1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:04,500 JUDY WOODRUFF: This week, the Democratic primary election took a momentous turn, as Senator 2 00:00:04,500 --> 00:00:09,100 Bernie Sanders announced he is suspending his presidential campaign. 3 00:00:09,100 --> 00:00:11,966 The senator from Vermont joins me now. 4 00:00:11,966 --> 00:00:14,033 Welcome to the "NewsHour." 5 00:00:14,033 --> 00:00:17,900 Senator, you said on Wednesday, when you made the announcement, you were doing this in part 6 00:00:17,900 --> 00:00:22,900 because of the pandemic, and, as you said, it would be difficult to continue under the 7 00:00:23,766 --> 00:00:25,766 circumstances. 8 00:00:25,766 --> 00:00:29,766 Today, you announced a proposal to guarantee health care during this period. Who is this 9 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:33,500 aimed at? 10 00:00:33,500 --> 00:00:36,566 SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): Well, it's aimed at the tens of millions of workers who are 11 00:00:36,566 --> 00:00:38,666 losing their jobs, Judy. 12 00:00:38,666 --> 00:00:43,633 And when you lose your job, you lose your health care. So, on top of 87 million people 13 00:00:45,533 --> 00:00:49,800 who were uninsured and underinsured before the crisis, you got tens of millions more 14 00:00:51,233 --> 00:00:53,233 who are not going to have any health insurance. 15 00:00:53,233 --> 00:00:56,733 And it's my view that, in the midst of this terrible, terrible crisis, when people have 16 00:00:58,766 --> 00:01:01,800 so much to worry about, the least we can do is to say to all of those people, you know 17 00:01:03,833 --> 00:01:07,533 what? You go to the doctor when you're sick. Don't worry about the health care bills. Medicare 18 00:01:07,533 --> 00:01:12,533 will fill in all the gaps and cover those people who are uninsured or underinsured today. 19 00:01:14,466 --> 00:01:16,433 JUDY WOODRUFF: And do you have support for this among Democratic colleagues? 20 00:01:16,433 --> 00:01:18,466 SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Yes, we do. 21 00:01:18,466 --> 00:01:21,933 There's support in the House, and I think you're going to see growing support in the 22 00:01:21,933 --> 00:01:26,933 Senate. And I think that the cost is reasonable. It will be about $150 billion over four months, 23 00:01:30,100 --> 00:01:34,033 which, given everything that we're dealing with, is not a lot of money. 24 00:01:34,033 --> 00:01:39,033 But to say to every American that, don't worry about the costs of health care, you're not 25 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,533 going to have to pay it out of your own pocket, you're not going to have to pay for prescription 26 00:01:44,533 --> 00:01:49,500 drugs, I think that will take a huge burden off the shoulders of so many of our people, 27 00:01:50,966 --> 00:01:52,466 and that is the very least that we should be doing right now. 28 00:01:52,466 --> 00:01:54,933 JUDY WOODRUFF: Senator, let's talk about this election. 29 00:01:54,933 --> 00:01:59,900 What, after 15 months of pour-your-heart-out campaigning, and this after you spent, what, 30 00:02:01,933 --> 00:02:06,733 years campaigning in 2016, you had to make this announcement that you didn't want to 31 00:02:08,166 --> 00:02:10,600 make. This is not where you wanted this to end up. 32 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:13,566 But, as you look back, what went right and what went wrong? 33 00:02:13,566 --> 00:02:18,566 SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Well, look, I think that what went right is that, for all intents and 34 00:02:20,266 --> 00:02:25,266 purposes, Judy, I think we have won the ideological battle. 35 00:02:27,166 --> 00:02:30,366 I think ideas that I fought for four or five years ago which everybody considered to be 36 00:02:32,366 --> 00:02:36,200 radical and extreme are now part of the mainstream discussion. And, in fact, many of them are 37 00:02:38,133 --> 00:02:41,300 being implemented across the country, raising the minimum wage to 15 bucks an hour, making 38 00:02:43,266 --> 00:02:46,300 public colleges and universities tuition-free, forgiving student debt, guaranteeing health 39 00:02:48,266 --> 00:02:51,833 care to all people as a human right, focusing on climate change as an existential threat, 40 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:55,933 immigration reform, criminal justice reform. 