The founder and host of the left-leaning online show “The Young Turks” said Friday there is no question he would vote for former Vice President Joe Biden if he becomes the Democratic nominee to face President Trump in 2020.
“Don’t get me wrong, if it’s Biden versus Trump in the general election, that’s the biggest no-brainer of my life. I will definitely vote for Biden, and anyone who doesn’t I think is mental,” Cenk Uygur told Hill.TV co-hosts Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti on “Rising.”
“Not because Biden is great … but because Trump is an absolute disaster,” Uygur said. “He doesn’t believe in our form of government. If you give him four more years, this Democracy might not even survive, and I don’t think that’s a hyperbole.”
But the Young Turks founder warned that if Biden wins the nomination, the former vice president will not ultimately support progressive policies like the Green New Deal, even though he released a plan this month that largely embraces key aspects of the ambitious climate action proposal championed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).
“He’s not going to propose anything bold,” Uygur told Hill.TV. “He’s not going to go for ‘Medicare for All,’ he’s not going to go for Green New Deal, he’s not going to get money out of politics.”
Uygur also outlined a new initiative from The Young Turks.
The five-part agenda calls for higher wages, Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, College for All and a constitutional amendment that would ban the private financing of candidates.
So far, three 2020 Democratic presidential candidates have signed onto the pledge: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), best-selling author Marianne Williamson and former Alaska Sen. Mark Gravel.
Uygur hopes the initiative can also serve as a litmus test for voters trying to navigate the crowded Democratic field.
“There’s 24 candidates here. They’re not running for Senate they’re not running for Congress — they’re running for the most important job in the country. So why not pick the person that most aligns with you?” he said.
—Tess Bonn
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