MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript

Interview

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SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I), VERMONT: Good to be with you.

SCHULTZ: What"s this week going to be like?

SANDERS: Well, all I can tell you is I"m scheduled to be in the chair

at 2:00 this morning. So it looks like it"s going to be a pretty tough

week with 24-hour sessions. The Republicans, obviously, are continuing

their obstructionist role. No, no, no, don"t go forward.

At the end of the day, I think we"re going to pass reconciliation and

improve the bill that was passed and signed by the president today.

SCHULTZ: Do you believe the letter Senator Reid has got with 52

signatures? Is that solid in your opinion.

SANDERS: Yes, I do.

SCHULTZ: OK. What do you make of these most recent polls that 67

percent of Republicans think President Obama is a socialist?

SANDERS: Well, you know, it"s funny that you ask me that, Ed, because

literally yesterday I had the ambassador from Denmark in the state of

Vermont. Let me tell you a little bit about Danish socialism. In Denmark,

everybody has health care, everybody, without any out of pocket expenses.

They"re spending 50 percent of what we spend per capita. Their outcomes

are better.

In Denmark, everybody can go to college. You know what the tuition

there is, Ed? You know what the costs are? It is zero.

In Denmark, Democratic socialists--although it"s now run--the

government is run by a center right party. Everybody in the country gets

six weeks off paid vacation.

In Denmark, when you have a baby, you get a year off with full pay.

So I think the more that people learn about what goes on in Scandinavia and

other European countries, I think the more sympathetic they may be.

Having said that, do I think Barack Obama is a socialist? Of course

not. What he is trying to do is gradually, slowly, incrementally take us

to where most other countries in the industrialized world are, in terms of

guaranteeing health care to all of their people as a right.

SCHULTZ: Senator, since you have a 2:00 a.m. schedule, I"ll let you

go tonight. Let them save your energy for the middle of the night. Do me

a favor, let them have it. Great to have you with us. Thanks so much.

Tonight in our telephone poll survey, I asked you now that health care

reform has passed, do you feel hope or fear for this country? Ninety four

percent of you responded saying hope; six percent fear.

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