WEBVTT 00:02.000 --> 00:04.500 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: This week, the Democratic primary election took a momentous turn, as Senator 00:04.500 --> 00:09.100 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% Bernie Sanders announced he is suspending his presidential campaign. 00:09.100 --> 00:11.966 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% The senator from Vermont joins me now. 00:11.966 --> 00:14.033 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% Welcome to the "NewsHour." 00:14.033 --> 00:17.900 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Senator, you said on Wednesday, when you made the announcement, you were doing this in part 00:17.900 --> 00:22.900 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% because of the pandemic, and, as you said, it would be difficult to continue under the 00:23.766 --> 00:25.766 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% circumstances. 00:25.766 --> 00:29.766 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Today, you announced a proposal to guarantee health care during this period. Who is this 00:31.400 --> 00:33.500 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% aimed at? 00:33.500 --> 00:36.566 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): Well, it's aimed at the tens of millions of workers who are 00:36.566 --> 00:38.666 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% losing their jobs, Judy. 00:38.666 --> 00:43.633 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% And when you lose your job, you lose your health care. So, on top of 87 million people 00:45.533 --> 00:49.800 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% who were uninsured and underinsured before the crisis, you got tens of millions more 00:51.233 --> 00:53.233 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% who are not going to have any health insurance. 00:53.233 --> 00:56.733 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% And it's my view that, in the midst of this terrible, terrible crisis, when people have 00:58.766 --> 01:01.800 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% so much to worry about, the least we can do is to say to all of those people, you know 01:03.833 --> 01:07.533 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% what? You go to the doctor when you're sick. Don't worry about the health care bills. Medicare 01:07.533 --> 01:12.533 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% will fill in all the gaps and cover those people who are uninsured or underinsured today. 01:14.466 --> 01:16.433 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: And do you have support for this among Democratic colleagues? 01:16.433 --> 01:18.466 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Yes, we do. 01:18.466 --> 01:21.933 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% There's support in the House, and I think you're going to see growing support in the 01:21.933 --> 01:26.933 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% Senate. And I think that the cost is reasonable. It will be about $150 billion over four months, 01:30.100 --> 01:34.033 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% which, given everything that we're dealing with, is not a lot of money. 01:34.033 --> 01:39.033 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% But to say to every American that, don't worry about the costs of health care, you're not 01:41.200 --> 01:44.533 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% going to have to pay it out of your own pocket, you're not going to have to pay for prescription 01:44.533 --> 01:49.500 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% drugs, I think that will take a huge burden off the shoulders of so many of our people, 01:50.966 --> 01:52.466 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% and that is the very least that we should be doing right now. 01:52.466 --> 01:54.933 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: Senator, let's talk about this election. 01:54.933 --> 01:59.900 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% What, after 15 months of pour-your-heart-out campaigning, and this after you spent, what, 02:01.933 --> 02:06.733 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% years campaigning in 2016, you had to make this announcement that you didn't want to 02:08.166 --> 02:10.600 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% make. This is not where you wanted this to end up. 02:10.600 --> 02:13.566 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% But, as you look back, what went right and what went wrong? 02:13.566 --> 02:18.566 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Well, look, I think that what went right is that, for all intents and 02:20.266 --> 02:25.266 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% purposes, Judy, I think we have won the ideological battle. 02:27.166 --> 02:30.366 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% I think ideas that I fought for four or five years ago which everybody considered to be 02:32.366 --> 02:36.200 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% radical and extreme are now part of the mainstream discussion. And, in fact, many of them are 02:38.133 --> 02:41.300 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% being implemented across the country, raising the minimum wage to 15 bucks an hour, making 02:43.266 --> 02:46.300 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% public colleges and universities tuition-free, forgiving student debt, guaranteeing health 02:48.266 --> 02:51.833 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% care to all people as a human right, focusing on climate change as an existential threat, 02:53.000 --> 02:55.933 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% immigration reform, criminal justice reform. 02:55.933 --> 03:00.900 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% Many of the ideas that we brought forth which were initially rejected are now moving forward. 03:02.366 --> 03:05.666 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% And I think that is the best thing that we have accomplished. 03:05.666 --> 03:10.666 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Furthermore, we have won the generational struggle. We did very poorly -- and I don't 03:12.600 --> 03:16.200 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% know why, to tell you the truth -- with older people, but we have done phenomenally well 03:17.733 --> 03:21.433 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% with younger people. And by that, I mean people 45, 50 or younger. 03:23.400 --> 03:26.700 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% And the truth is, that is the future of America. So, the ideas that we have fought for are 03:28.633 --> 03:32.066 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% gaining momentum among younger people and will be the policies that guide America in 03:33.466 --> 03:35.500 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% the future. 03:35.500 --> 03:37.033 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: Senator, I think that -- I was just going to say, I think the numbers 03:37.033 --> 03:41.566 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% show you didn't do as well with young people as you had in 2016. 