Sanders slams Bloomberg for eyeing 2020 bid

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Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders - at a Saturday night rally with progressive firebrand Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in Des Moines, Iowa - blasted billionaire Michael Bloomberg, who is reportedly considering entering the race for the White House.

(SOUND BITE) (English) U.S. SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS, SAYING:

"What we need is a dynamic democracy. A democracy where all of us play a role in shaping public policy. Not some billionaire who decides that he wants to run for President of the United States, because he’s a billionaire."

Sanders, a top contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, has railed against billionaires who he says wield too much influence in politics.

(SOUND BITE) (English) U.S. SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS, SAYING:

"We must address the obscene level of income and wealth inequality, where three people now own more wealth than the bottom half of American society."

Bloomberg, a former three-term mayor of New York City, has seriously considered running for president before, both as an independent and a Democrat.

A spokesman for Bloomberg said he is skeptical that any of the current crop of Democratic candidates can defeat President Donald Trump in next year’s general election.