TRNN speaks with Sanders supporters in NH and asks whether his campaign should adopt a more aggressive approach when challenging Clinton’s record
Story Transcript
JESSICA DESVARIEUX, TRNN: Welcome to the Real News Network. I’m Jessica Desvarieux, coming to you from Concord, New Hampshire where Bernie Sanders has just won the state of New Hampshire in the New Hampshire primary. I’m joined now with Fred–Fred, you came all the way from Massachusetts. FRED: I did, yes. DESVARIEUX: And what do you think of this news of Sanders winning New Hampshire? FRED: It’s the best news I ever heard. It’s going to propel us forward. SPEAKER: I’m thrilled. I think today was absolutely awesome. He did a great job. I think everybody who went out for him and volunteered did an absolutely fabulous job, and he did incredible with the speech tonight. SPEAKER: I thought–it was crazy. Her and I were standing out front of Wyndham high school. I was frozen. I couldn’t feel anything. And I had to run to my car, get this big heavy coat, a hat, and gloves, and I still couldn’t feel anything. But I mean, I’d do it again if I could, because it was worth it. And I just can’t believe that it was such a wide turnout. SPEAKER: He is the most authentic politician that there is. What he says is exactly what–there’s no, there’s no ulterior motive. There’s no, there’s no he’s going to change his mind. SPEAKER: I like the fact that he’s trying to end Citizens United, for one thing. He’s trying to end super PACs. And he’s trying to create a campaign that’s actually funded by normal people. And something that Bernie Sanders likes to say at every single one of his events is that the average donation is $27. That’s, that’s normal people, okay. Meanwhile, Hillary just gave speeches to 12 big banks and made I think $2-3 million on these speeches, for instance. DESVARIEUX: Yeah, she made $650,000 just for Goldman alone. SPEAKER: Just for one alone, exactly. In total it’s over a couple million dollars, I believe. SPEAKER: I used to be a very, very, very energetic supportive person of Hillary Clinton–I almost said Hillary Sanders. Hillary Clinton. And I was conflicted between the two, and then I looked more into Bernie, and I’m like, this is the man that deserves my vote. And he–because he says what he thinks, but he’s respectful about it. Doesn’t step on anybody’s toes. He goes about politics the right way, and I think that’s the kind of man that we need in the White House. DESVARIEUX: He’s more issue-oriented. SPEAKER: Yeah. He doesn’t care about all the sensationalist stuff. He just sticks straight to the point. And I think what’s the difference between him and Mr. Trump is that he actually has a little bit of respect for people who aren’t like him. DESVARIEUX: So there’s something in the American public, certainly there’s this anger, this, this desire for more authenticity, people who aren’t bought, per se. But there is a big difference between the two, Trump, if you compare him to Sanders in terms of their platforms. So what is it about Sanders’ platform do you agree with? SPEAKER: I’m a little guy. And he’s helping the little guys. He’s not, he’s not paid for. He’s not collecting $250,000 speaking fees from anyone. You know, he lives in a house that’s pretty close to mine, you know, cuts his own wood. I mean, you know, doesn’t get any more authentic than that. SPEAKER: I look, I view her as a bought and paid for candidate. I look at her as more of the same. And I actually look at her as corrupt. So I can’t say I put my support behind Hillary, despite the fact that it’s within party lines. I just think that’s kind of mindless. DESVARIEUX: So what would you do? Abstain, Green Party? SPEAKER: I’d have to do more research. I’m focused on Bernie right now. I’m actually a volunteer. I knock a lot of doors, I make a lot of phone calls. DESVARIEUX: Senator Sanders has already said that if he doesn’t get the nomination he will endorse her. Would you support Secretary Clinton if she ends up getting the nomination? SPEAKER: Oh, yes. Of course, yeah. DESVARIEUX: Why is that? SPEAKER: Because it just–we can’t, we can’t let a Republican choose the next few Supreme Court justices. I mean, the ones that are on the bench now made a horrible call with the Citizens United case. I mean, that has just completely gutted the, the people’s participation in politics. You know, it’s like, most people are here. Same as Trump supporters. They’re here because they don’t feel like they’re being heard. I’m not being heard. No one listened to me. I don’t have a $225,000 check for anyone. Of course they’re not going to listen to me. SPEAKER: Obviously I’m 100 percent for Bernie. And I, some of her things have been a flip-flop, but if she actually [stuck] to what she really learned from Bernie, maybe. I mean, I really should, because I really, no offense to any of the Republican candidates, I’m not a big fan of most of you. So yes, I probably would continue voting Democrat. I don’t know. How about you, [Carter]? SPEAKER: I mean, it’s–I feel conflicted, but I wouldn’t, I’d only vote for her because I in no way, shape, or form want Donald Trump in the White House. And if that means voting for Hillary Clinton, I will vote for Hillary Clinton. But I really, seriously prefer Bernie Sanders to be in that situation. SPEAKER: Someone the other day told me that he didn’t have enough experience. And I’m like, what? The guy’s 74 years old. He was the mayor of Burlington. He’s been a congressman, been a senator. That’s plenty of experience. DESVARIEUX: Gotcha. Gotcha, yeah. SPEAKER: So, so I think that’s silly. Other than that, they like to say that he’s too old. That’s an easy rebuttal. All the other candidates are within, what, five years? Give me a break. DESVARIEUX: Do you feel like he’s too soft on Clinton? I mean, just in his speech, I was listening to it, Clinton made some sort of veiled criticisms, being that she’s the candidate with a real solution, and Bernie sort of is unrealistic in his goals. Do you feel like he should take the gloves off a little bit and start really speaking to her record more directly? SPEAKER: I, I think it’s laughable what Clinton’s saying about Bernie. That’s first of all. But to answer your question, actually, the campaign is ramping up, in a way. I think he’s abstaining from running a negative campaign, okay. But he’s starting to call her out, specifically on being bought and paid for. And there–you know, the Clinton campaign is internally getting really irritated about that, because they can’t reconcile it. They’re clearly bought and paid for. It’s just, look it up. It’s out there. It’s not a secret.
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