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>> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY,
WELCOME BACK.
LET'S SAY HELLO TO OUR FRIEND,
MR. JON BATISTE.
HELLO, JON.
>> Jon: HELLO, HELLO.
WE'RE IN IT RIGHT NOW, HISTORIC
TIMES.
>> Stephen: UNBELIEVABLE.
DID YOU SEE THE SPEECHES
TONIGHT?
>> Jon: YEAH, YEAH, I SAW SOME
CLIPS, AND I RECORDED IT.
AND I REALLY LOVE A LOT OF STUFF
THAT HAPPENED.
KAMALA, HISTORIC.
>> Stephen: BEAUTIFUL.
>> OUR PRESIDENT SAYING THE
RIGHT KIND OF THINGS A PRESIDENT
SHOULD SAY ON THE PODIUM.
>> Stephen: THAT'S RIGHT.
 (  LAUGHTER  )
INSPIRING.
>> Jon: HE TOOK DOWN-- HE SAID
A LOT OF STUFF THAT HE DOESN'T
ALWAYS-- HE DON'T ALWAYS GO
THERE.
>> Stephen: NO, I THINK THIS
MIGHT BE ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT, IMPACTFUL SPEECHES
HE'LL EVER GIVE.
I HOPE PEOPLE LISTEN AND TAKE
ACTION.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE INSPIRED
ME?
I'VE SEEN THE PERFORMANCE YOU'RE
DOING TONIGHT WITH NATHANIEL
RATELIFF.
I CAN'T WAIT FOR IT.
>> Jon: MY BOY.
I LOVE NATHANIEL.
WE HAD A GOOD TIME WHEN WE COULD
BE TOGETHER AND PLAY MUSIC.
>> Stephen: OH, YEAH, THIS IS
A THROE BACK TO A HAPPIER TIME.
STICK AROUND FOR THAT,
EVERYBODY.
JON, I'VE GOT TO GO TALK TO MY
FIRST GUEST.
GOOD TO SEE YOU, I'LL SEE YOU
LATER.
>> Jon: YES, INDEED.
>> Stephen: THANK YOU, MY
FRIEND.
MY FIRST GUEST TONIGHT IS THE
INDEPENDENT SENATOR FROM
VERMONT, AND FORMER PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATE, WHO HAS DEDICATED HIS
POLITICAL CAREER TO ADVANCING
THE PROGRESSIVE CAUSE.
PLEASE WELCOME TO "A LATE SHOW,"
SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS.
SENATOR!
GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>> GOOD TO BE WITH YOU, STEPHEN.
>> Stephen: THIS IS AN
EXCITING NIGHT.
HOW ARE YOU LIKING THE
CONVENTION THIS WEEK?
>> I AM LIKING THIS CONVENTION.
I AM THINKING THAT WE'RE GOING
TO BEAT DONALD TRUMP.
WE'RE GOING TO BEAT HIM BAD.
AND BETWEEN YOU AND ME, THIS IS
EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE GOT TO DO.
THIS COUNTRY CANNOT ACCEPT,
CANNOT HAVE FOUR MORE YEARS OF
DONALD TRUMP.
AND I THINK WE'VE GOT A GOOD
TICKET TO DEFEAT HIM.
>> Stephen: NOW, IT'S BEEN
FOUR MONTHS, APPROXIMATELY,
SINCE YOU ENDED YOUR CAMPAIGN.
LAST NIGHT, I TALKED TO SENATOR
WARREN AND ASKED HER WHAT SHE
MISSED ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU DON'T MISS
ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, DOING THREE
OR FOUR RALLIES A DAY GETS A
LITTLE BIT-- A LITTLE BIT HARD.
BUT WHAT I DO MISS IS SEEING SO
MANY EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAD DOZENS AND
DOZENS OF TOWN MEETINGS WHERE
JUST WORKING PEOPLE CAME FORWARD
AND THEY TALKED ABOUT THE PAIN
IN THEIR LIVES.
AND I HAVE ALWAYS CONSIDERED IT
AN ENORMOUS SOURCE OF PRIDE THAT
PEOPLE WOULD BE WILLING TO COME
UP IN FRONT OF TV CAMERAS, IN
FRONT OF STRANGERS, AND TALK
ABOUT WHAT LIVING ON POVERTY
WAGES MEANS, OR NOT HAVING ANY
HEALTH CARE, NOT BEING ABLE TO
AFFORD PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.
