Bernie Sanders full interview

GRINER SUSTAINED A GUNSHOT WOUND
TO THE ANKLE BUT IS IN GOOD
CONDITION.
I'M JOINED BY SENATOR BERNIE
SANDERS OF VERMONT.
THANKS FOR JOINING US AND HAPPY
FATHER'S DAY.
THIS WEEK'S HORRIBLE SHOOTING
YOU SAID ON THE SENATE FLOOR
SOMEONE WHO APPARENTLY
VOLUNTEERED FOR YOUR CAMPAIGN.
HAS LAW ENFORCEMENT BEEN IN
TOUCH WITH YOU OR ANY MEMBERS OF
YOUR STAFF TO RYE TO FIND OUT
MORE ABOUT HIM?
>> NOT IN TOUCH WITH ME.
I AM NOT AWARE THEY HAVE IN
TOUCH WITH MY STAFF, AND I JUST
WANT TO WISH REPRESENTATIVE
SCALISE A VERY, VERY QUICK
RECOVERY.
WHAT HAPPENED WAS A TRAGEDY,
UNACCEPTABLE.
THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY VIOLENCE
ASSOCIATED WITH POLITICS IN
AMERICA.
>> ON A HUMAN LEVEL, WHAT WAS IT
LIKE FOR YOU, WHEN YOU HEARD THE
SHOOTER WAS ONE OF YOUR
SUPPORTERS?
DID YOU LOOK AT HIS FACEBOOK
PAGE?
WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION?
>> WELL, LET ME JUST SAY THIS.
IN OUR CAMPAIGN, WE HAD HUNDREDS
OF THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEERS.
WE HAD RALLIES THAT SPOKE IN
PERSON TO OVER 1.4 MILLION
PEOPLE.
WE HAD RALLIES IN SOME OF THE
POOREST COMMUNITIES OF STATES.
I REMEMBER IN THE SOUTH BRONX,
THERE WAS ZERO VIOLENCE, NO
VIOLENCE AT ALL AND I AM
ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED THE
OVERWHELMING, NOT OVERWHELMING,
VIRTUALLY ALL PEOPLE ASSOCIATED
WITH OUR POLITICAL MOVEMENT
UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO
STAND UHM, DEBATE AND PROTEST
BUT VIOLENCE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE
SO OBVIOUSLY IT WAS DISTRESSING
TO FIND OUT THAT THIS PARTICULAR
PERSON HAD BEEN A VOLUNTEER I
BELIEVE IN IOWA FOR A PERIOD OF
TIME.
>> I WANT TO READ YOU A TWEET
FROM A DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL
CONSULTANT NAMED JAMES DEVINE
FROM NEW JERSEY "WE ARE IN A WAR
WITH SELFISH, FOOLISH AND
NARCISSISTIC RICH PEOPLE.
WHY IS IT A SHOCK WHEN THINGS
TURN VIOLENT?
#HUNTREPUBLICANCONGRESSMAN."
HE SAID IF YOU WANT TO INVITE A
CLASS WAR YOU HAVE TO EXPECT
PEOPLE TO FIGHT BACK AT SOME
POINT."
SENATOR YOU HAVE NOT ONLY NEVER
ADVOCATED VIOLENCE YOU CONDEMNED
IT REPEATEDLY BUT YOU HAVE BEEN
SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE OF
REVOLUTION FOR MANY YEARS.
WHEN YOU SIGH' COMMENT LIKE THIS
FROM THIS POLITICAL CONSULTANT
AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED WEDNESDAY,
ARE YOU CONCERNED SOME
INDIVIDUALS ARE ABLE TO TAKE
YOUR RHETORIC AS A LITERAL CALL
TO ARMS?
>> WELL, I THINK THERE'S
SOMETIMES RHETORIC ON ALL SIDES
THAT ARE NOT QUITE ACCEPTABLE.
JAKE, MY HERO POLITICAL HERO IN
RECENT AMERICAN HISTOI HAVE DR.
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., AND KING
NOT ONLY ADVOCATED NONVIOLENCE,
WHAT HE UNDERSTOOD IS THAT THE
ONLY WAY YOU MAKE REAL CHANGE,
WHETHER IT IS RACIAL JUSTICE,
WHETHER IT IS SOCIAL SUCCESS,
ECONOMIC JUSTICE, IS WHEN
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE COME
TOGETHER, STAND UP AND FIGHT
BACK.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO RIGHT
NOW.
BUT WE DON'T DO IT IN A VIOLENT
WAY, THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE, AND
IN FACT COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE.
