No matter where you fall on the ideological spectrum, you probably have some very strong feelings about Bernie Sanders.
Love him or hate him, there’s no denying that the Vermont senator has been massively influential in American politics, especially over the past decade.
It’s unusual for a politician to peak in his seventies, but young people in America love a late bloomer.
We guess that’s not surprising in an economic climate where so many twenty- and thirty-somethings are still living with their parents due to the dearth of jobs that pay a living wage.
So yeah, if you’re buried in student loan debt, and the idea of spending the next 40-50 years in some dead-end paycheck-to-paycheck McJob is about as appealing as running on a hamster until you drop dead, then in your eyes, Sanders might be the socialist savior this country needs.
On the other hand, if you’re one of those “everything I don’t like is Communism” folks, then you probably see Bernie as the embodiment of the culture of entitlement that’s taking over the world in your imagination.
Whatever the case, it looks like the famously curmudgeonly 80-year-old won’t be stepping away from the political arena anytime soon.
Yes, believe it or not, it seems that Bernie has not ruled out the possibility of making another bid for the White House.
In fact, according to a memo sent out by his team this week, Sanders wants the world to know that he very much expects to be a part of any future conversations about an open Democratic primary in 2024.
According to a new report from Politico, the memo was ostensibly meant for Bernie’s staff, but many who are in the know believe that the goal was to subtly get the word out to the media that a Sanders ’24 campaign is a real possibility.
“I know people who got it who weren’t Bernie staff, who were other Democrats friendly with Bernieworld but not known as hardcore Bernie-ites,” said a source identified as a former Sanders campaign aide.
“They wanted it out,” the tipster added.
“They sent this to people who have relationships across the press because they wanted to make news.”
It’s possible that Sanders is planning to throw his hat in the ring in ’24, even though on his inauguration day, he would be 82, an age at which the only thing most people are swearing in is the face of the kid who keeps stepping on their lawn.
But many insiders believe this might be a strategic maneuver designed to prepare the press and party insiders for the possibility of a progressive challenger.
Bernie could be paving the way for a campaign by one of his younger allies, such as Nina Turner, the former Ohio state senator who recently served as president of the Sanders-affiliated Our Revolution PAC.
Of course, all this maneuvering will likely be meaningless if Joe Biden runs for re-election in 2024.
And while it was widely assumed that he would not seek a second term, the president has reportedly told several key figures — including Barack Obama — that he has now decided to run again.
So no matter what happens, the 2024 debate stage might be more crowded with old folks than your local Denny’s during the 4:30 dinner rush.