41 00:02:55,933 --> 00:03:00,900 Many of the ideas that we brought forth which were initially rejected are now moving forward. 42 00:03:02,366 --> 00:03:05,666 And I think that is the best thing that we have accomplished. 43 00:03:05,666 --> 00:03:10,666 Furthermore, we have won the generational struggle. We did very poorly -- and I don't 44 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:16,200 know why, to tell you the truth -- with older people, but we have done phenomenally well 45 00:03:17,733 --> 00:03:21,433 with younger people. And by that, I mean people 45, 50 or younger. 46 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:26,700 And the truth is, that is the future of America. So, the ideas that we have fought for are 47 00:03:28,633 --> 00:03:32,066 gaining momentum among younger people and will be the policies that guide America in 48 00:03:33,466 --> 00:03:35,500 the future. 49 00:03:35,500 --> 00:03:37,033 JUDY WOODRUFF: Senator, I think that -- I was just going to say, I think the numbers 50 00:03:37,033 --> 00:03:41,566 show you didn't do as well with young people as you had in 2016. 51 00:03:41,566 --> 00:03:46,333 But what I want to ask you about is, you are supporting -- at least you acknowledge Joe 52 00:03:46,333 --> 00:03:51,300 Biden will be the nominee, and yet you're going to compete against him in the primaries 53 00:03:51,300 --> 00:03:53,800 to come. What is the value of that? 54 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:57,300 SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: No, we're not competing against -- we don't -- there's no active campaigning. 55 00:03:57,300 --> 00:04:02,266 There's nothing to compete about. Joe Biden will, everything being equal, be the nominee. 56 00:04:04,233 --> 00:04:08,433 But I think our -- my name will be on the ballot. That's the way it is in all of the 57 00:04:08,433 --> 00:04:13,433 remaining states that hold primaries. We would like to get as many delegates as we can, so 58 00:04:15,466 --> 00:04:19,900 that we have a stronger position at the Democratic Convention to help us shape the new platform 59 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:27,800 of the Democratic Party and the other issues that the DNC deals with. 60 00:04:29,733 --> 00:04:32,300 JUDY WOODRUFF: You say you want to shape the platform, and yet, I think, it appears, from 61 00:04:32,300 --> 00:04:37,200 the many last conventions, it's what the nominee wants that ultimately matters. 62 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:42,200 And, right now, Joe Biden has moved in your direction. He's talked about lowering the 63 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:47,666 age for Medicare eligibility to 60. He's talked about making free college tuition more available. 64 00:04:50,333 --> 00:04:55,333 But, at the same time, he has not endorsed Medicare for all. Senator Sherrod Brown, liberal 65 00:04:57,366 --> 00:05:00,300 Democrat, was on the show two nights ago, said he doesn't think that Joe Biden is going 66 00:05:00,300 --> 00:05:03,566 to do that. Is that sufficient for you? 67 00:05:03,566 --> 00:05:08,566 SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Well, look, Judy, what I said on the very first day that I began 68 00:05:10,533 --> 00:05:13,966 my campaign, I said that, if I lose, I will be there to support the Democratic winner, 69 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:21,000 the nominee, the person who wins the nomination, because I think that Donald Trump is the most 70 00:05:22,366 --> 00:05:24,533 dangerous president in the modern history of this country. 71 00:05:24,533 --> 00:05:28,500 And we all have got to rally around the winner to defeat Trump. And that's certainly what 72 00:05:28,500 --> 00:05:33,500 I will do. But I hope, in the coming weeks and months, I will be working and my staff 73 00:05:35,466 --> 00:05:39,666 will be working with Joe Biden and his team in making the point that, if Joe is going 74 00:05:41,733 --> 00:05:46,733 to do well against Trump and is going to defeat Trump, then he is going to have to reach out 75 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:53,533 effectively to a whole lot of people where he has not had the kind of support that he 76 00:05:53,533 --> 00:05:55,600 needs. 