Bernie Sanders State of the Union interview

RHETORIC.
>> DANA BASH IN SEOUL, SOUTH
KOREA, A TENSE SITUATION UNDER
WAY.
JOINING ME TO TALK ABOUT THIS
AND MUCH MORE IS FORMER
DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATE SENATOR BERNIE
SANDERS, A VERMONT SENATOR.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
WE APPRECIATE IT.
>> MY PLEASURE.
>> THE NORTH KOREANS PUT OUT A
STATEMENT BEANNOUNCING THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION'S MAMAICAL
MILITARY ADMINISTRATIONS.
HOW DO YOU THINK PRESIDENT TRUMP
HAS DEALT WITH THE CRISIS SO
FAR?
>> WELL THE IMPORTANT POINT IS
HOW WE GO FORWARD.
IT IS A VERY COMPLICATED AND
DIFFICULT ISSUE.
YOU HAVE A REGIME WHICH IN NORTH
KOREA IS ISOLATED, WHICH HAS PUT
INCREDIBLE RESOURCES INTO A
NUCLEAR AND MISSILE PROGRAM,
WHILE MILLIONS OF ITS PEOPLE
OVER THE YEARS HAVE STARVED TO
DEATH.
THE KEY POINT HERE IS THAT THE
UNITED STATES MUST NOT ACT
IMPULSIVELY, AND WE MUST NOT ACT
UNILATERALLY.
THE KEY I THINK TO THIS
SITUATION I THINK PRESIDENT
TRUMP UNDERSTANDS THIS, IS
DEALING WITH CHINA.
CHINA NOW RECEIVES ABOUT 80% OF
THE IMPORTS OF NORTH KOREA.
THEY ARE VIRTUALLY THE ONLY ALLY
THAT NORTH KOREA HAS, AND WHAT
CHINA HAS GOT TO UNDERSTAND IS
THAT THEY HAVE GOT TO PUT
INCREDIBLE PRESSURE, WORK WITH
THE ENTIRE ASIAN COMMUNITY, IN
TELLING NORTH KOREA THAT THEY
HAVE GOT TO CEASE THEIR EFFORTS
OF DEVELOP INTERCONTINENTAL
BALLISTIC MISSILES AND MORE
NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
I THINK CHINA HAS THE CAPABILITY
OF DOING THAT, SO THE
PARTNERSHIP WITH CHINA AND OTHER
COUNTRIES IN THAT REGION IS WHAT
WE HAVE GOT TO FOCUS ON
>> AS YOU NOTE, PRESIDENT TRUMP
HAS SEEMED TO FOLLOW THAT BASIC
IDEA THAT CHINA IS THE KEY,
AFTER HE MET WITH CHINESE
PRESIDENT XI, AN EDITORIAL IN A
SEMIOFFICIAL CHINESE NEWSPAPER
WARNED THAT NORTH KOREA, WARNED
NORTH KOREA SPECIFICALLY THAT IT
MUST REIN IN ITS NUCLEAR
AMBITIONS OR RISK LOSING VITAL
CHINESE TRADE.
IT WROTE "CHINESE SOCIETY WILL
BE WILLING TO SEE THE UNITED
NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL ADOPT
SEVERE RESTRICTIVE MEASURES THAT
HAVE NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE SUCH
AS RESTRICTING OIL IMPORTS TO
THE NORTH."
IT SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING OF A
POLICY SHIFT FOR CHINA.
DO YOU AGREE, AND IF SO, DO YOU
THINK PRESIDENT TRUMP'S POLICY
OF LEADING ON CHINA IS THE
REASON THIS IS HAPPENING?
>> NO, I THINK THIS POLICY SHIFT
ON THE PART OF CHINA HAS BEEN
TAKING PLACE FOR QUITE A WHILE
NOW.
AS I UNDERSTAND, FOR EXAMPLE,
CHINA DID NOT HAVE A
REPRESENTATIVE AT THE MILITARY
PARADE IN NORTH KOREA THE OTHER
DAY.
THAT SAYS SOMETHING.
JUST THE OTHER DAY, A PLANE
TRIPS BETWEEN BEIJING AND NORTH
KOREA WERE SUSPENDED.
NOT TO MENTION THAT CHINA IS NOW
CUTTING BACK ON THE IMPORTATION
OF COAL FROM NORTH KOREA, WHICH
IS THE MAJOR SOURCE OF THEIR
FOREIGN CURRENCY.
