Make a clear, defensible claim about the topic of the text. Write a paragraph to support your claim with clear reasons and relevant evidence from the text.
Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, ended his presidential bid on April 8. This made Joe Biden the presumptive Democratic nominee to challenge President Donald Trump in November's election.
Sanders initially exceeded high expectations about his ability to recreate the magic of his 2016 presidential bid. He even overcame a heart attack last October. But he couldn't convert unwavering support from progressives into a viable path to the nomination. There were fears about Sanders' electability, or his ability to win.
These fears were fueled by questions about whether his democratic socialist ideology would be appealing to general election voters. Democratic socialism has many definitions, but in the United States, most people consider it to be more progressive than the Democratic Party in its desire to have the government provide more services for people.
"The path toward victory is virtually impossible," Sanders told supporters April 8. "If I believed we had a feasible path to the nomination I would certainly continue the campaign, but it's just not there."
He called Biden a "very decent man" but didn't offer an explicit endorsement of the former vice president. Sanders said his name would remain on the ballot in states that have not yet held primaries so he can gain more delegates and "exert significant influence" on the Democratic platform.
Biden has the support of many in the Democratic Party. He told supporters at a virtual fundraiser that he had a "short conversation" with Sanders on April 8.
Sanders Had A Strong Start
"He didn't just run a political campaign. He created a movement," Biden said. "That's a good thing for our nation and our future. His campaign has ended, but I know his leadership will continue."
The 78-year-old Sanders began his latest White House bid facing questions about whether he could win back the supporters who chose him four years ago. Back then, he was a surprise candidate in the Democratic primaries against Hillary Clinton. Sanders won 22 states in 2016. Yet there were no guarantees he'd be a major presidential contender this cycle, especially as the race's oldest candidate.
Sanders used strong polling. He also had solid fundraising, collecting almost entirely from small donations made online. He more than quieted early doubters. As he did the first time, he attracted widespread support from young voters. This time, though, he made new connections with the Hispanic community, even as his appeal with the black community remained small.
Sanders collected the most votes in Iowa and New Hampshire, which opened the primary elections that pick the Democratic candidate. Sanders then cruised to victory in Nevada. That win seemed to have left him well-positioned to sprint to the Democratic pick while the other candidates fell behind him.
However, Biden received the important backing of Representative Jim Clyburn, a Democrat from South Carolina. Shortly after that, the former vice president saw a larger-than-expected victory in the South Carolina primary. That propelled Biden into the important day of several primaries called Super Tuesday on March 3 when he won 10 of 14 states.
Coronavirus Halts Campaign
In a matter of days, Biden's top former Democratic rivals decided to support him. The former vice president's campaign had once appeared close to collapse after poor results in early primaries. Yet it found new life as the party's more moderate members gathered around him instead of Sanders.
Things got worse for Sanders the following week. He lost Michigan, where he had campaigned hard and upset Clinton in 2016. He was also beaten in Missouri, Mississippi and Idaho the same night. The results were so clear that Sanders headed to Vermont without speaking to the media.
The coronavirus outbreak essentially froze the campaign. It prevented Sanders from holding the large rallies that had become his specialty. It became increasingly unclear where he could notch a primary victory that would help regain ground against Biden.
Though he will not be the Democratic nominee for president, Sanders was a key architect of many of the social debates during the party's primaries. Among them was a "Medicare for All" plan. The program would give health care to every American. He also pushed the ideas of tuition-free public college, a $15 minimum wage and sweeping efforts to fight climate change under the "Green New Deal." These changes would be paid for by the government, funded with taxpayer money.
It's All About Biden Now
Sanders began the 2020 race by arguing that he was the most electable Democrat against Trump. He said his working-class appeal could help Democrats win back Rust Belt states with large manufacturing industries. The Rust Belt is used to describe areas in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions of the United States. Trump won many of those in 2016, including Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Yet as the race wore on, the senator reverted to his 2016 roots. He repeatedly stressed that he backs a "political revolution" from the bottom up under the slogan "Not me. Us."
Sanders also faced persistent questions about being the field's oldest candidate. Those were pushed into the spotlight on October 1. At a rally in Las Vegas, Nevada, Sanders asked for a chair to be brought on stage so he could sit down. Suffering from chest pains afterward, he underwent surgery, and his campaign revealed two days later that he had suffered a heart attack.
It was a serious health scare that might have derailed other campaigns. However, it seemed to help Sanders as his already strong fundraising got stronger and rising Democratic stars supported him. Many supporters said the heart attack only strengthened their belief in him.
In 2016, Sanders kept campaigning long after the primaries had ended and supported Clinton less than two weeks before the Democratic convention. This cycle, he promised to work better with the national and state parties. His dropping out of the race could be a step toward unity behind Biden.
What does that mean?🧐
I HATE WHITE/BLACK/ALL RACE.....PS(IM A BOT)
BERNIE 2024
Claim: Bernie Sanders' inability to attract general election voters and concerns about his electability led to his decision to end his presidential bid, making Joe Biden the presumptive Democratic nominee.
Supporting Evidence:
1. The text states that Sanders had difficulty converting unwavering support from progressives into a viable path to the nomination.
2. There were fears about Sanders' electability due to questions about whether his democratic socialist ideology would appeal to general election voters.
3. Sanders himself acknowledged that the path to victory was virtually impossible and decided to end his campaign.
4. Biden had the support of many in the Democratic Party and received the backing of Representative Jim Clyburn, which propelled him to victory in the South Carolina primary and Super Tuesday.
5. Sanders faced setbacks in key states like Michigan and lost ground to Biden, who had rallied more moderate Democrats around him.
6. The coronavirus outbreak froze the campaign, preventing Sanders from holding large rallies, and made it increasingly unclear where he could notch a primary victory to regain ground against Biden.
By considering these reasons and evidence, it becomes clear that Sanders' inability to attract general election voters and concerns about his electability were major factors in his decision to end his presidential bid, ultimately making Joe Biden the presumptive Democratic nominee.
No one here will write your assignment for you. However, if you post what you write (no rough drafts, please), someone may be able to critique your thinking and writing for you.
Go to https://www.powa.org/ and click on Convince. Follow directions.