Interview with U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
CUOMO: The race for president in 2016 is real. We have a new candidate in the hunt for the White House, Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky, making it official. He's in there for one simple reason, and here it is.</s>SEN. RAND PAUL (R-KY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have a vision for America. I want to be part of a return to prosperity, a true economic boon that lifts all-Americans, a return to a government restrained by the Constitution.</s>CUOMO: A vision and from an eye doctor, no less, making it even more powerful. So, is Senator Paul's vision for America the best for you? Let's talk about it and much more with Senator Bernie Sanders, independent from Vermont, ranking member on the Budget Committee, among other committee. Senator, first, I put you on the spot. When you look at the Republican field, as it is developing, with Rand Paul, with Ted Cruz, with maybe Rubio getting in there, maybe Chris Christie as well -- do you see a man that is better than you?</s>SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I), VERMONT: The word is not better but I understand what these guys stand for. And what they ultimately stand for is more tax breaks for billionaires, never ending wars and major cuts in Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, education and the needs for working families. Chris, the bottom line for me in politics is as a result of Citizens United, you're going to have people, have billionaire families like the Koch brothers, pouring huge amount of money into the political process.</s>CUOMO: As speech.</s>SANDERS: Oh, yes --</s>CUOMO: The Supreme Court has said money is speech.</s>SANDERS: That's right.</s>CUOMO: So, you can give as much as you can.</s>SANDERS: You're right. You can spend hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars to buy the particular candidates you want and to dominate the legislative process. I think that is a horror show. And I worry very much whether candidates representing working families are going to be able to win elections in the future.</s>CUOMO: Why? Is money just too much now?</s>SANDERS: Absolutely, absolutely.</s>CUOMO: Give me an example.</s>SANDERS: Well, yesterday, we had an election in Chicago. The guy I supported, his name is Chuy Garcia, put together a strong coalition of working class families. He got out spent 6 to 1.</s>CUOMO: By Rahm Emanuel.</s>SANDERS: By Rahm Emanuel. And I just -- when you have so much money coming into the political process, from people like the Koch brothers, who believe -- this is their agenda. They want to get rid of Social Security, they want to get rid of Medicare, want to get rid of Medicaid, want to do away with the concept of minimum wage. We don't care, we're going to cut federal aid to education and Pell Grants, that is a terrible attack on the middle class. The goal is to do away with every major piece of legislation passed in the last 80 years and give more tax breaks to billionaires.</s>CUOMO: Do you see outrage about this because I don't? The Supreme Court made it the law. It is a demonstration of First Amendment speech. Both parties, you're an independent, so you got a little bit of a pass on this. But, you know, Democrats do it just as much as Republicans, maybe even more.</s>SANDERS: No --</s>CUOMO: President Obama got more money from Wall Street than the Republicans did.</s>SANDERS: All right.</s>SANDERS: I think, yes, Democrats do do it, but no one is going to keep up with the Koch brothers who are prepared to spend $900 billion in this election cycle. That is more money than the Democratic Party or the Republican Party. Meanwhile, the average American is working longer hours for lower wages. The average American is wondering how come 99 percent of all new income, Chris, is going to the top 1 percent, top 1/10 of 1 percent own almost as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent.</s>CUOMO: You don't believe anybody in the race right now wants to change that?</s>SANDERS: Those guys?</s>CUOMO: Yes.</s>SANDERS: Oh, yes, they want to change it. They want to give more tax breaks to the richest people and make devastating cuts on programs for the working people. They want to make the rich richer and everyone else poorer.</s>CUOMO: Not what Rand Paul says. He says he believes in rising it for all Americans.</s>SANDERS: That's -- yes, how do you do that? By giving huge tax breaks to the wealthy and large corporations. The same old, same old trickle down economic theory.</s>CUOMO: Hillary Clinton have a better strategy?</s>SANDERS: Well, we'll see.</s>CUOMO: What do mean why? Why slow on Hillary Clinton? What has she said that you believe is suggesting of something better? She said she won't take any big money from people like the Kochs?</s>SANDERS: Well, I think what we'll have to do is see what Hillary Clinton is standing for. I will tell you what I believe, that is for example the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement is a disaster, that our trade agreements are costing us a whole lot of money. We have to rethink trade, NAFTA, CAFTA, permanent trade relations with China. I will tell you climate change is one of the great planetary crises we face, proud to have voted against the Keystone pipeline. That's my view. You have to ask Hillary her views.</s>CUOMO: How passionately do you feel about this? How important is it to my kids' futures?</s>SANDERS: We are fighting for your kids and for my grandchildren. If we end up in a nation in which so few have so much and so many have so little, where billionaires can buy elections, where we are not dealing with climate change, I worry very much about the future of this great country.</s>CUOMO: If you worry so much, when are you going to get in the race, Senator Sanders?</s>SANDERS: Well, we're working on it.</s>CUOMO: I keep asking you the same question.</s>SANDERS: Maybe next time I'm back, I'll have a different answer.</s>CUOMO: Oh, yes? Because every time you see someone else get in the race, is it emboldening you or is it making you think it's not for me?</s>SANDERS: When you run on the platform that I'm giving thought to running on, that is taking on the military industrial complex, taking on Wall Street, taking on the insurance companies, taking on everybody, what I have to ascertain, is there support in this country? Are people prepared to take on the billionaire --</s>CUOMO: The biggest income disparity we've ever had. You got the most people sitting on the sidelines, not even looking for jobs anymore, giving a deceptive view of the unemployment rate. What else do you need to see?</s>SANDERS: Whether or not those people are so demoralized or whether or not they can -- are prepared to jump into the political process. Let me very honest and tell you something --</s>CUOMO: People need a leader. Leaders go first.</s>SANDERS: Let me tell you something, no one else is going to tell you this. It may be that we are at a stage where we can't beat these guys, they're just too powerful, but I believe in what I have got to do and many of us got it. We have to continue the fight. We cannot let a handful of billionaires control the future of this country and that's all we're going to struggle with.</s>CUOMO: Senator Sanders, always an important message. Appreciate having you on the show from Vermont. See you again, sir.</s>SANDERS: Thank you very much.</s>CUOMO: Keep pushing you on this. All right. So, today at 5:00 p.m. Eastern, the man who just entered the race -- Kentucky Senator Rand Paul right there, Wolf Blitzer is going to sit down and test his vision for America. John?</s>BERMAN: Thanks so much, Chris. A white police officer charged with murder after killing a black man as he ran away. This, of course, comes in the wake of several deadly police encounters that sparked protests all across the country. Our panel joins us to weigh in. That's coming up next.