Bernie Sanders' KTVU interview: ‘We have a good chance to win California'

OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - Senator Bernie Sanders shared his thoughts in an interview with KTVU about what he's learned on the campaign trail and whether he'd consider a third party candidacy, just hours before a rally in Oakland prompted Secret Service agents to rush around Sanders after protestors tried to rush the stage.

Sanders took the stage with a Golden State Warriors cap in hand saying, "Thank you Oakland" to big cheers from the crowd.

About halfway through his speech, however, there was a tense turn as four protestors appeared to jump over a security barrier near the stage.

"Step away right now, right now," one agent could be heard telling Sanders as other Secret Service agents handcuffed the protestors and led them away.

An animal activist group later claimed responsibility. The protestors were not arrested and the Sanders campaign said they had no plans to press charges.

"We don't get intimidated easily," Sanders said resuming his speech, talking about familiar campaign themes.

Earlier in the day, Sanders sat down with KTVU for an interview between his events at a Memorial Day ceremony in San Francisco's Presidio and a rally at the Allen Temple Baptist Church in Oakland.

Sanders, when asked how he keeps up with the grueling campaign schedule replied with a laugh saying, "It's easy when you're young like me."

He then responded to critics' questions of whether he's a true Democrat, Independent or Socialist by saying he isn't concerned with labels.

"Let's not worry about the labels," Sanders said, "What I consider myself and have always considered myself to be somebody who is fighting to make this country become what it can become. And it outrages me that we have multi-billionaires who are getting richer and richer while we have people in San Francisco sleeping out in the street, kids not getting an adequate education, people leaving school $50,000 to $70,000 in debt."

When asked if anything surprised him about the presidential primary race, he said he wasn't aware so many people would embrace his message.

"I did not realize that it would resonate quite as fast as it has," he said.

He was also asked if personally, he had learned anything about himself in the process.

"What I have learned is that when you run for the President of the United States, every wrinkle that you have, every problem that you have, every weakness that you have becomes manifested. And like any other human being, I have my share of weaknesses and I have my share of strengths," Sanders replied, "But I will tell you at the end of the day, I am extremely proud of the campaign that we are running. We think we have a good chance to win here in California, and many other states coming up. And if we do that, I think we'll have the momentum to go into the Democratic convention and come out with the victory."

And if he isn't the Democratic nominee, would he consider a third party run?

"I have pledged to run within the Democratic primary process. We hope to win that nomination and that's where I am," Sanders said.

Sanders encouraged supporters to get out and vote June 7th in the California primary. The rally drew thousands of people, some who waited four hours or more in a line that police say wound around more than 12 blocks through downtown Oakland.

Sanders later made a brief appearance at the Golden State Warriors game, shaking hands with supporters in the stands.