♪♪♪ >> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY,

WE'RE BACK WITH SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS.

ER YOU SAID IN SEPTEMBER, YOU WARNED AS WE COUNT EVERY VOTE,

I'VE THING POSSIBLE MUST BE DONE TO PREVENT CHAOS, DISINFORMATION

AND, YES, EVEN VIOLENCE.

DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE AT THIS POINT WHY, AS YOU SAY, THIS

TREMENDOUS FAILURE HAPPENED?

BECAUSE -- AND CHRISTOPHER WRAY SAID THE MOST DANGEROUS DOMESTIC

TERRORIST THREAT RIGHT NOW IS FROM WHITE SUPREMACIST GROUPS IN

THIS COUNTRY.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE PEOPLE WEREN'T WARNED.

>> NO, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

ALL I CAN TELL YOU -- YOU KNOW, WE'RE HEARING DIFFERENT STORIES

FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE -- EITHER IT WAS A GO DESK AND HORRIFIC

FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND AND TO ANTICIPATE WHAT WAS HAPPENING --

I SPOKE TO A VERY HIGHER-UP GUY WHILE I WAS IN LOCKDOWN, AND HIS

RESPONSE WAS, WELL, WE JUST DIDN'T ANTICIPATE THIS.

REALLY?

REALLY?

WITH ALL OF YOUR INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS, YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT

WAS GOING ONLINE, YOU DIDN'T KNOW THE THREAT TO THE CAPITOL,

YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS EGGING THESE

PEOPLE ON?

YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT, REALLY?

SO A TREMENDOUS FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP, WHICH WILL BE

INVESTIGATED, AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.

>> Stephen: ALEXANDER HAMILTON WROTE IN FEDERALIST 27, THE HOPE

OF IMPUNITY IS A STRONG INCITEMENT TO SEDITION.

THE DREAD OF PUNISHMENT A PROPORTIONATELY STRONG

DISCOURAGEMENT TO IT.

ISN'T IT IMPORTANT THAT JUSTICE BE SWIFT AND THE HAMMER BE HARD?

>> WELL, THAT'S AMONG OTHER REASONS WHY THE HOUSE, IN RATHER

QUICK TIME, IMPEACHED TRUMP AND WHY HE MUST BE CONVICTED.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ASK ME, THEY SAY, WHAT IS THE SENSE OF

IMPEACHING A GUY WHO HAS A WEEK LEFT IN HIS TERM, AND THERE'S A

LOT OF SENSE TO IT, AND THE SENSE IS THAT THIS PRESIDENT AND

ANYBODY ELSE WHO ENTERS THE OVAL OFFICE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT IF

YOU INCITE INSURRECTION AGAINST YOUR OWN GOVERNMENT FOR YOUR OWN

CHIEF POLITICAL PURPOSES, THAT WILL BE SEVERELY PUNISHED.

>> Stephen: I TRUST THAT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND THE

F.B.I. IS TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY AND WILL USE ALL OF THE POWER AT

THEIR COMMAND TO BRING THE PEOPLE WHO DID THIS TO JUSTICE,

AND CERTAINLY NOTHING THEY DID WAS DEFENSIBLE, BUT WHAT ABOUT

PEOPLE LIKE JOSH HAWLEY AND TED CRUZ?

WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE MOE BROOKS, ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO

INCITED THIS CROWD, AS I SAID AND YOU AGREED, WITH THE BIG

LIE?

I DON'T THINK THAT'S A CONTROVERSIAL THING THAT THEY

INSPIRED THESE PEOPLE.

WHAT CAN BE DONE SO THAT NO GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL EVER DOES

THIS AGAIN AND, CERTAINLY, NO CROWD EVER DOES THIS AGAIN?

DOESN'T THERE HAVE -- SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE TO THEM, WHAT CAN

THE SENATE DO?

>> I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW.

WHAT HAS CONCERNED ME THE MOST, AND, AGAIN, I'M HEARING

ALLEGATIONS ON THESE HAVE TO BE INVESTIGATED, IS THAT THERE WERE

SOME MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE WHO ACTUALLY ESCORTED PEOPLE WHO

TURNED OUT TO BE RIOTERS THE DAY BEFORE THROUGH THE CAPITOL

PREMISES.

NOW, WHAT THE HELL THAT'S ABOUT, WE HAVE TO FIND OUT.

