Bernie Sanders on Beating Authoritarianism, Billionaires & AOC

On with Kara Swisher

New York Magazine

Society & Culture

4.2 • 3.2K Ratings

🗓️ 20 October 2025

⏱️ 64 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In the wake of President Trump’s return to the White House, independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders spent months crisscrossing the nation rallying huge crowds in red and blue states during his Fighting Oligarchy tour. His new book, “Fight Oligarchy,” is an extension of those rallies and also serves as a blueprint for how everyday Americans can push back against the deep-pocketed forces shaping politics today. But at 84 years old, the two-time presidential candidate is also looking to the future of the progressive movement he helped build. Kara and Sen. Sanders talk about his headline speech at this weekend’s No King’s rally in Washington, D.C.; the corrosive effects he thinks billionaire donors have on the Democratic Party; and the ongoing government shutdown. They also chat about how he’s getting involved early in next year’s midterm elections to help boost progressive candidates — both Democrats and independents like him — in races across the country. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	You never know. I might be the first 200-year-old member of the U.S. Senate.
0:04.1	People are way ahead of you on that.
0:18.7	Hi, everyone, from New York Magazine and the Vox Media Podcast Network.
0:20.0	This is on with Caro Swisher,
0:21.3	and I'm Caro Swisher. My guest today is Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. The 84-year-old is the longest
0:26.9	serving independent in the history of Congress and the face of the modern progressive movement.
0:32.1	After President Trump returned to the White House, he spent months traveling to red and blue states
0:36.3	on his fighting oligarchy tour to rally voters. He says the events drew bigger crowds than he saw during his
0:42.1	two runs for president. Sanders' new book, Fight oligarchy, is an extension of that tour. It's
0:47.7	kind of a blueprint for how he thinks everyday Americans can push back against Trump, but also
0:52.3	the deep-pocketed forces shaping our politics today.
0:55.6	I spoke to Senator Sanders on Saturday a little more than an hour after he headlined the
1:00.5	No King's rally at the Capitol. He brought up a lot of the same themes during his speech.
1:05.6	This moment is not just about one man's greed, one man's corruption, or one man's contempt for the Constitution.
1:16.6	This is about a handful of the wealthiest people on earth, who in their insatiable greed have hijacked our economy and our political system in order to enrich themselves at the expense of working families throughout this country?
1:39.7	Sanders is also getting involved early in next year's midterm elections.
1:43.6	He's already endorsed about a half a dozen progressive and independent candidates
1:47.2	to some big races like four Senate seats in Maine and Michigan.
1:50.9	It likely sets up some contentious primaries with candidates backed by Democratic leadership
1:55.2	as the party tries to regain power in Trump's Washington.
1:58.8	All right, let's get into my conversation with Bernie Sanders.
2:02.1	Our expert question comes from historian and Harvard professor Jill Lepore.
	...

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