Democratic rivals Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are reportedly no longer making customary congratulatory calls to each other's campaigns after primary losses. While they (or their high-ranking aides) made the calls early on, in more recent races both candidates have declined to phone each other with their compliments and concessions.
Though skipping the calls (or, in earlier eras, the telegrams or letters) might be understandable given the sheer length of the primary process, it is widely considered bad form — like refusing to shake the other team's hands at the end of a baseball game. "Those who don't make the call are often considered sore losers," explained former Democratic Sen. Tom Daschle.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
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.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Today's political cartoons - March 30, 2025Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - strawberry fields forever, secret files, and more
-
5 hilariously sparse cartoons about further DOGE cutsCartoons Artists take on free audits, report cards, and more
-
Following the Tea Horse Road in ChinaThe Week Recommends This network of roads and trails served as vital trading routes
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
-
Supreme Court upholds 'ghost gun' restrictionsSpeed Read Ghost guns can be regulated like other firearms
-
Trump sets 25% tariffs on auto importsSpeed Read The White House says the move will increase domestic manufacturing. But the steep import taxes could also harm the US auto industry.
-
Trump allies urge White House to admit chat blunderSpeed Read Even pro-Trump figures are criticizing The White House's handling of the Signal scandal
-
Waltz takes blame for texts amid calls for Hegseth ousterSpeed Read Democrats are calling for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and national security adviser Michael Waltz to step down
-
Judge: Nazis treated better than Trump deporteesspeed read U.S. District Judge James Boasberg reaffirmed his order barring President Donald Trump from deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members
-
US officials share war plans with journalist in group chatSpeed Read Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg was accidentally added to a Signal conversation about striking Yemen
-
Canada's Mark Carney calls snap electionspeed read Voters will go to the polls on April 28 to pick a new government