>> Stephen: EVEN THOUGH THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO VISITORS, NO

TOURS OF THE CAPITOL SINCE MARCH.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> Stephen: NOT EVEN MEMBERS ARE REALLY ALLOWED TO BRING ANY

PEOPLE IN FOR A TOUR.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

IF THAT ALLEGATION IS TRUE, STEPHEN, IF IT'S TRUE, THAT TELL

US SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE DEALT WITH.

>> Stephen: WHAT ABOUT THE SENATORS?

I KNOW YOU'RE THE WORLD'S MOST DELIBERATIVE BODY BUT THERE HAS

TO BE A LIMIT WHERE YOU HAVE TO ASK SHOULD THIS PERSON BE IN

HERE WITH US IF THEY AREN'T WILLING TO ACCEPT THE RESULTS OF

THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHEN THEY VOTE?

>> ON THE ONE HAND YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT EXPELLING

PEOPLE, THEY WERE ELECTED BY CONSTITUENTS.

TRUST ME, THIS WILL BE AN ISSUE.

HOW WE DEAL WITH THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BE LOOKED AT

VERY, VERY HARD.

>> Stephen: CAN YOU AT LEAST MAKE TED CRUZ OR JOSH HAWLEY

WEAR A STUPID HAT THAT SAYS SEDITIONIST ON TOP?

THEY HAVE TO FACE THE CORNER.

THERE HAS TO BE A STAIN THAT DOESN'T LEAVE THEM AS A JUDGMENT

OF HISTORY.

>> AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE CRISIS IS YOU HAVE A PRESIDENT

WHO GAVE US A BIG, BIG LIE THAT HE WON THE ELECTION BY A LAND

SLIDE WHEN, IN FACT, HE LOST, AND THEN YOU HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF

PEOPLE, NOT JUST CRUZ AND HAWLEY, WHO TID NOT SAY WHAT IS

SIMPLY THE TRUTH, HEY, PEOPLE RUN IN ELECTIONS AND LOSE.

I'VE WON, SOMETIMES YOU WIN.

H LOST THE ELECTION, PERIOD, END OF DISCUSSION, AND WE HAD

VERY VERY VERY FEW SENATORS WHO MADE THAT STATEMENT.

>> Stephen: ONCE THE NEWEST SNRRTS ARE SWORN?

-- SENATORS ARE SWORN IN, THE DEMOCRATS, YOU CONFERENCING WITH

THEM, WILL HAVE CONTROL OF THE SENATE, AND YOU WILL BE THE NEW

CHAIR OF THE BUDGET COMMITTEE.

THAT'S YOUR FIRST PRIORITY?

>> MY FIRST PRIORITY IS TO WORK ON A COMPREHENSIVE

RECONCILIATION BILL, WITHOUT GETTING INTO ALL THE RULES OF

THE SENATE.

THIS IS A MEANS BY WHICH WE CAN PASS VERY SIGNIFICANT

LEGISLATION WITH A MAJORITY, WITH 51 VOTES AND NOT WITH 60.

AND I'M GOING TO MAKE THAT RECONCILIATION BILL AS BOLD AND

AGGRESSIVE AS I POSSIBLY CAN.

WE FACE MORE CRISES TODAY THAN ANYTIME IN THE MODERN HISTORY OF

THIS COUNTRY.

IT'S NOT JUST THE TERRIBLE PANDEMIC WHICH HAS CLAIMED

ALMOST 400,000 LIVES, IT IS MASSIVE UNEMPLOYMENT, MILLIONS

OF PEOPLE UNABLE TO FEED THEIR KIDS, PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING EIC

EVICTED, PEOPLE WHO CAN'T GO TO THE DOCTOR BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO

HEALTHCARE.

WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS RESPOND TO THE PAIN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE

FEELING, WHICH IS ENORMOUS RIGHT NOW.

PEOPLE ARE LOSING FAITH IN GOVERNMENT.

WE HAVE TO RESTORE THE FAITH BY SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT?

WE HEAR YOUR PAIN AND WE'RE GOING TO RESPOND IN A BOLD

MANNER AND, IN ADDITION TO THAT, PROBABLY IN A SECOND

RECONCILIATION BILL, WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE SYSTEMIC,

LONG-TERM, ONGOING PROBLEMS FACING THIS COUNTRY.

