MSNBC, Rachel Maddow Show
March 4, 2020
Transcript prepared by Roddey Reid
52:40 -55:17
Rachel Maddow: We’re back now with Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders who is candidate for President in the Democratic primary. Senator, the Democrats started this primary with a gigantic, historically diverse field, tons of women, people of color, a viable gay candidate for the first time ever. Now the great winnowing….
Sanders: It’s all white men and Elizabeth, right?
Maddow: What do you say to people who find it a little depressing that the Democratic Party is going to pick, likely, one of two straight white guys in their seventies to run against the incumbent Republican straight white guy in his seventies.
Sanders: Well, you know, I think, Rachel, that we ought to continue the fight for diversity, and the Democrats should be proud that it started off a very very diverse group of people, candidates, compared to the Republicans in general. And, second of all, though I kind of think that when we look at a candidate you got to look at the totality of the candidate. Yeah, I think we need more women in politics, we need more gay people in politics, we need more African Americans in politics, but at the end of the day we also have to look at what a candidate stands for, you know? We can’t ignore that.
And yeah, I know, I am seventy-eight, I am an old white guy, but I would ask viewers to go to Bernie Sanders.com, check out my record. And for the last thirty years I have been standing up for the working families, I was way out there on GBLT issues way before it was popular, 100% voting record on women’s issues. And I am prepared to do what I think has to be done right now, Rachel, which is we are moving many ways toward an oligarchic form of society where very few entities and individuals have enormous power, and I am fighting to restore or create a vigorous democracy in this country economically and politically. And I hope people will take a look at my record, contrast it to the Vice-President’s, and look forward to their support.
Maddow: If we have gotten from that giant field of over twenty down to you and Vice-President Biden with Senator Warren again considering her options at this point, is it 100% impossible to imagine a unity ticket despite your differences between you and Senator (sic) Biden, between you and Vice-President Biden?
Sanders: You mean, two old white guys on the ticket?
Maddow: Yeah, you are the two last guys standing.
Sanders: Well, probably not. I don’t think the American people don’t want, one old white guy is probably one too many, for some, I think we need a little bit more diversity than that.
Maddow: Senator Bernie Sanders, it is great to see you, sir. I know this is the middle of a whirlwind for you, so thanks for making time.
Sanders: Thanks for coming to Vermont.