Campaigning today with Bernie Sanders in Oregon in advance of their primary, Sen. Jeff Merkley was asked what Sanders should do if, after the primaries are completed, and he has no viable path to the nomination. In contrast to some of Sanders more adament supporters that he should campaign through the convention, Sanders sole backer from the Senate laid out a different path.
He said that Sanders should follow the model employed by Clinton in 2008, who dropped out in June of that year and pledged her support to Barack Obama. "Secretary Clinton, then senator, said, 'OK, I had the discussion across America. I'm ready to pivot and work together.' And Obama reached out, and she reached out, and that should be a model for us to follow. I think after California, June 7, is about the time it would be appropriate -- all states will have weighed in by then. It will then give them five weeks to work together" before the convention. Asked if that meant he believed Sanders should drop out if he has no viable path to the nomination after the June primaries, Merkley said, "Yes."
Let’s hope his assessment prevails over others who are quoted in the article that articulate a scenario where unification would have to wait out the critical period between the end of the primaries and the convention.
CNN Article