Exclusive: Bernie Sanders worries young people are underestimating the threat from Trump

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

WASHINGTON — Sen. Bernie Sanders has always been a political maverick, but these days the longest-serving independent in U.S. congressional history is not afraid to show his pragmatic side.

In an exclusive interview with USA TODAY on Wednesday, the senior senator from Vermont spoke about topics including the Israel-Hamas war, antisemitism, college protests, and President Joe Biden’s record. One throughline that quickly became apparent was that Sanders would not let his differences with Biden on some issues get in the way of confronting something more urgent: the threat of former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee.

He believes a policy change by Biden on Israel is long overdue, but also worries that young people are underestimating the true threat that Trump poses and in their anger over Israel and other issues, may not recognize that Biden is better on their side — even if he is not where they want him to be on Israel.

"We can be extremely upset at the Biden administration for their policies with regard to Israel and Gaza, but the difficulty is that in the real world that you live in, you've got to take a look at a whole lot of things," he said, sitting in the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee hearing room on Capitol Hill. "On the other hand, I would hope that most of the young people and protestors do not want to see Donald Trump, who is a racist, a sexist, a homophobe who doesn't acknowledge the reality of climate change, become elected president of the United States."

https://www.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-bernie-sanders-worries-young-093109339.html

[Chainfire]

1. A hell of a lot of middle aged and older people are underestimating the danger of a Trump dictatorship too.

With the SC in his pocket, it will be a dicatatorship tasked with ridding the country of Trump's "enemies."

[ColinC]

3. True but they aren't as likely to take his words to heart

…as younger folks may

[ColinC]

2. You tell 'em Bernie!!

[calimary]

4. Well, get yer ass out there and speak at college campuses, dude!

Don’t just sit there in some nice cushy office and “opinionate.” You’re worried that young voters won’t care or won’t vote? GET YOUR ASS OUT THERE AND SPEAK UP!!!

[Ping Tung]

5. I'm with Bernie and the others who are against the war in Gaza but support Biden.

Like Bernie and Pelosi, and other Democratic pols, I would like to see Biden cut off American arms to Israel At least until a viable cease-fire is in place.

[Emile]

6. Bernie out there trying to pull people together.

[JCMach1]

7. Sanders Nails it. You don't weaken a President when he needs leverage

Last edited Thu May 2, 2024, 03:55 PM - Edit history (2)

to :
1. Help our Allies in the region
2. Fight terrorism
3. Curb Iranian power and
4. NEGOTIATE a permanent ceasefire and the release of hostages

[calimary]

10. Damn right!

No "political termites", please!

[hlthe2b]

8. Bernie needs to assemble youth leadership (and heaven, forbid, "influencers" ) from throughout the US

to a summit to discuss some of this and strategize. Every state needs a youth and young adult outreach plan...

[wnylib]

13. Great idea. Hope it happens.

[Happy Hoosier]

9. Ya fuckin' think?

They are being deliberately manipulated. That's obvious. But people walk right in to that anyway.

[shrike3]

11. Um, Bernie, it would kind of help if you stopped calling Gaza Biden's Vietnam.

Guy talks out of both sides of his mouth.

[ShazzieB]

12. When did he call Gaza "Biden's Vietnam"?

I'd really like to know.

I strongly disagree about Bernie "talking out of both sides of his mouth." To me, he seems like a straight shooter who always says exactly what he thinks.

[Cha]

16. Here...

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=18915836

[ShazzieB]

17. Thanks. i didn't see that post until after I replied to this one (obviously).

I think Bernie is right on, in that he doesn't want this situation to hurt Biden politically the way Vietnam hurt LBJ and then Humphrey. That would be a disaster.

Unfortunately, Vietnam is kind of a loaded word, so I would just as soon he'd left that word out of this, even though I agree with what I think he was trying to say.

[shrike3]

25. In this thread. In fairness, he said "may."

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=18915836

[wnylib]

14. I can relate to this from personal experience.

I opposed LBJ's escalation of fighting in Vietnam. But, I supported his domestic work against poverty and for civil rights.

I didn't face a personal challenge on those dissonant views, though, for two reasons. One is that he did not run in '68. The other is that I was not old enough to vote yet. I was 18 in '68, but voting age was still 21. By the time that the voting age changed to 18, I was already 22 years old for the '72 election.

[LittleGirl]

15. I'm really sick of people blaming Biden for the war in Gaza

I don't understand people that put the blame on Biden. He's the US PRESIDENT, not Bibi who started that war with his overreaction. Stop blaming Biden.

[SocialDemocrat61]

18. Didn't you know that Biden was all powerful

He controls the actions of foreign governments, local police forces and the administrations of private universities.

[sarisataka]

19. SMH

Orwell was right

[David__77]

20. The US is shipping massive volume of weapons used to prosecute the military campaign.

It also provides diplomatic and logistical support.

[LittleGirl]

21. Yes, that's their argument

but Biden is not the President of Israel.

[David__77]

22. It is an actuality. I don't think anyone has claimed he is president of multiple countries lol

[shrike3]

26. They behave as though he is president of multiple countries. LOL.

[JCMach1]

23. Because one group is an ALLY and the other group is a terrorist organization

We get 0 leverage to end the conflict if we start trying to micromanage Israeli policies.

[David__77]

24. The thousands of babies who have been killed in Gaza were not combatants.

I wonder how many of them were killed by weapons rushed from the US.

[shrike3]

27. Maybe Hamas should have thought of that before they attacked Israel?

I don't like what's going on, either, but given the indifference of surrounding Arab neighbors, and the fact that Hamas is apparently based out Qatar (convenient), seems like there'd be a lot of option for protest. other than a U.S. president who can't stop a war by flipping a switch.

[LittleGirl]

28. thank you. nt

[David__77]

29. I do not think it is justified to kill those babies as part of a collective punishment.

[shrike3]

30. Doesn't answer my question.

I'd feel better if Hamas at the very least were looking out for these people. So far, it's not happening.

[JCMach1]

32. Absolutely,.why I apply the term MYOPIC to the protests

Why aren't people protesting outside of the Qatar consulate? Egypt?

Egypt literally refuses to open their borders to allow refugees where the US and other regional players could easily help with AID

[JCMach1]

31. 100% foreseeable by Hamas leadership

Easy to make that decision from your luxury villa in Doha.

They made the decision the sacrifice was worth it.

[B.See]

33. Bernie is saying the exact same thing I've BEEN saying, for quite some time,

It's called PRAGMATISM.

Being able to see the forest in SPITE of the trees.

The eye on the PRIZE, toward a greater goal.

I've had this conversation before, with people unable/unwilling to SEE it. Back in 2016.

So has Bernie.