CNN town hall with Sanders, Buttigieg and Steyer

By Kyle Blaine, Eric Bradner, Dan Merica and Kate Sullivan, CNN

Updated 12:40 a.m. ET, February 25, 2020
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9:28 p.m. ET, February 24, 2020

Sanders rejects idea that he is too extreme

From CNN's Dan Merica

Edward M. Pioroda/CNN
Edward M. Pioroda/CNN

Bernie Sanders rejected the idea on Monday night that he is too radical by, at one point, using a call and response with the audience to demonstrate that his views are in line with Democratic voters.

“Not only all Democrats, a whole lot of independents and some Republicans understand that it is absolutely imperative that we defeat this extremely dangerous President,” Sanders said before pointing to polls that show he can defeat Donald Trump.

Sanders built to the crescendo of his answer by taking on the idea that he is extreme.

“I know if you look at the media, they say Bernie’s ideas are radical, they are extreme, they are out of mainstream,” Sanders said. “Let me just tell you, I don’t think that is true.”

He then added: “Is raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour a radical idea?”

The audience responded with a “No!”

Sanders continued this back and forth with his policies on free college for all and guaranteeing health care.

“I rest my case,” Sanders concluded.

Hear Sen. Sanders’ answer:

9:23 p.m. ET, February 24, 2020

Sanders says he is “absolutely” ready for pressure as front-runner 

From CNN's Kate Sullivan

Edward M. Pioroda/CNN
Edward M. Pioroda/CNN

Bernie Sanders said he is ready to take the debate stage Tuesday night after wins in Nevada and New Hampshire have made him a target of his fellow 2020 contenders. 

CNN’s Chris Cuomo asked Sanders, “So, you are the front runner. You’ve had the results, you clearly have energy, and now along with it you will have the target.”

“A representative of the Bloomberg campaign said there’s one person who matters on the debate stage tomorrow night and that is Bernie Sanders," Cuomo continued. "Are you ready for that pressure?”

“Absolutely," Sanders responded. 

"You know, given the fact that I have been in opposition my entire career, that I’ve taken on every special interest, it is a little bit funny to find myself as the so-called front-runner."

“But, look, we are going to enter this debate with the full knowledge that tens of millions of Americans want fundamental change in terms of what is going on in this country," the senator continued. "They're tired of a President who is a pathological liar.”

Watch the moment:

9:32 p.m. ET, February 24, 2020

Sanders defends his record on gun control

From CNN's Gregory Krieg

Edward M. Pioroda/CNN
Edward M. Pioroda/CNN

Bernie Sanders has staked a large portion of his political appeal on his consistency over four decades.

But on the question of gun control, he has moved decidedly to the left over the past two decades. In the early 1990s he repeatedly voted against the Brady Bill, which eventually passed and created a waiting period for handgun purchases.

It was a position his rivals now -- and in the past -- have pointed to as being key to his ascent.

Pressed about his past positions on Monday night, Sanders again pointed to his evolution on the issue and noted his D- rating from the NRA -- one he said would "get even worse" if he became president.

Sanders also noted that, despite voting years ago for a bill exempting gun manufacturers from certain lawsuits, that he is now attached to legislation that would undo it.

"What is very clear to me is that there is a growing consensus in this country – I’m not going to tell you that everyone agrees on every nuance – but there is a growing consensus between gun owners, non-gun owners, rural states like mine and urban states about several things," Sanders said.

They included: a push for universal background checks; keeping guns out of the hands of people with a "violent past"; ending the "gun show loophole"; and banning the sale and distribution of assault weapons.

Watch:

9:02 p.m. ET, February 24, 2020

Sanders' town hall has begun

CNN
CNN

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has taken the stage. CNN's Chris Cuomo is moderating.

9:36 p.m. ET, February 24, 2020

What Sanders said Fidel Castro's Cuba over the weekend

From CNN's Paul LeBlanc and Dan Merica

Sen. Bernie Sanders offered a partial defense of Fidel Castro's Cuban revolution, asserting that "It's unfair to simply say everything is bad" with the way the late despot ruled the country.

"We're very opposed to the authoritarian nature of Cuba but you know, it's unfair to simply say everything is bad. You know?" Sanders said on CBS' "60 Minutes" in an interview that aired Sunday. "When Fidel Castro came into office, you know what he did? He had a massive literacy program. Is that a bad thing? Even though Fidel Castro did it?"

The comments — which could prove to alienate some moderate Democrats as Sanders' chases the party's primary nomination — came in response to a question about remarks Sanders had made in the 1980s assessing that the Cuban people didn't rise up against Castro because of education and healthcare.

When host Anderson Cooper pointed to the notable number of dissidents imprisoned in Cuba, Sanders responded, "That's right. And we condemn that.

"Unlike Donald Trump, let's be clear, you want to — I do not think that Kim Jong Un is a good friend," he said. "I don't trade love letters with a murdering dictator. Vladimir Putin, not a great friend of mine."

Castro, who died in 2016, drew scores of admirers and detractors as he clung to a socialist economic model and one-party Communist rule, even after the Soviet Union disintegrated.

Sanders' comments drew pushback online Sunday night, including from Democratic Rep. Donna Shalala of Florida who tweeted, "I'm hoping that in the future, Senator Sanders will take time to speak to some of my constituents before he decides to sing the praises of a murderous tyrant like Fidel Castro."

Keep reading.

8:24 p.m. ET, February 24, 2020

Sanders, Buttigieg and Steyer participate in back-to-back town halls tonight

CNN will host two nights of town halls this week, starting tonight.

The town halls will feature the leading Democratic presidential candidates, just days before voters head to the polls in South Carolina and on Super Tuesday.

Here's the schedule:

  • Tonight: Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders will appear at 9 p.m. ET, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg at 10 p.m. ET, and businessman Tom Steyer at 11 p.m. ET.
  • Wednesday: Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will appear at 7 p.m. ET, former Vice President Joe Biden will appear at 8 p.m. ET, followed by Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar at 9 p.m. ET and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren at 10 p.m. ET.

How to watch: The town halls will air on CNN, CNN en Español, CNN International and CNN Airport Network and will stream on CNN.com, CNN OTT apps for AppleTV, Roku, Amazon Fire, Samsung SmartTV and Android TV, and CNN Mobile apps for iOS and Android, CNN's SiriusXM Channels and the Westwood One Radio Network.