♪ ♪ ♪ >> Stephen: MY GUEST TONIGHT
HAS SPENT DECADES WORKING TOWARDS POLITICAL REVOLUTION,
AND JUST TODAY, SUSPENDED HIS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN.
PLEASE WELCOME SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS.
SENATOR, IT'S A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME, STEPHEN.
>> Stephen: OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS ONE QUESTION I HAVE TO ASK
YOU.
WHY IS TONIGHT DIFFERENT FROM ALL OTHER NIGHTS?
( LAUGHTER )
THE END OF OUR EFFORT TO BECOME PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
AND I JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THE MANY
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF GRASSROOTS ACTIVISTS, PEOPLE WHO
HAVE BEEN KNOCKING ON DOORS, PEOPLE WHO CONTRIBUTED $18 A
CONTRIBUTION FOR MAKING THE CAMPAIGN POSSIBLE.
IT HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE JOY AND A PRIVILEGE TO REPRESENT THOSE
FOLK DISPLZ SENATOR, WHY IS NOW THE RIGHT TIME, IN YOUR OPINION,
TO END YOUR CAMPAIGN?
YOU SAY YOU'RE STILL INTERESTED IN GETTING DELEGATES AND MASSING
MORE DELEGATES AND TAKING THEM TO THE CONVENTION.
WHY STOP THE CAMPAIGN NOW?
>> WELL, I THINK FAIR COUPLE OF REASONS.
I THINK THE MATHEMATICS IS PRETTY CLEAR THEY CAN'T WIN.
AND WHILE YOU CAN MAKE THE ARGUMENT THAT YOU SHOULD RUN A
CAMPAIGN, FIGHT FOR YOUR IDEAS, BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, EVEN IF
YOU CAN'T WIN, I THINK THE PANDEMIC THAT WE ARE
EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW MAKES EVEN THAT VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE.
WE DON'T HOLD RALLIES.
PEOPLE CAN'T KNOCK ON DOORS.
AND I THINK BY ENDING THE CAMPAIGN NOW, BY FOCUSING ON MY
JOB AS A UNITED STATES SENATE TO HELP DEAL WITH THIS PANDEMIC,
DEAL WITH THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING, I THINK
IT'S A BETTER USE OF MY TIME.
AND I THINK THAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE TO ME RIGHT NOW.
>> Stephen: IN 2015, WHEN YOU LAUNCHED YOUR FIRST CAMPAIGN FOR
PRESIDENT, YOU SAID THAT, "TODAY WE BEGIN A POLITICAL
REVOLUTION."
YOU MAY NOT REACH THE PROMISED LAND, BUT YOU'VE BEEN TO THE
MOUNTAINTOP.
YOU'VE SEEN THAT YOU'VE CHANGED THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE,
ESPECIALLY FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE GREATEST INFLUENCE OF YOUR CAMPAIGN WILL
BE ULTIMATELY?
>> WELL, I THINK WHAT WE HAVE MANAGED TO DO, STEPHEN-- AND NOT
ME ALONE.
I MEAN, WE'VE DONE IT WITH FANTASTIC SURROGATES, WITH GREAT
PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY-- WE HAVE ASKED THE THE AMERICAN PEOP
AICISMY QUESTION AND THAT IS WHY?
WHY DO WE HAVE SO MUCH INCOME AND WEALTH INEQUALITY?
JUDGE DO WE HAVE THREE PEOPLE OWNING MORE WEALTH THAN THE
BOTTOM HALF OF AMERICA AND A HALF A MILLION PEOPLE SLEEPING
OUT ON THE STREETS TONIGHT?
WHY ARE WE THE ONLY MAJOR COUNTRY ON EARTH NOT TO
GUARANTEE HEALTH CARE TO ALL PEOPLE AS A HUMAN RIGHT?
I'M TALKING TO YOU 50 MILES AWAY FROM THE CANADIAN BORDER.
FOR DECADES, THEY HAVE MANAGED TO PROVIDE QUALITY CARE TO ALL
OF THEIR PEOPLE AT 50% OF THE COST WE SPEND.
WHY ARE SO MANY OF OUR KIDS LEAVING COLLEGE DEEPLY IN DEBT
AND SO MANY OTHERS NOT EVEN ABLE TO AFFORD TO GO TO COLLEGE?
WHY AREN'T WE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN DEALING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE?
WHY DO WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE IN JAIL THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY?
SO I THINK RAISING THOSE QUESTIONS AND SAYING TO PEOPLE
THAT YOU KNOW WHAT?
THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE CASE.
THAT IF WE ARE PREPARED TO COME TOGETHER AND HAVE THE COURAGE TO
TAKE ON THE GREED OF A CORPORATE ELITE, MANY OF WHOM COULD CARE
LESS ABOUT ORDINARY PEOPLE, ALL THEY NEED IS MORE THEY WANT IS
MORE AND MORE MONEY.
