Sanders bolstered by offbeat celebs, not Dems

Emilie Teresa Stigliani | Burlington (Vt.) Free Press

BURLINGTON, Vt. — Bernie Sanders has gathered support for his presidential run from a crew of offbeat celebrities like comedian Sarah Silverman, rapper Brandon "Lil B" McCartney and wrestler-turned-politician Jesse "The Body" Ventura.

Missing from his coalition — Democratic Party stalwarts.

The independent senator from Vermont made his pitch to the party's faithful this past weekend at the Democratic National Committee meeting in Minneapolis.

Rich Cassidy, a lawyer at Curtis Hoff in Burlington, attended the meeting as one of Vermont's two elected committee members.

"I thought the reaction that he drew was electric," Cassidy said of Sanders. "The room was very energized and excited and positive about Bernie. I think what's particularly impressive is that these people are longtime party activists."

Sanders has yet to convert that enthusiasm to endorsements.

Vermont Democratic politicians Patrick Leahy — Sanders' fellow senator — Gov. Peter Shumlin and former governors Howard Dean and Madeleine Kunin have announced support for Hillary Clinton. But the endorsements of some sitting high-profile Democrats remain up for grabs. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Nevada's longtime Sen. Harry Reid have held off announcing support for either candidate.

In 2012, Sanders received $10,000 from Reid's Searchlight Leadership Fund, which was established to support elected officials who work for the middle class.

"Bernie Sanders is a good person," Reid said to the Reno Gazette-Journal's editorial board in August. "He's never changes. He has been out there swinging his whole life."

Reid, who serves as Senate minority leader, told the editorial board that he plans to make a decision before the Nevada caucus on Feb. 20. He waited until after the 2008 caucus to announce his support for then-Sen. Barack Obama.

Cassidy said Clinton had "a very warm and positive response" from the committee members. He also described the former secretary of state's staff as competent and attentive to detail — down to handing out their candidate's campaign buttons at the meeting.

"If you were to do a count of committee members … who had the most buttons?" Cassidy said. "Hillary did."

Cassidy said Clinton's campaign applies the same precision to seeking endorsements.

"The Hillary people know the game inside and out and they're playing the game. They are identifying the people whose endorsements might be sought."

An endorsement of Sanders represents less political risk for Reid than for Welch and Warren. The 75-year-old senator said that he will not seek re-election in 2016.

While Cassidy supports Sanders, he said that his candidate has failed to equal Clinton's effort to secure endorsements.

"They're behind on that," he said.

When asked about the Sanders lack of endorsements from elected Democrats, Cassidy said, "People support the people who win … You have to make compromises. It's not just all about what you think."

Though Cassidy has a "deep respect" for Clinton, he said that he supports Sanders.

Why?

"I'm an idealist," Cassidy said. "And I don't really have anything to gain or lose by participating in the process."

So, Cassidy has no plans to run for elected office?

"I have nothing to lose," he replied.