Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders said he is working to win over supporters of Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, and believes he can do so.
In a pre-taped interview for CBS’s “Face the Nation” that aired Sunday morning, the Vermont senator noted that many of Trump’s supporters are “working-class people” who have “legitimate” angers and fears, such as low wages and high cost of college tuition. Trump harnesses those emotions, but uses it incorrectly, Sanders said.
“What Trump has done with some success is taken that anger, taken those fears, which are legitimate, and converted them into anger against Mexicans, anger against Muslims,” Sanders said.
Sanders said he wants to channel voters worries proactively. He is seeking support from Trump supporters for proposals that raise the minimum wage as opposed to “dividing us up and having us hate Mexicans or Muslims.”
“We need policies that bring us together, that take on the greed of Wall Street, the greed of corporate America,” Sanders said. On Friday, Sanders made a similar point Friday via Twitter, accusing Trump of trying to divide the nation with fear.
In a RealClearPolitics average of polls, Sanders trails Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, 30 percent to 55.3 percent. Trump leads the larger Republican field by double digits and sit second in the Washington Examiner‘s presidential power rankings.
“I believe we stand together to address the real issues facing this country, not allow them to divide us by race or where we come from,” Sanders added.
