Bernie Sanders' devastating rebuke to 'Bernie or Bust'

No one could say it better than Bernie — and no one did

Bernie quiets Bernie or Bust.
(Image credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Bernie Sanders seems to have realized something important. After 35 years as an independent, he reached the apex of his political renown and influence when he chose to become a member of the Democratic Party. That wasn't all it took, of course — Sanders ran a remarkable presidential campaign enabled in large part by excellent timing — but he could never have gotten nearly as far had he stayed an independent.

With his speech Monday night at the Democratic convention, Sanders' campaign finally came to an end, and it showed that he understands something else: If he is going to continue to have influence if and when Hillary Clinton becomes president, he's going to have to do it from within the party. So despite some initial hesitation over the last month, he's become a team player, not just endorsing Clinton but making an emphatic case for her election.

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Paul Waldman

Paul Waldman is a senior writer with The American Prospect magazine and a blogger for The Washington Post. His writing has appeared in dozens of newspapers, magazines, and web sites, and he is the author or co-author of four books on media and politics.