MSNBC "The Ed Show"- Transcript: 2016 Presidential Election

Interview

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Joining me tonight Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, candidate for
president. Senator, always a pleasure. First all your strategy, you`re on
a lot of shows, not only this one, but many shows across the spectrum. Is
this the strategy? Is this what it`s going to take? Is this part of your
strategy to do this?

SANDERS: Well, look, Ed, given my politics over the years, it`s been hard
for us to get on network television, by the way. And you have been very
kind that I appreciate it because I`m on your show a lot. But our main
strategy is basically going out to the American people. We`ve been having
many, many town meetings. As you`ve indicated, just we`ve had
extraordinary turnouts and enthusiastic crowds all over this country.

SCHULTZ: So the pictures we`re showing right now, you in Denver over the
weekend, it doesn`t look like you`re 60 points behind.

SANDERS: No. By the way, we`re not 60 points behind. There`s no question
but that Hillary Clinton is ahead of us. I think the gap is narrowing. I
think that poll is very different than other polls that I`ve seen. If you
look at New Hampshire, if you look at Iowa, the numbers are closer and
we`re gaining momentum.

SCHULTZ: Well, I`ve been accused of jumping up -- or should I say
described as jumping up and down for Bernie Sanders. One of the reasons is
I don`t see any Republicans getting 5,000 people at events. I mean,
obviously, what you`re saying, folks are buying early on. So much that the
ready for Warren group, the group that officially wanted to get Elizabeth
Warren to run for president, they`ve endorsed you. What`s your reaction?

SANDERS: Well, we`re really very grateful for that. Elizabeth Warren is a
good friend of mine. She`s been a great United States senator. We agree
on virtually all of the issues. And what we understand is that in America
there`s something fundamentally wrong when the great middle class of this
country is disappearing, when 99 percent of all new income is going to the
top 1 percent and when the top 0.1 percent owns almost as much wealth as
the bottom 90 percent. That`s not America.

SCHULTZ: But Senator, what does it mean that this group is supporting you?

SANDERS: It means that we`re going to get a lot of energy from a lot of
people all over this country. And I think they understand that we`re going
to be raising many of the same issues that Elizabeth Warren has.

SCHULTZ: Do you anticipate that any of your colleagues in the United
States Senate will endorse you?

SANDERS: Yeah, I think a few. But not a whole lot. You know, I think
most of them will end up being part of the Democratic establishment and
supporting Secretary Clinton.

SCHULTZ: Shifting gear, what happened in the Senate today? You took to
the floor and called it a lousy deal. What`s the recourse now?

SANDERS: We`ll see what we can do in the next day or so and we`ll see
what`s going to go on in the House. But there`s no question that today was
a major setback and a real defeat. Look, Ed, you know, when virtually
every major corporation, Wall Street and the drug companies want something,
they usually get it. And they got almost all the Republican votes and they
got too many Democrat votes and I think it`s a sad day for the American
worker. Because this trade agreement is a continuation of other disastrous
trade agreements that have cost us millions of jobs. It should not be
passed.

SCHULTZ: Do you think that the President will go forward with this trade
agreement if TAA, Trade Adjustment Assistance, isn`t delivered to him?

SANDERS: Well, I think he`s indicated that he would not, and I think that
is one of the game plans left is to, you know, to see what we can do about
that. What can I tell you? I just hope that he doesn`t. And we`ll see
what happens.

SCHULTZ: OK. Senator Bernie Sanders, always a pleasure. Good to have you
with us tonight, sir. Thanks so much.

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