NOW, RIGHT NOW WHAT WE ARE
SEEING IN WASHINGTON WITH THIS
HEALTH CARE BILL, WHERE THE
REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP WANTS TO
THROW 23 MILLION AMERICANS OFF
OF HEALTH INSURANCE, RAISE
PREMIUMS FOR OLDER WORKERS,
DEFUND PLANNED PARENTHOOD, CUT
MEDICAID BY OVER $800 BILLION,
THIS IS THE WORST PIECE OF
LEGISLATION TO HAVE PASSED THE
CONGRESS SINCE I HAVE BEEN IN
CONGRESS.
IT IS AN OUTRAGE AND IT HAS TO
BE PROTESTED, AND WE HAVE TO
MAKE SURE THAT NOTHING LIKE THAT
GETS PAST THE SENATE.
BUT IT HAS TO BE DONE OF COURSE
IN A NONVIOLENT WAY.
AND I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT THE
TRUMP BUDGET THAT WAS PRESENTED
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WOULD
PROVIDE $3 TRILLION IN TAX
BREAKS TO THE TOP 1% AT A TIME
WHEN WE HAVE MASSIVE LEVELS OF
INCOME AND WEALTH INEQUALITY AND
MAKE MASSIVE CUTS FOR WORKING
CLASS FAMILIES IN TERMS OF
HEALTH CARE, NUTRITION,
EDUCATION, AND WHATNOT.
SO I THINK THIS IS A MOMENT
WHERE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE
GOT TO STAND UP, FIGHT BACK TO A
CONGRESS WHICH IS OUT OF TOUCH
WITH WHERE WORKING FAMILIES ARE,
BUT IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT
VIOLENCE IS NOT PART OF THAT
PROCESS.
>> A SOURCE TELLING CNN THAT
SENATE DEMOCRATS ARE CURRENTLY
WEIGHING WHETHER TO BRING THE
SENATE CHAMBERS BUSINESS TO A
HALT IN AN EFFORT TO PRY OPEN
WHAT ARE CURRENTLY SECRET
DELIBERATIONS ON HEALTH CARE.
YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE DEMOCRAT
SENATE LEADERSHIP.
CAN YOU CONFIRM WHETHER THIS IS
GOING TO HAPPEN?
>> JAKE, I THINK THAT THE
DEMOCRATS OF THE CONGRESS CAN DO
EVERYTHING POSSIBLE, A, TO
DEFEAT THAT LEGISLATION, WHICH
IS, AGAIN, TO MY MIND
UNSPEAKABLE.
HOW DO YOU THROW 23 MILLION
PEOPLE OFF OF HEALTH INSURANCE
AND THE SAME PIECE OF
LEGISLATION GIVE TAX BREAKS TO
THE WEALTHIEST FOLKS IN THIS
COUNTRY?
THAT HAS GOT TO BE DEFEATED BUT
SECOND OF ALL AS YOU INDICATED
WE HAVE AN INSANE PROCESS,
INSANE.
HERE YOU HAVE LEGISLATION WHICH
DEALS WITH ONE-SIXTH OF THE
AMERICAN ECONOMY, THAT'S THE
HEALTH CARE SITUATION, AND THERE
ARE REPUBLICANS WHO HAVEN'T EVEN
SEEN THIS LEGISLATION, AND
CERTAINLY NO MEMBER IN THE
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS HAS.
WHAT KIND OF PROCESS IS IT THAT
WHEN YOU DEAL WITH AN ISSUE THAT
IMPACTS TENS OF MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY,
REPUBLICANS DON'T EVEN HAVE THE
GUTS TO ALLOW IT TO GO TO A
COMMITTEE, WHERE WE CAN HAVE AN
OPEN HEARING, WHERE QUESTIONS
COULD BE ASKED.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WHAT THEY
WANT TO DO, BECAUSE THIS
LEGISLATION IS SO BAD, IS KEEP
IT SECRET, KEEP IT HIDDEN, AND
IN THE LAST POSSIBLE SECOND RUSH
IT BEFORE THE SENATE AND GET A
VOTE WITHIN A FEW HOURS.
THAT IS BEYOND BELIEF.
>> I'LL TAKE THAT, UNLESS YOU
DISAGREE, AS A CONFIRMATION THAT
SENATE DEMOCRATS, YOU'RE IN
FAVOR OF SENATE DEMOCRATS
BRINGING THE CHAMBERS BUSINESS
TO A HALT TO PRY OPEN --
>> I AM IN FAVOR OF THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE AND MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO
DEFEAT THAT HORRIFIC PIECE OF
LEGISLATION THAT WILL HURT TENS
AND TENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
IN OUR COUNTRY.
