Bernie Sanders: GOP Debate Was ‘Really Painful’
[excerpt]
SANDERS: “It was really painful, I have to say, Chris. “I couldn’t go on the full three hours. I gave up after two and a half. …What was really remarkable is the degree to which they avoided the major issues facing the American people and believe that every single problem facing humanity is all attributed to Barack Obama. He has caused all of the problems. We seem to have forgotten that when Bush left office, 800,000 people were losing their jobs every single month, the world’s financial system was on the verge of collapse, and our deficit was a record-breaking $1.4 trillion…”
…
SANDERS: “Do something. No scientist that I know believes that. What they think is, if we don't act now, the situation - bad situation will become much worse in late years. In terms of childhood poverty, I didn't hear a word about the need to address the fact that 40 percent of African-American kids in this country are living in poverty, nor did I hear a word, by the way, about racial justice in this country.”
CAMEROTA: “The candidates, as you know, senator, went after each other somewhat last night. And they also went after Hillary Clinton and they took sort of a sideswipe at you in the process. Let me play for you what Bobby Jindal said.”
[clip starts]
JINDAL: “Hillary Clinton is gift wrapping this election to us. They are running their weakest candidate. They've got a socialist that is gaining on Hillary Clinton. Folks, you can't make that up. A socialist is doing well in the Democratic primary.”
[clip ends]
CAMEROTA: “He says you can't make it up. It's stranger than fiction, basically. Your response?”
SANDERS: “I know for Governor Jindal, it is easy to try to frighten people. We throw out a - a word, socialism. Oh my goodness. We're all supposed to be shaking in our boots. But I think if we look at some of the real success stories in many of these countries, there's a lot that we can learn. … countries Finland and Denmark and Sweden are much more homogenous than we are. They are much smaller than we are. But there are lessons that we can learn. Why are we the only major nation on earth that doesn't guarantee healthcare to all people? Forget Scandinavia. I live 100 miles away from Canada. All of their people have healthcare and they do it much more cost effectively than we do. Why are we the only major country on earth that doesn't guarantee paid family and medical leave so when a working class woman has a baby, she's not forced to be separated from her baby and go back to work a week or two weeks later?”
