"Those emails have proven the system has been rigged against them from the start," Paul Manafort said. | AP Photo Manafort: Progressives cheated by Democratic establishment

Bernie Sanders and progressives have been cheated by the Democratic establishment, Paul Manafort, Donald Trump’s campaign chairman, said Sunday in response to news of leaked emails from the Democratic National Committee last week.

“They have a lot to complain about," Manafort said on "Fox News Sunday" in discussing Sanders' supporters. "Those emails have proven the system has been rigged against them from the start. The only reason they’re not the nominee is because the superdelegates, who are the establishment elected officials from the Democratic Party, had been fixed against them from the beginning.”


The internal correspondence from the DNC was obtained and leaked by WikiLeaks. Emails show that DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz was not neutral in the battle between Sanders and Hillary Clinton. Wasserman Schultz resigned her position later Sunday.

Manafort went on to tell host Chris Wallace that polls show that less than 55 percent of Sanders' supporters are going to vote for Clinton — and that they should back Trump instead.

“A number of them who are against a rigged system can find support in what Donald Trump has been saying, as far as what he wants to do, breaking up the rigged political system, the rigged economy," he said. "If there is anyone against Wall Street, it’s Donald Trump. Not Hillary Clinton, who basically lives off the funding from Wall Street."

Manafort also said Sanders should be concerned with Clinton’s newly announced vice-presidential running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine. Manafort said Kaine does not “represent the progressive agenda of Sanders, and once again the progressives in the Democratic Party have been cheated by the establishment.”

“Tim Kaine is a failed career politician who has never had a job in the private sector, never created jobs,” Manafort said.

Comparing Kaine to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Manafort said Trump's running mate looks much better.

“Gov. Pence cut taxes every one of the years he was governor. He created new jobs, balanced the budget. He has a $2 billion reserve fund. He improved the infrastructure, increased aid for health care and education. Those are records of accomplishment. Tim Kaine may be what he is, but as far as we’re concerned, he’s the perfect candidate.”

