Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) jumped up from his chair and attempted to end the interview when asked if Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) should challenge Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) by running for Senate in New York in three years.
Partial transcript as follows:
JONATHAN KARL: OK, you’re out there with the AOC today.
SANDERS: Yes.
KARL: Do you see her as a future of the progressive –
SANDERS: We have one of the untold stories –
KARL: Yes.
SANDERS: Of what’s going on in current American politics, is that in the House of Representatives, you have dozens and dozens of strong, smart, disciplined, hard-working young people in the Progressive Caucus. And, you know, way back when, when I first came to the Congress in the House, I helped form the Progressive Caucus. We had five people in it at that time. Now they have close to 100. So, you got a whole lot of good people. Alexandria is extraordinary. I am so impressed by her work in Congress and her – just, she inspires young people all over the country.
KARL: Would you like to see her join you in the Senate?
SANDERS: I – right now we have, as I said, just a whole lot of people in the Congress. OK, Jonathan, thanks.
KARL: Wait, I got one more – I got one more. This is an important –
SANDERS: No, I asked you –
KARL: OK.
SANDERS: No, you want to do nonsense. Do nonsense.
KARL: No.
SANDERS: I don’t want to talk about inside the beltway stuff. I got 32,000 people –
KARL: I was just asking you about AOC because she was out there with you.
SANDERS: Well, you know, fine, but I don’t want to talk about this – what was the last question?
KARL: I was just going to ask you one more question about you. I mean, that’s all. I was – it was literally your last –
SANDERS: All right, what – what is your question?
KARL: Well, I mean, it’s easier if you’re sitting. I mean, I want to ask you about your future. This is the biggest crowd. You said – you ran for president twice. This is the biggest crowd you’ve ever seen. Are we going to see you run again? What’s your, what’s your future?
SANDERS: No, right now I’m very proud that the people of the state of Vermont sent me back to the Senate with 63 percent of the vote.
KARL: Yes.
SANDERS: Right now I’m Vermont’s senator. That’s what I do. And I’m very happy to do it. I am 83 years of age. So – and I’m tired.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KARL: All right, our thanks to Senator Sanders for taking the time to talk to us and for letting us get that last question in.
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