CNN’s Sanders: ‘We Don’t Need White People Leading the Democratic Party Right Now’

On Wednesday’s “CNN Newsroom,” CNN Political Commentator and former National Press Secretary to Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) Symone Sanders argued, “we don’t need white people leading the Democratic Party right now. The Democratic Party is diverse, and it should be reflected as so in our leadership,” during a discussion on the possible DNC Chairmanship of former Vermont Governor Howard Dean (D).

Sanders stated that she does think WikiLeaks played a role in the Democratic Party’s poor favorability. After the discussion turned to the race for DNC Chair, Sanders said that she didn’t have a candidate she supported yet.

She commented on Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN) by saying that it was “difficult” to have a Chair who had another job, but praised Ellison as “great,” “amazing,” and a “fighter” “committed to the issues,” before the discussion turned to Howard Dean.

Sanders said of Dean, “Howard Dean was there for that 50-state strategy, but here’s the issue, Howard Dean is also on record maligning young people and millennials, telling those Bernie folks they just need to get in line, and maligning Bernie Sanders. And that is not what we need. In my opinion, we don’t need white people leading the Democratic Party right now. The Democratic Party is diverse, and it should be reflected as so in our leadership, and throughout the staff, at the highest levels.”

Sanders concluded that “we need a robust discussion about this, and I think we need to hear more from all the candidates. Jaime Harrison of South Carolina, he’s great, too. He has done real party building, but everybody doesn’t necessarily know Jaime, and they want to know what it is that he stands for. So, I want to hear more from everybody. I’m here for the millennials and the brown folks.”