CHINA HAS TO DO A LOT MORE.
THEY HAVE GOT TO BE WORKING WITH
THE UNITED STATES, WITH JAPAN,
WITH SOUTH KOREA TO MAKE IT VERY
CLEAR TO NORTH KOREA THAT THESE
POLICIES CANNOT CONTINUE OR ELSE
THERE IS GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANT
ECONOMIC SANCTIONS DESTROYING
THAT ECONOMY.
>> YOU WERE ONE OF THE ONLY
MEMBERS IN CONGRESS OPPOSED TO
THE STRIKE IN SYRIA TWO
THURSDAYS AGO.
YOU WARNED IT COULD LEAD TO A
QUAGMIRE.
SINCE THAT TIME THERE HAVE BEEN
NO FURTHER U.S. STRIKES AGAINST
THE SYRIAN REGIME.
PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID THIS WEEK
"WE'RE NOT GOING INTO SYRIA."
IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THAT AIR
STRIKE BY THE U.S. WAS A
ONE-OFF?
>> WELL HERE IS THE POINT.
JAKE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
NATIONAL DISASTERS, WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN SYRIA IS ALMOST
BEYOND BELIEF.
YOU HAVE A DICTATOR THERE WHO
APPEARS PREPARED TO DESTROY HIS
ENTIRE COUNTRY IN ORDER TO HOLD
ONTO HIS POWER AND HIS WEALTH.
400,000 SYRIANS ARE DEAD, 10
MILLION PEOPLE DISPLACED.
THEY HAVE DETAINMENT CAMPS,
MASSIVE TORTURE.
THEY BOMB HOSPITALS.
THIS IS AN HORRIFIC REGIME.
WHAT OUR JOB THERE HAS GOT TO
AGAIN NOT ACT UNILATERALLY.
IN THIS CASE WE HAVE GOT TO
DEMAND THAT RUSSIA AND IRAN STOP
THEIR EFFORTS IN SUPPORTING THIS
HORRIFIC DICTATOR.
ASSAD HAS GOT TO GO.
ISIS HAS GOT TO BE DEFEATED.
BUT I DO NOT WANT TO SEE THE
UNITED STATES GET SUCKED INTO
PERPETUAL WARFARE IN THE MIDDLE
EAST, SEE OUR MEN AND WOMEN GET
KILLED, TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS
BEING SPENT.
WE'VE BEEN IN AFGHANISTAN NOW
FOR OVER 15 YEARS.
WE'VE BEEN IN IRAQ FOR A VERY
LONG TIME.
I DON'T WANT TO SEE US DRAGGED
INTO ANOTHER WAR IN SYRIA, WHEN
KIDS IN THIS COUNTRY CANNOT
AFFORD TO GO TO COLLEGE, WHEN
OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS
COLLAPSING, WHEN 28 MILLION
AMERICANS HAVE NO HEALTH
INSURANCE.
WE HAVE GOT TO START PAYING
ATTENTION TO THE NEEDS BACK
HOME, WORK WITH ALLIES IN THE
REGION.
THE WAR IN IRAQ WAS THE WORST
BLUNDER IN THE MODERN HISTORY OF
THIS COUNTRY.
PRECIPITATED MASS INSTABILITY.
WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO MAKE THOSE
MISTAKES.
COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD HAVE
GOT TO WORK WITH US TO ADDRESS
THOSE CRISES.
>> SENATOR, ARAB LEADERS AND
FORMER OWBOBAMA ADMINISTRATION
OFFICIALS APPLAUDED THE STRIKE
BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AGAINST
ASSAD'S FORCES.
THEY SAID IT WAS EXACTLY WHAT
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, A WAY TO
SEND A SIGNAL TO HIM THAT WHAT
HIS BEHAVIOR IS UNACCEPTABLE,
WHILE NOT GETTING THE U.S.
INVOLVED IN A QUAGMIRE SO I'M
NOT SURE WHY YOU OPPOSED THE
STRIKE.
CAN YOU HELP CLEAR IT UP FOR US?
>> LISTEN, IT'S NOT A QUESTION
OF ONE STRIKE OR ONE BIG BOMB IN
AFGHANISTAN.
WHAT YOU NEED IS A STRATEGY, AND
THAT STRATEGY HAS GOT TO DEMAND
THAT RUSSIA, WHICH SUPPLIES AN
ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF VERY
SOPHISTICATED WEAPONRY TO ASSAD
STOP WHAT IT'S DOING.
