Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) declared Friday that as a result of his "political revolution," the democratic socialist agenda he supports has become the agenda of the United States of America.
Taking questions from liberal "The View" host Joy Behar about his bitter battle with Hillary Clinton in 2016 for the Democratic nomination, Sanders defended himself as having worked tirelessly to help her defeat Donald Trump.
"What I did was sit down with her and work on a progressive agenda, which has become the agenda of not only the Democratic Party but the United States of America," he said.
Sanders has frequently noted that ideas once thought "radical" and "crazy" have gone mainstream, such as a $15 minimum wage and "Medicare for all." 2020 Democratic candidates have also lined up behind the radical Green New Deal resolution to overhaul the U.S. economic and energy systems, and to tackle climate change and other progressive agenda items.
"That was this 2016 campaign was about," he said. "We took on the Democratic establishment. Guess what? Democratic establishment is still fighting us. Republican establishment is fighting us. Big-money interests are fighting us. That's what happens when you wage a political revolution."
Sanders jumped into the 2020 race last week and is one of the early frontrunners, leading the polls among declared candidates. The field is already crowded and could still grow, with former vice president Joe Biden and former Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D., Texas) considering an entrance in the coming weeks.