Bernie Sanders speaks at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s Public Policy Conference in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 7. (Photo: Jose Luis Magana/AP)



Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders says he knew his message would connect with the American people but did not expect it to happen so quickly or powerfully.

The U.S. senator from Vermont said Thursday morning that Americans are disgusted that nearly all new wealth goes to the top 1 percent, the country is not dealing with climate change in a serious way, and that billionaires can “buy elections” as a result of Citizens United.

“This campaign really is not about Bernie Sanders. It’s about transforming America,” he said during a wide-ranging interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

“And the only way we can do that is to revitalize American democracy, bring millions of people who have given up on the political process back into it, and be prepared to stand up with very powerful people today who have just incredible power over our economy and our political life.”

Sanders, the longest serving independent member of Congress in U.S. history, said that people should not be surprised to see Republicans cross over to support his campaign.

Though they may disagree with Sanders’ position on certain issues — abortion, gun control, same-sex marriage, etc. — working-class Republicans still need to send their children to college or have been hurt by the outsourcing of factory jobs to China, he said.

Sanders poses for a picture with supporters at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. ( Photo: AP/Jose Luis Magana)



“Working-class Republicans are equally disgusted about a campaign finance system which allows billionaires now to buy elections,” Sanders continued. “So I think the message that we are bringing forth, that we have got to come together to say that Wall Street and corporate America cannot continue to dominate our political and economic life, that we need an economy that works for working families and not just the 1 percent — a lot of Republicans will respond to that as well.”

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This is not the first time Sanders, a self-identified democratic socialist (who admires the economic systems of Scandinavian countries), has extended an olive branch to conservative voters to find common ground. He spoke at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., last month.

A virtually surefire way to appeal to Republicans would have been to attack Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton, but Sanders characteristically stuck to the issues at hand rather than flinging mud when confronted with the opportunity.

The show’s co-host, Joe Scarborough, asked how Clinton could drag her feet for so long before having revealed her stances on issues that are important to Democratic voters, such as the Keystone Pipeline or the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

“Well, I — I agree with you, Joe. I mean, you know, and you’ll have to ask the secretary why,” Sanders responded. “But this is — you know, you’re right — this is not a complicated issue. You could be for it, you could be against it, but I think serious people have got to have an opinion on the issue.”

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