BUT I MISS THAT CONNECTION WITH
ORDINARY PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING,
WITH GREAT COURAGE, TO TALK
ABOUT THE PAIN IN THEIR LIVES.
>> Stephen: I THINK THAT'S ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE
RESPONDED TO YOU ABOUT, AND JOE
BIDEN, IS A WILLINGNESS TO
HONESTLY RECEIVE THE PAIN IN
PEOPLE'S LIVES, AND TO HONESTLY
TALK ABOUT WHAT IS NECESSARY TO
MAKE THIS A BETTER COUNTRY, TO
TRY TO ALLEVIATE OF SUFFERING
THAT'S GOING ON IN PEOPLE'S
LIVES, THE WORRY AND THE
ANXIETY.
YOU SPOKE TO JOE BIDEN'S
CONGRESSIONALS LAST NIGHT, AND--
THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS I WANT
TO ASK YOU.
BUT THE QUESTION THAT'S ON
EVERYONE'S MIND RIGHT NOW IS HOW
LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO CHOP ALL
THAT WOOD BEHIND YOU?
>> WELL, THAT WAS QUITE A TASK,
LET ME TELL YOU.
BOTTOM LINE HERE IS IN VERMONT,
WE ARE SMART.
WE KNOW THAT WINTER IS COMING,
AND HERE IT GETS, YOU KNOW, 10,
20 BELOW ZERO.
WE START EARLY.
WE'RE PREPARED.
>> Stephen: IN APRIL YOU SAID
YOU WANTED JOE BIDEN TO GET BOLD
ON PROGRESSIVE IDEAS, LAST TIME
WOE SPOKE.
NOW, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
HE DID NOT COMMIT TO A GREEN NEW
DEAL.
HE WANTS TO ADD A PUBLIC OPTION
ON HEALTH CARE.
BUT WON'T OUTRIGHT ADOPT A
MEDICARE FOR ALL.
HOW BOLD DID HE GET, IN YOUR
EYES?
>> WELL, STEPHEN, WHAT WE DID--
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE VICE
PRESIDENT FOR DOING THIS-- WE
SAT DOWN AND WE CHATTED.
AND WE SAID, ALL RIGHT, LOOK, WE
HAVE DISAGREEMENTS.
WE DID HAVE DISAGREEMENTS.
WE HAVE DISAGREEMENTS TODAY.
THE BEST PATH FORWARD WOULD BE
THROUGH US TO HAVE AT LEAST SIX
TASK FORCES DEALING WITH THE
ECONOMY AND HEALTH CARE AND
EDUCATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE,
IMMIGRATION, CRIMINAL JUSTICE
REFORM.
WE WOULD BRING FORTH OUR BEST
PEOPLE.
HE WOULD BRING FORTH HIS BEST
PEOPLE.
AND THEY'D TRY TO WORK OUT SOME
COMPROMISES, SOME PROPOSALS,
WHICH WOULD MAKE SENSE TO BOTH
PARTIES.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID.
SO I'M NOT HERE TO TELL YOU THAT
JOE BIDEN'S VIEWS ARE MY VIEWS.
THEY'RE NOT.
ON HEALTH CARE, WE DISAGREE.
WE DISAGREE ON A NUMBER OF OTHER
ISSUES.
BUT I WILL SAY IS IF THE
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED IN THE TASK
FORCES ARE, IN FACT,
IMPLEMENTED, IT WOULD MAKE BIDEN
THE MOST PROGRESSIVE PRESIDENT
SINCE FRANK LING DELANO
ROOSEVELT.
HE DID NOT GO AS FAR AS I WOULD
LIKE.
MEDICARE FOR ALL IS ONE EXAMPLE.
I HAPPEN TO BELIEVE THAT THIS
CURRENT SYSTEM IS CRUEL.
IT'S DISFUNCTIONAL.
IT'S INCREDIBLY WASTEFUL AND WE
HAVE TO DO WHAT EVERY OTHER
COUNTRY ONARTH DOES-- GET
PRIVATE HEALTH CARE OUT OF THE
SYSTEM AND GUARANTEE HEALTH CARE
AS A HUMAN RIGHT.
JOE HAS A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
BUT HE ALSO WANTS TO WORK
TOWARDS UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE.
