Nichols compared the protest to civil rights protests faced by presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, which led to progress in equality despite being seen as a challenge at the time.
"What we should understand is that pressure from activists often makes politicians into what we like about them, what we respect about them," Nichols told Radio Sputnik's BradCast.
The pressure faced by Sanders contrasts with that of US Republican Party presidential nominee candidate Scott Walker. Walker faced labor protests as governor of Wisconsin, but was able to stay in power following favorable media coverage among his support base and police crackdowns against the protesters. According to Nichols, Walker has been able to use selective media coverage to retain popularity.
