Politically, the most obvious conclusion to be drawn from the interview is that Sunkara is little more than a moderate Democrat. For this he receives the praise of the Democratic and Republican commentators.

While proclaiming his support for the presidential campaign of Bernie Sanders, Sunkara also declares that he will back Elizabeth Warren if she beats out Sanders and Joe Biden if he is eventually the Democratic Party nominee. “I think the mentality has to be to call for people to vote for Joe Biden, especially in swing states,” he states. It is necessary “to avoid a third-party candidacy”—that is, any break from the Democratic Party—on the basis of the “strategic knowledge and commitment to getting rid of Trump.”

Sunkara adds, “Even a Biden presidency would be great” because there “will be plenty of room for socialists to be opposition.” There are, in other words, positions to be acquired.