by Guy Page
Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont appears to have surprised ABC reporter Jonathan Karl with his angry refusal to answer a straight question about Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (D/P Queens/Bronx, NY) running for the U.S. Senate against incumbent Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
In a March 23 interview aired on ABC This Week, the reporter for the typically ‘friendly’ ABC was doing a sit-down with Sanders before the Progressive icon spoke Friday before a big crowd in Denver. Karl couldn’t resist asking Sanders the big, tough question: would he back longtime Progressive Caucus protege Ocasio-Ortez in a primary run against the embattled Schumer, who many Progressives say should have fought harder against the Republican-approved budget continuing resolution?
Bernie responded by calling it a ‘Nonsense’ question and getting up to leave. He was then coaxed back into the chair only after Karl promised to ask one more question – about a future presidential run.
The interview was going just fine until Karl did what good reporters are supposed to do – ask the question everyone else is afraid to ask, because it’s both sensitive and important. Would Bernie back AOC – with whom he has shared pancake breakfasts in Burlington as her highest profile political examplar and mentor – or fellow incumbent Democrat and Brooklyn native Schumer.
Watch the video, or read the (excerpted) transcript, both as published by Breitbart:
JONATHAN KARL: OK, you’re out there with the AOC today.
SANDERS: Yes.
KARL: Do you see her as a future of the progressive –
SANDERS: We have one of the untold stories –
KARL: Yes.
SANDERS: Of what’s going on in current American politics, is that in the House of Representatives, you have dozens and dozens of strong, smart, disciplined, hard-working young people in the Progressive Caucus. And, you know, way back when, when I first came to the Congress in the House, I helped form the Progressive Caucus. We had five people in it at that time. Now they have close to 100. So, you got a whole lot of good people. Alexandria is extraordinary. I am so impressed by her work in Congress and her – just, she inspires young people all over the country.
KARL: Would you like to see her join you in the Senate?
SANDERS: I – right now we have, as I said, just a whole lot of people in the Congress. OK, Jonathan, thanks.
KARL: Wait, I got one more – I got one more. This is an important –
SANDERS: No, I asked you –
KARL: OK.
SANDERS: No, you want to do nonsense. Do nonsense.
KARL: No.
SANDERS: I don’t want to talk about inside the beltway stuff. I got 32,000 people –
KARL: I was just asking you about AOC because she was out there with you.
SANDERS: Well, you know, fine, but I don’t want to talk about this – what was the last question?
KARL: I was just going to ask you one more question about you. I mean, that’s all. I was – it was literally your last –
SANDERS: All right, what – what is your question?
KARL: Well, I mean, it’s easier if you’re sitting. I mean, I want to ask you about your future. This is the biggest crowd. You said – you ran for president twice. This is the biggest crowd you’ve ever seen. Are we going to see you run again? What’s your, what’s your future?
SANDERS: No, right now I’m very proud that the people of the state of Vermont sent me back to the Senate with 63 percent of the vote.
KARL: Yes.
SANDERS: Right now I’m Vermont’s senator. That’s what I do. And I’m very happy to do it. I am 83 years of age. So – and I’m tired.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KARL: All right, our thanks to Senator Sanders for taking the time to talk to us and for letting us get that last question in.