77 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:59,533 And that's lower-income people. That is younger people. And he's going to have to give those 78 00:06:01,666 --> 00:06:04,566 people the understanding that he hears them and he's moving to respond to their concerns. 79 00:06:06,500 --> 00:06:11,200 And that deals with climate change. It deals with making public colleges and universities 80 00:06:11,833 --> 00:06:13,900 tuition-free. 81 00:06:13,900 --> 00:06:17,366 In my view, it deals with -- you're right. He is not going to support Medicare for all, 82 00:06:17,366 --> 00:06:22,366 but I think there is a significant path forward for him to make sure that, when so many people 83 00:06:24,300 --> 00:06:28,666 are losing their private insurance, that the federal government will be there for them 84 00:06:28,666 --> 00:06:30,733 to cover their health care needs. 85 00:06:30,733 --> 00:06:35,066 JUDY WOODRUFF: You have said that you campaigned enthusiastically for Hillary Clinton four 86 00:06:37,033 --> 00:06:40,133 years ago. Will you do exactly the same for Joe Biden? Will you be more enthusiastic? 87 00:06:42,100 --> 00:06:45,500 Because, as you know, many Democrats look back and say they wished you had done more. 88 00:06:45,500 --> 00:06:50,466 SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Well, many Democrats opposed me from the Democratic establishment 89 00:06:50,466 --> 00:06:52,500 from day one. 90 00:06:52,500 --> 00:06:56,866 All I can tell you is, in 2016, I worked as hard as I could to see that Trump was defeated 91 00:06:58,066 --> 00:06:59,133 and Clinton was elected. 92 00:06:59,133 --> 00:07:00,466 (CROSSTALK) 93 00:07:00,466 --> 00:07:02,500 JUDY WOODRUFF: And will this year be different? 94 00:07:02,500 --> 00:07:06,133 SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Well, this year, I will work as hard as I can to make that sure Donald 95 00:07:07,533 --> 00:07:10,200 Trump is not reelected and that Joe Biden becomes president. 96 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:15,200 But I hope, in the interval here, what we have got to do is to -- is -- and I think 97 00:07:17,266 --> 00:07:20,566 Joe Biden is a -- not only is he a decent guy. He is a good politician. And he understands 98 00:07:22,533 --> 00:07:25,166 that, for him to win, to get the votes that he needs, he's going to have to listen to 99 00:07:25,166 --> 00:07:30,033 and respond to the needs of a whole lot of people who have not been overly enthusiastic 100 00:07:30,033 --> 00:07:31,833 about his campaign up to now. 101 00:07:31,833 --> 00:07:36,233 JUDY WOODRUFF: But you are saying you will be enthusiastically supporting him. 102 00:07:36,233 --> 00:07:40,366 A key decision that he's going to have to make, of course, is for vice president. He 103 00:07:40,366 --> 00:07:45,366 has said he will choose a woman. Let me ask you how your supporters would view it if he 104 00:07:46,300 --> 00:07:48,400 chose Elizabeth Warren? 105 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:52,766 SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Well, I think -- I can't speak for all of my supporters. 106 00:07:55,233 --> 00:07:58,200 All I can say is that I think the more progressive the vice presidential candidate that he nominated, 107 00:08:03,866 --> 00:08:08,866 the better it would be in terms of the kind of response that our supporters would provide 108 00:08:10,566 --> 00:08:11,833 him. 109 00:08:11,833 --> 00:08:13,066 JUDY WOODRUFF: So, if it were Amy Klobuchar? 110 00:08:13,066 --> 00:08:15,000 SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: I can't speculate on that. 111 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:17,100 JUDY WOODRUFF: Or Kamala... 112 00:08:17,100 --> 00:08:21,066 SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: You know, Joe is going to have to make that decision himself. I have 113 00:08:22,666 --> 00:08:24,600 not been involved in that discussion. We will see what he does. 114 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:29,300 JUDY WOODRUFF: Republicans, Senator, this week in Wisconsin, as you know, took steps 115 00:08:31,266 --> 00:08:35,033 to prevent measures that would have made it easier for people to vote, to either delay 116 00:08:36,700 --> 00:08:41,700 the election or to make it -- mail-in ballots possible. 