LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SO HAPPY
HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE
MY FIRST GUEST HAS SPENT 28
YEARS IN CONGRESS AND HAS BECOME
THE PROGRESSIVE PATRIARCH OF THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
NOW HE'S RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.
PLEASE WELCOME BACK TO "THE LATE
SHOW" SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
( BAND PLAYING )
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
( BAND PLAYING )
>> Stephen: SENATOR BERNIE
SANDERS, EVERYBODY!
LOOK AT THAT!
BIG AS LIFE!
SENATOR --
( AUDIENCE CHANTING BERNIE )
>> Stephen: THAT'S NICE.
YOU STILL GOT IT, KID!
THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN WITH EVERY
GUEST, I AM HERE TO TELL YOU.
I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE TONIGHT.
FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THIS IS
YOUR NINTH APPEARANCE ON THE
SHOW -- TENTH APPEARANCE, NINTH
INTERVIEW.
YOU GET A FREE SUB AFTER THIS,
ACTUALLY.
>> AND I KNEW YOU BEFORE YOU
WERE STEPHEN COLBERT.
>> Stephen: WHAT WAS I?
ONE OF YOUR FORMER SHOWS.
>> Stephen: BACK THEN I WAS
JUST STEPHEN COLBERT.
NOW I'M STEPHEN COLBERT.
TOTALLY DIFFERENT GUY.
( LAUGHTER )
I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE.
BIG DOINGS IN D.C.
OBVIOUSLY, WENT TO TALK ABOUT
YOUR CAMPAIGN.
BUT I JUST WANT TO HIT YOU HERE
AS A SENATOR.
ARE YOU AT ALL INTOLTED THAT
TRUMP DIDN'T TRY TO GET DIRT ON
YOU FROM UKRAINE?
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
WHAT AM I, CHOPPED LIVER?
WHAT ARE YOU THINKING WHEN YOU
HEAR THIS?
>> WELL, WHAT I'M THINKING IS
HE'S PROBABLY THE MOST CORRUPT
PRESIDENT IN THE MODERN HISTORY
OF THIS COUNTRY.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
AND THAT THE IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY
HAS GOT TO MOVE AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE.
HE IS REALLY AN EMBARRASSMENT TO
OUR COUNTRY.
( APPLAUSE )
AND LET'S GET MOVING ON THE
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY.
>> Stephen: ONE OF THE THINGS
PEOPLE ARE SAYING IS THAT THE
WHITE HOUSE IS CAUGHT A LITTLE
FLAT-FOOTED BY HOW FAST THIS
STORY IS MOVING AND MAYBE THEY
COULD GET OUT SOME SORT OF
REDACTED TRANSCRIPT OR SLOW WALK
THIS FOR A WHILE UNTIL THINGS
CAME OFF THE BOIL, BUT NANCY
PELOSI IMMEDIATELY WENT TO
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY.
DO YOU THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT
THING TO DO, TO MOVE THAT FAST?
>> I DO.
I HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR AN
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY FOR MONTHS.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
AND I THINK THIS UKRAINIAN
BUSINESS USING NATIONAL SECURITY
MONEY DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE
PEOPLE OF AMERICA --
>> Stephen: IT'S OUR MONEY.
-- AND USE THAT AS LEVERAGE
TO TRY TO GET DIRT ON A
POLITICAL OPPONENT AND THEN
TRYING TO COVER THAT IT UP, THIS
IS AN OUTRAGE ON TOP OF AN
OUTRAGE, AND I THINK THIS IS
KIND OF TAKING MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT?
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH WITH THIS GUY.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: ONE OF THE THINGS,
I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK
ABOUT THIS, IS THAT SOME OF THE
REPUBLICANS, SOME OF THE
PRESIDENT'S ALLIES ARE SAYING
OH, THIS THING IS SO SO
COMPLICATED.
IT'S SIMPLE.
YOU HEAR WHAT THE PRESIDENT HAS
TO SAY, YOU UNDERSTAND THE
MOTIVATION COMPLETELY AND THERE
ISN'T THAT MUCH TO EXPLAIN.  HE
WANTED THIS DIRT, HE HAD SOME
LEVERAGE AND HE USED IT.
>> I AGREE, IT'S NOT
COMPLICATED, AND IT'S CONSISTENT
WITH HIS BEHAVIOR.