HE ALSO HAS SOME VERY SERIOUS
PROPOSALS TO DEAL WITH THE
OUTRAGEOUS GREED OF THE
PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY, WHICH
IS, IN SOME CASES, STEPHEN, IS
CHARGING US 10 TIMES MORE FOR
THE SAME EXACT DRUGS-- INSULIN,
AMONG OTHERS -- THAN THEY'RE
CHARGING CANADIANS AND OTHER
PEOPLE.
SO HE'S GOING TO MOVE
AGGRESSIVELY ON PRESCRIPTION
DRUGS.
HE BELIEVES IN UNIVERSAL HEALTH
CARE.
HE WANTS TO HAVE CLEAN TERRORIST
IN 15 YEARS.
GOING TO INVEST VERY, VERY
HEAVILY IN WIND, SOLAR, AND
OTHER SUSTAINABLE ENERGIES.
HE HAS A PRETTY STRONG CRIMINAL
JUSTICE REFORM.
WANTS TO END PRIVATE PRISONS AND
DETENTION CENTERS, END CASH
BAIL.
AND I THINK, MOST IMPORTANTLY,
ON THE ECONOMY, HE'S COMING FROM
A PRETTY GOOD PLACE.
HE WANTS TO RAISE THE MINIMUM
WAGE TO 15 BUCKS AN HOUR.
THAT WILL BE A PAY RAISE FOR FOR
40 MILLION AMERICANS.
HE WANTS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR
WORKERS TO JOIN UNIONS.
EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK.
HE WANTS TO REBUILD OUR
CRUMBLING INFRASTRUCTURE AND
CREATE MILLIONS OF GOOD-PAYING
JOBS THERE, AS WELL AS IN
CLIMATE CHANGE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A DIFFERENT
AGENDA THAN MINE.
NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.
BUT IT IS A STRONG, PROGRESSIVE
AGENDA.
AND IF WE ELECT DEMOCRATS, IF
DEMOCRATS CONTROL THE SENATE AND
THE HOUSE, WE'RE GOING TO
IMPLEMENT THAT AGENDA, MAYBE
EVEN MORE.
>> Stephen: YOU SAY THE MOST
PROGRESSIVE AGENDA SINCE F.D.R.
I MEAN, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY
DEMOCRATIC AND PROGRESSIVE
PRESIDENTS SINCE THEN.
IS IT BECAUSE F.D.R. WAS ABLE TO
TAKE ACTION IN A TIME OF CRISIS?
DO YOU SEE PARALLELS BETWEEN THE
SORT OF-- THE DISSOLUTION OF AN
OLD ORDER THAT WE'RE GOING
THROUGH RIGHT NOW THAT ALLOWS
THAT CHAOS TO LEAD TO A NEW
CREATION?
>> STEPHEN, I THINK THAT'S
EXACTLY RIGHT.
>> Stephen: THANK YOU.
>> I HAVE TALKED TO JOE A NUMBER
OF TIMES SINCE I LEFT THE
CAMPAIGN.
HE UNDERSTANDS THAT WE ARE IN
THE MIDST OF AN UNPRECEDENTE
CRISIS.
AND I THINK, STEPHEN, BETWEEN
YOU AND ME, WE DON'T PAY ENOUGH
ATTENTION TO THE REALITIES OF
AMERICA TODAY.
AND WE TALK A LOT ABOUT THE
PANDEMIC AND 170,000 PEOPLE
DYING.
THAT'S ENORMOUSLY IMPORTANT.
WE MAY BE NOT FOCUSING ENOUGH ON
THE FACT THAT AS WE SPEAK, THERE
ARE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO
LITERALLY DO NOT HAVE FOOD IN
THE CUBBARD TO FEED THEIR KIDS.
THEY'VE LOST THEIR JOBS.
THTHEY HAVE NO INCOME COMING IN.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORRIED
ABOUT GETTING EVICTED FROM THEIR
HOMES.
WE ARE TALKING MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE WHO ARE FACING EVICTIONS
FROM THEIR APARTMENTS, THEIR
HOMES.
>> Stephen: DO YOU THINK THERE
IS GOING TO BE ACTION ON THAT IN
THE SENATE?
I KNOW THE DEMOCRATS HAVE PASSED
THEIR BILL IN THE HOUSE.
DO YOU THINK THE SENATE IS GOING
TO TAKE ANY ACTION--
>> I AM SO DISGUSTED.
