First question to Bernie Sanders at Fox News Town Hall is about coronavirus and how he would handle it. He says government should pay for virus testing and compensate workers so they can stay at home.
Thread for this town hall in Dearborn, MI
Thread for this town hall in Dearborn, MI
Sanders is asked if he would bail out the economy in recession, he responds the people on top should do it. Not the people at the bottom, not through more tax cuts and subsidies for corporations.
Sanders says he would rather pass an economic stimulus package than bailout the rich, if the coronavirus' impact on US economy is as severe as some believe it could get.
Q: Would you close down the borders?
A: No. What you don't want to do is spread xenophobia.
[paraphrasing] Scientists take a look at communities hard hit. It may mean quarantining. Let's not resort to demonizing immigrants.
A: No. What you don't want to do is spread xenophobia.
[paraphrasing] Scientists take a look at communities hard hit. It may mean quarantining. Let's not resort to demonizing immigrants.
Q: How would you get things done in Congress when a lot of your ideas are opposed? [*Plays clip from Hulu's "Hillary" documentary where she trashes him*]
Sanders: Unlike Hillary Clinton, I do not want to relive the 2016 election [cheers, applause]
Sanders: Unlike Hillary Clinton, I do not want to relive the 2016 election [cheers, applause]
Q: If met with obstructionist Congress, what compromise would it be willing to make to promote your policies?
Sanders: There's a myth that I can't work with anybody. In 1990s, when I was in House, I passed more bipartisan amendments year-after-year than other representatives
Sanders: There's a myth that I can't work with anybody. In 1990s, when I was in House, I passed more bipartisan amendments year-after-year than other representatives
Last five or so minutes, Sanders has spent trying to explain how his administration would come up with $55 trillion to cover cost of his proposed programs.
He has a really good polished answer on Medicare For All. Hitting this issue hard.
He has a really good polished answer on Medicare For All. Hitting this issue hard.
Rather than letting media pundits draw him into a meandering "How would you pay for it?" answer, he probably should attack the premise of the question.
So much US government pays for, like $1 trillion military budget or tax cuts for rich, without regard for what it'll cost.
So much US government pays for, like $1 trillion military budget or tax cuts for rich, without regard for what it'll cost.
Sanders was asked if he is concerned that Biden isn't making sense when he speaks at events. Should he be president?
And Sanders responds by saying he heard Biden spoke for only 7 minutes in St. Louis. He doesn't see how that is enough time to address voters' issues.
And Sanders responds by saying he heard Biden spoke for only 7 minutes in St. Louis. He doesn't see how that is enough time to address voters' issues.
Sanders reiterates: "If I'm going to give a speech to people, I can't do it in 7 minutes. There are too many issues." Lists off several issues.
As a candidate for president, you owe respect to the people, and you have to have the desire to say where you're coming from.
As a candidate for president, you owe respect to the people, and you have to have the desire to say where you're coming from.
Fox News aired clips of Julian Castro, Cory Booker, and Joe Scarborough raising the issue of Biden's apparent cognitive health decline.
Sanders refused to engage with clip, believing it would constitute a personal attack on Biden. He wanted to be respectful. Crowd applauded.
Sanders refused to engage with clip, believing it would constitute a personal attack on Biden. He wanted to be respectful. Crowd applauded.
Q: What about New York Times' story about Soviet Union using you to undermine the U.S.?
Sanders: The New York Times got it very, very wrong. What I established was a sister city program. You know who was advocating for sister city programs? "A communist named Ronald Reagan."
Sanders: The New York Times got it very, very wrong. What I established was a sister city program. You know who was advocating for sister city programs? "A communist named Ronald Reagan."
Going back, Sanders spoke about Cuba and authoritarianism and again said we should not deny when countries do good things. For example, China may have authoritarian regime but no one can deny it reduced poverty considerably in past 50 years.
Question (from Palestinian American): What is your plan to bring fair resolution to conflict between Israel and Palestinians?
Sanders: This is what I'll tell you as Jewish American. US cannot continue to maintain one-side policy toward Israel.
Sanders: This is what I'll tell you as Jewish American. US cannot continue to maintain one-side policy toward Israel.
Sanders adds he's worried with Netanyahu we have seen right-wing drift in Israel. When you look at Gaza, we're looking at a terrible situation with unemployment at I believe 60-70%.
Town hall concludes. It was a great opportunity for Bernie Sanders to dismantle some of the worst right-wing attacks—from Democrats and Republicans—for a massive TV audience that is receptive to such attacks.
Michigan has an open primary. What if thousands of voters in Michigan just watched Bernie Sanders on Fox News? And what if a small percentage saw that and reacted, "You know, I like Donald Trump, but I also think Bernie Sanders makes sense too."
