Sanders rejects Biden's claim that he is the Democratic's "most progressive" candidate

Senator Bernie Sanders disputed the statement of former Vice President Joe Biden that he had "the most progressive record" of any Democratic presidential candidate, citing Biden's votes as a member of the Senate as proof that his views were not always there. align with the Liberals of the nation.

"I think if you look at Joe's record and Joe's record, I do not think it's hard to know who is the most progressive," said Sanders, I-Vt., At the chief correspondent of Jonathan White's White House, Jonathan Karl, in an exclusive interview with Des Moines, Iowa, which aired on Sunday "This Week".

"Joe voted for the war in Iraq, I led the fight against this war.Joe voted for NAFTA and permanent trade relations, trade agreements with China.I directed the fight against that Joe voted for the deregulation of Wall Street, I voted against, "the senator recounted, after noting that he considered Biden as" a good friend "and n? was not there to "attack" him.

The explanation is the latest in a series of responses that Sanders gave last week, differing from his fellow Democrat leader in 2020 – the couple has surpassed almost all the polls in gauge – as a result of the Biden's official entry into the race. April 25th.

The former vice president, who represented Delaware in the Senate for 36 years before being elected the country's second office, responded to alleged criticism of the "new left" – the growing wave of liberal Democrats, including many cite Sanders' presidential race in 2016 inspired their views – when he touted his "progressive record" in front of a home country audience in a March speech.

Adam Kelsey / ABC News

One area in which Sanders and Biden will have a clear difference is health care. Sanders argued for a transition to a Medicare for All plan that would eventually eliminate private insurance for basic health care, while Biden called for improvements to the Affordable Care Act and the public opportunity to subscribe to Medicare while maintaining the private insurance system.

"[T]Today's system is truly dysfunctional, "said Sanders in response," All I want is to expand Medicare over a four-year period. To cover every man, woman and child of this country … if you want a better program, a more complete program, no deductibles, no copayments, no premiums, which will cost your family less, support Medicare for all. "

Although the emergence of Biden in the race drew the majority of election-related headlines last week, Sanders's most common associate is Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Who occupies a similar position on the left flank of the field. ideological spectrum and that Sanders has recognized as a "progressive candidate".

"I think Elizabeth Warren is a very good senator," said Sanders at "This Week," adding, "She's a friend of mine, she's a serious candidate, she's a good candidate." We have differences, we agree on a lot of we will let the electorate solve the problem. "

Regarding one of these differences, Sanders opposed the idea of ​​removing the obstruction of the Senate, an action now claimed by Warren, saying it would "turn the Senate into a House of Representatives." However, he shared his view that the process needed to be reformed.

Sanders' interview on "This Week" comes in the midst of a two-day, six-stage tour in Iowa, during which it is planned to roll out a policy of "D & # 39; agricultural and rural investment ". On Saturday, he was invaded by the crowd as he was crossing the farmers market in downtown Des Moines, less than three years after shocking the Democratic establishment by losing less than half a year. -point of percentage after winning the Iowa caucuses. described in his current speech as a speech that launched the party's progressive movement.

On "This Week", Sanders established the link between its 2016 platform and the goals currently being pursued in Washington.

"You know, when I talked about a minimum wage of $ 15 … four years ago, it was too radical, it was extreme," he said. . "Today, six states have already passed this law and I think the US House will spend $ 15 an hour a month or two, so the ideas we presented have helped to transform the debate in America."

Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle via AP

But while the House saw a body of young first-year legislators pouring in through the blue wave of mid-November, the senator seemed to imply that the "new generation of leaders" that some of his major rivals are launching as "… they are looking for the White House would miss the call. key attribute.

"I will not blame my opponents for not having a lot of experience, that would be wrong," said Sanders, a veteran of nearly three decades at Capitol Hill.

Although he does not provide a prediction for this year's caucuses, he laughed when Karl asked him for a short list of candidates for the vice presidency. Sanders said that he "would consider very seriously" to be joined on the ticket by a woman, without however making the same commitment with regard to a possible candidate for vice president of color.

"I think it's premature," he said. "It would be silly to make this statement now."

But Sanders said he thought the party would unite behind whoever would lead the eventual Democratic ticket.

"I think I can say that no matter the candidate, we will all come together to defeat the most dangerous president of modern American history, and that is Donald Trump," he said.