OPINION:
After audio was released this weekend of Hillary Clinton calling Vermont Sen. Bernard Sanders’ supporters over-idealistic “basement dwellers,” Mrs. Clinton’s campaign announced it canceled campaign events with Mr. Sanders on Monday.
It is unclear whether Mrs. Clinton’s leaked comments were reason for the cancellation.
At a February fundraiser, Mrs. Clinton made pointed remarks about Mr. Sanders’ supporters.
“There’s just a deep desire to believe that we can have free college, free health care, that what we’ve done hasn’t gone far enough, and that we just need to, you know, go as far as, you know Scandinavia, whatever that means, and half of the people don’t know what it means, but it is something that they deeply feel,” she said, according to the leaked audiotape.
Mr. Sanders said “of course” Mrs. Clinton’s comments bothered him and that she said he sold a “false promise” to his supporters. Still, he said his supporters should vote for her, and they identified with her in a certain respect.
“Well, I agree with her, what she is saying,” Mr. Sanders said on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Sunday. “There are young people who went deeply into debt, worked very hard to get a good education, and yet get out of school and can’t get decent jobs … and are living in their parents’ basements. There is a point there.”
On Sunday, Mrs. Clinton’s team said it had canceled tentatively planned events with Mr. Sanders on Monday. Mr. Sanders will be back on the campaign trail on Wednesday, with stops in Des Moines and Wisconsin, Mrs. Clinton’s team said.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.