Sen. Bernie Sanders on Iran war, Maine Senate race, midterm elections and more

(CBS, KYMA) - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) spoke with Margaret Brennan on Face the Nation Sunday about the Iran war.

According to Brennan, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Congress he needs $67 billion "on an emergency basis to help pay the troops, to help restock munitions," prompting her to ask Sen. Sanders how he'll do that without providing the funding, to which he said:

"We need $67 billion to build housing, to make sure that all of our people have healthcare, that we deal with climate change, that we deal with...a working class in this country that is struggling. The war in Iran is unconstitutional. It is illegal. Should never have been started. We need to sit down, negotiate, end this war as quickly as possible."

Brennan then brought up a CBS News poll showing voters' response when asked who has a better approach to Iran, with 32% saying President Trump and the GOP while 30% say Democrats, leading her to ask the senator if there's an affirmative vision from the Democratic Party on how to get out of the war, and Sanders said:

"The solution should be...and by the way, both the House and the Senate have voted for War Powers Resolution that makes it clear what Trump is doing is illegal. But given that we are where we are right now, let's sit down. Let's negotiate with them. Let's stop the killing. Let's stop the devastation to our economy, which is raising gas prices, prices all across the board. That's what we've got to do. Sit down, negotiate. Let's end this war."

During the interview, Brennan and Sanders talked about the Maine Senate race, with Troy Jackson being named as a replacement candidate after Graham Platner dropped out of the race following recent allegations of sexual assault.

When asked if Jackson, who will face Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) in the November election, can play catch-up, Sanders said:

"I think he can...and I've known Troy for many years. What he understands that the people of Maine are sick and tired of a rigged economy, in which the billionaire class is getting richer and richer, where we have more income and wealth inequality today than we've ever had in the history of this country. While 60% of our people, including in Maine, including in Vermont, all over this country, are living paycheck-to-paycheck, trying to put food on the table, trying to pay for healthcare, for housing, put aside a few bucks for retirement. Troy understands that. He's a working class guy. He's from the working class. He is very articulate. I think he stands an excellent chance to win."

Brennan and Sanders then talked about Rahm Emanuel's piece in the Wall Street Journal, titled "The Bernie Bros could spoil Democrats' midterms," where he said the DSA and others are saddling the party with nominees who have "wildly unpopular positions will protect Republicans from having to pay the price of Donald Trump's corruption."

Emanuel then said, "The socialists who led the charge to defund the police, open borders, abolish prisons," adding that "those are losing messages that are going to hurt the party overall."

This led Brennan to ask how he responds to Emanuel's piece, and the senator said:

"This is an argument. There's no debate. There is a strong division within the Democratic Party. You have an establishment like Rahm Emanuel, who are dependent on billionaire campaign contributors and want to maintain the status quo. Then you have a progressive movement, which, by the way, what is getting these guys nervous is we are winning all over this country. Suddenly, Mamdani in New York City, it's in New Jersey, it's in Ohio, it's in Colorado. People are sick and tired of the Rahm Emanuels, and the Democratic establishment, and the Republican establishment. They are asking simple questions, Margaret. Why in God's name are we the only major country on Earth not to guarantee healthcare to all people as a human right? Pretty simple question. Canada does it. Europe does it. Somehow we can't do it. Why do we have an economy in which one man, Mr. Musk, owns more wealth than the bottom half of American society? Why do the economists tell us that in the richest country in the history of the world, our kids will likely have a lower standard of living than their parents? The American people are tired of a rigged economy, a corrupt campaign finance system. They want real change. They don't want Rahm Emanuel and the establishment maintaining the status quo."

Later in the interview, Brennan and Sanders talked about healthcare costs, with KFF reporting that it is the American people's top economic worry, with Brennan adding that Vermont has the most expensive ACA premiums in the U.S.

However, Brennan then said Republican senators want to make changes to healthcare as well, leading her to ask the senator why isn't he seeing any traction Congress if it is the number one issue, and Sanders said:

"That is a great, great question, and I have to tell you the answer has everything to do with money and politics. That the function of the current healthcare system is not to do what other countries are doing around the world, guaranteeing healthcare, quality healthcare, to all of our people as a human right. The function of the current American healthcare system is to make billions of dollars in profits for the insurance companies and the drug companies, and they are spending huge amounts in campaign contributions to make sure that that happens. So, when we talk about a political revolution, when we talk about a grassroots movement...one of the things we're talking about is we have got to join every other major country through a Medicare for All single-payer program."

Brennan and Sanders then talked about Dr. Erica Schwarz, President Trump's nominee to lead the CDC, with Brennan saying Dr. Schwarz's answers did not win the senator's vote.

When asked if he thinks she has enough supported to be confirmed, Sanders said:

"I liked her personally. I mean, she has a very strong background in public health, in the military. She's an attorney as well. Very impressive resume. But when you're dealing with the Health and Human Services Department agency, the issue is whether people will stand up to Bobby Kennedy...Secretary Kennedy, and his conspiracy theories regarding vaccines, etc. etc. She did not impress me as somebody who, in fact, would do that."

To watch more of Brennan's interview with Sanders, click here.