>> Stephen: RIGHT, IT'S ON
BRAND.
>> IT IS.
( LAUGHTER )
I HONESTLY BELIEVE -- I'M NOT A
PSYCHIATRIST HERE -- BUT I
HONESTLY BELIEVE --
>> Stephen: YOU LOOK LIKE A
PSYCHIATRIST, I WANT YOU TO
KNOW.
LIE DOWN AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT
YOUR PROBLEMS.
( LAUGHTER )
I'M NOT SURE HE KNOWS THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LYING AND
TRUTH TELLING.
I DOUBT VERY MUCH THAT HE
UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE
CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA IS ABOUT, I
DON'T THINK HE UNDERSTANDS THAT
WE HAVE AN EMOLUMENT CLAUSE
WHICH SAYS YOU CANNOT ENRICH
YOURSELF WHEN YOU'RE PRESIDENT,
I DON'T KNOW THAT HE UNDERSTANDS
THAT.
HE GREW UP AS A VERY RICH KID, I
THINK HE'S A SPOILED BRAT, AND I
THINK HE THINKS HE CAN DO
ANYTHING THAT HE WANTS TO DO.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
AND IT IS -- YOU KNOW, OTHER
PEOPLE WORK HARD, THEY TELL THE
TRUTH, THEY PAY THEIR TAXES,
THAT'S NOT DONALD TRUMP, AND I
THINK WE'VE GOT TO EXPLAIN TO
HIM WHAT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE
UNITED STATES IS ABOUT.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: NOW, SINCE LAST WE
WERE TOGETHER, YOU HAVE
ANNOUNCED YOUR CANDIDACY FOR
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
YOU'RE RUNNING.
WE'VE HAD THE DEBATES.
IN 2016, FOUR YEARS AGO, YOU
WERE THE PROGRESSIVE.
NOW A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE PICKED
UP YOUR BANNER AND ARE RUNNING
WITH A LOT OF YOUR ORIGINAL
IDEAS.
DO YOU EVER WANT TO TURN TO
SOMEBODY AND SAY, HEY, I PUT MY
NAME ON THAT YOGURT, YOU CAN'T
TAKE THAT!
THAT'S MY MEDICARE FOR ALL WITH
FRUIT ON THE BOTTOM!
( LAUGHTER )
>> NO, WHAT I'M PROUD OF, THE
IDEAS I TALKED ABOUT FOUR YEARS
AGO THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTRY,
RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE TO 15
BUCKS AN HOUR --
( APPLAUSE )
-- MAKING PUBLIC COLLEGES AND
UNIVERSITIES TUITION FREE --
( APPLAUSE )
-- CANCELING STUDENT DEBT IN
THIS COUNTRY WHICH IS SOMETHING
EASE I THINK WE HAVE TO DO,
MAKING SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND
THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS IN FACT A
MAJOR NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE,
AND I'M VERY PROUD TO INTRODUCE
THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE CLIMATE
CHANGE PROGRAM THAT ANY
CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT HAS EVER
INTRODUCED, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT
THE ISSUE OF HEALTHCARE.
FOUR YEARS AGO, I WAS HERE
SAYING HEALTHCARE IS A HUMAN
RIGHT, IT IS NOT A PRIVILEGE, WE
HAVE GOT TO TAKE ON THE GREED OF
THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY AND
OF THE INSURANCE COMPANIES AND
GUARANTEE HEALTHCARE TO EVERY
MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD IN THIS
COUNTRY AS A HUMAN RIGHT.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: NOW, SENATOR
WARREN WAS ON HERE LAST WEEK,
AND I ASKED HER ABOUT HER PLANS
FOR MEDICARE FOR ALL.
I'M GOING TO ASK YOU THE
QUESTION THAT I ASKED HER -- AT
THE RISK OF BEING ACCUSED OF
TRUMPING REPUBLICAN TALKING
POINTS, IS THERE AN INCREASE IN
TAXES ON THE MIDDLE CLASS TO PAY
FOR MEDICARE FOR ALL?
OR, RATHER WHERE WOULD THE TAX
BURNED GO TO PAY FOR THAT?
>> OKAY.