PEOPLE CAN'T LIVE ON $10 AN HOUR.

WE'VE GOT TO RAISE THE MINIMUM-WAGE TO A LIVING WAGE.

INSANE WE ARE THE ONLY MAJOR COUNTRY ON EARTH NOT TO HAVE

GUARANTEED HEALTHCARE TO ALL, OR HAVE PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL

LEAVE.

WE'VE GOT TO DEAL WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, WITH COUNTRIES AROUND

THE WORLD, OR WE'RE NOT LEAVING MUCH TO OUR KIDS OR

GRANDCHILDREN.

IN OTHER WORDS, AT THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT IN HISTORY,

CONGRESS WILL HAVE TO RISE UP AND BE EXTREMELY BOLD IN

ADDRESSING THE MAJOR CRISES FACING WORKING FAMILIES AND THE

MIDDLE CLASS AND I INTEND TO BE ACTIVE IN THAT PROCESS.

>> Stephen: PRESIDENT-ELECT BIDEN RELEASED

THE RESCUE PLAN.

CAN YOU GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHAT IT CONTAINS?

> IT'S A SERIOUS START.

AMONG OTHER THINGS, IN LOOKING AGENT THE PANDEMIC, IT SAYS WE

NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL OF THE VACCINE PRODUCTION WE

POSSIBLY CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE VACCINES OUT AROUND

THE COUNTRY.

WE NEED A LOT BETTER JOB DISTRIBUTING THOSE VACCINES,

GETTING THE ARMS INTO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

WE ARE NOT DOING THAT RIGHT NOW.

BIDEN'S PLAN ALSO UNDERSTANDS THAT THE ECONOMY IS IN SHAMBLES

AND THAT WE NEED EMERGENCY RELIEF FOR WORKING FAMILIES.

HE IS SUPPORTIVE OF ANOTHER $1,400 ON TOP OF THE $600 WE

PROVPROVIDED IN THE LAST BILL FO WORKING CLASS ADULTS AND THEIR

KIDS, EXTENDING UNEMPLOYMENT, MAKING SURE THAT SMALL

BUSINESSES ARE ABLE TO SURVIVE.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE A LOT OF HARD LOOK

AT THE AT THE TAILS, BUT IT IS A VERY GOOD START IN ADDRESSING

THE PANDEMIC CRISIS AND THE ECONOMIC CRISIS WE NOW FACE.

>> Stephen: IF I COULD MAKE JUST TWO SUGGESTIONS, AND YOU

CAN SAY YOU GO TO HELL, STEPHEN COLBERT, BUT MY TWO SUGGESTIONS

WOULD BE THIS, ONE, PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT VOTING RIGHTS

BECAUSE THERE IS ONE PARTY IN THIS COUNTRY WHO WANTS TO GET

INTO OFFICE AND PULL UP THE LADDER BEHIND THEM, AND IT IS

VERY IMPORTANT THAT WHATEVER GAINS YOU MAKE ARE MAINTAINED BY

FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS OR TOSSED OUT BY FREE AND FAIR

ELECTIONS, WHATEVER.

THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DECIDE.

BUT IF OUR VOTING RIGHTS ARE NOT PROTECTED -- AND I DON'T KNOW

WHAT CAN BE DONE ON A FEDERAL LEVEL --

>> A LOT CAN BE DONE, STEPHEN.

YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN.

LOOK, AMONG THE MANY OTHER CRISES WE'RE FACING NOW,

OBVIOUSLY LED BY TRUMP, THERE IS A CHALLENGE, A FIERCE EFFORT TO

UNDERSTOOD MINE AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND THE RESPONSE HAS

GOT TO BE THAT WE'RE CREATING A MORE VIBRANT DEMOCRACY WHICH

MEANS EVERYONE HAS A RIGHT TO VOTE.

WE WON'T HAVE TO WAIT IN LINE, DEAL WITH VOTER SUPPRESSION.

WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH CITIZENS UNITED AND THE ABILITY OF

BILLIONAIRES TO BUY ELECTIONS.

BUT HOW WE CREATE A SITUATION WHERE ALL THE PEOPLE WHO

UNDERSTAND THE POLITICAL PROCESS CAN VOTE AS EASILY AS POSSIBLE

AND THOSE ARE FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS, ABSOLUTELY A VERY

HIGH PRIORITY.

>> Stephen: BACK WITH MORE SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