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AP Photo Sanders would 'absolutely' end NSA wiretapping program

Sen. Bernie Sanders said Tuesday that "absolutely" he would like to see the end of the NSA's surveillance program.

"I would shut down what exists right now (which) is that virtually every telephone call in the country ends up in a file at the NSA," Sanders said. The comment came in response to a question about the Patriot Act. Sanders voted against reauthorization of that legislation, Anderson Cooper noted.

Of Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor who leaked information on the wiretapping program, Sanders said the fact that he exposed information about the program should be taken into account.

"I think Snowden played a very important role in educating the American people," Sanders said. "I think what he did in educating us should be taken into consideration."