very good, chris. when we started this campaign, as you know, i was considered to be a fringe candidate. i was at 3%, 5%. we have gained a lot of ground in the last six months. i think we re going to continue to gain ground by talking about the real issues that impact the american middle class income and wealth inequality, the collapse of the american working class, climate change and the fact that we have more people in jail than any other country on earth. let me ask you this. there s this forum that my colleague rachel maddow will be moderating this friday. and it s an interesting format. it s an opportunity to show at length parts of yourself you don t normally speak about or have an opportunity. are there parts of the bernie sanders is agenda you feel democratic primary voters don t know enough about? i this i in essence what i believe, chris, and what many people don t know the is that given the nature of class politics in america, given the fact that we have a corrupt
right now if you say you like sanders it is a bit of a protest vote. i don t know if you thought about can a person win a general election who is a socialist because i think most democrats and those who like sanders assume clinton or biden will win the primary. let me get reality check. it seems to me people would have said we don t like class politics. we are not the british labor party. no one is saying that right now. that is silenced. the dog that is not barking right now i believe is the realization of the american people of incredible inequality in wealth. that s why when he talks and labor hall yelling, pounding the drum, if you will. it seems to work with people. they go he s right even if they are not going to vote for him.
we have to overturn citizens united. in my view, we have to move to public funding of elections. that s my view. everything you stand for is what i have believed for in the 60s it s familiar. i know i m older. i m not getting cynical. everything you said would be called classic politics. you can t engage in class politics. a bunch of kids, people our age. gung ho, loving what he said about billionaires. what has changed in the last couple cycles that now it s fair game? people think there is something wrong with the billionaires calling the shots? what has changed? there are more billionaires. the reality of american life. we are seeing the proliferation of millionaires and billionaires. they are all over the place. meanwhile, the average worker is working longer hours for lower wages. we have more kids, higher percentage of childhood poverty than any other country.
everything leads to everything else. the point is that right now the system is corrupt. we have to overturn citizens united. in my view, we have to move to public funding of elections. that s my view. everything you stand for is what i have believed for in the 60s it s familiar. i know i m older. i m not getting cynical. everything you said would be called classic politics. you can t engage in class politics. a bunch of kids him a people our age. gung ho, loving what he said about billionaires. what has changed in the last couple cycles that now it s fair game? people think there is something wrong with the billionaires calling the shots? what has changed? there are more billionaires. the reality of american life. we are seeing the proliferation of millionaires and billionai s billionaires. they are all over the place. meanwhile, the average worker is working longer hours for lower wages. we have more kids him a higher
absolutely. i think it was effective. he didn t have a great issue. he said, i m from the vermont. people think of does differently in vermont. what i thought watching the debate was that sanders was a extremely effective in a unified theme. every issue, whether it was climate, social security, student wishing costs, it tied into wealth, the billionaires. he does that with a very strong accent of his, billionaires, billionaires, billionaires. they are the problem. i think it was a populist message. in the old days people would have said that is class politics. nobody is saying that anymore. your thoughts? we keep hearing about the evolution of secretary clinton. she was polished and steady tonight. . is so was senator sanders. i have been covering him for a year. didn t off the campaign with this kind of appearance and presence on a national stage. he has developed as a candidate. we see him turning back again and again to a strength.