Harry Reid reportedly talked Bernie Sanders out of a primary challenge against Obama in 2012
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is in the middle of his second bid for the presidency, but there was apparently a moment in 2012 when he considered launching a primary challenge against then-President Barack Obama, The Atlantic reported Wednesday.
Obama's re-election campaign manager Jim Messina told The Atlantic — and multiple sources confirmed his account — Sanders informed his fellow Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) he was thinking about entering the race. Leahy was reportedly alarmed by the news and tipped off Messina about the possibility. Messina said the re-election campaign was "absolutely panicked," because incumbents who face a real primary race tend to lose the general election.
Enter then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who had a good relationship with both Sanders and Obama. In this case, he sided with the latter and told Sanders to drop the idea. Sanders agreed.
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.
Still, The Atlantic reports, the episode produced a tense, if mostly dormant, relationship between Obama and Sanders. For example, in 2013, Sanders reportedly tore into the president for selling out to the GOP over Social Security benefits. Obama reportedly pushed back forcefully, and a number of senators told The Atlantic they were struck by the exchange.
But while it's evident Sanders isn't Obama's first choice to win the 2020 Democratic nomination, there's no indication he'll seek to prevent Sanders' victory, and both camps have attempted to downplay their differences. Read more at The Atlantic.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Mall World: why are people dreaming about a shopping centre?Under The Radar Thousands of strangers are dreaming about the same thing and no one sure why
-
Why scientists are attempting nuclear fusionThe Explainer Harnessing the reaction that powers the stars could offer a potentially unlimited source of carbon-free energy, and the race is hotting up
-
Sudoku medium: October 27, 2025The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
-
NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges
-
Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction
-
Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters
-
Trump demands millions from his administrationSpeed Read The president has requested $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for previous federal investigations
-
Trump nominee in limbo after racist texts leakSpeed Read Paul Ingrassia lost Republican support following the exposure of past racist text messages
-
Trump begins East Wing demolition for ballroomspeed read The president’s new construction will cost $250 million
-
Appeals court clears Trump’s Portland troop deploymentSpeed Read A divided federal appeals court ruled that President Trump can send the National Guard to Portland
-
Millions turn out for anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ ralliesSpeed Read An estimated 7 million people participated, 2 million more than at the first ‘No Kings’ protest in June