>> I WANT TO ASK YOU, LAST WEEK
YOU CLASHED WITH RUSSELL VOTE
PRESIDENT TRUMP'S NOMINEE FOR
THE DEPUTY OF OFFICE AND
MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET YOU WANT
AFTER HIM FOR WRITING MUSLIMS
"DO NOT KNOW GOD" AND THAT "THEY
STAND CONDEMNED."
>> IT IS INDEFENSIBLE, HATEFUL,
ISLAMAPHOBIC AND INSULT TO OVER
A BILLION MUSLIMS THROUGHOUT THE
WORLD.
>> SENATOR, ARE YOU SAYING
SOMEONE IS NECESSARILY HATEFUL
AND ISLAMAPHOBIC IF THEY BELIEVE
IN THEIR PRIVATE LIFE AND
EXPRESS THE ONLY PATH TO GOD IS
THROUGH JESUS CHRIST?
>> NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
LOOK, WHAT OUR CONSTITUTION, ONE
OF THE GREAT PARTS OF OUR
CONSTITUTION IS TO PROTECT
FREEDOM OF RELIGION.
YOU PRACTICE WHAT RELIGION YOU
WANT, I DO, MR. VOTE DOES,
THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT, BUT AT A
TIME WHEN WE ARE DEALING WITH
ISLAMAPHOBIA IN THIS COUNTRY,
1.2 BILLION PEOPLE WHO ARE
MUSLIMS AROUND THE WORLD, TO
HAVE A HIGH-RANKING MEMBER OF
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
ESSENTIALLY SAY OH, ISLAM IS A
SECOND CLASS RELIGION, AND THIS
ALL TOOK PLACE, BY THE WAY, IN
TERMS OF HIS DEFENDING THE
FIRING OF A PROFESSOR AT WHEATON
COLLEGE BECAUSE SHE SHOWED
SOLIDARITY WITH MUSLIMS WHO WERE
BEING ATTACKED THROUGH AN
ANTI-MUSLIM EFFORT.
SO THAT SEEMED TO ME
UNACCEPTABLE, AS A GOVERNMENT
OFFICIAL.
IN TERMS OF HIS FREEDOM OF
RELIGION, HE AND EVERY OTHER
AMERICAN HAS THE RIGHT TO HOLD
ANY POINT OF VIEW THEY WANT.
>> LET'S TURN TO THE SPECIAL
ELECTION TAKING PLACE TUESDAY IN
GEORGIA.
JON OSSOFF OPPOSES HIGHER TAXES
ON ANYONE, OPPOSES SINGLE HEALTH
CARE.
YOU VOICED DOUBTS WHETHER OSSOFF
IS A PROGRESSIVE.
ARE YOU NONETHELESS BACKING HIM
EVEN THOUGH HE DISAGREES WITH
MOST OF YOUR PRINCIPLES?
>> I VERY MUCH WANT OSSOFF TO
W
W
WIN, HIS VIEWS ARE A LOT BETTER
THAN THE REPUBLICANS.
IT WOULD BE GREAT FROM DEMOCRATS
COULD HOOK UP A SEAT IN THE
HOUSE.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT IS A
PARTICULAR DISTRICT IN GEORGIA,
A CONSERVATIVE DISTRICT HELD BY
REPUBLICANS FOR SEVERAL DECADES
BUT WHAT I ALSO BELIEVE IS IF
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS GOING TO
TURN AROUND ITS FORTUNE, IT'S
GOING TO HAVE TO MOBILIZE PEOPLE
AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL IN 50
STATES IN THIS COUNTRY.
IT NEEDS A PROGRESSIVE AGENDA,
TO SAY THAT WE HAVE TO RAISE THE
MINIMUM WAGE TO A LIVING WAGE,
THAT WE HAVE TO JOIN THE REST OF
THE INDUSTRIALIZED WORLD, AND
GUARANTEE HEALTH CARE TO ALL
PEOPLE AS A RIGHT TO MEDICARE
FOR ALL SINGLE PAYOR PROGRAM WE
HAVE TO DEAL IN A FUNDAMENTAL
WAY WITH CLIMATE CHANGE,
TRANSFORM OUR ENERGY SYSTEM AWAY
FROM FOSSIL FUEL, PAY EQUITY FOR
WOMEN.
I THINK IF THE DEMOCRATS ARE
GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL, THEY
NEED A STRONG PROGRESSIVE AGENDA
THAT GETS WORKING PEOPLE AND
YOUNG PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE
POLITICAL PROCESS.
>> ALL RIGHT,

Bernie Sanders full interview

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