>>> WE MUST RECOGNIZE THAT IN THE 21st CENTURY, IN THE
WEALTHIEST COUNTRY IN THE
HISTORY OF THE WORLD, ECONOMIC
RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS.
AND THAT IS WHAT I MEAN BY
DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM.
DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM. >> PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE BERNIE
SANDERS GIVING A FULL THROATED
DEFENSE OF DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM
YESTERDAY, EXPLICITLY LAYING OUT
WHY IN HIS VIEW IT’S THE ONLY
WAY TO DEFEAT DONALD TRUMP.
SANDERS REMAINS IN THE TOP TIER
OF DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES AND
REPUBLICANS WHO THINK MANY
VOTERS WILL BLANCH AT THE VERY
LABEL SOCIALIST WHO KEEP RUNNING
AROUND SAYING THEY WOULD LOVE TO
BE RUNNING AGAINST A GUY WHO’S A
REAL DIED IN THE WOOL SOCIALIST.
A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN’T SCARED OF
THAT WORD ANYMORE.
A RECENT POLL FOUND 10 IN 4
AMERICANS FOUND THEY WOULD
PREFER LIVING IN A SOCIALIST
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. SANDERS SHOULDN’T HAVE A PROBLEM
GETTING THOSE VOTES.
JOINING ME NOW IS BERNIE
SANDERS, 2020 PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATE.
CANDIDATE. HERE’S MY QUESTION, WHY DOES IT
MATTER AT THE END OF THE DAY,
THE TERM?
THE TERM? YOU’RE WAVING YOUR FINGER AT ME,
BUT WHY DOES THE TERM MATTER?
WHY EVEN FIGHT ABOUT IT?
>> I WILL TELL YOU WHY, CHRIS.
I’M THINKING OVER THE LAST 40,
45 YEARS THERE HAVE BEEN 20 SOME
ODD ELECTIONS, AND EVERY
CANDIDATE WHO RUNS FOR OFFICE
SAY WE NEED TO IMPROVE HEALTH
CARE, WE NEED TO IMPROVE
EDUCATION, WE NEED TO IMPROVE
THE ENVIRONMENT.
THE ENVIRONMENT. BUT NOT A LOT HAPPENS.
TODAY THE AVERAGE AMERICAN
WORKER IS EARNING AN INFLATION
ACCOUNT FOR DOLLARS THE SAME
AMOUNT OF MONEY AS A WORKER DID
43 YEARS AGO.
TODAY YOU HAVE MASSIVE LEVELS OF
WEALTH INCOME INEQUALITY.
WHY DOES THAT HAPPEN?
IS IT BECAUSE THE CANDIDATES ARE
LIARS?
LIARS? WHAT WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE AND
THE REASON I USE THE TERM
DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM IS BECAUSE
I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED POLICIES
TO PROTECT WORKING FAMILIES AND
NOT JUST THE 1%.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT IS
IMPERATIVE TO UNDERSTAND WHY SO
LITTLE PROGRESS IS BEING MADE
ECONOMICALLY.
ECONOMICALLY. AND THAT IS, AND I THINK MY
CAMPAIGN IS UNIQUE IN SAYING
THIS.
THIS. IF YOU WANT REAL CHANGE IN
AMERICA, IF YOU WANT HEALTH CARE
FOR ALL, IF YOU WANT REAL
CLIMATE CHANGE REFORM, IF YOU
WANT EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES
AVAILABLE FOR ALL WE HAVE GOT TO
TAKE ON THE RULING CLASS OF
AMERICA.
AMERICA. THAT IS WALL STREET, THE DRUG
COMPANIES, THE INSURANCE
COMPANIES, THE FOSSIL FUEL
INDUSTRY, THE MILITARYIAL
INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX.
INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX. AND WHAT I AM SAYING IS THAT I
AS PRESIDENT CAN’T DO IT ALONE.
THE ONLY WAY WE BRING ABOUT
SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE IN THIS
COUNTRY IS WHEN MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE STAND UP AND FIGHT FOR
THAT CHANGE.
