Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said on Sunday that President Joe Biden should tout his achievements but also address the concerns of the working class and adopt a progressive agenda to win re-election in 2024.
Sanders, who was the runner-up in the 2020 Democratic primary, appeared on CNN’s State of the Union to discuss his recent speech in Iowa, where he said the outcome of the next presidential election depended on whether Democrats would stand up for the working people.
“The point is, in my view, the president should tout his very good record,” Sanders said. “We have got to continue to defend women’s right to control their own bodies. But we have to deal with the reality of life today; that’s what Roosevelt did in 1936. And that is to understand that we have massive levels of corporate greed in every part of society.”
“The very rich are getting richer, working people are struggling,” he continued. “We have got to make it clear; we’re going to stand with those workers and have a healthcare system that works for all, lower the cost of prescription drugs, raise the minimum wage to a living wage. So I think that was the message of yesterday.”
Sanders also criticized the Republican Party, calling it “absurd” that it is gaining support among the working class. He claimed that the reason was that Democrats were not progressive enough and did not offer a clear alternative.
Sanders has been a vocal supporter of Biden since he dropped out of the race last year, but he has also pushed for more ambitious policies such as Medicare for All, a Green New Deal and free college tuition.
