BERNIE SANDERS ARE NOW SEPARATED BY TWO-TENTHS OF A PERCENT.
THE FOCUS REMAINS ON THESE TWO
FIGHTING FOR THE TOP SPOT.
YESTERDAY, I SAT DOWN WITH
FORMER MAYOR PETE TO TALK ABOUT
THE STATE OF THE RACE, HOW HIS
STRONG SHOWING IN IOWA COULD
CHANGE HIS GAME PLAN MOVING
FORWARD.
FORWARD. RIGHT NOW, DO YOU SEE THIS AS A
TWO MAN RACE, MAYOR BUTTIGIEG,
SENATOR SANDERS?
SENATOR SANDERS? >> I WILL LEAVE IT TO PUNDITS TO
DECIDE HOW MUCH OF A RACE.
>> WHAT DO YOU SEE?
>> TO ME IT IS MAKING SURE WE
DRIVE OUR MESSAGE.
THIS THING STARTED WITH
SOMETHING LIKE 25 CANDIDATES.
AND AMONG THE CANDIDATES WE
REMAIN.
REMAIN. IT IS OUR JOB TO GET OUR MESSAGE
OUT.
OUT. THERE WERE LITERALLY TOO MANY
OTHERS TO LOOK SIDEWAYS OR OVER
MY SHOULDER.
MY SHOULDER. >> FOR THE DEMOCRATIC VOTER THAT
HASN’T PAID ATTENTION UNTIL NOW,
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
YOU AND SENATOR SANDERS?
>> I HAVE AN APPROACH TO BUILD A
SENSE OF UNITY THAT WE’RE GOING
TO NEED NOT ONLY TO WIN BUT IN
ORDER TO GOVERN, EXTRAORDINARY
MAJORITY OF DEMOCRATS, YES,
QUITE A FEW INDEPENDENTS,
HEALTHY NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS
READY TO GET THAT DONE.
WHY WOULD NOW OF ALL TIMES WE GO
FOR MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY
POLITICS?
POLITICS? >> MAYOR PETE, YOU’RE
EXTRAORDINARILY RATIONAL.
EXTRAORDINARILY RATIONAL. YOU HAVE ANSWERS THAT MAKE
PERFECT SENSE.
PERFECT SENSE. WHAT SOMEONE LIKE PRESIDENT
TRUMP OR SENATOR SANDERS DO,
THEY KNOW HOW TO LET IT RIP AND
MAKE A HEAD LINE.LINE.
THIS IS THE GREATEST SHOW ON
EARTH.
EARTH. HOW DOES SOMEONE WITH PRAGMATIC
ANSWERS BREAK THROUGH?
THAT’S HOW PEOPLE WIN ELECTIONS,
DOMINATING THE MEDIA.
>> THE KEY TO DEFEATING DONALD
TRUMP IS DENY HIM THE ABILITY TO
CHANGE THE SUBJECT.
PUTTING UP SOME EQUAL BUT
OPPOSITE VERSION OF HIM IS A
RECIPE FOR FAILURE.
FOLKS WILL GO FOR THE ORIGINAL.
WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. >> SENATOR SANDERS, EQUAL BUT
OPPOSITE?
OPPOSITE? IS THAT WHAT YOU’RE SAYING?
>> I WOULD SAY IF YOU’RE ASKING
WHY WE DON’T NEED SOMEBODY WITH
THE SAME SIZZLE AS PRESIDENT
TRUMP, I THINK WE NEED A
DIFFERENT APPROACH.
DIFFERENT APPROACH. AND EVERYONE HAS THEIR APPROACH
THEY’RE TAKING TO THIS.
I’VE GOT TO THINK IF THERE’S ONE
THING WE LEARNED OVER THE YEARS
IT IS THAT IF YOU WANT TO
CONFRONT A NEW CHALLENGE, YOU
HAVE TO APPROACH WITH A NEW
SOLUTION.
SOLUTION. >> VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN
COMING OUT OF IOWA, IT LOOKS
LIKE IN FOURTH.
TODAY, HE IS COMING OUT SWINGING
FOR YOU.
FOR YOU. I WANT TO READ SOMETHING HE SAID
EARLIER FROM VICE PRESIDENT
BIDEN.
BIDEN. IS HE SAYING THAT THE OBAMA,
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION WAS A
FAILURE?
FAILURE? PETE, SAY IT OUT LOUD.
I BELIEVE IT IS A RISK TO BE
STRAIGHT UP FOR THIS PARTY TO
NOMINATE SOMEONE THAT NEVER HELD
AN OFFICE HIGHER THAN A MAYOR OF
A TOWN OF 100,000 IN INDIANA.
I BELIEVE IT IS A RISK.
>> WELL, LET’S TALK ABOUT RISK.
WE ABSOLUTELY MUST DEFEAT DONALD
TRUMP.
