Bernie Sanders rips Dems vilifying of critics such as Joe Rogan: Working class is angry
Sen.Bernie Sanders said Sunday that Democratic Party elites have gone too far in “shunning” and “vilifying” those who disagree with them such as podcast king Joe Rogan and admitted it is hurting the movement.“Look, you can have an argument with Rogan, agree with him, disagree with him, but what’s the problem [with] going on those shows?” Sanders (I-Vt.) told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday.
“Clearly you have an alternative media out there, a lot of podcasts, that have millions and millions of viewers.I got vilified by some of the Democratic establishment because I went on Rogan’s show,” said Sanders, 83.Rogan, 57, whose “Joe Rogan Experience” regularly tops the Apple and Spotify podcast charts, had publicly revealed in 2020 that he voted for Sanders during the Democratic presidential primary.Sanders has made multiple appearances on Rogan’s podcast over the years.
Rogan, also a comedian and UFC commentator, has previously described himself as liberal but clashed with progressives during the COVID-19 pandemic and raged against social-media-content moderation policies.Rogan conducted a three-hour-plus conversation with President-elect Donald Trump last month and subsequently backed his candidacy.
He later did the same for Vice President-elect JD Vance.Vice President Kamala Harris’ team indicated it had been in negotiations with Rogan for a sitdown but claimed scheduling issues got in the way.
Rogan said her campaign sought to limit the timespan of the interview to about an hour and made it clear that the mega-podcaster would have had to travel for it.That prompted him to say no.
Harris had visited Houston, Texas, on Oct.26, and Rogan lives about two and a half hours west in Austin.
Some political observers mused that by skipping Rogan’s podcast, Harris missed a key opportunity to beef up her support among male voters and disabuse perceptions she was too scripted.Sanders went on a blistering takedown of the Democratic Party...