THAT CHANGE. AND THAT’S WHY OUR CAMPAIGN IS
CALLED US NOT ME BECAUSE NO
PRESIDENT NO MATTER HOW
WELL-INTENTIONED CAN DO IT
ALONE.
ALONE. >> SO ONE OF THE SORT OF
TOUCHSTONE POINTS IN THE SPEECH
IS ABOUT FDR AND THE NEW DEAL
AND ABOUT THE ECONOMIC RIGHTS.
AGAIN I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU
CRITICS CALLED HIM A SOCIALIST,
BUT FDR HIMSELF DIDN’T CALL
HIMSELF A SOCIALIST.
HE PROBABLY DID THAT FOR A
REASON.
REASON. THAT WAS A POLITICAL JUDGMENT
ABOUT FDR ABOUT HIS OWN
EFFICACY.
EFFICACY. WHY DOES THE WORD MATTER MORE
THAN THE AGENDA?
>> BECAUSE IT IS IMPASHATIVE FOR
PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND -- LOOK, A
LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SAY A
LOT OF GOOD THINGS.
BUT FOR TWO REASONS I THINK THE
WORD DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM IS
RELEVANT.
RELEVANT. BECAUSE IF YOU ARE SERIOUS
ABOUT, A, DEFEATING TRUMP’SA
THOR
THOR THORITARIANISM YOU HAVE TO DO
WHAT ROOSEVELT DID AND SAY I AM
TAKING ON THE RULING CLASS.
AND I MENTIONED THIS YESTERDAY,
AND THESE PEOPLE HATE ME AND I
WELCOME THEIR HATRED.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU CANNOT GO
FORWARD UNLESS WE ARE PREPARED
TO TAKE ON INCREDIBLY POWERFUL
SPECIAL INTERESTS.
SPECIAL INTERESTS. THERE IS NO SHORTCUT AROUND
THAT.
THAT. AND SECOND OF ALL, WHEN I USE
THE WORD DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM
WHAT I MEAN IS NOT THAT WE’VE
GOT TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH CARE
SYSTEM.
SYSTEM. I MEAN THE ECONOMIC RIGHTS, OUR
HUMAN RIGHTS, PEOPLE ARE
ENTITLED TO HEALTH CARE, TO
EDUCATION, TO A CLEAN
ENVIRONMENT, TO RETIREMENT
SECURITY, TO DECENT HOUSING.
THIS IS NOT JUST SOME ABSTRACT
IDEA.
IDEA. FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS WHAT
AMERICA IS ABOUT.
I BELIEVE THAT ECONOMIC RIGHTS
MUST ALSO BE ABOUT WHAT AMERICA
IS ABOUT.
IS ABOUT. AND BY THE WAY YOU MENTIONED IN
YOUR PREFACE THAT REPUBLICANS
ARE JUST CHOMPING AT THE
BAITS --
BAITS -- >> THAT’S WHAT THEY SAY.
THEY SAY THEY’RE VERY EXCITED
ABOUT THIS AND YOU’RE GOING TO
SCARE OFF PEOPLE.
>> LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF
THE POLLS THERE.
WE’RE BEATING TRUMP IN SOME
CASES BY 10 POINTS.
>> IT’S EARLY.
>> IT IS, ABSOLUTELY.
>> LET’S NOT --
>> I ACCEPT THAT, OKAY.
BUT THE OTHER POINT THAT I WOULD
MAKE, CHRIS, IS THAT WE LIVE IN
MANY RESPECTS TODAY.
IF THE DEFINITION OF THAT IS
MASSIVE FEDERAL AID TO A CERTAIN
GROUP OF PEOPLE.
PROBLEM RIGHT NOW IS YOU HAVE AS
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. TALKED
ABOUT WE’VE GOT SOCIALISM FOR
THE RICH BUT FREE ENTERPRISE FOR
WORKING PEOPLE.
WORKING PEOPLE. WE HAVE TO TURN THAT AROUND ON
ITS HEAD.
ITS HEAD. >> YOU TALKED A FAIR ABOUT
INTERNATIONAL AUTHORITARIANISM
INTERNATIONAL AUTHORITARIANISM AS SORT OF AN INTERNATIONAL
FORCE.
