Bernie Sanders thinks the GOP has 'gotten away with murder,' reporters are inept


Over breakfast on Thursday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) shared with reporters his thoughts on primary debates, Supreme Court nominations, and the not-so-great way the media is covering the 2016 presidential campaign.
"Campaigns are not baseball games," the presidential candidate said. "What did I read in the paper today? Gov. Bush is getting a new campaign manager. You know who cares about that? About eight people in the world. Nobody cares about that." He also questioned why he is always referred to as a "socialist," with the implication he has "a radical agenda. In virtually every instance, what I am saying is supported by a significant majority of the American people.... I may be old-fashioned enough to believe that Congress might want to be representing a vast majority of our people... and not just the Koch brothers and other campaign contributors." He then had a tip for the assembled reporters: If they are going to label him a socialist, they need to at least call his rivals "capitalists."
While discussing the Supreme Court, Sanders said he would nominate justices who would ensure campaign finance laws were strengthened, and said he wasn't sure why his fellow Democratic contender, Hillary Clinton, didn't have a position on the Pacific trade agreement being discussed in Congress. "I don't understand how on an issue of such huge consequence you don't have an opinion," he said. He also suggested more primary debates with both parties. "It's a good idea to have a group of Democrats and a group of Republicans," he said. "I think the Republicans, frankly, have gotten away with murder. I think people really do not know what their agenda is."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
August 10 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include a global plastics problem, GOP enthusiasm over tariffs, and more
-
5 thin-skinned cartoons about shooting the messenger
Cartoons Artists take on unfavorable weather, a look in the mirror, and more
-
Is Trump's new peacemaking model working in DR Congo?
Talking Point Truce brokered by the US president in June is holding, but foundations of a long-term peace have let to be laid
-
Trump officials reinstating 2 Confederate monuments
Speed Read The administration has plans to 'restore Confederate names and symbols' discarded in the wake of George Floyd's 2020 murder
-
Trump nominates Powell critic for vacant Fed seat
speed read Stephen Miran, the chair of Trump's Council of Economic Advisers and a fellow critic of Fed chair Jerome Powell, has been nominated to fill a seat on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors
-
ICE scraps age limits amid hiring push
Speed Read Anyone 18 or older can now apply to be an ICE agent
-
Trump's global tariffs take effect, with new additions
Speed Read Tariffs on more than 90 US trading partners went into effect, escalating the global trade war
-
House committee subpoenas Epstein files
Speed Read The House Oversight Committee has issued a subpoena to the Justice Department for its Jeffrey Epstein files with an Aug. 19 deadline
-
India rejects Trump threat over Russian oil
Speed Read The president said he would raise tariffs on India for buying and selling Russian oil
-
NY's Hochul vows response to Texas gerrymander
Speed Read Gov. Kathy Hochul has promised to play ball with redistricting that favors the Democrats
-
Texas Democrats exit state to block redistricting vote
Speed Read More than 51 legislators fled the state in protest of the GOP's plan to redraw congressional districts