MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript

Interview

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The question is, will the Democrats recognize that the tide`s coming in on a possible sea change in America? Can they keep the momentum going? Joining me now is senator Bernie Sanders, Independent from Vermont. Senator, great to have you with us tonight.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS, (I) VERMONT: Good to be with you.

SCHULTZ: Look, we`ve got different pockets of the country with some crucial issues, Traditional conservative values that were voted down huge. What`s it say to the Democrats?

SANDERS: Well, I`ll tell you, Ed, in my view, what happened in Ohio last night was the most significant political victory for working class America that I have seen in many, many years. If I were Republican, I
would be extremely nervous.

What did last night say? It said that when the working class and the middle class stand together and fight for their economic rights, you know what, there`s no stopping them. That is the vast majority of the American people, and they will win every single time.

So the Republicans are nervous. The question is whether Democrats snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. The issue here is if you stand on issues that ordinary people feel strongly about, you can win and do the right thing for public policy. Some examples. Democrats need to be loud and clear to the American people we will not cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. And you know what overwhelming numbers of people will say? Thank you, Democratic Party.

SCHULTZ: You look at the polls going into last night`s Senate Bill five. Issue two, they wanted a no vote. The polling was very clear. That`s the way it turned out, over 60 percent. The polls are showing to
the super committee, don`t mess with Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security. The question is, are they going to get the message? But to the Democrats, it seems to me in 2012 you stand with workers, you can`t lose. Do they get it?

SANDERS: I wish I could tell you that they do. Some certainly do. We got some great senators there who understand it, who are fighting the right fights. On the other hand, there are people who are tone deaf and
there are people who are more interested in corporate donations than in the needs of working --

SCHULTZ: But if you look at the party platform of the Democrats, that`s what they were voting on last night in many of these states.

SANDERS: You go it, Ed. Look, if the Democrats say, do nothing more, in my view, than what the American people want. What do they say? They don`t want cuts in Social Security, they don`t want cuts in Medicare. What else do they want? They want to move us towards a balanced budget with a deficit reduction by what? Asking the wealthiest people in this country to start paying their fair share in taxes, and all these outrageous loopholes, take a hard look at military spending. Maybe if the Democrats do what the
American people want, they can win. And not only win, they can win very big.

SCHULTZ: Listen to what Governor John Kasich in Ohio had to say last night after defeat.

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GOV. JOHN KASICH, (R) OHIO: The people have spoken clearly. You don`t ignore the public. I also have an obligation to lead. I`ve been leading since the day I took this office, and I`ll continue to do that. But part of leading is to listening and hearing what people have to say to you.

SCHULTZ: "Don`t ignore the people." That`s exactly what the Republicans have been doing. They`ve been on the wrong side of every survey that`s been out there. Do you think this would possibly change some
heads in Washington, some thinking on the Republican side?

SANDERS: I hope so, and in fact, I think that may very well happen. As you`ve just indicated, every single poll out there shows that the Republican leadership is literally a fringe group. They are way out of touch with the American people. You go out and you ask people, gee, do you think we should give tax breaks to billionaires and cut Social Security? What do you think, 10, 15 percent?

So the Democrats have got to stand up, be very clear for a change, about what they believe. And that is, they`re prepared to stand with working families, take on big money.

SCHULTZ: And this gives President Obama, I think, a roadmap to victory in 2012. You agree with that?

SANDERS: Absolutely.

SCHULTZ: I think it does. Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, great to have you with us. You are the best.

SANDERS: Thank you.

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