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Surging in Polls, Bernie Sanders Blasts Clinton, Pledges Taxes

  • Democratic presidential candidate Senate Bernie Sanders (R) greets supporters as he arrives at a campaign event in Burlington, Vermont, May 26, 2015.

    Democratic presidential candidate Senate Bernie Sanders (R) greets supporters as he arrives at a campaign event in Burlington, Vermont, May 26, 2015. | Photo: Reuters

Published 5 July 2015
Opinion

More than 10,000 people showed up for U.S. presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speech in Wisconsin as he surges in polls against Hillary Clinton.

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders touched on several issues concerning his bid for the presidency, including the idea he is “too liberal,” and fended off tough questions in a 10-minute CNN interview Sunday.

The interview comes as the presidential candidate for the Democratic party saw a major surge in support, giving the main runner Hillary Clinton, former first lady, senator and state secretary, a run for her money.

Last Wednesday, more than 10,000 people showed up to hear Sanders speak in the state of Wisconsin. Meanwhile, Clinton's lead in the key presidential primaries states of New Hampshire and Iowa has shrunk recently.

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Sanders blasted the Democrats, saying the party’s across-the-board support for and endorsement of Clinton was biased.

“It’s very clear to say that Secretary [Clinton] is the candidate of most of the members of Congress, is the candidate of the Democratic establishment,” Sanders said of Clinton.

“Secretary Clinton has long ties with many of the Democrats in Congress, so it should not be surprising,” he said. “But I think what is equally interesting is the fact that all over this country, ordinary people, working people, elderly people are moving in our direction because they do want a candidate to take on the establishment.”

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Asked about Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill’s comments that the independent Senator was “too liberal to gather enough votes in this country to become president,” Sanders chose instead to point out the issues on which he is campaigning – strengthening the middle class, increasing wages, healthcare and campaign finance.

Sanders also said that he would raise taxes on the wealthiest and use the money to build infrastructure, job creation and university costs. "Yes, we have to raise individual tax rates substantially higher than they are today, because almost all of the new income is going to the top 1 percent."

"And yes, those folks and large corporations will have to pay under a Sanders administration more in taxes so that we can use that revenue to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure, create the jobs we need, make sure that every kid who has the ability is able to get a college education in America because public colleges and public universities will be tuition-free," he said.

Asked about what his cabinet would look like if he were elected, Sanders named three liberal economists: New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, Nobel Prize-winner Joseph Stiglitz and Bill Clinton’s former labor secretary, Robert Reich, but gave the disclaimer, “it’s a little bit too early, I must think, to be appointing a cabinet,” he said. “Let me get elected first.”

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