Jeff Weaver’s first job as a campaign staffer was on Bernie Sanders's gubernatorial campaign in 1986. He served as Sanders' campaign manager in the Vermont senator's 2016 bid for the presidency and is now an adviser to his 2020 campaign. He joined Boston Public Radio on Monday to make the case for Sanders with one day left before New Hampshire voters cast their ballots.
The democratic socialist candidate is running a progressive campaign for universal health care, affordable college and fighting income inequality. Weaver said Americans are ready for a candidate to come at these issues from the left in 2020.
"If you look at the moderate candidates, the last time Hillary Clinton was the moderate choice in that race: clearly not electable," he said.
Sanders authored the Medicare For All bill in congress and has pushed from the left on health care reform.
"Medicare is one of the most popular programs — along with social security — in the federal government. Half of current health care spending in America runs through the federal government already," said Weaver. "Folks are already dealing with government insurance in a lot of ways, and the truth of the matter is, when you explain it to folks, they suddenly understand that we cannot move forward with comprehensive health care reform unless we eliminate the grotesque fleecing Americans are taking from the insurance companies."
