Bernie Sanders signals aggressive challenge to Hillary Clinton

[Luiz 4,253]

This afternoon, I got a chance to interview Senator Bernie Sanders, the self-avowed socialist from Vermont, who has announced he is entering the Democratic presidential primary.

Sanders confirmed to me that his campaign has raised $1.5 million in the 24 hours since yesterday’s launch, with an average donation of $43.

Sanders also laid down a hard marker against Hillary Clinton, saying flatly that her ties to Wall Street should raise concerns about whether she is willing to stand up to Wall Street’s “incredible wealth and power.”

Sanders also said the eventual Democratic candidate should embrace a robust climate change agenda that goes considerably farther than the policies President Obama has embraced. A lightly edited and condensed transcript of our conversation follows.

.......

PLUM LINE: Should we be concerned that Clinton’s longtime ties to Wall Street — and the large number of her big donors who have come from Wall Street — might keep her from being aggressive enough on these fronts?

SANDERS: Yes. Let me back up and tell you I’ve known Hillary for 25 years, and I like and respect Hillary. I think it is fair to say that when the industry was deregulated by Robert Rubin, Larry Summers, Alan Greenspan during the Clinton administration, and the Secretary has received a lot of support from Wall Street, I think it is fair to say there might be a tendency to be less than vigorous in standing up to their incredible wealth and power.

 

PLUM LINE: About your longtime crusade against Wall Street money in politics: What limits will you place on your own fundraising?

SANDERS: Let me give you some interesting news. I announced yesterday. In 24 hours, 100,000 people have signed up to join the campaign. We have received 35,000 donations. You know what the average donation was? $43. We raised a million and a half dollars in 24 hours with an average donation of $43.

That is where most of our money is going to come from.

PLUM LINE: You not only oppose “fast track,” but also the underlying Trans-Pacific Partnership, correct?

SANDERS: Yes…I’ve opposed NAFTA. I’ve opposed CAFTA…I’m opposing these agreements because the evidence is overwhelming. What they have done is allow corporations to shut down plants in America, move jobs to China and other low wage countries, and engage us in a race to the bottom, where American workers are forced to compete against people making pennies an hour. To me, this is kind of a no-brainer.

Fast track and TPP are nothing less than a continuation of disastrous trade policies that is one of the reasons why the middle class in America is disappearing. It ain’t hard. Either you’re for the agreement or you’re not for the agreement.

 

[Didymus 34,380]

Interesting stuff. Thanks for posting.

I hope Hillary will be allowed/allows herself to make the changes she wants.

[Dangerous Man 9,245]

Queen Hilary will be like: "Challenge accepted b*tch ​"

 

[RAMROD 117,010]

Doesn't matter, both are crooks. 

[Jesse Pinkman 4,660]

Doesn't matter, both are crooks. 

​Pretty much, no politician is ever completley innocent.

With that being said, I will be voting for HIlary. :hor: 

[Gagamel 3,410]

Unless you people are rich as fk why would you vote for Hillary compared to Bernie? As far as i know Hillary is all about wall street and rich gettin richer while Bernie is the opposite, or am i wrong? Educate me little americans

[Luc 4,776]

Bernie seems a lot more socialist... which could be good, but I don't really think that a true socialist has any chance in US politics.

[shane_c 480]

He actually helps Hillary. He makes her look younger and more moderate. And he gets the left to put their energy into a candidate that has 0 chance of being the nominee.  If I found out that the Hillary campaign encouraged him to run I wouldn't be surprised.