Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said on Sunday that he believes he could appeal to working-class Donald Trump supporters who are angry about the country’s economy.
During an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” host John Dickerson asked Sanders to explain his belief that he could win over Trump backers.
“Many of Trump’s supporters are working-class people and they’re angry, and they’re angry because they’re working longer hours for lower wages, they’re angry because their jobs have left this country and gone to China or other low-wage countries, they’re angry because they can’t afford to send their kids to college, so they can’t retire with dignity,” Sanders said.
Sanders said that Trump has harnessed voters’ angers and channeled that into hatred of Mexicans and Muslims.
“What Trump has done with some success is taken that anger, taken those fears which are legitimate and converted them into anger against Mexicans, anger against Muslims, and in my view that is not the way we’re going to address the major problems facing our country,” the senator said.
He explained that he believes his message about income inequality could also tap into voters’ anger.
“I think for his working class and middle class supporters, I think we can make the case that if we really want to address the issues that people are concerned about,” Sanders said. “We need policies that bring us together that take on the greed of Wall Street, the greed of corporate America, and create a middle class that works for all of us rather than an economy that works just for a few.”
Watch the interview via CBS:
