Sanders Says He Respects Obama ‘Even More’ for Not Endorsing Biden

When it comes to former President Barack Obama’s decision to stay out of the Democratic presidential primary, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) says he respects him even more.

In an interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow on Wednesday, Sanders noted that he spoke with Obama earlier in the campaign. He continued to say that Obama told him that he would not endorse a candidate during the primary.

“I’m not going to tell you he’s my best friend,” Sanders said, adding, “But I talk to him every now and then, and I have a lot of respect for him.”

He continued:

“But, I will tell you something which impresses me very much about Barack Obama. I talked to him many, many, many, months ago, we talked about the campaign. And I had called him up, and I think all the candidates basically had dropped in, I dropped in to see him. And, he said, ‘You know what, Bernie, I’m not going to get involved.’ And he kept his word.”

Watch the interview below:

Sanders then brought up a reported congratulatory phone call between Obama and former Vice President Joe Biden after his South Carolina win, and noted that Obama did not endorse Biden.