By Priscilla Liguori 10/11/2015
Vermont Senator and Democratic Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders denied he was a capitalist and insisted he was progressive during his extensive interview with Chuck Todd on “Meet the Press” Sunday, October 11.
Sanders shared his changed views on gun control and implied he is a step ahead of the competition, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The presidential candidate acknowledged a controversial law protecting dealers and manufacturers from prosecution of crimes committed with guns they sold.
As Todd grilled him on a variety of issues, Sanders acknowledged some manufacturers are selling guns to people who they know shouldn’t have them. This marked a huge change from 2005, when Sanders voted to protect manufacturers.
“Can we take another look at that liability issue? Yes,” Sanders admitted.
He who embraces his identity as a “Democratic Socialist” has defended his gun control stances by saying he is reflecting the will of his constituents. In Vermont, guns are prevalent from the widespread hunting culture. Sanders has been under attack by progressives for opposing some gun control reform.
As for the the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, the Senator did not explain in depth the reasoning for his opposition.
Sanders said, “Without going into all the details, there are things that we can do.”
However, he did boldly suggest that his “consistency” on issues like the TPP and the Keystone Pipeline gives him a lead on Clinton in the Democratic primary.
Clinton announced her opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership Wednesday.
The agreement reached Monday between the United States, Japan, and 10 other Pacific Rim nations is the largest regional trade accord in history.
Clinton said she opposed the Keystone Pipeline in September after months of not taking a stance.
Sanders sustained his momentum as Todd questioned him on a number of other topics important to this year’s election.
While Sanders said drones can be “terrible” in some circumstances, he told Todd he would continue to use them to combat terrorism if he were president.
In addition, Sanders weighed in on what everyone’s been wondering: if Vice President Joe Biden will be entering the presidential race. He said Biden was a “very decent guy” and that the decision to enter the race is difficult.
“He will make that for himself,” Sanders concluded.
Sanders wasn’t the only passionate presidential candidate to make a television appearance Sunday morning. Republicans Donald Trump and Ben Carson appeared on “Meet the Press.” Democrat Martin O’Malley was interviewed on “State of the Union.”