Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) finally opened up on Sunday about what differentiates his presidential campaign from that of his progressive counterpart and Democratic primary challenger, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
“There are differences between Elizabeth and myself,” Sanders told ABC News’ Chief White House Correspondent Jon Karl during an appearance on “This Week.” “Elizabeth, I think as you know, has said that she is a capitalist through her bones. I am not.”
The self-proclaimed Democratic socialist contended that “business as usual and doing it the old fashioned way is not good enough,” and that rather than simply enacting more regulation, the United States needs to undergo a complete “political revolution.”
Bernie Sanders: "What we need is, in fact — I don't want to get people too nervous — we need a political revolution."
"I am, I believe the only candidate who's going to say to the ruling class … enough, enough with your greed and with your corruption" https://t.co/MAEIw7EoHO pic.twitter.com/93uau8ARDe
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) October 13, 2019
Sanders further pointed to the rampant greed and corruption among Washington D.C. politicians and the corporate elite, highlighting the pharmaceutical industry’s alleged price fixing, the country’s lack of universal health care, and the fossil fuel industry, who he argued makes billions in profits by “destroying the planet.”
“I am, I believe, the only candidate who is going to say to the ruling class of this country – the corporate elite — enough, enough with your greed and with your corruption,” he continued. “We need real change in this country.”
Both Sanders and Warren have notably been shying away from attacking each other while they compete for the Democratic nomination for the presidency. They have also been repeatedly asked to explain what sets both of their far-left campaigns apart and have consistently dodged providing an answer.
“Elizabeth considers herself, if I got the quote correctly, to be a capitalist to her bones. I do not. And the reason I am not is because I will not tolerate for one second the kind of greed and corruption and income and wealth inequality and so much suffering that is going on in this country today, which is unnecessary.”
The Vermont senator revealed prior to announcing his candidacy that he would only launch a bid for the presidency if another candidate did not emerge who is more likely to beat President Donald Trump in 2020.
“If there is somebody else who appears who can, for whatever reason, do a better job than me, I’ll work my a** off to elect him or her,” Sanders said in Nov. 2018. “If it turns out that I am the best candidate to beat Donald Trump, then I will probably run.”
Interestingly, Sanders declared that he would officially be entering the presidential race nearly two months after Warren launched her campaign in December.
Warren, however, has been gaining momentum in the polls. In the most recent national poll, conducted by The Economist/YouGov, she edged out Sanders by 15 points, ahead of even former Vice President Joe Biden. On average, Sanders is lagging Warren by more than 10 points.
“Every American is going to make his or her own choice about the candidate that they want,” Sanders said. “Elizabeth Warren has been a friend of mine for some 25 years and I think she is a very, very good senator.”