Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersMcConnell accuses Democrats of sowing division by 'downplaying progress' on election security The Hill's Campaign Report: Arizona shifts towards Biden | Biden prepares for drive-in town hall | New Biden ad targets Latino voters Why Democrats must confront extreme left wing incitement to violence MORE (I-Vt.) won't rule out a presidential bid if no other liberal candidate steps up to run — but suggested Sen. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenWarren, Schumer introduce plan for next president to cancel ,000 in student debt The Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Facebook - Don't expect a government check anytime soon No new taxes for the ultra rich — fix bad tax policy instead MORE (D-Mass.) could fit the bill.

Sanders tells the Burlington Free Press that he'd prefer not to run, but if no one else steps up to challenge the "establishment politicians" in 2016, he may feel compelled to.

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"We need a sense of urgency and I don't see that in establishment politicians and I don't see that in the establishment media," he says. "There are people in this world who, ever since they were 12 years of age, they decided they wanted to be president of the United States. That is honestly not me. ... Anyone who really, really wants to be president is slightly crazy because this is an unbelievably difficult job given the crises that this country faces today."

He indicated Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) might earn his backing if she were to run, however.

"I like Elizabeth Warren very much," he said. "Her beauty is that she is very smart. She speaks English. She can explain economics in a way that everybody can understand."

Sanders has previously said he hasn't ruled out a run but put the odds of that happening at 1 percent.

Sanders said if he did run for president he would "probably" run as an independent rather than a Democrat.