Sen. Bernie Sanders on Harris' economic plan, Israel-Hamas war

CHICAGO - We caught up with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont who is in the Windy City for the Democratic National Convention. Four days of events are underway, leading up to Vice President Kamala Harris' acceptance speech for the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday.

Here are three takeaways:

Bernie Sanders on Kamala Harris’ economic plan

Harris unveiled a plan last week which includes plans to ease rent increases, cap prescription drug prices for everyone, boost first-time homebuyers, end grocery price gouging and bolster the child tax credit.

Sanders said he was "impressed" and would like to see the details fleshed out soon.

“I think we still have a long way to go, but I think it's an excellent start,” he said.

The Biden administration announced this month that Medicare had negotiated discounts with pharmaceutical companies on 10 drugs prescribed to treat blood clots, cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Consumers will get a break on the medications' list prices beginning in 2026.

“I hope that the day will come soon under a President Harris, where we're not going to pay any more than other countries, which means lowering prescription drug costs in half,” he said.

Harris' plan to build 3 million housing units is an important addition to solve the house shortage crisis, he said.

Bernie Sanders on Israel-Hamas war and U.S. aid

While he has been a staunch supporter of what Biden and Harris have done on domestic issues, on this issue, “I think the president is wrong,” he said.

“Israel had a right to defend itself against this horrible Hamas terrorist attack, but it did not have the right to go to war against the entire Palestinian people,” he said. “And now creating a situation where tens and tens of thousands of children face starvation because Israel is not letting humanitarian aid come through.”

“I believe that we should not be giving another nickel to (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu's right-wing extremist government,” he said.

Bernie Sanders on progressive members of the Democratic primaries losing

Reps. Jamaal Bowman, D-New York, and Cori Bush, D-Missouri, all members of the informal group of House lawmakers known as the "Squad," were booted by more moderate Democrats.

Both have been vocal critics of the Israel’s war in Gaza. Pro-Israel PACs have been credited with some of those losses.

Asked if the progressive wing of the party was weakening, Sanders pointed to Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minnesota, who defeated a primary challenger.

“We have a campaign finance system today which is corrupt,” he said, blaming the defeats of Bush and Bowman on super PACs.  ”And that is not, to me, what democracy is about.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bernie Sanders talks Harris' plan; squad members' primary loss