Peter Daou was a strong supporter of Hillary Clinton during the 2016 primaries. He led Hillary’s digital operation in her 2008 campaign. I remember him commenting here. He is a prolific blogger and tweeter. And from about mid-2015 until recently, he was a severe critic of Bernie Sanders.
He's changed his mind. Daou is not endorsing Bernie, but he is being very complimentary of Bernie and believes he can defeat Trump. The title of this post is the title of his article in The Nation.
Here are some key parts of the article:
I Was Bernie’s Biggest Critic in 2016—I’ve Changed My Mind
Bernie Sanders can beat Donald Trump—and it would be an epic act of self-destruction for Democrats to try and hobble his campaign.
By Peter Daou
If you had told me in the spring of 2016 that three years later I’d be touting the merits of the Bernie Sanders campaign— taking flak from Hillary Clinton supporters for not being loyal enough to her—I would have laughed and asked what alternate reality you lived in. But life and politics have a way of taking unexpected turns, and here I am writing about the considerable strengths Sanders brings to the 2020 election.
snip
My political and personal evolution since 2016 has caught some people off guard. I’m often asked how a staunch Hillary Clinton advocate and former Sanders critic could reverse course. The answer is simpler than it appears. I spent fifteen years before the 2016 election as a progressive activist, a critic of the Democratic Party’s meekness in the face of GOP extremism, and a supporter of the policies Bernie Sanders promotes.
After months of self-reflection about my own role in the 2016 primary, I realized I was among the far too many Clinton and Sanders supporters who got caught up in an ugly family dispute that spiraled out of control. We’ve all experienced those explosive fights. In the heat of the moment, we see each other as enemies rather than human beings who largely share the same goals. So I began to reach out to repair what had been broken.
snip
In the heat of the 2016 primary, I was reluctant to give Sanders credit for moving the national debate to the left. But it is impossible to deny the important role he has played, and continues to play, in countering the far right’s extremist ideas.
snip
To defeat Trump and to reverse the rising tide of white nationalism that threatens the foundations of our democracy, we must have the courage to set aside old grievances for the greater good. Bernie Sanders is not the only candidate who can defeat Trump, but he’s certainly one of them. And he should not be treated as the enemy.
The Nation: I Was Bernie’s Biggest Critic in 2016—I’ve Changed My Mind Bernie Sanders can beat Donald Trump—and it would be an epic act of self-destruction for Democrats to try and hobble his campaign.
A lot of wisdom there. I even started following Daou on twitter.
So no matter who your favored candidate is, remembering that the ultimate goal is defeating Trump and transforming this nation is very important.
Daou has been attacked by some who choose to live in 2016. His response:
Thank you Mr. Daou.