I MEAN, THIS GOES REALLY BEYOND
POLITICS, YOU KNOW.
EVERYBODY KNEW, YOU KNOW, THAT
THE PROVISIONS THAT WE PUT IN
THE CARES BILL, THE LAST BILL,
WERE GOING TO EXPIRE.
NO GREAT SECRET.
PEOPLE WERE GOING TO RUN OUT OF
GETTING THAT $600 SUPPLEMENT ON
THEIR UNEMPLOYMENT.
THEIR $1200 CHECK THAT PEOPLE
RECEIVED.
THAT MONEY RAN OUT.
PEOPLE HAVE NO HEALTH CARE.
CITIES AND TOWNS ARE FACING VERY
TERRIBLE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES.
EVERYBODY KNEW IT WAS HAPPENING.
MITCH McCONNELL DID ABSOLUTELY
NOTHING.
AND RIGHT NOW, WHAT TRUMP DAS
YOU RECALL, LAST WEEK CAME UP
WITH THESE PHONY PROPOSALS THAT
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF HIS-- HIS
EXECUTIVE ORDERS, I DON'T EVEN
KNOW IF THEY ARIMPLEMENTABLE.
INSTEAD OF $600 A WEEK FOR
UNEMPLOYED WORKERS, AT BEST, HE
WANTS $300.
SOME STATES MAY NOT GO FORWARD
EVEN DOING THAT.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF HE CAN
IMPLEMENT THAT.
THERE'S NO $1200 CHECK.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE MORE.
NO MONEY FOR HEALTH CARE.
NO MONEY FOR STATES.
NO MONEY FOR CITIES.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE REPUBLICANS
LITERALLY-- AND I DON'T MEAN TO
BE OVERLY PARTISAN-- BUT THEY
HAVE LITERALLY TURNED THEIR
BACKS ON THE PAIN AND THE
SUFFERING THAT TENS OF MILLIONS
OF PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING RIGHT
NOW.
AND I ASK MITCH McCONNELL
AGAIN, CALL BACK THE SENATE.
LET US ACT.
>> Stephen: BESIDES THE SORT
OF MORAL BANKRUPTCY OF TURNING
YOUR BACK ON THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE, DOES IT STRIKE YOU AS
JUST POLITICALLY DUMB THAT THE
ONLY REASON WHY THE ECONOMY WAS
CHUGGING ALONG AT ALL WAS THAT
THE AVERAGE PEOPLE HAD SOME
MONEY TO SPEND.
THABD PAY THEIR RENT.
>> RIGHT.
THAT'S RIGHT.
STEPHEN, HERE'S THE PROBLEM THAT
MITCH McCONNELL HAS.
THERE ARE 53 REPUBLICANS IN THE
SENATE, AND PROBABLY HALF OF
THEM DON'T WANT TO VOTE FOR
ANYTHING.
THEY WILL NOT VOTE ANOTHER
NICKEL FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
I MEAN, THEY HAVE THEIR
IDEOLOGY.
THEY'RE PREPARED TO GIVE TAX
BREAKS TO BILLIONAIRES.
THEY'RE PREPARED TO SPEND $740
BILLION ON THE MILITARY.
BUT THEY DO NOT WANT-- HALF OF
THEM, NOT ALL OF THEM-- HALF OF
THEM DO NOT WANT TO SPEND
ANOTHER NICKEL.
SO McCONNELL'S PROBLEM IS, IS
HE BRINGS A BILL TO THE FLOOR OF
THE SENATE, THE DEMOCRATS WLL
BE IN CHARGE BECAUSE ALL OF US
WILL VOTE FOR THAT $600 A WEEK.
ALL OF US WILL VOTE FOR AT LEAST
I WANT MORE, $1200 CHECK FOR
EVERY AMERICAN DURING THIS
CRISIS, FOR HEALTH CARE, FOR
CITIES AND TOWNS.
AND HE WILL BE IN THE MINORITY.
AND THAT IS THE VERY DIFFICULT
POLITICAL POSITION FOR THE
MAJORITY LEADER TO BE IN.
>> Stephen: WELL, I HOPE HE
HAS TO GET USED TO THAT MINORITY
POSITION VERY SOON.
WE HAVE TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK,
BUT DON'T GO AWAY, ANYBODY.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE
SENATOR BETTER THANE SANDERS.
THANK YOU, SIR.