THIS WILL REQUIRE INTENSIVE
NEGOTIATIONS, TO TELL RUSSIA
THEY CANNOT SUPPORT A DICTATOR
WHO IS DESTROYING HIS ENTIRE
COUNTRY.
ONE STRIKE IS NOTO RELEASE HIS
TAX RETURNS.
WE'RE BACK WITH SENATOR BERNIE
SANDERS OF VERMONT.
SENATOR, IN ADDITION TO THAT
BERKELEY PROTEST, DEMOCRATS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY YESTERDAY
GATHERED FOR RALLIES ALL OVER ON
TAX DAY CALLING FOR PRESIDENT
TRUMP TO RELEASE THE LAST OF HIS
TAX RETURNS AND I HEARD MANY
DEMOCRATIC SENATORS BELIEVE THE
PRESIDENT'S TAX RETURNS COULD BE
SUBPOENAED IN THE COURSE OF THE
SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE
INVESTIGATION INTO RUSSIAN
MEDDLING IN THE U.S. ELECTION.
>> I THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT KIND OF
INVOLVEMENT TRUMP'S BUSINESS
DEALINGS HAVE ABROAD, AND WHAT
KIND OF LEVERAGE THOSE DEALINGS
MAY HAVE ON HIS POLICIES AS
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
THEY WANT A PRESIDENT WHO IS
GOING TO REPRESENT THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE, NOT HIS OWN INTERESTS,
BUSINESS INTEREST WHICH EXTEND
ALL OVER THE WORLD.
BUT YOU KNOW, JAKE, WHEN YOU
TALK ABOUT PLANES, AS I THINK
YOU KNOW, TOMORROW AFTERNOON TOM
PEREZ, THE CHAIR OF THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND I WILL BE
TAKING A NINE-STATE TOUR.
ALL ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, TO DO
WHAT I THINK IS ABSOLUTELY
NECESSARY, AND THAT IS TO HELP
REVITALIZE AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.
SO MANY OF OUR PEOPLE ARE GIVING
UP ON THE POLITICAL PROCESS,
THAT IS FRIGHTENING.
IN THE LAST PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION, WHEN TRUMP WON, WE HAD
THE LOWEST VOTER TURNOUT IN 20
YEARS AND IN THE PREVIOUS TWO
YEARS BEFORE THAT IN THE MIDTERM
ELECTION THE LOWEST VOTER
TURNOUT IN 70 YEARS.
I THINK WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THE
MIDDLE CLASS SHRINKS AS PEOPLE
PERCEIVE THAT THE MEDIA AND
CONGRESS IS NOT HEARING THEIR
PAIN ABOUT A DECLINING STANDARD
OF LIVING, INCOME AND WEALTH
INEQUALITY, NOT BEING ABLE TO
AFFORD TO SEND THEIR KIDS TO
COLLEGE.
THEY'RE GIVING UP ON THE
POLITICAL PROCESS.
WE CANNOT ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN.
TOM AND I ARE GOING TO GO ALL
OVER THE COUNTRY, WE'RE GOING TO
BE FIGHTING TO SEE THAT THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY BECOMES A
50-STATE PARTY.
YOU CAN'T JUST BE A WEST COAST
PARTY AND AN EAST COAST PARTY
AND WE NEED A BOTTOM-UHM PARTY,
A GRASSROOTS PARTY WHICH IS
PREPARED TO STAND UP TO THE BIG
MONEY INTEREST WHICH HAVE SO
MUCH INFLUENCE OVER THE
POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT OF OUR COUNTRY.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT, KANSAS
AND GEORGIA ARE RED STATES.
YOU'RE ON THIS RED STATE TOUR
THAT WILL KICK OFF TOMORROW BUT
JUST THIS WEEK A DEMOCRAT YOU
SUPPORTED LOST AN ELECTION FOR A
SPECIAL HOUSE SEAT ELECTION IN
KANSAS, A DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE
JOHN OSSOFF IS SEEKING TO FILL
IN GEORGIA A SEAT VACATED BY THE
NOW SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY DR. TOM
PRICE IN GEORGIA.
ARE YOU CONCERNED THAT THE DNC,
THEY'RE DOING THIS BIG RED STATE
TOUR WITH YOU BUT A LOT OF
PEOPLE CRITICIZED THE DNC FOR
NOT SENDING ENOUGH RESOURCES TO
KANSAS, SO IT'S GREAT THAT
THEY'RE DOING THIS DISPLAY.
