Bernie Sanders: ‘Maybe the New York Times Has Failed’ Americans, Too

Democrats
Win McNamee/Getty Images
Hannah Knudsen

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) pondered during an interview with the New York Times editorial board last month if the outlet, in addition to the “political establishment,” has failed Americans.

The presidential hopeful sat down with the Times’ editorial board in December and suggested in the interview that President Trump won the election, partially, because many Americans feel that the political establishment on both sides of the aisle failed them, adding, “Maybe the New York Times has failed them, too.”

Sanders told the board a majority of the things he hates about Trump, accusing him of being racist.

“What Trump is trying to do is intentionally divide us up based on the color of our skin. This was the champion of the birther movement,” Sanders said.

“You’re familiar with that in New York? All right. This is a guy who is demonizing the undocumented,” he continued, listing a flurry of left-wing talking points:

This is the guy who has imposed the Muslim ban. This is a guy who is at war against the transgender community. He is trying to divide the American people up. I detest that because I believe exactly the opposite. I believe we have a common humanity and that we’ve got to come together around an agenda that works for all of us.Senator Sanders made clear the link between his own religious identity and his policy platform when he released a manifesto on fighting anti-Semitism in the left-wing publication Jewish Currents.

“How about the fact that Trump has touched a chord in 40 to 44 percent of the people? I mean, what about that issue is that Trump is a symptom of a widespread problem,” the Times’ Brent Staples said.

“I mean, how do you address that? The problem exists whether Trump is president or not is what I’m saying,” he pressed.

“I wish I could give you a great answer, brilliant answer, to that. But this is what I will tell you, because that’s, you’re right. What is the issue? How did Trump become president?” Sanders asked.

“I think it speaks to something that I talk about a lot and that is the fact that the — not everybody, but tens and tens of millions of Americans feel that the political establishment, Republican and Democrat, have failed them,” he continued.

“Maybe the New York Times has failed them, too,” he mused.

The remark drew praise from left-wing filmmaker Michael Moore, who has endorsed Sanders’ presidential bid.

“On Sun the NYTimes will endorse its candidate for President. They sat down with each candidate to interview them. During his interview, Bernie wouldn’t suck up,” the Sicko director wrote.

“When referring 2 the struggle of the working class, he told them, ‘Maybe the NY Times has failed them too.’ Wow. Truth,” he added:

The editorial board also asked Sanders, as it did Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), to name what he is “likely to fail at or to do poorly as president.”

Sanders used the opportunity to take another subtle jab at the Times :

Talk to The New York Times. [LAUGHTER] Look, I don’t tolerate [expletive] terribly well, and I come from a different background than a lot of other people who run the country. I’m not good at backslapping. I’m not good at pleasantries. If you have your birthday, I’m not going to call you up to congratulate you, so you’ll love me and you’ll write nice things about me. … That’s not what I do. Never have. I take that as a little bit of a criticism, self-criticism. I have been amazed at how many people respond to, “Happy Birthday!” “Oh Bernie, thanks so much for calling.” It works. It’s just not my style. I try to stay focused on the important issues facing working families in this country, and I fight for them.

The Times’ editorial board will announce its Democrat primary endorsement on Sunday, January 19.

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