RUSH TRANSCRIPT:
CUOMO: "All right. One more beat on the political state of play and then policy. I did a lot of homework for you tonight, senator. On politics you said part of the remedy is new blood, new candidates. A great book about this. Handbook for revolution. You know, with a small 'R.' How you take back control of the democracy. Your candidates are not doing great. What did you get wrong?"
SANDERS: "Not — not true. Look, Chris. Do you think that — you know a little bit about politics. Do you think in a year or two suddenly we transform the entire Democratic Party, take on big money, take on the establishment? The truth of the matter is what we have been focusing on is grassroots activism and doing extremely well. We have been —"
CUOMO: "Why aren’t the candidates winning more?"
SANDERS: "Oh, my God, they’re winning all over the country."
CUOMO: "You had a lot of gios lose. I don’t think you’re even at 500."
SANDERS: "Chris, that is in all due respect not an intelligent way to look at it. I can be at 100% if I keep — supported candidates who had all the money and the power and the poll. We are trying to support candidates who are fighting for working people and by the way where we are winning hands down is that our Progressive agenda which is as you will remember is considered to be fringe and extreme, that’s kind of mainstream now. Raising the minimum wage to 15 bucks a hour. Making public colleges and universities tuition free. Rebuilding the infrastructure."
CUOMO: "Right."
SANDERS: "Our ideas on winning and at the grassroots level more and more people are getting involved."