DO WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE FAMILIES IN AMERICA WORTH MORE
THAN $100 BILLION, WHEN HALF OF OUR PEOPLE ARE LIVING PAYCHECK
TO PAYCHECK?
WHEN WE'RE LOOKING TODAY AT DOCTORS AND NURSES WHO CAN'T
ACQUIRE THE MASKS THEY NEED, ARE PUTTING THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE,
AND YET, WE ARE THE WEALTHIEST COUNTRY IN THE HISTORY OF THE
WORLD.
HOW DOES ALL OF THAT HAPPEN?
SO I THINK MAYBE OUR MAJOR CONTRIBUTION IS TO ASK THE
SIMPLE QUESTION WHY?
WHY ARE WE WHERE WE ARE TODAY?
AND WHERE DO WE HAVE TO GO?
DO WE HAVE TO BE LIVING IN A SOCIETY WHERE THERE IS SO MUCH
GREED ON TOP?
CAN'T WE ALL COME TOGETHER AND CREATE A DECENT LIVE FOR ALL OF
US?
>> Stephen: WELL, YOUR DROPPING OUT OF THE RACE LEAVES
JOE BIDEN THE PRESUMPTIVE NOMINEE FOR THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY.
HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO THE VICE PRESIDENT SINCE YOU MADE THIS
DECISION?
>> YES, I HAVE, ACTUALLY, AND I'VE SPOKEN TO HIM, YOU KNOW, IN
THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NO GRET SECRET THAT, YOU KNOW, JOE BIDEN'S
POLITICS ARE DIFFERENT FROM MINE.
BUT I HAVE KNOWN JOE SINCE I CAME TO THE SENATE IN 2006,
WORKED WITH HIM WHEN HE WAS VICE PRESIDENT IN THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION.
AND WHAT I WOULD SAY TO PEOPLE IS THAT JOE IS A VERY DECENT
HUMAN BEING.
I KNOW HIS WIFE, JILL, AS WELL, AS A WONDERFUL PERSON.
AND THAT I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH JOE TO MOVE HIM IN A
MORE PROGRESSIVE DIRECTION.
AND I THINK JOE IS A GOOD POLITICIAN.
AND HE UNDERSTANDS THAT IN ORDER TO DEFEAT THE PRESIDENT, THAT IN
ORDER TO DEFEAT TRUMP, HE'S GOING TO HAVE TO BRING NEW
PEOPLE INTO HIS POLITICAL WORLD, AND THAT HE'S GOING TO HAVE TO
LISTEN TO THEIR NEEDS-- YOUNG PEOPLE, WORKING PEOPLE-- AND
MAYBE START MOVING IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION TO SOME
DEGREE THAN HE HAS IN THE PAST.
>> Stephen: NOW, I LISTENED TO YOUR ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY ONLINE.
WAS-- I KNOW THAT YOU-- YOU SAID THE SAME THING ABOUT VICE
PRESIDENT BIDEN, ESSENTIALLY, TODAY.
IS THAT AN ENDORSEMENT?
IS THAT A FULL-THROATED ENDORSEMENT OF JOE BIDEN?
>> WELL, THAT-- WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING TO JOE, AND WE ARE.
WE'RE TALKING TO HIS TEAM OF ADVISERS.
BUT WHAT I HAVE SAID-- I CAN TELL YOU THIS, STEPHEN.
WHAT I SAID FROM THE FIRST DAY THAT I ANNOUNCED MY INTENTION TO
RUN FOR PRESIDENT, I WILL DO EVERYTHING THAT I CAN TO MAKE
SURE THAT DONALD TRUMP IS NOT RE-ELECTED.
BECAUSE I BELIEVE TRUMP HAS BEEN THE MOST DANGEROUS PRESIDENT IN
THE MODERN HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY, AND WE'RE SEEING HIS
NARCISSISM, HIS IGNORANCE PLAYING OUT IN TERMS OF THE
PANDEMIC WE'RE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW.
SO I WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, TALKING TO JOE AND WE'RE
TALKING TO HIS TEAM ABOUT HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER.
>> Stephen: SO YOU'LL HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, AND THEN
DECIDE JUST HOW FULL YOUR THROAT WILL BE WHEN YOU ENDORSE HIM?
( LAUGHTER ).
>> RIGHT.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW IS HOW WE CAN BEST GO
FORWARD TOGETHER.
>> Stephen: WHAT COULD HE ADOPT?
WHAT IS THE THING THAT JOE BIDEN COULD SAY THAT YOU THINK WOULD
BEST INVITE YOUR FOLLOWERS INTO HIS CAMP?
