Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Spar Over Who’s More Like Bernie (That’s Right, Sanders)
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
By Nathan Guttman October 20, 2016
Bernie Sanders was probably the most popular politician in Wednesday night’s debate.
So popular, in fact, that Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump found themselves fighting to align themselves with the statements of the rumpled Jewish liberal from Vermont.
It was Clinton who first sought to side with Sanders, whom she fiercely battled for months during the primary season.
“I want to make college debt-free and for families making less than $125,000, you will not get a tuition bill from a public college or university if the plan that I worked on with Bernie Sanders is enacted,” Clinton said.
When running for the Democratic nomination, Clinton and Sanders sparred over the question of free college, but after Clinton won the nomination she moved to formulate a compromise plan with Sanders, adopting his idea of free tuition but adding an income test to the plan.
But while Sanders, who has been out on the campaign trail in recent weeks campaigning forcefully for Clinton, could expect the Democratic candidate to plug him in the debate, he probably never thought he’d get a positive mention from Donald Trump.
For Trump, Sanders’ past criticism of Clinton was valuable ammunition in his on-stage attacks on his Democratic rival.
“And you know, Bernie Sanders, he said you have bad judgment. You do,” Trump shot at Clinton. “John Podesta said you have terrible instincts. Bernie Sanders said you have bad judgment. I agree with both.”
This attack prompted Clinton to offer calling up her former rival to ask who he loves more.
“Well, you should ask Bernie Sanders who he’s supporting for president.”
Trump, without loosing a beat, intervened: “Which is a big mistake.”
Contact Nathan Guttman at [email protected] or on Twitter @nathanguttman
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
