The following is the transcript of the interview with Sen. Bernie Sanders, Independent of Vermont, that aired on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Nov. 1, 2026.
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that → follow → Nov.
We are just hours away from voters in 50 states going to the polls for an election that could shift the balance of power here in Washington.
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that → go → Washington
We begin with someone who has been on the campaign trail quite a bit, although he is not up for reelection.
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he → begin → reelection
That's Vermont Independent Senator Bernie Sanders, who joins us from Burlington.
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who → join → Burlington
I've been told you've hosted telerallies, town halls for Maine and Michigan this weekend.
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you → tell → Maine
You're focused as well on Florida and Minnesota.
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You → focus → Florida
Why Florida, since it is likely GOP according to CBS numbers, and CBS also rates Minnesota as likely Dem.
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CBS → accord → Dem
Well, I don't take anything for granted.
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I → take → anything
I think Angie Nixon in Florida is running a great grassroots campaign.
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Nixon → think → campaign
She pulled off a huge upset in the Democratic primary.
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She → pull → primary
I think she has a real chance to win the general election.
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she → think → election
She is mobilizing working-class people all over this country, and she's talking about the right issues.
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she → mobilize → issues
People are disgusted and frustrated with an economy in which the billionaires have never ever had it so good.
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it → disgust → which
Elon Musk now owns more wealth alone than the bottom 53% of American households, while millions of people today are struggling to put food on the table, pay for, you know, pay to fill up their gas tanks, pay for rent.
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you → own → rent
So what Angie is talking about, what Troy is talking about is an economy that works for all.
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that → talk → all
That's resonating.
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That → resonate → ?
Well, out in Michigan, there appears some inner Democratic Party squabbles that are ongoing here around the Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.
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that → appear → candidate
She lost the primary, but she continues to make public her deep misgivings about backing him now, citing concerns about his ads and his views on Israel.
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misgivings → lose → Israel
At this point, is the Democratic Party just too divided to pull off a win in Michigan?
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Party → divide → Michigan
Is it getting in its own way?
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it → get → way
No, I think- No, I think the over, you know, Haley Stevens lost a very, very close primary.
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Stevens → think- → primary
I can understand being upset about that, but I think two days before the election, where people all over Michigan understand that this is the most important midterm election, perhaps in the history of the United States, because we are taking on the most dangerous president that we've ever had, somebody who's an authoritarian, does not believe in the Constitution or the rule of law, who wants to give massive tax breaks to billionaires, throw 15 million people off their health care, that they had started an illegal, unconstitutional war in Iran.
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they → understand → Iran
So, what the people in Michigan understand, sure, we have disagreements with Abdul on this or that issue, but from what I can see, all over the state people are standing up.
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people → understand → state
They're going to stand with Abdul, take on somebody who will be nothing more than a rubber stamp for the Trump administration.
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who → go → administration
Okay, just want to clarify there Haley Stevens has been criticizing ads associated and endorsing Abdul Sayed [sic] that he has said are- are not his ads, but she's still criticizing him for them.
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she → want → them
Right, and he had nothing to do with those ads.
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he → have → ads
--and I got to tell you, if you want to look at ads in Michigan, I have never in my life seen such disgusting, racist, fearmongering ads as those that are taking place in Michigan right now.
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that → got → Michigan
They are calling Abdul El-Sayed, who is a medical doctor, they're calling him a terrorist, a jihadist, really disgusting things
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they → call → things
And the- the fact that any Republican would stand behind those horrible ads is a disgrace.
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Republican → stand → ads
El-Sayed would be America's first sitting Muslim senator if he pulls off a win here.
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he → sit → win
He has been accused, though, of ties to a Sunni Islamist group known as the mother- Muslim Brotherhood.
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He → accuse → Brotherhood
He has distanced himself.
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He → distance → himself
He has disavowed it.
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He → disavow → it
But I want to play for our viewers something.
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I → want → something
Senator Cruz of Texas warned against El-Sayed being given any access to classified intelligence if he wins.
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he → warn → intelligence
And if I am correct that he is a passionate supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood, there is a very real risk that Americans will die as a result.
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Americans → be → result
Michigan does not need a senator who's on the side of the terrorists.
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who → need → terrorists
This character Abdul El-Sayed can be nowhere near Washington D.C. Do you think he understands that concept that our rights come from God Almighty?
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rights → think → Almighty
That Jesus came here for our salvation.
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Jesus → come → salvation
Senator, do you think that El-Sayed could actually govern if his colleagues in the Senate are this vitriolic?
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colleagues → think → Senate
…and 37 more, not listed.
The Aporia
