Bernie Sanders recently spoke before 100,000 fans. 'That doesn't mean much,' says The Washington Post.

Bernie Sanders is drawing huge crowds. So what? asks The Washington Post

(Image credit: Charlie Leight/Getty Images)

last updated 12 August 2015

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is drawing really big crowds to his presidential rallies — 28,000 in Portland, Oregon, on August 9; another 28,000 in Los Angeles a day later. In all, notes Philip Bump at The Washington Post, the Vermont independent and Democratic presidential candidate has drawn 104,000 to his events since July 1.

"So what does this mean?" Bump asked Wednesday. "I hate to say it — and I hate to rain on Sanders' well-attended parade — but: It doesn't mean a whole lot." At this point, Sanders is partly just the leading "Not Hillary Clinton" in what's essentially a two-person Democratic primary, Bump argues. He continues:

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.