Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 06:44 pm
During an interview on ABC’s This Week, Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders unloaded on Republicans and gave them a taste of what they can expect if he wins the Democratic nomination.
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Transcript via ABC’s This Week:
STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, that’s the other key question, can you win the general election?
And you heard what Secretary Clinton had to say about those other Democrats who are concerned that you, a democratic socialist, you’re going to get slapped with that label, you’re not going to be able to win in a general election.
SANDERS: Well, look, in terms of what people are going to get slapped with, look at the front pages today in terms of what Secretary Clinton is getting slapped with.
STEPHANOPOULOS: What is it?
SANDERS: But here is the point.
Well, you — you know, you know as well as I do, it has to do with emails.
But what is more important is that our campaign is generating an enormous amount of excitement and enthusiasm all over this country. We are bringing large numbers of people into the political process.
Democrats win elections when large numbers of people come out and vote. That’s what Obama did in 2008. That’s what we can do right now.
Republicans win elections when people are demoralized and voter turnout is low.
So I think there is no question but that we have the excitement.
Second of all, George, just look at some of the polls that are out there. Look at polls that come from battleground states in terms of Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Iowa. Sanders versus Trump, we do a lot better than Hillary Clinton does against Trump.
National polls, we’re doing better against Trump.
Will they throw the kitchen sink at me? They sure will. We’ve got a lot to throw at them. The American people do not want to vote for Republicans who want to cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and give huge tax breaks to billionaires; Republicans who refuse to even acknowledge the reality of climate change, let alone do something about it; Republicans who are bought and sold by billionaires and corporate America.
If run against Trump, we’ll beat him. I am absolutely confident that we can win the general election.
Sen. Sanders is correct. It doesn’t matter who wins the Democratic nomination. Republicans are going to throw everything they have at the nominee. In a few sentences, Sanders laid out an argument that would be devastating to the Republican nominee.
Whoever wins the Democratic nomination is going to be favored to win in November, because Democrats have the structurally stronger national party. The electability question on the Democratic side is a bit overrated and a symptom of a primary campaign where the divides between the top two candidates on policy are a matter of degree not difference.
Nationally will be more electable because voters across the country already know her. Sanders has demonstrated that as voters get to know him, he becomes more electable. There are advantages and disadvantages to both as nominees, which is what makes the Democratic primary so interesting.
It would be fun to see Bernie Sanders go toe to toe with Trump, but it would also be fun to see Trump systematically dismantled by the Clinton team. While Republicans are stuck with two unpopular and unelectable candidates leading their primary, Democrats, have two candidates who could win a general election.
It is a no-lose situation for Democrats. The Democratic nominee could have a field day with a Republican Party that is being “led” by Donald Trump or Ted Cruz.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
