Jimmy Kimmel Asks Bernie Sanders About Donald Trump Debate, Independent Run

Jimmy Kimmel has been playing matchmaker this week, helping to set up what may be the biggest fight of the 2016 presidential campaign.

During Donald Trump’s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live earlier in the week, the late night host asked the Republican nominee on behalf of Bernie Sanders if he’d be interested in debating the Vermont senator. Trump said he would love a head-to-head matchup against Sanders, as long as the proceeds went charity.

“”If I debated him, we would have such high ratings,” Trump said.

Sanders stopped by the show on Thursday and gave Kimmel credit for sparking people’s interest in seeing this debate.

“You made it possible for us to have a very interesting debate about two guys who look at the world very, very differently,” Sanders said.

While they may not see eye-to-eye on politics, the Democratic presidential hopeful agrees with Trump that a possible debate would be a yuge event before the California primary.

“The goal would be to have it some big stadium here in California,” Sanders said.

The Vermont senator had wished to face his rival Hillary Clinton in a debate ahead of the June 7 contest, but the former Secretary of State declined.

“We had reached an agreement for a number of debates, including one in California,” Sanders said. “Unfortunately and not appropriately, Sec. Clinton decided not to go forward.”

Later in the interview, it was the Vermont senator’s turn to answer a question from Trump.

Kimmel asked Sanders if he would run as an independent candidate should Clinton end up winning the nomination. Sanders tiptoed around answering the question while reiterating his claim that he’s the guy who can beat Trump for the Democrats.

“What I hope will happen is that I will run against him as the Democratic nominee of the President of the United States,” Sanders said. “And if I do, we’re going to beat him and beat him bad.”