Others accused Obama's late candidate endorsement on an impediment of Bernie Sanders' campaign. According to a November report by Politico , aides close to Obama believed that if Sanders were to be the nominee, the former president would "speak up to stop him." The New York Times also reported that Obama played a role , albeit behind-the-scenes, in Sanders' ultimate decision to end his bid and endorse Biden. In their report, Obama allegedly wanted to "accelerate the endgame," having multiple conversations with the Vermont Senator before he dropped out. The politicians' storied relationship dates back decades, but in 2012 Sanders was rumoured to have considered a bid against the president's second term. Sanders has vehemently denied this.