03:41.566 --> 03:46.333 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% But what I want to ask you about is, you are supporting -- at least you acknowledge Joe 03:46.333 --> 03:51.300 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Biden will be the nominee, and yet you're going to compete against him in the primaries 03:51.300 --> 03:53.800 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% to come. What is the value of that? 03:53.800 --> 03:57.300 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: No, we're not competing against -- we don't -- there's no active campaigning. 03:57.300 --> 04:02.266 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% There's nothing to compete about. Joe Biden will, everything being equal, be the nominee. 04:04.233 --> 04:08.433 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% But I think our -- my name will be on the ballot. That's the way it is in all of the 04:08.433 --> 04:13.433 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% remaining states that hold primaries. We would like to get as many delegates as we can, so 04:15.466 --> 04:19.900 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% that we have a stronger position at the Democratic Convention to help us shape the new platform 04:22.800 --> 04:27.800 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% of the Democratic Party and the other issues that the DNC deals with. 04:29.733 --> 04:32.300 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: You say you want to shape the platform, and yet, I think, it appears, from 04:32.300 --> 04:37.200 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% the many last conventions, it's what the nominee wants that ultimately matters. 04:37.200 --> 04:42.200 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% And, right now, Joe Biden has moved in your direction. He's talked about lowering the 04:44.600 --> 04:47.666 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% age for Medicare eligibility to 60. He's talked about making free college tuition more available. 04:50.333 --> 04:55.333 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% But, at the same time, he has not endorsed Medicare for all. Senator Sherrod Brown, liberal 04:57.366 --> 05:00.300 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Democrat, was on the show two nights ago, said he doesn't think that Joe Biden is going 05:00.300 --> 05:03.566 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% to do that. Is that sufficient for you? 05:03.566 --> 05:08.566 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Well, look, Judy, what I said on the very first day that I began 05:10.533 --> 05:13.966 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% my campaign, I said that, if I lose, I will be there to support the Democratic winner, 05:16.000 --> 05:21.000 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% the nominee, the person who wins the nomination, because I think that Donald Trump is the most 05:22.366 --> 05:24.533 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% dangerous president in the modern history of this country. 05:24.533 --> 05:28.500 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% And we all have got to rally around the winner to defeat Trump. And that's certainly what 05:28.500 --> 05:33.500 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% I will do. But I hope, in the coming weeks and months, I will be working and my staff 05:35.466 --> 05:39.666 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% will be working with Joe Biden and his team in making the point that, if Joe is going 05:41.733 --> 05:46.733 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% to do well against Trump and is going to defeat Trump, then he is going to have to reach out 05:48.800 --> 05:53.533 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% effectively to a whole lot of people where he has not had the kind of support that he 05:53.533 --> 05:55.600 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50% needs. 05:55.600 --> 05:59.533 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% And that's lower-income people. That is younger people. And he's going to have to give those 06:01.666 --> 06:04.566 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% people the understanding that he hears them and he's moving to respond to their concerns. 06:06.500 --> 06:11.200 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% And that deals with climate change. It deals with making public colleges and universities 06:11.833 --> 06:13.900 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% tuition-free. 06:13.900 --> 06:17.366 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% In my view, it deals with -- you're right. He is not going to support Medicare for all, 06:17.366 --> 06:22.366 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% but I think there is a significant path forward for him to make sure that, when so many people 06:24.300 --> 06:28.666 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% are losing their private insurance, that the federal government will be there for them 06:28.666 --> 06:30.733 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% to cover their health care needs. 06:30.733 --> 06:35.066 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% JUDY WOODRUFF: You have said that you campaigned enthusiastically for Hillary Clinton four 06:37.033 --> 06:40.133 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% years ago. Will you do exactly the same for Joe Biden? Will you be more enthusiastic? 06:42.100 --> 06:45.500 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Because, as you know, many Democrats look back and say they wished you had done more. 06:45.500 --> 06:50.466 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Well, many Democrats opposed me from the Democratic establishment 06:50.466 --> 06:52.500 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% from day one. 06:52.500 --> 06:56.866 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% All I can tell you is, in 2016, I worked as hard as I could to see that Trump was defeated 06:58.066 --> 06:59.133 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% and Clinton was elected. 06:59.133 --> 07:00.466 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% (CROSSTALK) 07:00.466 --> 07:02.500 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% JUDY WOODRUFF: And will this year be different? 07:02.500 --> 07:06.133 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Well, this year, I will work as hard as I can to make that sure Donald 07:07.533 --> 07:10.200 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% Trump is not reelected and that Joe Biden becomes president. 07:10.200 --> 07:15.200 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% But I hope, in the interval here, what we have got to do is to -- is -- and I think 07:17.266 --> 07:20.566 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% Joe Biden is a -- not only is he a decent guy. He is a good politician. And he understands 07:22.533 --> 07:25.166 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% that, for him to win, to get the votes that he needs, he's going to have to listen to 07:25.166 --> 07:30.033 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% and respond to the needs of a whole lot of people who have not been overly enthusiastic 07:30.033 --> 07:31.833 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% about his campaign up to now. 07:31.833 --> 07:36.233 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: But you are saying you will be enthusiastically supporting him. 07:36.233 --> 07:40.366 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% A key decision that he's going to have to make, of course, is for vice president. He 07:40.366 --> 07:45.366 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% has said he will choose a woman. Let me ask you how your supporters would view it if he 07:46.300 --> 07:48.400 align:left position:20% line:89% size:70% chose Elizabeth Warren? 