Bernie Sanders Will Participate in Next Debate, His Campaign Says – The New York Times
In her statement, Ms. Sanders, who traveled on Wednesday to Las Vegas and is now with Mr. Sanders as he recovers, said her husband was in a buoyant mood, that doctors were “pleased” with Mr. Sanders’s progress and that he had not needed any additional procedures.
Internally, the campaign is trying to keep its staff motivated. Two advisers, Nina Turner and Jeff Weaver, led an all-staff conference call on Thursday aimed at energizing the staff and tamping down any feelings of concern or disappointment, according to a campaign aide. “We are not taking our foot off the gas,” Ms. Turner said.
Still, the incident is likely to intensify the focus on Mr. Sanders’s age but also on age generally in the Democratic race, where the three top candidates — Mr. Sander, s Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Elizabeth Warren — are all in their 70s.
But if allies are projecting optimism about his ability to return to the race in full form, the medical episode has also cast a shadow over his candidacy just as he was trying to reinvigorate his campaign. In recent weeks, he has tried to improve his standing in the race by overtly stressing his electability — an attempt to draw a contrast to Mr. Biden and Ms. Warren, who has continued to surge. On Tuesday, the campaign trumpeted its $25.3 million third-quarter fund-raising haul as it looked to put its summer woes behind it.
Mr. Sanders’s heart trouble, however, could complicate his argument that he is the best positioned to defeat President Trump in the general election. On Wednesday, his campaign said he was postponing a highly-touted $1.3 million television ad buy in Iowa.