Sanders Says Staying in Race Good for Democratic Party

— -- Facing long odds to secure the Democratic presidential nomination after his loss in the New York primary last week, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders rejects the idea he should exit the race any time soon.

“We intend to take the fight all the way to California so people throughout this country have a right to determine who they want as president and what kind of agenda they want for the Democratic Party,” Sanders told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos Sunday on "This Week." “This is good for democracy. It’s good for the Democratic Party."

Sanders faces off with rival Hillary Clinton in five closed primary contests this Tuesday and polling indicates she’ll expand her already sizable delegate lead. Earlier this week, she implied Sanders should follow the example she set back in 2008 – withdrawing from the primary race and rallying her supporters around her opponent, then-Senator Barack Obama.

Sanders doesn’t see it being quite that simple.

“I can't snap my finger and tell people what to do,” he said. “But what I will do is do everything that I can to make sure that somebody like a Donald Trump -- or some other right-wing Republican -- does not become president of the United States.”

When asked whom Clinton should choose as her running mate to appeal to Sanders supporters if she wins the nomination, Sanders said it should be someone ready to champion the middle class and take on special interests.

“If she has a candidate for vice president who is prepared to carry that mantle, prepared to engage in that fight, I think that would be a very good thing for her campaign,” he said.