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Bernie Sanders dropped a strong hint that he was open to being Hillary Clinton’s running mate during an interview on ABC’s This Week.

Transcript via ABC’s This Week:

STEPHANOPOULOS: If you don’t, sir, and this is my final question, you open to being considered as Secretary Clinton’s running mate? SANDERS: It’s a little bit early to talk about that. Right now, our function is to do everything I can, George — and you’re going to see me running all over California, we’re in New Mexico now — we’re going to everything that we can to get every vote and every delegate that we can and go into that convention with as much momentum as is possible. STEPHANOPOULOS: Didn’t hear a no. Senator, we’ll be talking to you soon. Take care.

Stephanopoulos was correct. There was not a no in his answer. Sen. Sanders wants to influence and shape the future of the Democratic Party. One of his replies in the This Week interview laid out the important issues that he felt needed to be discussed within the Democratic platform. Sanders is still fighting for the Democratic nomination because he wants to be a leader within the party.

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Bernie Sanders has never given any indication that his differences with Hillary Clinton are personal, or he would turn down the VP slot if offered to him. The strength of the argument for Bernie Sanders as Clinton’s running mate depends on whether or not one believes in the depth of the division within the Democratic Party.

One thing is clear. Bernie Sanders would bring Independents and lock down younger voters for Hillary Clinton. Sanders also attacks Donald Trump with a zeal and conviction that would throw the Republican off of his game for the entire fall. The downsides to Sanders are his age, and he does have some policy differences with Clinton.

Bernie Sanders would be an outside of the box, out the mainstream choice for a running mate, which might be exactly what the conventional Clinton campaign needs for November. Hillary Clinton could do a whole lot worse for herself than putting Bernie Sanders on the ticket.