Sanders Releases Statement On Trump

Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont released a statement in response to the election of Donald Trump, vowing to work with the president-elect on economic issues while promising to resist him on social issues.

“Donald Trump tapped into the anger of a declining middle class that is sick and tired of establishment economics, establishment politics and the establishment media,” Sanders said. “People are tired of working longer hours for lower wages, of seeing decent paying jobs go to China and other low-wage countries, of billionaires not paying any federal income taxes and of not being able to afford a college education for their kids – all while the very rich become much richer.”

Sanders continued: “To the degree that Mr. Trump is serious about pursuing policies that improve the lives of working families in this country, I and other progressives are prepared to work with him. To the degree that he pursues racist, sexist, xenophobic and anti-environment policies, we will vigorously oppose him.”

Sanders was defeated by Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary, which many believed was unfairly tilted towards Clinton by the party establishment after leaked emails from within the Democratic National Committee were exposed.

“We long knew it based on how we were treated,” Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver told CNN.

But after Clinton lost the Rust Belt states of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania to Trump, despite the common wisdom dictating that she had a “Blue Wall” there, some pundits believe Sanders’ economic populist message could have prevailed.

“Sanders would have been able to contrast Trump’s ostentatious wealth with his own shabby aesthetic,” wrote Fredrik deBoer in the Washington Post. “The message writes itself: Trump talks a good game about economic anxiety, but why would you trust this New York billionaire to put your interests first?”

Sources: Sen. Bernie Sanders, CNN via SnappyTV.com, Washington Post/ Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore/Flickr