Why Obama waited

[brooklynite]

Politico:

Democrats are finally getting their dream ticket, Clinton-Obama, eight years after many expected — and months later than some on Clinton’s campaign would have hoped.

From the start of the 2016 cycle, two things were clear: First, Barack Obama was fully behind Hillary Clinton and more than happy to raise her spirits with cheerful out-of-the-blue phone calls during the primary season’s many low ebbs; and second, that he wasn’t prepared to endorse her publicly until she proved she could win without his help.

Sitting presidents often endorse their favorites much earlier in the primary process. But Obama and his team deferred an announcement, a half dozen top officials close to the 2008 rivals told POLITICO, to protect the president — and Clinton — from a backlash born of belief that the election was rigged.

It was a characteristically cool political calculation: Loyalty was a powerful motive to jump sooner, but preserving Obama’s credibility with rebellious progressives was even more important.

Gee, I can remember people claiming he was "signaling his support for Sanders".

[NanceGreggs]

1. Well played, Mr. President ...

... and well done!!!

[Mass]

2. May be truein this case, but I am tired of Politico

They are often wrong or misleading (after all, some of these people may want a job in a future Clinton administration).

Also, is it possible that Obama understood the importance of letting Sanders finish the primary season. After all, he was doing fairly well, even if he lost at the end (that is called basic decency and I am not surprised Obama understood what it means).

[Skwmom]

3. Oh please, Obama put his fingers on the scale for Clinton so much I lost count. And Biden with

his backhanded compliment...

And when you look at the DNC actions , what happened primary after primary, touting the Superdelegates since day one to suppress the Bernie vote, LYING about his record and involvement in the civil rights movement, putting the fingers on the scale, the damn dog and pony shows put on by her corporate buddies, the changing online articles to go from neutral to dissing Bernie, and on and on, and the lies and smears against Bernie and his supporters (e.g., NV) only a complete idiot would fail to realize the damn thing was rigged.

[democrattotheend]

4. Bernie has not been shy about identifying and calling out the people who have been unfair to him

The president and vice president have never been among those people. So I take Bernie at his word that Obama and Biden have been fair to him. Why do you doubt him?

[brooklynite]

5. "They said they would not put their thumb on the scales, and in fact they kept their word"

--Bernie Sanders

[bigwillq]

6. I'm glad Obama stayed out of it

Until the primaries were winding down.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

7. bigwilli, you are one of my favorite posters. I know you live in a deep blue state.

I never try to convert most people, only the people I like. What would it take to convert you to a Clintonite?

[bigwillq]

9. I could never convert.

But I do hope that Clinton wins in November. Under the current system, either Clinton or Trump will be elected president in Nov and I would rather it be Clinton.

That's the best I can do.

[auntpurl]

8. That, and I think it's important for the president to let people vote

and let the Democratic process play out. The president should be loyal to the party, not to one politician. Let people have their say. Democrats chose Hillary in overwhelming numbers, so Pres Obama can endorse her without worrying he stifling anyone's opinion.

[bemildred]

10. I think he chose not to pick winners and losers and settle scores, and he did right.

And then when the time came, he managed the transition to the general, is managing it.

That's his style.

[texstad79]

11. I wish we could amend the constitution and run him again! n/t