BECAUSE THERE ARE STILL HARD FEELINGS FROM SOME OF HILLARY'S
PEOPLE, THE FEELING THAT YOUR ENDORSEMENT WAS NOT FULL
THROATED ENOUGH IN 2016.
WHAT COULD JOE DO-- >> I WOULD JUST SAY THAT IN
TERMS OF 2016, I WORKED AS HARD AS I COULD TO SEE THAT TRUMP WAS
NOT ELECTED.
>> Stephen: OKAY.
>> BUT, YOU KNOW-- >> Stephen: WHAT COULD BIDEN
SAY TO INVITE YOUR FOLLOWERS?
>> LOOK, IT'S NO SECRET, I MEAN, THE FACTS ARE PRETTY CLEAR, THAT
DURING THIS CAMPAIGN WE DID VERY, VERY WELL WITH YOUNGER
PEOPLE.
AND BY THAT I MEAN NOT JUST PEOPLE 20 YEARS OF AGE, PEOPLE
50 YEARS OF AGE OR YOUNGER.
AND JOE DID VERY, VERY WELL WITH OLDER PEOPLE.
AND I THINK WHAT JOE HAS TO DO-- AND I THINK HE WILL DO-- IS LOOK
AT WHAT ARE THOSE ISSUES THAT YOUNG PEOPLE AND WORKING CLASS
PEOPLE WHO SUPPORTED ME, WHAT ARE THEY CONCERNED ABOUT?
AND TO THE DEGREE THAT HE'S PREPARED-- AND I THINK HE IS, IN
MANY RESPECTS-- TO RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE TO A LIVING WAGE OF
AT LEAST 15 BUCKS AN HOUR.
TO BE BOLD ON THE ISSUE OF CLIMATE CHANGE, WHICH IS A HUGE
ISSUE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.
TO-- AND I JUST READ A STATEMENT THAT HE MADE TODAY, AND I THINK
HE IS MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION-- TO MAKE PUBLIC COLLEGES AND
UNIVERSITIES TUITION-FREE.
I THINK HE IS PREPARED TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION, WHICH WOULD
BE A BIG DEAL FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY, TO BE
VERY BOLD.
AND I THINK HE'S PREPARED TO DO THAT.
ON IMMIGRATION REFORM.
RIGHT NOW, TODAY IN AMERICA, BECAUSE OF TRUMP, YOU'VE GOT
MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN
IN THIS COUNTRY FOR DECADES WHO ARE WORKING HARD.
THEY'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW, TODAY, IN DANGEROUS JOBS.
BUT THEY ARE SCARED TO DEATH THAT THEY MAY BE DEPORTED
BECAUSE OF TRUMP.
I THINK JOE BIDEN UNDERSTANDS HOW WRONG THAT IS, AND IS
PREPARED TO MAKE CHANGES.
ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE, AN ISSUE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE AND PEOPLE OF
COLOR FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT.
I THINK JOE UNDERSTANDSES THAT IT IS WRONG THAT WE HAVE MORE
PEOPLE IN JAIL THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY.
SO MANY LIVES HAVE BEEN WASTED.
AND WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT MASS INCARCERATION.
SO I THINK IF HE IS PREPARED-- HE'S NOT GOING TO COME TO WHERE
I AM.
HIS VIEWS ARE DIFFERENT.
HE CAMPAIGNED DIFFERENTLY.
BUT IF HE CAN INDICATE, I THINK, TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, TO OUR
SUPPORTERS, THAT HE IS LISTENING, THAT HE IS PREPARED
TO MOVE FORWARD, THAT HE IS PREPARED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT
AS PRESIDENT, HE WILL TAKE ON VERY, VERY POWERFUL SPECIAL
INTERESTS, YOU KNOW, ON WALL STREET, IN THE INSURANCE
INDUSTRY, IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY.
I WILL TELL YOU, STEPHEN, HAVING BEEN ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY, THAT
THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY IS PROPERLY DETESTED BY THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE BECAUSE THE AVERAGE AMERICAN KNOWS THEY'RE
GETTING RICH WHILE SO MANY OF OUR PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD THE
MEDICINE THEY NEED.
I THINK JOE-- HE'S NOT GOING TO ADOPT MY PLATFORM I'VE GOT THAT.
BUT IF HE CAN MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION I THINK PEOPLE WILL
SAY, "YOU KNOW WHAT, I THINK THIS IS A GUY WE WILL SUPPORT
AND SHOULD SUPPORT."
>> Stephen: WE HAVE TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK, BUT WHEN
WE COME BACK, I WILL ASK THE SENATOR ABOUT THE LEGACY OF HIS
CAMPAIGN AND HOW THE PROGRESSIVE AGENDA MOVES ON FROM HERE.