CNN "Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees" - Transcript: Interview with Senator Bernie Sanders
Interview
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COOPER: John King, appreciate it. We're going to check back in with you shortly. Just prior this time, I spoke with former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, Independent senator from Vermont.
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COOPER: Senator Sanders, how are you feeling about where the Biden- Harris campaign is right now and also the chances of Democrats taking the Senate?
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): I'm not one who speculates on elections, Anderson. I am cautiously optimistic. And all that I can say is that I and everybody -- everybody I know is going to be working as hard as we can for the next five days to make sure that Biden wins.
This is the most important election not only in our lifetimes, but in the modern history of this country. And I will do everything I can to see that Trump is defeated.
COOPER: In 2016, Hillary Clinton was ahead in many of the same states that Biden is according to polls ahead in, and obviously didn't get the electoral votes. Do you see a difference this time in the kind of support that Biden has?
SANDERS: I think so. I mean, the difference is that after four years, people now know Donald Trump, and they know his record. And you look at states like Wisconsin or Michigan, these are people -- these are states that are now dealing with this terrible pandemic and people understand that you have a President who has rejected science, a President who tells them on TV tonight, that we are effective, we are defeating the pandemic, and they are seeing it surging in their state.
So I think people have a sense of who Trump is, his anti-science attitude. I think people, Anderson, are sick and tired, really, of his lying every single day. They are concerned about his threats to the foundations of American democracy. They are upset and tired of his racism and his sexism and his xenophobia.
So, you know, I think it is a different circumstance. And I think, Biden, while I am not overly confident, you know, I'm going to work as hard as I can, I think Biden stands a very good chance of winning.
COOPER: You know, it's also interesting that the President is doing these -- you know, still doing these large rallies, getting people together, no social distancing. You know, the only people told really to wear masks are the people standing behind him who are seen on television.
You know, everybody else who is standing in front of him, most of them are aren't wearing masks. I don't understand why he would do this. I mean, I know it makes him feel good to like perform in front of a large audience and maybe feel that he has momentum.
But to me, it seems like anybody looking at this would see this as emblematic of the recklessness that this administration has had toward this entire pandemic.
SANDERS: You know, Anderson, you're talking to a guy who loves rallies. I'm a big rally guy myself. But I think we have held my campaign, some of the largest rallies of this entire election cycle. And so I understand why Trump, you know, wants to do it. It's fun to be talking to thousands of people and senior supporters out there.
But your point is very well taken. I mean, while it may be exciting for him to be with his supporters, people are turning on the television and they are saying, "My God, this pandemic is surging all across this country." We've lost over 225,000 people already. Hospitals are being filled to capacity and the President of the United States is doing exactly the opposite of what doctors and scientists are telling us we have to do. They say we've got to wear a mask. Many of his supporters are not
wearing masks. They say we have to social distance. These people are packed together. So I'll think, while it is exhilarating, I'm sure for the President and his supporters to do these rallies, I'm not sure for the folks back home who are watching them, they are saying is this really this anti-science leadership, the kind of leadership that we want to continue in the White House? I think in many respects, these rallies may be backfiring.
You know, I know it's easy for Trump to make fun of Biden's events. I myself was in Michigan and Pennsylvania and we talked to automobiles. You know what? It's not at all that exhilarating to be talking to cars because you can't see their expressions. And the honks are not cheers.
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SANDERS: But we do that because --
COOPER: And I know you hear those car rallies and people are honking. The first time I heard it, I was like, God, why is everyone honking? And I realized, oh, that's how you do it in a rally.
SANDERS: Frankly, it's a very weird -- you know, I've done a million rallies. It's a very weird experience.
COOPER: Do you pause for the honks or do you just motor right through them?
SANDERS: It's a new experience, we are working our way through that, I can tell you. But you know, I think the people understand that we all have a responsibility as elected officials, as ordinary people, to do the best that we can not to spread this terrible virus.
And you've got a President who is doing exactly the opposite by view of what he shouldn't be doing. And you can make fun of Biden, and you can make fun of me, but I think we're doing the right thing and I think people appreciate that.
COOPER: Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently stressed the importance in her view of getting progressives into key Cabinet positions in a potential Biden administration if there is one. Would you be open to a Cabinet position, obviously, Labor Secretary has been talked about?
SANDERS: Well, I don't want to, you know, speculate too much. Again, the next five days, what I want to do is see Biden becomes the President. But this is what I do believe, Anderson.
The political world in America has changed and the Democratic Party has changed. And that is, we now have a very potent and growing progressive movement in this country of many, many, many millions of people. And the progressive movement, no matter who the names may be, the progressive movement deserves a seat at the table of the Biden administration.
We deserve Cabinet appointments. We deserve to have strong progressives filling important posts, so whether it's me or anybody else, Alexandria is absolutely right. The progressive movement now has earned its stripes. It deserves representation in a Biden administration.
COOPER: Senator Bernie Sanders, I appreciate your time. Thank you.
SANDERS: Thank you.
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