‘I like Hillary Clinton’
Sanders denies that he would be a “spoiler” for the electoral chances of the establishment favorite:
Maybe I shouldn’t say this: I like Hillary Clinton.
Sanders asks if the media would “allow us to have a serious debate?”
Or is the only way you get media attention by ripping apart somebody else?
Recommends breaking up big banks
Sanders wants to require the Financial Stability Oversight Council to make up a list of banks considered ‘too big to fail’ due to the devastating potential consequences, and then break up those banks.
If an institution is too big to fail, it is too big to exist.
Speakers announced
A Sanders spokesman says that McKibben will speak at Sanders’ presidential campaign kickoff. In an email McKibben writes:
Bernie is the ultimate what-you-see-is-what-you-get politician. There’s no fancy moves and no adroit spin, just relentless day-in day-out advocacy for working people, and for a working planet. Bernie’s been in the forefront of all the crucial environmental fights of recent years, always willing to knuckle down and do the hard work of fighting the big corporations.
Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, founders of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc., are also expected to speak — with free ice cream in tow.
Announces campaign launch
Sanders’ staffers announce his presidential campaign launch less than a week before the Tuesday rally at Waterfront Park in Burlington, VT. Sanders will stand on public land he fought for in the 1980s as he announces his presidential ambitions — while spectators will be provided Ben & Jerry’s ice cream at the free, non-ticketed event.
Burlington-based band Mango Jam will play in the park. Cohen and Greenfield, from Ben & Jerry’s and environmentalist and author McKibben are expected to speak.
Commemorates Memorial Day
Sanders marches in one of Vermont’s annual Memorial Day parades and tweets a photo of himself and a quote of his own for Memorial Day.
If you are not prepared to take care of the men and women who put their lives on the line to defend this country – who came back wounded in body, wounded in spirit – if you’re not prepared to help those people, then don’t send them to war in the first place.
…wounded in body, wounded in spirit… pic.twitter.com/tjfL3Elqhp
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) May 25, 2015
Defends Clinton on emails
At the first Democratic debate, Sanders defends Clinton over her email controversy.
Clinton: I’ve taken responsibility for it. I did say it was a mistake. I have been as transparent as I know to be, turning over 55,000 pages of my e-mails, asking that they be made public. [I’d rather spend my time talking about] the issues that matter to the American people
Sanders: Let me say — let me say something that may not be great politics. But I think the secretary is right, and that is that the American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails.
Clinton: Thank you. Me, too. Me, too.
The two then exchange a friendly handshake.