Transcript: Thom Hartmann: "Brunch With Bernie" - Bernie Sanders Would Consider Running for President - 15 November '13
By SueN
Thom Hartmann: Todd, in Aurora, Colorado, watching in Roku. Hey, Todd.
Todd: On Roku, yes. Bernie, I was wondering when you might be running for president and, or, if you're not, when we can expect to see a real progressive running for president?
Bernie Sanders: Well, Todd, thank you very much. That question is kind of asked of me quite a bit.
Thom Hartmann: About once a week.
Bernie Sanders: Well, more that that, I would say. But ...
Thom Hartmann: Yeah, on this program.
Bernie Sanders: This is what I have said, Todd. I think the issues that we talk about on this show: the issues of the collapsing middle class; the growth in income and wealth inequality; the fact that we're the only nation on Earth - major country on Earth - without a national healthcare system; the fact that, as we just talked about a moment ago, that unemployment is so high and creating jobs should be the major priority of our government; the fact that we have the highest rate of childhood poverty in the industrialized world; the fact that Wall Street has so much wealth and so much power; the fact that we are living under the Citizens United disastrous decision which allows the Koch brothers and others to pour huge amounts of money into politics.
All of those issues need to be debated and they need to be discussed and they need to be dealt with. And you know what? On virtually all of these issues the American people agree with us. They want to protect Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid and so forth and so on.
They want to create jobs. They want the wealthy to start paying their fair share.
So what I have said, Todd, in response to this question about running for president is, somebody has got to get out there and start raising those issues, start organizing people, and start educating. I think there are a number of people who have the capability of doing that. It is three years until the presidential election and I think somebody will come forward.
But, will I give some consideration to doing that if other people don't come forward? The answer is, I will.
Because somebody has got to raise these issues. We can't go through a presidential election where the needs of the working families of this country are not being discussed.
So, we've got a long way to go on that but that's my response.
Thom Hartmann: I would love to see you run for president Bernie, it's just, wow!
Transcribed by Sue Nethercott.
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