Bernie Sanders Tries to Meet with Black Leaders but Nobody Shows Up: Only 6 Congressional Black Caucus Members Attend

(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Sophia Tesfaye, SALON

WASHINGTON (Salon) — In an effort to court African-American support for his presidential campaign, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders held a meeting this week with members of the Congressional Black Caucus, but only 6 members showed up.

According to Politic365, “the meeting took place outside the Capitol Building so that the members could talk politics and election strategy in depth.” And according to the invitation, the meeting was meant to serve as “overview of CBC priorities and a conversation on pressing issues impacting the African American community.”

Sanders, whose campaign has been beleaguered by accusations of racial tone-deafness, did address “the systemic problems facing minority communities,” according to one senior aide to a CBC member.

“Sen. Sanders speaks our language,” Black Caucus Chairman G.K. Butterfield said, pointing to commonality on issues like justice reform and the economy.

But not many CBC members actually heard from Sanders, as only 6 of the 46 CBC members attended.

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