Stern: Congressman Bernie Sanders from Vermont, I don’t mean to sound paranoid, but ever since I announced my satellite deal, I am now seeing the focus going to satellite radio, as opposed to terrestrial radio. Am I the target of every politician?

Sanders: No, I don’t think you’re the target. I think there’s an effort on the part of the extreme right-wingers, and people who think that because they don’t like something, nobody in America should be able to hear it and see it. It’s not just you.

Stern: You’re the only congressman that I know of — I’m going to tell you about this guy right here on the phone, Bernie Sanders. He proposed a bill to prevent the government from censoring the content of cable TV shows and Internet websites. His bill was in response to the recently approved House legislation increasing the FCC indecency fines.

“All that this is about, Howard, is moving us to a less free society.”

Sanders: It’s in response to exactly what you talked about. It seems to me, a) it’s unconstitutional — the government does not have a right to get into cable, and number two, if people are paying for what they want to see, they have a right to see it. All that this is about, Howard, is moving us to a less free society — in many respects: cutting out different points of view… If people don’t like your program, anybody else’s program, you know what they could do? They could turn it off.

Stern: I just read about a religious broadcaster that was fired this week because he went on and said — someone asked him, “Do you think the pope will go to heaven?” It was a theoretical discussion. And the guy said something about how only born-again Christians can go to heaven, you know, whatever his opinion is. He was fired for that. Now, and then the guy even said, the disc jockey goes, “Gee, I never did anything like Howard Stern; why are they firing me?” Because it doesn’t stop with me. They’re going to censor Tony Soprano. They’re going to censor —

Sanders: That’s exactly what they’re going to do. Let me tell you what they’re already doing. I don’t know if you know this. You’ve seen the film Saving Private Ryan, right? Fantastic film. ABC showed it nationally on Veterans Day. Sixty ABC affiliates refused to put it on the air, because they were afraid they were going to be fined.

Stern: Six-zero.

Sanders: Six-zero. Because obviously, in the middle of a war, in the film, soldiers use profanity. The PBS could not recently put up a film, or distribute it, because in the middle of the war in Iraq, bombs are going off, soldiers use profanity — they had to censor that.

Stern: Well, here’s the key question. How many of your fellow congressmen — who I’m actually losing respect for — how many of your fellow congressmen are going to support your bill?

Sanders: So far, we’ve got about 10 on the bill. It’s H.R. 1440. But I think, when the American people learn what’s going on, and the fact that The Sopranos and every other show that they like on cable could be censored, then more and more people will be supporting this bill. But we need the help of the American people.

Stern: Alright, how can we help you, Bernie, because I want to get behind this?

“We don’t want the government regulating every aspect of our lives in terms of what we watch.”

Sanders: Alright, get your listeners to call up their members of congress and ask them to support H.R. 1440. Tell them that, in America, we still live in a free society. We don’t want the government regulating every aspect of our lives in terms of what we watch. Tell them that it is an outrage that the government will be expanding the censorship and regulations for cable and the Internet, and for satellite radio.

Stern: If I call up my congressman, and I tell him, “Support H.R. 1440,” since you’re a congressman, you know the answer to this: do they listen to these phone calls or —

Sanders: Sure, they do. If enough of those phone calls come in, absolutely. And here’s what — we are the majority on this case. We are absolutely the majority.

Stern: Of course, we are. No, and you know what? We’re sitting passively as all our rights are being taken away.

Sanders: That’s exactly right. If the average American knows that they’re going to take away your ability to watch the program you want on cable, that person will be outraged.

Stern: Now, I gotta find out who my congressman is.

Co-Host Robin Quivers: Oh, please…

Stern: Who is my congressman, Robin?

Quivers: I’m not sure who your congressman is —

Stern: Who is your congressman?

Quivers: Uhh, I don’t know that either.

Stern: Alright, here’s what I’m going to do first. I’m going to find out who my congressman is. And once I find out who he is, I’m going to call and tell them to support H.R. 1440.

Sanders: For more information, people can go to our website, which is Bernie.House.gov — we have a lot of stuff on there.

Stern: Say that again. Bernie.House.gov?

Sanders: Correct.

Stern: Alright, thank you, Bernie.

Sanders: Okay, thank you.

Stern: You’re a good man, man. And I’m way into you.

Sanders: Okay, take care.

Stern: I want to sleep over your house and watch Survivor with you.