On Sunday, ABC’s This Week promoted Socialist Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and his recent trip to Iowa as he considers a potential 2016 presidential run.
In a pre-taped segment, reporter David Wright touted how Sanders is “as unabashedly progressive as Ben & Jerry's…Sanders rails against the corrupting influence of money in politics. He stands for economic justice.”
This Week moderator George Stephanopoulos introduced the Sanders promotional segment by playing up how Sanders “[k]nows he's a long shot but there he was in Iowa this week trying to fire up voters and push Hillary with some unapologetic populism.”
Wright began his fawning over Sanders by proclaiming how "[h]e rolls up in a muscle car. A Dodge Challenger. That’s quite the ride you've got there. This presidential challenger, like the car, not standard issue on the campaign trail.” The ABC reporter then proceeded to tout Sanders’ “unabashedly progressive” views:
Out on the stump, he doesn't mention Hillary Clinton or Jeb Bush. For now, he's running against the Koch brothers…Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, as unabashedly progressive as Ben & Jerry’s…Sanders rails against the corrupting influence of money in politics. He stands for economic justice…He's not just for raising the minimum wage, he wants to double it.
Wright then spoke to supporter O. Kay Henderson to promote how “[t]hey want somebody to come out here and challenge Clinton and he is the person that has arrived on the stage to do that.” The ABC reporter then wondered if Sanders is “sort of Don Quixote at this point? Tilting at windmills?”
Nowhere in the segment did Wright suggest that Sanders’ Socialist views were out of step with most of Americans and instead did his best to promote him as fighting for the middle class as he takes on the Koch brothers. The ABC reporter did his best to explain how “many of these voters passionately agree with him” before he concluded by proclaiming “Senator Sanders, hoping to be their man.”
See relevant transcript below.
ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos
February 22, 2015
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: One of the only potential threats to Hillary Clinton's nomination isn’t even a member of the Democratic Party. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is the longest serving Independent in Congress. He calls himself a Democratic Socialist. Knows he's a long shot but there he was in Iowa this week trying to fire up voters and push Hillary with some unapologetic populism. ABC’s David Wright joined him on the trail.
DAVID WRIGHT: He rolls up in a muscle car. A Dodge Challenger. That’s quite the ride you've got there. This presidential challenger, like the car, not standard issue on the campaign trail.
BERNIE SANDERS: The United States government has got to start working for the middle class and working families of this country and not just for millionaires and billionaires.
WRIGHT: Out on the stump, he doesn't mention Hillary Clinton or Jeb Bush. For now, he's running against the Koch brothers.
SANDERS: It is likely within a short period of time that the Koch brothers themselves will have a stronger political presence than either the Democratic or the Republican Party.
WRIGHT: Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, as unabashedly progressive as Ben & Jerry’s. So fifth trip to Iowa. Are you in or are you out?
SANDERS: Before I make that decision, I have to develop a sense in my own gut as to whether or not there is the grassroots support across this country.
WRIGHT: Sanders rails against the corrupting influence of money in politics. He stands for economic justice.
SANDERS: I am prepared to take on the billionaire class.
WRIGHT: He's not just for raising the minimum wage, he wants to double it. Sanders is neither a Democrat nor a Republican. He's a Democratic Socialist. The longest serving Independent member of Congress. 24 years. How in practical terms would a Sanders candidacy work? Would you run as a Democrat?
SANDERS: I don't want to say that. The fact that I'm in Iowa, which is a caucus state, maybe speaks for itself. But I haven’t made that final decision. And I got to tell you, a lot of my strongest supporters say, Bernie stay out of the damn Democratic Party. Run as an Independent.
WRIGHT: I read that you carry a Eugene V. Debs keychain. Is that true? Eugene V. Debs ran for president five times on the Socialist ticket.
SANDERS: There it is. The rumor is true.
O. KAY HENDERSON: They want somebody to come out here and challenge Clinton and he is the person that has arrived on the stage to do that.
WRIGHT: Many of those voters passionately agree with him. I mean, is he sort of Don Quixote at this point? Tilting at windmills?
MAGGIE ROWLAND: Is he Don Quixote? Hey, more power to him. He's going to get that windmill straightened up for sure.
WRIGHT: Do you think that this is a winnable fight?
SANDERS: Well, that's fair question. It’s exactly what is wrestling in my mind. I don't want to tilt at windmills, I mean, I got so much to do. But I just think that out there, there are so many people who are hurting, so many people who are disillusioned, so many people are really viscerally upset that they're working longer hours for lower wages and the billionaires are getting richer. And they need a voice.
WRIGHT: Senator Bernie Sanders, hoping to be their man. For This Week, David Wright, ABC News, Des Moines.
