LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SO HAPPY HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE
MY FIRST GUEST HAS SPENT 28 YEARS IN CONGRESS AND HAS BECOME
THE PROGRESSIVE PATRIARCH OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
NOW HE'S RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.
PLEASE WELCOME BACK TO "THE LATE SHOW" SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) ( BAND PLAYING )
>> Stephen: SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS, EVERYBODY!
LOOK AT THAT!
BIG AS LIFE!
SENATOR -- ( AUDIENCE CHANTING BERNIE )
>> Stephen: THAT'S NICE.
YOU STILL GOT IT, KID!
THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN WITH EVERY GUEST, I AM HERE TO TELL YOU.
I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE TONIGHT.
FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THIS IS YOUR NINTH APPEARANCE ON THE
SHOW -- TENTH APPEARANCE, NINTH INTERVIEW.
YOU GET A FREE SUB AFTER THIS, ACTUALLY.
>> AND I KNEW YOU BEFORE YOU WERE STEPHEN COLBERT.
>> Stephen: WHAT WAS I?
ONE OF YOUR FORMER SHOWS.
>> Stephen: BACK THEN I WAS JUST STEPHEN COLBERT.
NOW I'M STEPHEN COLBERT.
TOTALLY DIFFERENT GUY.
( LAUGHTER ) I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE.
BIG DOINGS IN D.C.
OBVIOUSLY, WENT TO TALK ABOUT YOUR CAMPAIGN.
BUT I JUST WANT TO HIT YOU HERE AS A SENATOR.
ARE YOU AT ALL INTOLTED THAT TRUMP DIDN'T TRY TO GET DIRT ON
YOU FROM UKRAINE?
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) WHAT AM I, CHOPPED LIVER?
WHAT ARE YOU THINKING WHEN YOU HEAR THIS?
>> WELL, WHAT I'M THINKING IS HE'S PROBABLY THE MOST CORRUPT
PRESIDENT IN THE MODERN HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) AND THAT THE IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY
HAS GOT TO MOVE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
HE IS REALLY AN EMBARRASSMENT TO OUR COUNTRY.
( APPLAUSE ) AND LET'S GET MOVING ON THE
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY.
>> Stephen: ONE OF THE THINGS PEOPLE ARE SAYING IS THAT THE
WHITE HOUSE IS CAUGHT A LITTLE FLAT-FOOTED BY HOW FAST THIS
STORY IS MOVING AND MAYBE THEY COULD GET OUT SOME SORT OF
REDACTED TRANSCRIPT OR SLOW WALK THIS FOR A WHILE UNTIL THINGS
CAME OFF THE BOIL, BUT NANCY PELOSI IMMEDIATELY WENT TO
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY.
DO YOU THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO, TO MOVE THAT FAST?
>> I DO.
I HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR AN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY FOR MONTHS.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) AND I THINK THIS UKRAINIAN
BUSINESS USING NATIONAL SECURITY MONEY DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE
PEOPLE OF AMERICA -- >> Stephen: IT'S OUR MONEY.
-- AND USE THAT AS LEVERAGE TO TRY TO GET DIRT ON A
POLITICAL OPPONENT AND THEN TRYING TO COVER THAT IT UP, THIS
IS AN OUTRAGE ON TOP OF AN OUTRAGE, AND I THINK THIS IS
KIND OF TAKING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT?
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH WITH THIS GUY.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: ONE OF THE THINGS,
I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THIS, IS THAT SOME OF THE
REPUBLICANS, SOME OF THE PRESIDENT'S ALLIES ARE SAYING
OH, THIS THING IS SO SO COMPLICATED.
IT'S SIMPLE.
YOU HEAR WHAT THE PRESIDENT HAS TO SAY, YOU UNDERSTAND THE
MOTIVATION COMPLETELY AND THERE ISN'T THAT MUCH TO EXPLAIN. HE
WANTED THIS DIRT, HE HAD SOME LEVERAGE AND HE USED IT.
>> I AGREE, IT'S NOT COMPLICATED, AND IT'S CONSISTENT
WITH HIS BEHAVIOR.
