Jason Noble

jnoble2@dmreg.com

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Democratic presidential candidate who narrowly lost to party nominee Hillary Clinton in the Iowa caucuses, met with The Des Moines Register on Wednesday ahead of a campaign rally in Des Moines.

Sanders has endorsed Clinton and is holding events across the country calling on his former supporters to vote for her in November. In the interview, he explained his role should Clinton become president and how he and his supporters can ensure she pursues a progressive agenda.

The following questions and responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

The Des Moines Register: You’re a U.S. senator and, after your presidential candidacy, perhaps the most recognized leader of the progressive movement in this country. In the event that Hillary Clinton is elected and becomes president, what do you see as your role during her presidency?

Bernie Sanders: My role is to do everything I can to see that the Democratic platform — which is the most progressive party platform in the history of this country — is in fact implemented. It is a platform which stands with working families and the middle class, which takes on the billionaire class and Wall Street, and I will do my best issue-by-issue working with other progressive senators to see that legislation is offered and passed.

Sanders says Clinton's agenda matches his own, but backers remain skeptical

The Register: In what tangible ways will you press a Clinton administration to address progressive issues?

Sanders: I just spoke to the secretary last week and what she told me is that within the first 100 days of the administration she would be introducing legislation and working with members of the Congress on a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United [the 2010 Supreme Court decision allowing unlimited independent spending on elections], to raise the minimum wage to a living wage, to provide pay equity for women, to make public colleges and universities tuition-free for the middle class and (to write) very strong legislation on climate change. Those are some of the areas, not all of them.

So I think what you’re going to see is a very aggressive first 100 days in legislation that will improve life for working families and demand that the wealthiest people in this country start paying their fair share of taxes.

The Register: What do you see as the top priority or the one having the best opportunity for enactment?

Sanders: There are so many critical issues facing this country. It’s hard just to look at one of them. But essentially what we have got to do is deal with the grotesque level of income and wealth inequality.

The Register: How do you hold the Clinton administration accountable to these promises and priorities?

Sanders: I think it’s not just me. There are millions of people who understand that we need to create a government that represents all of us and not just the 1 percent. I think the Democratic platform is a very strong platform and provides a blueprint for moving in that direction. That’s what we’ve got to do. We’ve got to rally the American people to demand that their government represents all of us and not just the people on top.