Sanders: I’m Not Going to Attack Biden’s Mental Acuity

During a town hall on the Fox News Channel on Monday, 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) stated that he wouldn’t “go at that level” by attacking fellow 2020 Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden’s mental acuity and “that’s for people to decide.”

Moderator Bret Baier said, “[T]he question of Joe Biden’s mental acuity is not something that just comes up anywhere” before playing clips of Democrats raising the issue.

Sanders responded, “I’m not going to go at that level in attacking. Joe and I have — you know, that’s for people to decide. All I can say is, Joe and I have very significant political differences. And I’m not going to be making personal attacks on Joe. That’s not what I do.”

Earlier, Sanders cited a speech that Biden gave that only lasted seven minutes, stating, “I don’t know how you say anything, other than minimal discussion in seven minutes.”

Sanders later denied that he was suggesting Biden lacked substance, but added, “If I’m going to give a speech to people…I can’t do it in seven minutes. You know, there are too many issues. There’s health care, education, climate change, immigration reform, criminal justice reform. I don’t know how you do that in seven minutes. So, all that I’m saying, Martha, is that I think, as a candidate for president, you owe respect to the people. And you have to have the courage or the desire to say, hey, this is what — where I’m coming from. This is my view. You disagree with me? Fine. But I can’t do that in seven minutes in a speech.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett