Bernie Sanders: Joe Biden does not bring the energy Democrats need to defeat Trump

Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont on Monday evening said 2020 Democratic presidential rival Joseph R. Biden doesn’t inspire the “energy” Democrats will need to defeat President Trump, criticizing the former vice president’s record on issues ranging from trade to federal entitlement programs.

Mr. Sanders said Mr. Biden helped “lead the effort” for the 2003 invasion of Iraq and voted for “disastrous” trade agreements like NAFTA.

“You think that’s going to play well in Michigan or Wisconsin or Pennsylvania?” Mr. Sanders said on CNN.

“Joe Biden has been on the floor of the Senate talking about the need to cut Social Security or Medicare or Medicaid,” he said. “Joe Biden pushed a bankruptcy bill which has caused enormous financial problems for working families.”

“If we’re going to beat Trump we need turnout, and to get turnout you need energy and excitement, and I just don’t think that that kind of record is going to bring forth the energy that we need to defeat Trump,” Mr. Sanders said.

Mr. Biden and Mr. Sanders have been running first and second, respectively, in recent national polling on the race for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.

Mr. Biden, in turn, has cast Mr. Sanders‘ far-left vision that includes policy proposals such as “Medicare for All” as far too unrealistic for the country.