Michael Bennet on the diagnosis of cancer: "I do not see that hold me back" from 2020

EXETER, N.H. – Senator Michael Bennet says he is optimistic that he will soon run for president.

The two-term Colorado Democrat – who announced last week that prostate cancer was recently diagnosed – told Fox News: "I feel really lucky. It was detected early and it is a truly treatable form of cancer and we have insurance. I think it's going to be fine I hope that I will do it because I really want to have the opportunity to run in 2020. "

Bennet was interviewed Sunday while he was campaigning in New Hampshire, the state that is organizing the first elementary race in the White House.

BENNET ANNOUNCES PROSTATE CANCER

Pointing to then-Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts – the 2004 Democrat candidate who had undergone cancer surgery at the start of his presidential campaign – Bennet, 54, said, "John was 59 years old when he suffered the same operation. He had it and two weeks later he was in California, doing what he had to do to campaign. So I take it seriously, but if everything goes well, I do not see that it stops me. "

Bennet did not discuss his diagnosis during a question-and-answer session with the Rockingham County Democrats that lasted more than an hour, but members of the crowd wished him good luck.

"I do not feel the need to do it myself. I'm happy to talk about it if people want to do it, "he told Fox News.

The diagnosis apparently did not slow Bennet in the election campaign. The Exeter event was the penultimate goal of two consecutive days in New Hampshire. On Monday, he headed to Iowa, which will vote for the first time in the presidential caucus and primary calendar.

BENNET CRITICAL THE REP. OMAR COMMENTS AS & # 39; HATEFUL & # 39;

Bennet, who had announced his candidacy for the presidency of the Republic this month, said he hoped to participate in the race at the White House a few weeks after his operation, if he had an irreproachable state of health.

This would not leave much time for Bennet to take stock in the first round of the first democratic debates in the presidential election, scheduled for late June.

"We did a little bit of work, although I would not have asked for this problem," he said. "I think it's important to be in debate, whether it's the first or the second debate, no matter how you can, and we'll work to make it happen. I do not want to apologize for that, but we slowed down a bit. "

THE FIRST DEBATES 2020 IS IN JUNE

When Bennett is likely to take part in the race, he will face a large number of contenders for the Democratic Party (there are currently 17), many with greater identity and larger campaign chests. And there is already a Colorado candidate in the race. The former two-term governor of the state – John Hickenlooper – launched his campaign last month.

Many of the leading candidates are supporters of the single-payer Medicare for All health care proposal, a priority item on the Democratic Party's progressive base list.

Mr. Bennet, however, did not approve Medicare for all. Instead, he teamed up with Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia to develop a plan called "Medicare-X," which would create a public option for people who maintain their private insurance.

"I would not even say it's extreme, left-wing or too progressive," Bennet said of "Medicare for All." "I know people want to have a public option to compete with private insurance. . I know they want a choice, and I do not want the federal government dictating to them what that choice should be. This is how I developed the idea of ​​"Medicare X".

He boasted that his plan is "more achievable".

And, highlighting President Trump's efforts to eliminate ObamaCare, Bennet said "we have a president who has spent his government trying to shield health care from millions of Americans."

Bennet, who was director of the Denver public school system prior to his first US Senate election in 2010, highlighted his efforts to reform education.

"It will make me ineligible, but I will say it the first day. I think children should go to school six days a week. And, I do not think they should go to school nine months a year. I think they should go to school all year, "Bennet told the crowd.

He pointed out that a school open year-round would narrow the gap between the results, stating that "in the summer, the richest children gain skills, the less affluent lose them." ".

He also pointed out that "this is a very modest place where we can make a huge difference … with very smart (federal) strategic funding, we can revolutionize this country's community colleges and radically change what we do in K -12. "

Bennet also insisted that Democrats "need a president and leadership in Washington as strategic as" Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"It's not nice. This guy is not nice. But it's a follow-up to what he's trying to do, "he told Kentucky's long-time Republican senator. "We have to be as strategic as McConnell."

But he added, "I do not think we have to be as ruthless as McConnell."