TRUMP. >> IT IS NOT ABOUT PRESIDENT
TRUMP.
TRUMP. THIS IS VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN
GOING AFTER YOU.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. AND I’VE GOT TO SAY I THINK
WE’VE BEGUN TO DEMONSTRATE
MONDAY COMING IN FIRST IN THE
OIDS
OIDS IOWA CAUCUSES MY ABILITY TO PUT
TOGETHER THE COALITION IT WILL
TAKE TO DEFEAT DONALD TRUMP,
GETTING URBAN, RURAL, SUBURBAN
VOTERS TOGETHER.
VOTERS TOGETHER. BY THE WAY, REACHING OUT NOT
ONLY TO FELLOW DEMOCRATS BUT
INDEPENDENTS, EVEN SOME LEADING
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
AS TO ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION, I HAVE ENORMOUS
RESPECT FOR WHAT THEY DID IN TWO
TERMS, IT IS EXTRAORDINARY.
I HAD HIS BACK DURING THAT
PERIOD, EVEN AS A MAYOR IN
INDIANA WHERE IT WASN’T ALWAYS
EASY TO STEP FORWARD AND BACK UP
THE PRESIDENT.
THE PRESIDENT. I THINK THE BULK OF THE CREDIT
FOR ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION IS OBAMA.
>> THAT’S YOUR RESPONSE TO VICE
PRESIDENT BIDEN IN.
>> MY RESPONSE TO THE VICE
PRESIDENT, IF THE QUESTION IS
ABOUT WHO CAN WIN, WE JUST HAD
AN ELECTION MONDAY.
AND WE’RE GOING INTO ANOTHER
ONE.
ONE. I’M NOT FOCUSED ON THE PAST, I’M
FOCUSED ON THIS MOMENT.
THE REASON THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF
THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION MATTER
IS THEY MET THE MOMENT.
>> THERE’S ANOTHER MAYOR
RUNNING, MAYOR MICHAEL
BLOOMBERG, HE THINKS HE IS THE
ONLY ONE THAT CAN DEFEAT DONALD
TRUMP.
TRUMP. WHY SHOULD PEOPLE GO WITH YOU
VERSE MICHAEL BLOOMBERG?
>> I HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF
TURNING AROUND A COMMUNITY ON
THE ROPES, LOW INCOME COMMUNITY
IN THE HEART OF THE MIDWEST, THE
PLACE WHERE OUR PARTY HAS
STRUGGLED TO CONNECT, AND WHERE
THIS PRESIDENT BUILT HIS BASE.
I HAVE THE EXPERIENCE OF HAVING
MY OWN LIFE SHAPED BY POLITICS.
>> YOU COME FROM A MANUFACTURING
CENTER.
CENTER. YOU KNOW THE TRUTH, THAT THE
MANUFACTURING SECTOR IS
SHRINKING.
SHRINKING. THE PRESIDENT’S BASE WHO
PROPELLED HIM INTO OFFICE WERE
DISEFFECTED BLUE COLLAR WORKERS.
YOU KNOW THE NUMBERS.
THEIR LIVES AREN’T BETTER, YET
THEY’RE STANDING WITH THE
PRESIDENT BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE
HE SEES THEM, HE SPEAKS TO THEM,
HE CONNECTS WITH THEM.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO CONNECT IN
THAT WAY?
THAT WAY? >> AS SOMEBODY WHO ACTUALLY
COMES FROM ONE OF THESE
COMMUNITIES, THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT
WE’RE SEEKING TO DO, AND DO IT
NOT THROUGH DIVISION BUT THROUGH
ADDITION.
ADDITION. THE PRESIDENT IS AN EXPERT AT
TURNING PEOPLE AGAINST ONE
ANOTHER.
ANOTHER. I AM FOCUSING ON MAKING SURE WE
CAN BUILD THE UNITY IT TAKES NOT
ONLY TO WIN BUT TO LEAD.
>> WHAT’S YOUR APPROACH TO SOUTH
CAROLINA?
CAROLINA? YOU HAVE AN ACHILLES HEEL THERE.
NO ONE CAN WIN THE DEMOCRATIC
PRIMARY WITHOUT WINNING SUPPORT
OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTERS, AND
YOU HAVEN’T WON THEM YET.
>> WE ARE EARNING THE SUPPORT OF
VOTERS IN SOUTH CAROLINA WHO ARE
RIGHTLY SKEPTICAL, TIRED OF
BEING TAKEN FOR GRANTED BY
POLITICS AS USUAL, SKEPTICAL OF
ANY NEW FACE THAT COMES ALONG.
I HAD A MATTER OF MONTHS INSTEAD
OF YEARS AND DECADES TO EARN
TRUST.
TRUST. HERE’S WHAT WE’RE DOING.
