Sen. Sanders Reacts to Sen. Sinema Becoming Independent: ‘She’s a Corporate Democrat’

BASH: “Here with me now is somebody who knows a thing or two about going his own way, independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Senator, first, you are an independent. She is now the third official independent of the U.S. Senate, joining you and Angus King of Maine. What do you think of her decision and also what you just heard in her interview with Jake?”

SANDERS: “I don’t want to spend a whole lot of time on Senator Sinema. She has her reasons. Dana, I happen to suspect that it’s probably a lot to do with politics back in Arizona. I think the Democrats there are not all that enthusiastic about somebody who helped sabotage some of the most important legislation that protects the interests of working families and voting rights and so forth. So, I think it really has to do with her political aspirations for the future in Arizona. But, for us, I think nothing much has changed in terms of the functioning of the U.S. Senate. The good news is that we now have 51 votes. We will have the majority on committees. It means that we can go forward and start protecting the interests of the working families and deal with the reality that we are increasingly living in an oligarchy where the billionaire class and large corporations control almost every aspect of our country. So, I would hope very much that, with this new majority, Democrats will sit down and start fighting for the needs of ordinary Americans.”

BASH: “So, I want to talk about some of those issues in a second. But, first, you were a very important figure on the campaign trail for progressives ahead of the midterms, as you normally are. I’m sure you’re going to be campaigning for candidates in 2024. The outgoing Arizona Democratic Party official, one of them says that he expects Democrats will run their own candidate against her. Is that a good idea? Would you support a Democratic opponent against Senator Sinema?”

SANDERS: “I don’t — I support progressive candidates all over this country, people who have the guts to take on powerful special interests. I don’t know what’s going to be happening in Arizona, we will see who they nominate, but certainly that’s something I will take a hard look at.”

BASH: “Does she have the guts to take on powerful special interests?”

SANDERS: “No, she doesn’t. She is a corporate Democrat who has, in fact, along with Senator Manchin, sabotaged enormously important legislation.”