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Arkansas Man Heads To Philly On Foot, Reminds Nation That Bernie Did Not Concede

By Dawn Papple
Published on: 09:14 PST, Jul 16, 2016

Democrats and Progressives around the nation are packing their bags for Philadelphia to participate in the Democratic National Convention that is just over a week away. One man, though, headed out to Philly on foot, pulling a rolling luggage bag that has now seen much better days, and a steadfast belief that Bernie Sanders should be the Democrat’s pick for the President of the United States.

Nathan Shuffield set off from his home in Arkansas on foot, wearing his Bernie for President clothing, hoping to remind people that Sanders endorsement was not a concession speech. Though Bernie publicly endorsed Hillary Clinton, Sanders never dropped out of the race, suspended his campaign nor released his delegates, Nate says. Shuffield says he pointed this out to a news reporter for Tristate Homepage, but the news outlet didn’t end up mentioning that, even though he says that is the primary point of his walk to the DNC.

Shuffield mentioned his disappointment that when the interview was edited and presented to viewers, the news station removed the primary reason for his trek halfway across the nation. Shuffield says that the race for the nomination is not over until the superdelegates officially vote.

“Get on here, leave a comment,” Shuffield told his Facebook followers. “Say what they were afraid to leave in the interview. Bernie Sanders is NOT out of the race.”

Given that neither Hillary Clinton nor Bernie Sanders managed to accrue the requisite number of pledged delegates from the primary, the superdelegates’ votes will be needed to win the nomination. Shuffield is reminding people that there is still over a week to demand that super delegates choose Bernie Sanders and that there’s still hope.

“I just saw a lot of people losing hope. And I thought, ‘what a better way to inspire hope than to do something outrageous?’ And it worked,” Shuffield told Tristate Homepage.

Nate’s walk to the DNC to show his support of Bernie Sanders has been supplemented by rides across some cities and counties, including one by a trooper who assisted him to the next town after the police had been called to check him out, Nate says.

Some friends along his route relieved his tired feet and drove him parts of the way. At one point, after the police had been called to check him out, Trooper Conrad Purnell even gave Nate a ride to the boundary of the next town. Shuffield, who reportedly supports the Black Lives Matter campaign, also tagged his picture of himself and Trooper Purnell #ISupportOurPolice.

Shuffield hasn’t made a commitment to walk every step of the journey to the DNC, he just feels he needs to be a part of the protests being held outside the Convention and hopes to bring some attention to the fact that Bernie could still win if everyone stood up to the superdelegates.

Nate, along with many people who signed the Bernie or Bust pledge, are encouraging Sanders’ supporters to both show up for protests outside the convention and write to Democratic superdelegates pointing out that Clinton is falling fast in polls (especially in battleground states) as some of Bernie’s supporters are checking out the Green Party for their Progressive needs.

Berniecrats and other Progressives are trying to help him with emotional support along his walk to the DNC in support of Bernie Sanders, but he has even gotten support from people with no interest in politics.

Not everyone supports Nate’s walk to the DNC, nor the statement he is making, though. On Facebook, Coral Neel told Shuffield that Bernie sold out.

Shuffield responded, “60 years he has been fighting for the same values. Now that he’s 74 you HONESTLY believe he’s bought?”

Neel said, “She bought the fbi you don’t think she could some old man? Get well soon.”

Shuffield says his walk to the DNC has shown him things that he never expected. He even saw senior citizens trying to catch a Pokemon in Sikeston, MO.

“Just saw a ~60 year old couple drive to a pokestop. Leave it to pokemon go to involve EVERY demographic.”

Shuffield was clearly inferring that he wished people were that determined to change the status quo of politics, though one of his Facebook friends did mention that Nathan is missing a major opportunity to pick up a lot of Pokemon as he walks to the DNC in Philly. Nathan has been updating his followers on Facebook along his journey to Philly. Shuffield’s Saturday afternoon dilemma amused many of them, as he admitted he might not be cut out for big cities.

“For some reason i cant seem to find my way out of Columbus,” Nate wrote. “So im cheating. $2 bus fare to reynoldsburg. Dont judge me.”

[Image via Facebook]

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