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Bernie Sanders is the junior senator from Vermont a socialist an independent who caucuses with the Democrats. He was the mayor of Burlington Vermont and served 16 years in the House of Representatives before winning elections. The United States Senate in 2006. This spring he announced his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination calling for a massive redistribution of income to address inequalities. A crash effort on climate change and an end to the influence of special interest money in politics. He had been considered a quixotic challenger to the formidable front runner Hillary Clinton but he is drawing huge crowds in New Hampshire and Iowa. And last weekend came in a close second to Ms Clinton in a straw poll at the Wisconsin Democratic State Convention. Bernie Sanders thank you for joining us. Thank you for having me. Has this reaction the last couple of weeks the crowds the Wisconsin straw poll has that changed any of your thinking calculation about hey I'm they really actually win this thing. No. That's what I thought from the very beginning. We're in this race to win and you think you can win. I don't know and I'll tell you why I think the American people are very disillusioned with establishment economics and politics. They're working longer hours for low wages the same. Ninety nine percent of all new income going for the top 1 percent. Massive and grotesque levels of wealth inequality in this country. People are worried about their kids . They understand we are the only major country on earth without a national health care program. They look at the politics of this country. What do they see. The Koch brothers and other billionaires buying elections. People want real change we're gonna get to some of those issues in just a moment. I mean you stay on politics for a second you've said you'll win the New Hampshire primary. I think you'll win Iowa too. Look we're doing very well there's no question but today Hillary Clinton is clearly far and away the leader in the polls. But I think we have the momentum and if you look at the polls we're closing that gap a little bit. So I think if we stay on message if we continue our organizing efforts through our Web site Bernie Sanders dot com if we get around the state so we're going to run a very grassroots campaign so what I'll be doing in Iowa this weekend is I think five town meetings. That's what we do in New Hampshire. That's what I think people want to see. We continued doing that. I think we had a really good shot in both states. So you're you're as confident Iowa's you are in New Hampshire. I think we've got it. I'm not making any predictions here. We've got a long way to go. We are the underdog we're going to be greatly outspent. Secretary Clinton has a very formidable formidable political infrastructure but I'm feeling good about it. Some analysts say you know yes you're going to do well in some of those early states we just mentioned they have a lot of very issue oriented white liberals . But when it moves the states that have a lot of African-Americans and Latinos they'll get clobbered by Hillary Clinton Well I don't think so. I mean you know in truth I come from a state which has a small African-American population and a very small Latino population. That's simply the truth. But I think the message that we have whether it is the need to create millions of decent paying jobs. Look I was on the floor literally yesterday talking about a horrendous national tragedy which almost nobody was talking about it. And that is real unemployment for young African-Americans in this country. You know it is including those people who've given up looking for work and people are working part time when they want to work full time. It's 50 percent a black male baby born today. If we do not change the system stands a one in three chance ending up in jail. This is a tragedy unspeakable unspeakable tragedy . These are the issues that I'm talking about. John Conyers and I have introduced a massive jobs program for young people around this country. I think the Hispanic and African-American community will take note of what we have done over the years and what we will propose during this campaign. The other candidate in the field is Martin O'Malley or another candidate. He is against the the trans-Pacific trade pact. He is attacking Wall Street. He wants to tax the rich more. What's the difference between Bernie Sanders and Martin O'Malley. To be honest with you I think I met Martin O'Malley once in my life. He was governor when he hosted the Democratic senators seem to be a very nice guy. I don't all I know is that for the last 30 years and more I have taken on every element of the establishment . When I was mayor of the city of Burlington we transformed that city into one of the most livable cities in America. I invite everybody to come to Vermont come to Burlington beautiful city . We took a moment as a congressman and as a senator I have taken them all on. I have taken on Wall Street and I'm calling for the breakup of the major financial in that history is different than Martin O'Malley. But people will have to judge I'm not here to criticize Mr. Melody or anybody else. I know when I get criticized but. But he is another alternative. He will defend himself. Differentiate yourself from Senator Secretary Clinton on the issues. You know I know what I have done throughout my life. And I have been a leader in taking on big money interests . I was the first member of Congress to take Americans over the Canadian border to find a cheaper prescription drugs. I have led the defending Social Security Caucus to protect people from cuts in Social Security. Fact believe in expanding Social Security. I'm glad Mr. O'Malley is against the TPP. I have been against every trade agreement since I've been in Congress voted against NAFTA carve out a permanent normal trade relations with China and I'm leading the effort helping to lead the effort under TPP you mentioned big money several times and you've said that you're not going to beat you you're going to get outspent in this race. No super PACs for for Bernie Sanders but the early reports are you're doing pretty well online and small donors. Give us an estimate of what you think you might be able to. Here's the story and I want to spend a minute on it. Yep . This is a huge issue and you asked me why people are coming out to our meetings in large numbers. There is profound disgust over the Citizens United Supreme Court 5 to 4 decision which says to the Koch Brothers and other billionaires they can essentially buy elections and buy candidates and very few people I know including a lot of conservatives think this is what American democracy is about this is oligarchy and we're gonna be honest with them. And the media has got to be honest about it we can't say Oh well that's the way it is. It's not the way it is. Billionaires should not be able to buy elections. So needless to say I'm not going to get a whole lot of support from billionaires. I don't want their support. I don't need this . What I don't have a super PAC. But to answer your question since we've been in this race for all of five weeks I'm trying to think. I think we have gotten close. Well certainly over one hundred and fifty thousand individual donations. And you know what they average 40 dollars apiece. Now the question is who's doing quick math. Working for Bloomberg best means you've raised more than six million dollars already. We top 10 by June 30th. Famously. I think we will. You think you would. But but here's the point though and this is the more important point . The question is given citizens united Supreme Court decision can any candidate representing the working class the middle class who is prepared to take on billionaires can you win elections can you win elections. Or is this country political system so corrupt that it is only people beholden to big money who can win. That is a profound question and only way to change that would appear to be a constitutional amendment. And gosh it's been what twenty five years since we amended the Constitution. That's really not Al Dax. This is a very difficult issue. What we could do. Certainly I have co-sponsored legislation for a constitutional amendment. I believe right now what we can do is pass disclosure legislation which means that if the Koch Brothers or any other billionaire wants to put ugly 30 second and more dark money exactly in their faces is going to have to be on those ads. And thirdly in my view if you really want a dynamic democracy you've got to move to public funding of elections. This is a hugely important issue that impacts every other issue facing America .