The quote comes from this Josh Eidelson piece on Sanders' appeal and dissatisfaction with President Obama in certain progressive circles. Josh writes:
Communications Workers of America, is warring against the president, trying to stymie an Obama trade deal he believes will devastate organized labor. This summer, when Hillary Clinton wouldn’t take up that cause, he decided to back Bernie Sanders. After Obama, he says, “The lack of a commitment is a red flag.” “People feel betrayed by President Obama,” agrees Mark Cooper, the president of the South Central Iowa Federation of Labor. “I think that’s why Bernie’s getting the traction he has.”
If Sanders wants to win the nomination, imo of course, he must push past this attitude. Simply put, he can not win as the anti-Obama candidate. A Sanders labor supporter says:
I don’t think people want a third term of Obama, which is what the Hillary candidacy represents,” says National Nurses United executive director RoseAnn DeMoro, whose union is hosting a “Brunch With Bernie” Monday afternoon.
This is wrong imo. Overwhelmingly, Democrats DO want a third term for President Obama. ESPECIALLY PoC.
I'll put it bluntly, if the Sanders Movement becomes nothing more than a vehicle for expressing discontent with President Obama, then it can not win the nomination race (which is a tough ask anyway.)
Sanders and his supporters need to find ways to acknowledge and embrace the good President Obama has done, understand the political constraints he faced and THEN argue for the political revolution necessary.
Here's a way of framing it - if a good man like President Obama with the right ideas and policies could not address the fundamental problems we face, we know that something beyond politics as usual is needed.
My 2 cents.