.
“I think he’s a little crazy. Maybe I don’t agree with him on this, but he’s at least not part of the old-fashioned political establishment. So that has an appeal.”
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However, Sanders contrasted progressives’ appeal with Trump’s allure claiming the former president embodies xenophobia and racism.
On Fox News, Figaro went on to say it is ironic to see Sanders “popping up” to repeat his progressive message after what she considered relative silence during Biden’s tenure.
“It is just impossible for me to get on here and pretend as if I haven’t been disappointed in him, or that his followers have not been disappointed in him,” she said.
Figaro added she is dismayed that Sanders claimed Biden would be one of the most progressive presidents, and claimed he has not lived up to that branding, leading host Jesse Watters to question how much more progressive Biden could be, given his open borders and profligate spending policies.
Figaro said that contrast may not be noticed by conservatives, but liberals see a distinct difference between the two octogenarians.
“This is why the Bernie Sanders movement; the progressive movement backed away from Bernie Sanders when he endorsed Joe Biden because Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden are not the same on the left.” she said.
“And Joe Biden said out of the gate he was a moderate; he was never going to be a socialist. So Bernie Sanders basically sold his movement down the river, and now he has to try to back it up and backtrack.”
In April 2023, Sanders formally endorsed Biden’s re-election bid, saying the “last thing this country needs is a Donald Trump or some other right-wing demagogue who is going to try to undermine American democracy or take away a woman’s right to choose, or not address the crisis of gun violence, or racism, sexism or homophobia.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Sanders’ office for comment but did not receive a response by press time.