I MAKE SURE THEY HEAR THE STORY
OF MY OWN COMMUNITY, NOT JUST
FROM ME, BUT BLACK ELECTED
OFFICIALS THAT TRAVEL WITH ME TO
SPEAK TO THE STORIES.
BUT THERE’S SOMETHING ELSE.
NO ONE IS FEELING THE PAIN OF
LIVING UNDER THIS PRESIDENCY
MORE THAN PROGRAMS OF COLOR,
PARTICULARLY BLACK AMERICANS,
LATINO AMERICANS, ALSO MUSLIM
AMERICANS.
AMERICANS. NO ONE IS FEELING THAT PAIN MORE
THAN THEY ARE.
WE ARE 48 HOURS INTO THE PROCESS
OF PROVING, NOT TALKING, BUT
PROVING THAT WE CAN TURN OUT
VOTERS AND WIN AGAINST OUR
COMPETITORS.
COMPETITORS. NEXT CHANCE TO PROVE IT IS IN
NEW HAMPSHIRE, THEN NEVADA, THEN
SOUTH CAROLINA.
SOUTH CAROLINA. BY THE TIME WE GET TO SOUTH
CAROLINA, I NO LONGER HAVE TO
DEFEND THE IDEA THAT A CAMPAIGN
LIKE MINE CAN BE COMPETITIVE IN
THE FIRST PLACE.
>> RIGHT NOW, IT CERTAINLY FEELS
LIKE POLITICS IN THE DEMOCRATIC
RACE, IT IS ABOUT MONEY, ABOUT
PERSONALITY.
PERSONALITY. MAYOR BLOOMBERG HAS THE MONEY,
SENATOR SANDERS HAS THE
PERSONALITY.
PERSONALITY. WHERE DOES MAYOR PETE FIT IN?
>> WHAT ARE YOU SAYING ABOUT MY
PERSONALITY?
PERSONALITY? >> SENATOR SANDERS HAS A MUCH
BIGGER PERSONALITY, HE DOES.
>> I DON’T THINK THAT’S TRUE.
>> WHAT DOES MAYOR PETE LOOK
LIKE WHEN HE IS LETTING IT RIP?
>> NOT THAT DIFFERENT THAN NOW,
BUT THAT’S MY PERSONALITY.
>> I AM A REAL PERSON, I THINK
THAT’S WHAT FOLKS ARE LOOKING
FOR.
FOR. WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET.
BUT WHAT YOU GET WITH ME IS
SOMEBODY WHO CAN DRAW FOLKS
TOGETHER, WILL NEVER TELL
SOMEBODY THEY DON’T BELONG IN
THIS MOVEMENT BECAUSE WE DON’T
AGREE 100% OF THE TIME, WRITE
SOMEBODY OUT OF THE STORY
BECAUSE IT IS MY WAY OR THE
HIGHWAY.
HIGHWAY. I DON’T THINK IN A MOMENT WHERE
WE’RE DANGEROUSLY POLARIZED,
THAT’S THE WAY TO WIN OR GO.
>> BEFORE WE GO, A LOT OF PEOPLE
SAY PROGRESS HASN’T HAPPENED IN
THIS COUNTRY.
THIS COUNTRY. WHEN YOU WERE A 15-YEAR-OLD BOY,
DID YOU EVER THINK THAT ONE DAY
YOU WOULD REALISTIC, NOT DREAM,
REALISTICALLY BE A PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES?
RIGHT NOW, YOU’RE THE DEMOCRATIC
FRONTRUNNER.
FRONTRUNNER. >> WHEN I WAS 15 I THOUGHT THAT
YOU COULD EITHER SERVE IN
ELECTED OFFICE OR YOU COULD BE
OUT.
OUT. FOR THAT MATTER, I THOUGHT YOU
COULD BE MARRIED OR GAY, NOT
BOTH.
BOTH. AND FOR ALL OF THE TROUBLES THAT
WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY AND
STEPS BACK THAT WE HAVE TAKEN IN
SOME WAYS, IT IS AN
EXTRAORDINARY THING TO THINK
ABOUT THE PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE
MADE, PROGRESS WE CAN MAKE.
WHEN I AM MEETING KIDS THAT LET
ME KNOW, THEY REALIZE THEY DON’T
HAVE ANYTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF,
OR PEOPLE MY PARENTS’ AGE COME
TO ME IN TEARS, TALKING ABOUT
HOW THEY DIDN’T THINK THIS DAY
COULD COME, IT IS A REMINDER FOR
THE CHALLENGES WE FACE,
STRUGGLES TOWARD JUSTICE THIS
NATION GOES ON AND CONTINUES TO
GO THROUGH, THERE ARE GOOD
REASONS TO BELIEVE IN AMERICA
AND BELIEVE IN AMERICANS GETTING