07:48.400 --> 07:52.766 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Well, I think -- I can't speak for all of my supporters. 07:55.233 --> 07:58.200 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% All I can say is that I think the more progressive the vice presidential candidate that he nominated, 08:03.866 --> 08:08.866 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% the better it would be in terms of the kind of response that our supporters would provide 08:10.566 --> 08:11.833 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50% him. 08:11.833 --> 08:13.066 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% JUDY WOODRUFF: So, if it were Amy Klobuchar? 08:13.066 --> 08:15.000 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: I can't speculate on that. 08:15.000 --> 08:17.100 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: Or Kamala... 08:17.100 --> 08:21.066 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: You know, Joe is going to have to make that decision himself. I have 08:22.666 --> 08:24.600 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% not been involved in that discussion. We will see what he does. 08:24.600 --> 08:29.300 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: Republicans, Senator, this week in Wisconsin, as you know, took steps 08:31.266 --> 08:35.033 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% to prevent measures that would have made it easier for people to vote, to either delay 08:36.700 --> 08:41.700 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% the election or to make it -- mail-in ballots possible. 08:43.700 --> 08:46.033 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% That view is also held by Republicans at the national level. How concerned are you right 08:46.033 --> 08:51.033 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% now about November and access to ballots, access to voting for Americans across the 08:54.433 --> 08:56.500 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50% board? 08:56.500 --> 08:59.933 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Judy, I will tell you I don't know that I have ever, within a political 08:59.933 --> 09:04.933 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% context, seen anything as ugly as the role that the Republicans in the legislature in 09:07.600 --> 09:11.733 align:left position:20% line:77% size:70% Wisconsin and their Supreme Court played in terms of this primary. 09:11.733 --> 09:16.733 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% What they essentially said to people is, you're going to have to put your life on the line 09:18.233 --> 09:20.433 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% in order to cast a ballot. 09:20.433 --> 09:25.433 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% And that is just unbelievably disgraceful. And that is not what we can allow to happen 09:27.433 --> 09:30.766 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% in future elections. So, it is a very, very high priority for me, and I think for many 09:32.766 --> 09:36.166 align:left position:20% line:71% size:70% other Democrats, as we go forward on the new piece of legislation -- and I have got a lot 09:38.200 --> 09:41.133 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% of ideas on that one -- but certainly one of the highest priorities must be to make 09:41.133 --> 09:46.133 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% sure that every American in this country is able to vote through a paper ballot in November. 09:48.133 --> 09:51.833 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% And the Republicans, I must say, have been pretty clear. They understand that, if there 09:51.833 --> 09:55.800 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% is a large voter turnout, they are not going to do so well. And they're fighting us. But 09:55.800 --> 10:00.200 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% I hope their respect for our Constitution, for our democracy will prevail. 10:00.200 --> 10:05.200 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% And they will understand that people shouldn't have to die or get sick in order to cast a 10:05.766 --> 10:06.766 align:left position:40% line:89% size:50% ballot. 10:06.766 --> 10:08.766 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: Very quickly... 10:08.766 --> 10:10.766 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: I should also tell you - - I should also tell you that, in terms of 10:10.766 --> 10:14.566 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% the new legislation, we're working very hard, not only to make sure all people have health 10:14.566 --> 10:17.933 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% care, but that people will continue to get their paychecks. 10:17.933 --> 10:22.933 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% I think that is the easiest, most efficient way to get us out of this economic disaster 10:24.833 --> 10:29.466 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% that we're in right now. Just making sure that every American continues to receive his 10:29.466 --> 10:34.466 align:left position:10% line:71% size:80% or her paycheck will go a long way to allowing Americans to have a decent standard of living, 10:35.366 --> 10:36.533 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% so long as we're in this crisis. 10:36.533 --> 10:38.600 align:left position:10% line:89% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: Final question. 10:38.600 --> 10:43.000 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% And quickly, Senator, who leads the progressive movement that Bernie Sanders started next? 10:44.133 --> 10:46.266 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% Who are the next leaders of your movement? 10:46.266 --> 10:51.200 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: You're asking me to speculate. I'm not much into speculation. 10:53.266 --> 10:56.466 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% But what I will say is, right now, literally, as we speak, I have been on the phone with 10:58.533 --> 11:01.833 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% progressives all across this country figuring out the best way that we can keep our kind 11:03.300 --> 11:06.600 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% of unprecedented grassroots movement strong and growing. 11:06.600 --> 11:11.600 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% So, we are a strong movement. And history will determine what happens in the future. 11:13.033 --> 11:15.233 align:left position:10% line:83% size:80% But, right now, we are working hard to build that movement. 11:15.233 --> 11:19.366 align:left position:10% line:77% size:80% JUDY WOODRUFF: Senator Bernie Sanders, joining us tonight from Vermont, Senator, thank you 11:19.366 --> 11:20.566 align:left position:30% line:89% size:60% very much. 11:20.566 --> 11:21.566 align:left position:20% line:83% size:70% SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Thank you, Judy.