UNDER MY LEGISLATION, 15
CO-SPONSORS, I BELIEVE, IN THE
SENATE NOW -- NOBODY IN AMERICA
WILL PAY ANY MORE PREMIUMS.
I JUST TALKED TO A WOMAN THE
OTHER DAY THAT PAID $1,700 A
MONTH, $20,000 A YEAR, GONE.
NO MORE CO-PAYMENTS, GONE.
NO MORE OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES,
GONE.
NOBODY WILL GO BANKRUPT.
RIGHT NOW 500,000 PEOPLE IN
AMERICA GO BANKRUPT BECAUSE OF
MEDICAL BILLS, ALL OF THAT IS
GONE.
NOBODY IN AMERICA UNDER MY BILL
WILL PAY MORE THAN $200 A YEAR
IN TOTAL FOR THEIR PRESCRIPTION
DRUGS, AND WE'LL STOP THE
RIPPING OFF OF THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE BY THE PHARMACEUTICAL
INDUSTRY.
NOW HAVING SAID THAT, THE
HEALTHCARE FREE?
NO, IT IS NOT.
SO WHAT WE DO IS EXEMPT THE
FIRST $29,000 OF A PERSON'S
INCOME, YOU MAKE LESS THAN
$29,000, YOU PAY NOTHING IN
TAXES.
ABOVE THAT, IN A PROGRESSIVE
WAY, WITH THE WEALTHIEST PEOPLE
IN THIS COUNTRY PAYING THE
LARGEST PERCENTAGE, PEOPLE DO
PAY MORE IN TAXES.
BUT IF I SAY TO YOU, THAT RIGHT
NOW YOU'RE PAYING $20,000 A YEAR
IN A TAX CALLED A PREMIUM FOR
THE INSURANCE COMPANIES, THAT'S
GONE AND THEN I SAY, STEPHEN,
YOU'RE PAYING $10,000 A YEAR NOW
TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, YOUR
$10,000 TO THE GOOD, YOU WOULD
ASK ME, WHERE DO I SIGN UP FOR
THAT?
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: IN CANADA AND IN
THE U.K., TWO OF THE PLACES YOU
OFTEN POINT TO WHERE HEALTHCARE
HAS WORKED IN SORT OF A MEDICARE
FOR ALL STYLE, DIFFERENT
SYSTEMS, THERE ARE SUPPLEMENTAL
TREATMENTS YOU CAN GET IF YOU
PAY OUT OF POCKET TO A DOCTOR
WHO BASICALLY IS NOT IN THE
MEDICARE FOR ALL PLAN.
IF I WANTED A DIFFERENT
TREATMENT OR SOMEBODY NOT IN
MEDICARE FOR ALL, WOULD I BE
ABLE TO PAY SOMEBODY ELSE?
>> IF YOU CANTED COSMETIC
SURGERY, ALL BASIC --
>> Stephen: WHAT DO YOU THINK
I NEED TO HAVE DONE?
>> WELL, IT'S THE NOSE, STEPHEN.
I WANTED TO BE POLITE, BUT IT IS
THE NOSE.
>> Stephen: THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
IT'S NOT ATTACHED TO THE
CLASSES.
( LAUGHTER )
>> BUT HERE IS THE POINT, WE ARE
COVERING ALL BASIC HEALTHCARE
NEEDS.
MEDICARE IS A VERY STRONG
PROGRAM, AND ALL I WANT TO DO
OVER A FOUR-YEAR PERIOD IS
EXPAND IT TO EVERYBODY, AND
INCLUDE DENTAL CARE, HEARING
AIDS AND EYEGLASSES AND HOME
HEALTHCARE AS WELL.
SO WE COVER MENTAL ILLNESS, WE
COVER ALL BASIC HEALTHCARE
NEEDS.
SOMEBODY WANTS COSMETIC SURGERY,
FINE, GO TO SOME PRIVATE
INSURANCE, BUT WE COVER ALL
BASIC HEALTHCARE NEEDS AND THE
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL BE PAYING
LESS FOR HEALTHCARE THAN THEY
ARE TODAY.
>> Stephen: SO IT WOULD STILL
BE SOME SORT OF PRIVATE MARKET?
>> FOR NON-BASIC HEALTHCARE
SERVICES.
>> WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE A LITTLE
BIT OF A BREAK BUT BACK WITH
MORE SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS,
EVERYBODY.