>> Stephen: RIGHT, IT'S ON BRAND.
>> IT IS.
( LAUGHTER ) I HONESTLY BELIEVE -- I'M NOT A
PSYCHIATRIST HERE -- BUT I HONESTLY BELIEVE --
>> Stephen: YOU LOOK LIKE A PSYCHIATRIST, I WANT YOU TO
KNOW.
LIE DOWN AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS.
( LAUGHTER ) I'M NOT SURE HE KNOWS THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LYING AND TRUTH TELLING.
I DOUBT VERY MUCH THAT HE UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE
CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS ABOUT, I
DON'T THINK HE UNDERSTANDS THAT WE HAVE AN EMOLUMENT CLAUSE
WHICH SAYS YOU CANNOT ENRICH YOURSELF WHEN YOU'RE PRESIDENT,
I DON'T KNOW THAT HE UNDERSTANDS THAT.
HE GREW UP AS A VERY RICH KID, I THINK HE'S A SPOILED BRAT, AND I
THINK HE THINKS HE CAN DO ANYTHING THAT HE WANTS TO DO.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) AND IT IS -- YOU KNOW, OTHER
PEOPLE WORK HARD, THEY TELL THE TRUTH, THEY PAY THEIR TAXES,
THAT'S NOT DONALD TRUMP, AND I THINK WE'VE GOT TO EXPLAIN TO
HIM WHAT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES IS ABOUT.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: NOW, SINCE LAST WE
WERE TOGETHER, YOU HAVE ANNOUNCED YOUR CANDIDACY FOR
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
YOU'RE RUNNING.
WE'VE HAD THE DEBATES.
IN 2016, FOUR YEARS AGO, YOU WERE THE PROGRESSIVE.
NOW A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE PICKED UP YOUR BANNER AND ARE RUNNING
WITH A LOT OF YOUR ORIGINAL IDEAS.
DO YOU EVER WANT TO TURN TO SOMEBODY AND SAY, HEY, I PUT MY
NAME ON THAT YOGURT, YOU CAN'T TAKE THAT!
THAT'S MY MEDICARE FOR ALL WITH FRUIT ON THE BOTTOM!
( LAUGHTER ) >> NO, WHAT I'M PROUD OF, THE
IDEAS I TALKED ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY,
RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE TO 15 BUCKS AN HOUR --
( APPLAUSE ) -- MAKING PUBLIC COLLEGES AND
UNIVERSITIES TUITION FREE -- ( APPLAUSE )
-- CANCELING STUDENT DEBT IN THIS COUNTRY WHICH IS SOMETHING
EASE I THINK WE HAVE TO DO, MAKING SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND
THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS IN FACT A MAJOR NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE,
AND I'M VERY PROUD TO INTRODUCE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE CLIMATE
CHANGE PROGRAM THAT ANY CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT HAS EVER
INTRODUCED, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THE ISSUE OF HEALTHCARE.
FOUR YEARS AGO, I WAS HERE SAYING HEALTHCARE IS A HUMAN
RIGHT, IT IS NOT A PRIVILEGE, WE HAVE GOT TO TAKE ON THE GREED OF
THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY AND OF THE INSURANCE COMPANIES AND
GUARANTEE HEALTHCARE TO EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD IN THIS
COUNTRY AS A HUMAN RIGHT.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: NOW, SENATOR
WARREN WAS ON HERE LAST WEEK, AND I ASKED HER ABOUT HER PLANS
FOR MEDICARE FOR ALL.
I'M GOING TO ASK YOU THE QUESTION THAT I ASKED HER -- AT
THE RISK OF BEING ACCUSED OF TRUMPING REPUBLICAN TALKING
POINTS, IS THERE AN INCREASE IN TAXES ON THE MIDDLE CLASS TO PAY
FOR MEDICARE FOR ALL?
OR, RATHER WHERE WOULD THE TAX BURNED GO TO PAY FOR THAT?
>> OKAY.
