-You know, this is
really drawn in stark contrast
the difference between
people who have
and the people who have not,
and one thing that I believe
is shocking to many,
and I wonder if you would have
predicted it,
is the fact that during this
terrible time,
billionaires have
actually added to their wealth
at a time when so many peopl
are living
paycheck to paycheck.
I mean, is this something that
of course Senator Sanders
knew would happen at a tim
like this?
-Well, I think not just me, bu
I think economists in general.
We are -- and one of the issues,
Seth, that, you know,
you're not going to hear
too much in Congress or on TV,
frankly, is the issue
of income and wealth inequality.
And as you have just indicated
it has been exasperated
by this crisis.
So we're seeing billionaires
seeing their wealth increase
by hundreds and hundreds
of billions of dollars,
while the most vulnerable
people in this country
and working-class people
in general
are living in desperation.
I mean, hunger in America
is now widespread.
People are worried about being
evicted from their apartments.
Where do they go?
What do they do?
Unemployment is higher now
than it has been
for a very, very long time
So this issue of growing
income and wealth inequality
and the power
of the billionaire class
to influence politics --
they spend huge amounts of money
to elect candidates
who represent
the wealthy and the powerful
This is a fundamental issu
which we cannot run away from.
-Whether it's fair or unfair
a lot of people are
counting on you to convinc
the progressive wing
of the Democratic Party
to support Biden.
You've been very vocal
in your support of him.
Is he someone that you have ha
a good relationship
with over the years?
I know your politics are
obviously different.
But how do you like him
as a person?
-I have known Joe for --
since I got into
the Senate in 2006,
and worked with him when he wa
Vice President under Obama
And I have a good relationship
with him.
And, as you've indicated,
it is no great secret
that we have
very different political views
Joe is more of an establishmen
politician,
and I'm spending my life
taking on the establishment.
But I am going to do everythin
that I can
to see that Biden is
elected president.
Because in Trump, we have
not just somebody who is
a pathological liar,
but somebody who does not really
believe in democracy,
who has very strong
authoritarian tendencies,
who is a racist and a sexist
and a homophobe and a xenophobe.
And this is somebody that cannot
be, in my view, re-elected
for the health and safety
of this country.
So I'll do everything I can to
support Joe and make sure
that Trump is not re-elected
-Have you been happy thus fa
with the amount
former Vice President Bide
has reached out to you
and other progressives
in the party?
-Well, what he very
kindly did, what Joe did
is agree to a set
of task forces,
a half a dozen,
who are currently
wrapping up their work,
actually, as we speak,
working on some of
the most important issues
facing the country --
the economy, health care,
education, climate change,
immigration, criminal justice,
et cetera.
So, Biden was very good
about reaching out.
We have brought into these
task forces
some of the strongest
progressive voices in America.
He has strong supporters of his,
and they are working on ways
that we can come up
with real solutions
to the enormous crises
facing this country.
And I've been pleased by that.
-I wanted to end
on some positive news
because it's so hard
to come by these days.
The Supreme Court ruled
6-3 yesterday
basically making it illega
for employers to fire someon
based on them being gay
or transgender.
Were you surprised, happy?
What was your reaction?
-I was very happy.
Very happy and a little
bit surprised.
It's no great --
everybody understands
that the conservatives
dominate the Supreme Court 5-4
and that we had Gorsuch
and Roberts coming around
on this issue was very,
very pleasing.
And I think as we fight fo
a less discriminatory societ
where we treat people as
who they are as human beings
not the color of their skin,
not their sexual orientation
not where they were born.
This is a major, major, majo
step forward
for the LGBT community
and I think for
the United States of America
-Well, I will say
what I said last time
we talked via Zoom.
I hope the next time's
in person.
-So do I.
-And if not,
we will make it work this way.
It's always a pleasure,
Senator.
-Keep up the great work, Seth.
Thank you.
-Thank you.