>> LET'S BE CLEAR.
THE POINT HERE IS THAT ALL OVER
GRASSROOTS AMERICA, DEMOCRATS,
INDEPENDENTS OR REPUBLICANS
PEOPLE ARE PERCEIVING TRUMP DID
NOT TELL THE TRUTH IN HIS
CAMPAIGN IN TERMS OF WHAT HE
WOULD DO AS PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES.
HE WAS GOING TO DRAIN THE SWAMP.
WELL, HE'S APPOINTED MORE
BILLIONAIRES TO HIS CABINET THAN
ANY PRESIDENT INNISTRY, ET
CETERA, ET CETERA.
WHAT I THINK HAS HAPPENED NOW IN
KANSAS, IT IS TRUE THAT THE
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE LOST.
IT IS TRUE THAT THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY SHOULD HAVE PUT MORE
RESOURCES INTO THAT ELECTION.
BUT IT IS ALSO TRUE THAT HE RAN
20 POINTS BETTER THAN THE
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR
PRESIDENT DID IN KANSAS.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN KANSAS,
WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN GEORGIA, I
BELIEVE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IT
IN MONTANA.
I BELIEVE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IT
ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY IS THE
MANY SO-CALLED RED STATES
WORKING PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WAKE
UP AND SAY WAIT A SECOND.
REPUBLICANS WANT TO CUT SOCIAL
SECURITY, MEDICARE, MEDICAID AND
EDUCATION AND THEY WANT TO GIVE
HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
IN TAX BREAKS TO THE TOP 1%.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE ELECTED TRUMP
TO DO.
CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL.
IT'S NOT A HOAX.
WE GOT TO MOVE TO SUSTAINABLE
ENERGY.
I THINK ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY IN
RED STATES AND IN BLUE STATES
PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO STAND
UP, THEY'RE BEGINNING TO FIGHT
BACK, THEY'RE DEMANDING A
GOVERNMENT, WHICH DOES NOT JUST
REPRESENT THE BILLIONAIRES BUT
REPRESENTS THE WORKING CLASS OF
THIS COUNTRY.
>> SENATOR I WANT TO ASK YOU
ABOUT THIS HORRIFIC INCIDENT
LAST WEEK IN WHICH A PASSENGER
WAS DRAGGED OFF A UNITED FLIGHT
AFTER REFUSING TO GIVE UP HIS
SEAT VOLUNTARILY.
DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN OF
ILLINOIS IS PLANNING TO
INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO BAN
AIRLINES FROM BEING ABLE TO
INVOLUNTARILY BUMP PASSENGERS
FROM FLIGHT.
THIS COULD RESULT IN HIGHER
FARES FOR CONSUMERS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK CONGRESS
SHOULD DO?
>> WELL I THINK ANYBODY WHO
FLIES A LOT, AND AS A UNITED
STATES SENATOR, I FLY A LOT,
KNOWS HOW DYSFUNCTIONAL IN MANY
RESPECTS THE AIRLINES ARE.
THEY KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY,
MANY DELAYS THAT ARE CAUSE D NO
BECAUSE OF WEATHER BUT
INAPPROPRIATE PRACTICES ON THE
PART OF THE AIRLINES.
THIS OVERBOOKING, WHICH CAUSED
THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM, IS NOT
UNIQUE.
I'VE BEEN ON AIRLINES MANY, MANY
TIMES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
ASKED TO LEAVE, AND I THINK WHAT
WE DO NEED IS TO TAKE A HARD
LOOK AT THE AIRLINES IN THIS
COUNTRY AND MAKE THEM MUCH MORE
RESPONSIVE TO THE CONSUMERS THAN
THEY CURRENTLY, IN TERMS OF
PRICING.
YOU COULD HAVE TWO PEOPLE ON AN
AIRLINE, ONE SPENDING TWICE AS
MUCH AS ANOTHER PERSON.
THE IDEA OF TAKING A HARD LOOK
AT AIRLINE TRAVEL AND BY THE
WAY, THE CONSOLIDATION OF
OWNERSHIP IN THE AIRLINE
INDUSTRY IS SOMETHING THAT I
THINK WOULD BE A VERY USEFUL
EFFORT.
>> SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS OF

Bernie Sanders State of the Union interview

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