Ahead of next week’s Pennsylvania primaries, Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has received an endorsement from the Philadelphia Tribune, the country’s oldest African-American newspaper.
“Sanders offers an inspiring message and bold vision for America without the excessive baggage of [Hillary] Clinton,” an editorial in the publication read. “Which is why Sanders is our choice for president in the Democratic primary.”
Citing specific reasons that led to their endorsement, the editorial board mentioned such events as Clinton’s support of the 1994 crime bill and her use of the term “super predator” when describing Black men who commit crime, stating that Sanders has always been the one to lobby for the Black community.
One of the greatest shortcomings of the Sanders campaign has been the Vermont senator’s failure to capture the Black vote, especially in states where the minority vote has the power to heavily influence a primary, a trait that lead to Hillary Clinton’s sweep of the south and the subsequent gap that has left Bernie Sanders significantly trailing behind the former Secretary of State.
An endorsement from the Philadelphia Tribune, a publication that has catered to the African-American community for over 100 years, sends the clear message that Sanders can be worthy of the Black vote—a political opinion that’s been overshadowed by the familiarity of the Clinton name in minority communities.
The editorial continued, “Since his days as a student at the University of Chicago protesting against segregation in public schools in Chicago and throughout his political career, Sanders has supported policies and programs that would be in the best interest of all Americans and African-Americans, specifically.”
