Thursday on MSNBC’s Democratic presidential primary debate, candidate Hillary Clinton was booed by the audience when she told her opponent Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) “to end the artful smear that you and your campaign have been carrying out in recent weeks.”
Sanders said, “What being part of the establishment is is in the last quarter having a SuperPAC that raised $15 million from Wall Street, that raised a whole lot of money from the drug companies and other special interests. To my mind, if we do not get a handle on money in politics and the degree to which big money controls the political process in this country, nobody is going to bring about the changes that is needed in this country for the middle class and working families.”
Clinton said, “I think it’s fair to really ask what’s behind that comment. Senator Sanders says he wants to run a positive campaign. I’ve tried to keep my disagreements over issues, as it should be. Time and time again, by innuendo by insinuation, there is this attack that he is putting forth, which really comes down to, you know, anybody who ever took donations or speaking fees from any interest group has to be bought. I just absolutely reject that, Senator, I really don’t think these kinds of attacks by insinuation are worthy of you. Enough is enough. If you’ve got something to say, say it directly. you will not find that I ever changed a view or a vote because of any donation that I ever received. I have stood up and I have represented my constituents to the best of my abilities, and I’m very proud of that. So I think it’s time to end the artful smear that you and your campaign have been carrying out in recent weeks and let’s talk about the issues that divide us.”
As the audience booed over the candidates cross talk Sander said, “Let’s talk about issues. Let’s talk about issues. Let’s talk about why in the 1990s Wall Street got deregulated. Did it have anything to do with the fact that Wall Street provided — spent billions of dollars on lobbying and campaign contributions? Well, some people might think that had some influence. Let’s ask why it is that we pay, by far, the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs and your medicine can with doubled tomorrow and there’s nothing the government can do to stop it. You think it has anything to do with the huge amount of campaign contributions and lobbying for the fossil fuel industry. Let’s talk about climate change. Do you think there’s a reason why not one Republican has the guts to recognize that climate change is real, and we need to transform our energy system? Do you think it has anything to do with the Koch brothers and Exxon mobile pouring huge amounts of money into the political system? That’s what goes on in America.”
The crowd applauded and cheered after Sanders remarks.
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