117 00:08:43,700 --> 00:08:46,033 That view is also held by Republicans at the national level. How concerned are you right 118 00:08:46,033 --> 00:08:51,033 now about November and access to ballots, access to voting for Americans across the 119 00:08:54,433 --> 00:08:56,500 board? 120 00:08:56,500 --> 00:08:59,933 SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Judy, I will tell you I don't know that I have ever, within a political 121 00:08:59,933 --> 00:09:04,933 context, seen anything as ugly as the role that the Republicans in the legislature in 122 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:11,733 Wisconsin and their Supreme Court played in terms of this primary. 123 00:09:11,733 --> 00:09:16,733 What they essentially said to people is, you're going to have to put your life on the line 124 00:09:18,233 --> 00:09:20,433 in order to cast a ballot. 125 00:09:20,433 --> 00:09:25,433 And that is just unbelievably disgraceful. And that is not what we can allow to happen 126 00:09:27,433 --> 00:09:30,766 in future elections. So, it is a very, very high priority for me, and I think for many 127 00:09:32,766 --> 00:09:36,166 other Democrats, as we go forward on the new piece of legislation -- and I have got a lot 128 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:41,133 of ideas on that one -- but certainly one of the highest priorities must be to make 129 00:09:41,133 --> 00:09:46,133 sure that every American in this country is able to vote through a paper ballot in November. 130 00:09:48,133 --> 00:09:51,833 And the Republicans, I must say, have been pretty clear. They understand that, if there 131 00:09:51,833 --> 00:09:55,800 is a large voter turnout, they are not going to do so well. And they're fighting us. But 132 00:09:55,800 --> 00:10:00,200 I hope their respect for our Constitution, for our democracy will prevail. 133 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:05,200 And they will understand that people shouldn't have to die or get sick in order to cast a 134 00:10:05,766 --> 00:10:06,766 ballot. 135 00:10:06,766 --> 00:10:08,766 JUDY WOODRUFF: Very quickly... 136 00:10:08,766 --> 00:10:10,766 SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: I should also tell you - - I should also tell you that, in terms of 137 00:10:10,766 --> 00:10:14,566 the new legislation, we're working very hard, not only to make sure all people have health 138 00:10:14,566 --> 00:10:17,933 care, but that people will continue to get their paychecks. 139 00:10:17,933 --> 00:10:22,933 I think that is the easiest, most efficient way to get us out of this economic disaster 140 00:10:24,833 --> 00:10:29,466 that we're in right now. Just making sure that every American continues to receive his 141 00:10:29,466 --> 00:10:34,466 or her paycheck will go a long way to allowing Americans to have a decent standard of living, 142 00:10:35,366 --> 00:10:36,533 so long as we're in this crisis. 143 00:10:36,533 --> 00:10:38,600 JUDY WOODRUFF: Final question. 144 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:43,000 And quickly, Senator, who leads the progressive movement that Bernie Sanders started next? 145 00:10:44,133 --> 00:10:46,266 Who are the next leaders of your movement? 146 00:10:46,266 --> 00:10:51,200 SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: You're asking me to speculate. I'm not much into speculation. 147 00:10:53,266 --> 00:10:56,466 But what I will say is, right now, literally, as we speak, I have been on the phone with 148 00:10:58,533 --> 00:11:01,833 progressives all across this country figuring out the best way that we can keep our kind 149 00:11:03,300 --> 00:11:06,600 of unprecedented grassroots movement strong and growing. 150 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:11,600 So, we are a strong movement. And history will determine what happens in the future. 151 00:11:13,033 --> 00:11:15,233 But, right now, we are working hard to build that movement. 152 00:11:15,233 --> 00:11:19,366 JUDY WOODRUFF: Senator Bernie Sanders, joining us tonight from Vermont, Senator, thank you 153 00:11:19,366 --> 00:11:20,566 very much. 154 00:11:20,566 --> 00:11:21,566 SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Thank you, Judy.