FORCE. AND I THOUGHT ABOUT IT IN THE
CONTEXT THE PRESIDENT SAID
YESTERDAY, WELCOMING RUSSIAN
HELP.
HELP. FIRST QUESTION IS WHAT IS YOUR
POSITION IF YOU WERE OFFERED
HELP FROM A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT
OR ADVERSARY, WOULD YOU CALL THE
FBI?
FBI? IS THAT YOUR POSITION?
>> IT IS ILLEGAL, SO YES I
WOULD.
WOULD. >> AND I GUESS MY SECOND
QUESTION IS ARE YOU WORRIED
ABOUT THAT ASPECT IN THIS
CAMPAIGN?
CAMPAIGN? WE TALKED AT THE TOP IT’S NOT
JUST RUSSIA BUT SAUDIS FOR
INSTANCE.
INSTANCE. YOU’VE BEEN OUTSPOKEN ABOUT THE
U.S. BACKED SAUDI WAR IN YEMEN.
THE SAUDIS HAVE TONS OF INTEREST
AND NEST HAVEMENTINTEREST IN TRU
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
THE SAUDIS PROBABLY WOULD LIKE
TO SEE YOU DEFEATED.
>> YOU THINK SO, YEAH I WOULD
AGREE WITH YOU.
LOOK, HERE IS WHAT I THINK WE
SHOULD BE VERY NERVOUS ABOUT
ABOVE AND BEYOND YOUR LEGITIMATE
CONCERNS, AND THAT IS WE HAVE A
PRESIDENT WHO DOESN’T BELIEVE IN
THE CONSTITUTION OR DOESN’T
UNDERSTAND THE CONSTITUTION,
THINKS HE IS ABOVE THE LAW.
AND I THINK THAT WHAT WE ARE
LIKELY TO SEE -- I HOPE I’M
WRONG, BUT WE ARE LIKELY TO SEE
A PRESIDENT WHO WILL MERGE THE
AGENCIES OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT AND HIS POSITION AS
PRESIDENT AND COMBINE THAT WITH
HIS POSITION AS A CANDIDATE.
AND WE SHOULD BE VERY MINDFUL OF
THAT.
THAT. AND I THINK WE SHOULD ALL BE
WATCHFUL AS TO HOW WE PROCEED.
>> SO I GUESS THAT’S THE
QUESTION WHAT TO BE DONE ABOUT
IT.
IT. THAT SEEMS LIKE A LIVE ISSUE.
WE SAW TODAY THE LETTER FROM THE
OFFICE OF SPECIAL COUNSEL WHICH
IS DESIGNED -- FROM WHAT I HEAR
FROM YOU, DO YOU THINK THAT’S
IMPORTANT ACTUALLY?
IMPORTANT ACTUALLY? >> AND IT’S NOT JUST MISS
CONWAY.
CONWAY. I DON’T THINK IN HIS OWN MIND HE
SEES MUCH DIFFERENT.
HE’S A CANDIDATE, HE’S THE
PRESIDENT, WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
USE ALL THE RESOURCES YOU CAN TO
WIN IN ADDITION TO THE FACT THAT
HE IS A PATHOLOGICAL LIAR AND
THAT HE WILL HAVE THE BACKING OF
A LOT OF VERY, VERY WEALTHY
PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY INCLUDING
HIS OWN PERSONAL, SO IT IS A
CONCERN.
CONCERN. LET ME RESPOND AND TELL YOU WHAT
THE ANTIDOTE IS.
AND THE ANTIDOTE IS A STRONG
PROGRESSIVE MESSAGE THAT IS SAYS
TO THE WORKING PEOPLE OF THIS
COUNTRY AND TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE
THAT NOW IS THE TIME IN THIS
UNPRECEDENTED MOMENT IN AMERICAN
HISTORY FOR PEOPLE TO BECOME
INVOLVED IN THE POLITICAL
PROCESS.
PROCESS. AND I GO BACK TO THE WORD
DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST.
DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST. IT’S NOT THE SAME OLD, SAME OLD.
WE’VE GOT TO STAND UP, FIGHT
BACK, AND WE HAVE TO BE AN
OLIGARCHY AND DEFEAT ORTHOR