Sanders had multiple conversations with Obama ahead of decision to end campaign [View all]

CNN)Former President Barack Obama played an active, albeit private, role in the Democratic presidential primary that effectively ended on Wednesday when Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders dropped out of the race.

Obama and Sanders spoke multiple times in the last few weeks as the Vermont senator determined the future of his campaign, a source familiar with the conversation tells CNN. Sanders' decision to get out on Wednesday paves the way for Joe Biden, who served as Obama's vice president for eight years, to become the Democratic nominee.

Obama's eventual endorsement of Biden and fulsome entry into the campaign, whenever it occurs, will signal a new phase in Democrats' efforts to defeat President Donald Trump. But the former president backing his one-time running mate is all but a forgone conclusion at this point.
Obama's endorsement of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016 was highly choreographed, even though it happened in June, more than a month before Sanders officially backed the eventual Democratic nominee.

Although Obama remained relatively mum throughout the primary, only speaking out a handful of times before voters began casting ballots in 2020, the former president was closely monitoring the debate and had regular conversations with candidates before, during and after their respective bids.



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