As Clinton Attacks Sanders, Progressives Endorse Bernie

The Nation, a renown left-wing publication based out of New York, has publicly endorsed Bernie Sanders for president, officially choosing the Vermont Senator over Democratic primary opponent Hillary Clinton as the two engage in a new round of political spats.

This week, the Clinton campaign changed its strategy to directly attack Sanders, for his positions on gun control and support of single payer health care. Many believe this strategy backfired on Clinton, giving Sanders both a boost in the polls and with fundraising.

The latest Iowa survey shows that Sanders now holds a five point lead over Clinton—who in December still had a nine point lead over Sanders—making him a viable option for the Democratic nomination, what many at one point thought was impossible.

"He wants to roll Medicare Medicaid the Children's Health Insurance Program, Affordable Care Act program and private health insurance into a national system and then turn it over to the states to administer it. If that's the kind of revolution he's talking about I am worried folks. I think that would be a big problem. There's no way that can be paid for without raising taxes on the middle class the arithmetic just doesn't add up,” said Clinton.

Clinton also attacked Sanders for reportedly voting for a policy that she claims favors the National Rifle Association.

"I find it kind of interesting you know he always … whenever I say you know you voted against the Brady Bill five times ... you (Sanders) have voted for what the NRA said was the biggest NRA priority giving them immunity … He says well I'm from Vermont. Pat Leahy the other senator from Vermont voted against immunity for the gun lobby. So you know that's not an explanation.”

Sanders responded by called Clinton “scared” and acting in self-defense.

"I think the most important point to be made here is that Secretary Clinton and her campaign now know that she is in serious trouble and I think a candidate who was originally thought to be the anointed candidate, to be the inevitable candidate, is now locked in a very difficult race here in Iowa and in New Hampshire,” he said at a press conference.

OPINION: Evaluating Sanders

The latest endorsement by The Nation comes after the Vermont senator received other progressive endorsements, including the most recent by the liberal advocacy organization MoveOn, the Working Families Party and Democracy for America.

The Nation is officially the first publication to have an opinion in the race, while it is only the third time in its 150-year history that it has officially backed a candidate. The other two were Jesse Jackson in 1988 and Barack Obama in 2008.

“He has summoned the people to a 'political revolution,' arguing that the changes our country so desperately needs can only happen when we wrest our democracy from the corrupt grip of Wall Street bankers and billionaires,” wrote the publication's editors. “We believe such a revolution is not only possible but necessary.”

The Nation has endorsed Bernie Sanders https://t.co/2CA86fz3pP

— Broderick Greer (@BroderickGreer) January 14, 2016

The Nation stressed that it supported the independence of Sanders' campaign, which has refused to accept any donations from corporations.

“Voters can trust Sanders because he doesn’t owe his political career to the financial overlords of the status quo. Freed from these chains of special interest, he can take the bold measures that the country needs,” added The Nation's editorial.

However, the publication also added that Sanders' path to the presidency is not totally clear since he lacks support from minorities. Sanders was also endorsed earlier this week by the liberal political group MoveOn.org.

"@TheNation believes that this #politicalrevolution is not only necessary, it is possible." — @KatrinaNation https://t.co/RiCK1tKfE4

— Latinos for Bernie (@Latinos4Bernie) January 14, 2016