Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) admitted that the Democrat Party is a “threat to democracy,” as some argue they have not had a fair primary election since 2008, conceding this point during an appearance on Andrew Schulz’s Flagrant with Akaash Singh.
Schulz, a podcaster, actor, and comedian who identified himself as a “lifelong Democrat,” explained how disappointed he was with Sanders’s endorsement of Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. He also pointed to the greater picture of Democrat voters feeling as though they truly have not gotten a say in who their nominee would be over the last several election cycles, as many wanted Sanders, who was viewed as an agent of radical change. However, the Democrat Party seemed to step in and quash his changes.
“We felt that over the last four elections, Democrats, we felt that we didn’t have a say on who could be president,” Schulz said. “We talk a lot about the Republicans being autocrats and oligarchs and taking over democracy, but from the Democrat perspective, and as I’m a lifelong Democrat, I felt like the Democratic Party completely removed the democratic process from its constituents.”
He called for accountability, recalling how he felt in 2016.
“I wanted you to, like, 2016 I was like, this is going to happen. This guy’s going to do it. And it felt like they, it felt like they stole it from you. And I’ll be honest, it broke my heart when you, when you supported them,” he said.
“Look, but you have, in the world that I live in, you got a choice,” Sanders responded. “And I mean, a lot of people, including my wife, agree with you, but you know, you’re down to a choice. Is it going to be Hillary Clinton or is it going to be Donald Trump? Not a great choice.”
Schulz pointed out that it ended up being Trump anyway, so “why don’t we burn it down?”
Sanders said “burning it down” means “children are not going to have, you know, food to eat, that the schools will deteriorate. People will not have health care.”
“And I, you know, I’m an elected official. I got to represent the people. I can’t turn my back on–” the senator said before Singh interjected.
“But then could not, could we not also say if, ostensibly, there hasn’t been a fair primary for the Democrats since 2008, are they not also a threat to democracy?” he asked.
Sanders had no choice but to agree.
“Fair enough,” Sanders said. “That is, that is — yeah. I’m not going to argue with that.”
🚨 Bernie Sanders Admits the Democrats Are the Threat to Democracy
AKAASH: “There hasn’t been a fair primary for the Democrats since 2008. Are they not also a threat to democracy?”
BERNIE: “Yeah, I’m not going to argue with that” pic.twitter.com/AfVoKtw3Zn
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) May 19, 2025