>> Stephen: HEY! WELCOME BACK, LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN. THERE YOU GO.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY GUEST TONIGHT IS A SENATOR,
FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, AND CURRENT PROGRESSIVE LEADER.
PLEASE WELCOME BACK TO "THE LATE SHOW,"
SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS. ♪ ♪
>> ♪ JUST CAN'T WAIT TO GET ON THE ROAD AGAIN ♪
♪ LIFE I LOVE IS MAKING MUSIC WITH MY FRIENDS ♪
♪ CAN'T WAIT TO GET ON THE ROAD AGAIN ♪
>> Audience: [CHANTING] BERNIE!
BERNIE! BERNIE!
BERNIE! [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> Stephen: HAPPY PRESIDENTS' DAY.
>> Senator Sanders: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> Stephen: NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
THIS IS YOUR 16TH APPEARANCE ON THE SHOW.
YES. LAST MONDAY, JOHN OLIVER WAS
HERE FOR HIS 16TH APPEARANCE. YOU GUYS ARE NECK AND NECK.
YOU HAVE BEEN TIED FOR YEARS NOW.
>> Senator Sanders: BUT I'M PULLING AHEAD?
>> Stephen: SURE. NOW, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT OUR
CURRENT PRESIDENT, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
AFTER THE STATE OF THE UNION, DID YOU SEE THERE WAS A
"WALL STREET JOURNAL" EDITORIAL AND THIS IS W WHAT THE HEADLINEF
THE EDITORIAL WAS. "JOE BIDEN IS BERNIE SANDERS."
WAS THIS NEWS TO YOU? BECAUSE JOE BIDEN IS
BERNIE SANDERS, THAT MEANS BERNIE SANDERS IS JOE BIDEN.
IT GOES BOTH WAYS. IS JOE BIDEN BERNIE SANDERS,
BERNIE SANDERS? OR SHOULD I SAY JOE BIDEN?
>> Senator Sanders: THE PRESIDENT AND I WORK TOGETHER
AFTER THE CAMPAIGN. OUR TEAMS SAT DOWN AND SAID HOW
DO WE BRING THE CAMPAIGNS TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH AN
AGENDA THAT WORKS FOR WORKING FAMILIES?
THE END RESULT OF IT WAS I DIDN'T AGREE WITH EVERYTHING
THAT WAS THERE. HE DIDN'T AGREE WITH EVERYTHING
THAT WAS THERE BUT ESSENTIALLY PUT TOGETHER PROBABLY THE MOST
PROGRESSIVE OUTLINE THAT ANY PRESIDENT HAS INTRODUCED SINCE
FDR. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
AND WE HAVE DONE SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS.
THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN WHICH PROVIDED $1400 FOR EVERY WORKING
PERSON IN THIS COUNTRY. $350 FOR EVERY CHILD IN THIS
COUNTRY IN THE MIDST OF THE PANDEMIC AND THE ECONOMIC
COLLAPSE. WE STRENGTHENED HOSPITALS.
WE STRENGTHEN SCHOOLS. AND I THINK WHAT THAT WAS ABOUT
WAS THE PRESIDENT SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE GOING TO DO THE
RIGHT THING FOR WORKING FAMILES.
I AM VERY PROUD OF THAT BILL. [APPLAUSE]
>> Stephen: I FEEL A "BUT" COMING.
>> Senator Sanders: END. AND WE ATTEMPTED TO PASS BUILD
BACK BETTER WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMATIVE FOR THE
WORKING CLASS IN THIS COUNTRY. WOULD'VE FINALLY ADDRESS THE
CRISIS IN CHILD CARE. WE WOULD'VE MADE COMMUNITY
COLLEGES TUITION FREE. WE WOULD'VE HAVE THE WEALTHIEST
PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY STARTING TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE OF TAX
TAXES. YOU KNOW, WE WOULD HAVE EXPANDED
MEDICARE FOR THE ELDERLY TO COVER DENTAL, HEARING, AND
VISION. WE WOULD HAVE FINALLY ADDRESSED
THE MAJOR HOUSING CRISIS IN THIS COUNTRY AND THE ISSUE OF
HOMELESSNESS. SO IT WAS A GREAT BILL.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE HAD ZERO REPUBLICAN SUPPORT AND TWO
CORPORATE DEMOCRATS DID NOT SUPPORT IT AND WE FAILED ON THAT
ONE. BUT I HAVE TO SAY, THE PRESIDENT
WAS ONBOARD FOR ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECES OF LEGISLATION
IN THE MODERN HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY.
SO I WAS PROUD TO HAVE WORKED WITH HIM ON THAT.
[APPLAUSE] >> Stephen: YOU HAVE SAID THAT
IF PRESIDENT BIDEN DECLARES OFFICIALLY THAT HE'S RUNNING IN
2024, THAT YOU WOULD NOT RUN IN 2024.
LOOKS LIKE HE'S GOING TO RUN. DON'T KNOW YET BUT IT'S LOOKING
HEAVILY THAT WAY. ARE YOU GOING TO RUN FOR SENATE
AGAIN? YOU ARE UP IN 2024.
>> Senator Sanders: WELL, I'VE GOT A LITTLE WHILE TO MAKE THAT
DETERMINATION I'LL MAKE IT AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
>> Stephen: YOU HAVE A DEADLINE FOR YOURSELF?
A YEAR FROM NOW. >> Senator Sanders: NOT
REALLY. PEOPLE HAVE KNOWN ME AND WE HAVE
A PRETTY GOOD RELATIONSHIP. AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME, WE'LL
LET THEM KNOW. >> Stephen: MM-HMM.
>> Senator Sanders: THAT'S IT. >> Stephen: YOU ANSWERED THAT.
YOU ANSWER THAT LIKE A BOYFRIEND BEING ASKED WHERE THIS
RELATIONSHIP IS GOING. YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT YOU,
DARLING. AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME, I'LL
TELL YOU. WE HAVE TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS,
EVERYBODY. STICK AROUND.