Bernie Sanders is not poised to suspend his campaign or immediately endorse presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton after their meeting Tuesday night, but he intends to keep his pledge to help defeat Donald Trump, two people close to Sanders told CNN.
Tuesday marks the final presidential primary contest as Democrats in the District of Columbia vote.
The Democratic candidates are planning to meet Tuesday night.
“It should be amicable and hopefully constructive,” a person close to Sanders said.
Sanders “respects” Clinton, aides told CNN, and plans to renew his pledge to help defeat presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump. But Sanders is expected to “put his cards on the table” and push for progressive policy positions to be included in the fall campaign and in the party’s platform.
At a press conference in Washington on Tuesday afternoon, Sanders outlined which concessions he might be looking for, including a change in the leadership of the Democratic National Committee, more open primaries that allow independents to cast ballots in Democratic contests and the removal of superdelegates from the Democratic rules.
“The time is long overdue for a fundamental transformation of the Democratic Party,” Sanders told reporters. “We’re starting to talk to them right now — we don’t know exactly, but somewhere between 1,900 and 2,000 delegates — to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and let me tell you what they want: They want to see the Democratic Party transform.”
Sanders believes his collecting 1,850 delegates after winning 23 states is significant leverage for his views. Clinton intends to listen “respectfully” to Sanders and his call to influence the platform, sources said.
Clinton enters the meeting hoping Sanders will help her, particularly among white working class voters and young voters. Her campaign is less concerned about platform right now than neutralizing any “unnecessary opposition” that could distract from defeating Trump.
A person close to Sanders’ campaign told CNN Tuesday afternoon Sanders will likely ask for a roll call vote at the Democratic convention. Clinton herself received a roll call vote in 2008, and when that vote concluded and her delegates had their say, Clinton formally placed Obama’s name in nomination.
Sanders was asked Tuesday if he would similarly nominate Clinton in July, but he declined to answer.
A similar situation could unfold in Philadelphia if the Clinton campaign agrees to it. A roll call vote allows Sanders’ delegates to register their views before going onto the main vote for Clinton.
Sanders arrived to applause from fellow senators Tuesday at their weekly Democratic policy lunch in the Capitol. He was later welcomed back to the Senate with a standing ovation, Delaware Democratic Sen. Chris Coons told CNN.
“Think it was a very constructive chance for the caucus to welcome Sen. Sanders back. He got a standing ovation. Spoke movingly and passionately about the millions of people he’s connected with,” Coons said.