UNDER MY LEGISLATION, 15 CO-SPONSORS, I BELIEVE, IN THE
SENATE NOW -- NOBODY IN AMERICA WILL PAY ANY MORE PREMIUMS.
I JUST TALKED TO A WOMAN THE OTHER DAY THAT PAID $1,700 A
MONTH, $20,000 A YEAR, GONE.
NO MORE CO-PAYMENTS, GONE.
NO MORE OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES, GONE.
NOBODY WILL GO BANKRUPT.
RIGHT NOW 500,000 PEOPLE IN AMERICA GO BANKRUPT BECAUSE OF
MEDICAL BILLS, ALL OF THAT IS GONE.
NOBODY IN AMERICA UNDER MY BILL WILL PAY MORE THAN $200 A YEAR
IN TOTAL FOR THEIR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, AND WE'LL STOP THE
RIPPING OFF OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BY THE PHARMACEUTICAL
INDUSTRY.
NOW HAVING SAID THAT, THE HEALTHCARE FREE?
NO, IT IS NOT.
SO WHAT WE DO IS EXEMPT THE FIRST $29,000 OF A PERSON'S
INCOME, YOU MAKE LESS THAN $29,000, YOU PAY NOTHING IN
TAXES.
ABOVE THAT, IN A PROGRESSIVE WAY, WITH THE WEALTHIEST PEOPLE
IN THIS COUNTRY PAYING THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE, PEOPLE DO
PAY MORE IN TAXES.
BUT IF I SAY TO YOU, THAT RIGHT NOW YOU'RE PAYING $20,000 A YEAR
IN A TAX CALLED A PREMIUM FOR THE INSURANCE COMPANIES, THAT'S
GONE AND THEN I SAY, STEPHEN, YOU'RE PAYING $10,000 A YEAR NOW
TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, YOUR $10,000 TO THE GOOD, YOU WOULD
ASK ME, WHERE DO I SIGN UP FOR THAT?
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: IN CANADA AND IN
THE U.K., TWO OF THE PLACES YOU OFTEN POINT TO WHERE HEALTHCARE
HAS WORKED IN SORT OF A MEDICARE FOR ALL STYLE, DIFFERENT
SYSTEMS, THERE ARE SUPPLEMENTAL TREATMENTS YOU CAN GET IF YOU
PAY OUT OF POCKET TO A DOCTOR WHO BASICALLY IS NOT IN THE
MEDICARE FOR ALL PLAN.
IF I WANTED A DIFFERENT TREATMENT OR SOMEBODY NOT IN
MEDICARE FOR ALL, WOULD I BE ABLE TO PAY SOMEBODY ELSE?
>> IF YOU CANTED COSMETIC SURGERY, ALL BASIC --
>> Stephen: WHAT DO YOU THINK I NEED TO HAVE DONE?
>> WELL, IT'S THE NOSE, STEPHEN.
I WANTED TO BE POLITE, BUT IT IS THE NOSE.
>> Stephen: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IT'S NOT ATTACHED TO THE CLASSES.
( LAUGHTER ) >> BUT HERE IS THE POINT, WE ARE
COVERING ALL BASIC HEALTHCARE NEEDS.
MEDICARE IS A VERY STRONG PROGRAM, AND ALL I WANT TO DO
OVER A FOUR-YEAR PERIOD IS EXPAND IT TO EVERYBODY, AND
INCLUDE DENTAL CARE, HEARING AIDS AND EYEGLASSES AND HOME
HEALTHCARE AS WELL.
SO WE COVER MENTAL ILLNESS, WE COVER ALL BASIC HEALTHCARE
NEEDS.
SOMEBODY WANTS COSMETIC SURGERY, FINE, GO TO SOME PRIVATE
INSURANCE, BUT WE COVER ALL BASIC HEALTHCARE NEEDS AND THE
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL BE PAYING
LESS FOR HEALTHCARE THAN THEY ARE TODAY.
>> Stephen: SO IT WOULD STILL BE SOME SORT OF PRIVATE MARKET?
>> FOR NON-BASIC HEALTHCARE SERVICES.
>> WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK BUT BACK WITH
MORE SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS, EVERYBODY.