President Barack Obama and presidential candidate Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders met for 45 minutes in the White House. After their meeting, Senator Sanders stated that he felt President Obama was "evenhanded" in regards to how he is dealing with the Democratic nomination race.
This meeting, although scheduled long ago, comes just days ahead of the Iowa Caucus, for which Bernie Sanders's poll numbers have rapidly risen. President Obama and his administration have been careful not to endorse, or show any concrete signs of support, for any candidate in the 2016 presidential race.
"What the president has tried to do, what Vice President [Joseph] Biden has tried to do, is to be as evenhanded as they could be," Mr. Sanders said at a news conference, held later outside the West Wing of the White House.
The two discussed several issues in their time together, including the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
Explaining the President's opinion about the unrest in the Middle East, Sanders said, "What he is trying to do is keep our young men and women in the military out of a perpetual war in the quagmire of the Middle East. What he has tried to do, what I will try to do, is put together a coalition of the major powers, with the Muslim people."
Though the White House has made a concerted effort to stay out of the fight for the Democratic nominations, the meeting comes at a time that is pivotal in the race for the White House, and brings more attention to Sanders at time when visibility is vital for a presidential hopeful. While a few months ago almost everyone assumed Hillary Clinton had the nomination in the bag; now, many are beginning to see Sanders as a possible victor.
According to White House Spokesman, Josh Earnest, Sander's competitive presence is positive for the system. "That debate is good for our democracy," he said. "It's also good for the party."
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