Bernie Sanders to Colbert: "Frightening the Billionaire Class" Should Be Goal of Grassroots Movement

Appearing on Monday night's Colbert Report on Comedy Central, Sen. Bernie Sanders told the show's host that he's still contemplating how best to use his leadership skills to challenge the elite and corporate forces that are undermining U.S. democracy and destroying shared prosperity in a nation that is desperately tired of being kicked around by corporate interests.

In addition to once again saying that he is seriously considering a run for president in 2016 as progressive challenge to the likely candidacy of Democrat Hillary Clinton—as the Colbert audience chanted loudly, "Bernie! Bernie! Bernie!"—Sanders also told Colbert that he hopes that a progressive uprising across the nation could "frighten the billionaire class" and challenge lawmakers to push for policies that help ordinary and working-class people.

"What we have to ascertain," said Sanders about his possible run, "is whether or not, in this country, there is the appetite or willingness to put together a strong grassroots movement to take on the billionaire class. And that's a very difficult undertaking. When you're running against people who have unlimited sums of money, the question is: how do you raise—through twenty dollar and forty dollar contributions—the money that you need to run a serious campaign?"