During an interview on CBS News, host Charlie Rose quizzed Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on his recent remark that Hillary Clinton is not “qualified” to be president, asking the senator whether the tone of the Democratic primary has changed.
Sanders told Rose that he he was simply responding to Clinton and a headline in the Washington Post that said Clinton “questioned” whether Sanders was qualified, a defense Sanders used earlier in the say at a press conference.
“But is it tit for tat? Is that what this campaign conversation ought to be about?” Rose asked.
“No, it certainly should not be,” Sanders said in response. “But what I do have to say, Charlie, if we are getting attacked every single day by the Clinton campaign, I want them to know we’re gonna respond in kind.”
When asked by Rose if he believes Clinton is qualified, Sanders asked in response, “Well, does Secretary Clinton believe that I am unqualified to be president?”
“But why can’t you simply say yes? She has a first-rate resume in terms of a life in public service,” Rose pressed.
Sanders agreed that Clinton has a lot of experience but again said that when he’s attacked, he will respond.
“People are saying the tenor of this campaign has changed, and it’s sounding more and more like the Republican campaign,” Rose said.
“Let’s not go that far,” Sanders hit back.
After grilling Sanders on his comment that Clinton should apologize for deaths in the Iraq war, Rose asked Sanders if he will support Clinton in the general election if she wins the nomination.
“I think the idea of a Donald Trump or a Ted Cruz presidency would be an unmitigated disaster for this country. I will do everything in my power and work as hard as I can to make sure that that does not happen,” Sanders replied. “And if Secretary Clinton is the nominee, I will certainly support her.”
Watch the interview via CBS:
Liberal gadfly from a small liberal state. He’s not ready for the big leagues.
‘She started it’ is the same argument Trump and 5 year olds use.
I’m glad Rose pressed Sanders about the “unqualified” comment, but he should have asked Sanders if he could produce the quote that Clinton supposedly made. It’s hard to believe that Sanders didn’t know there was no such claim when he used the WP headline to justify his own response.
the kids don’t like it when the alleged adults start to squabble like children…
s/he started it first is NOT an adult argument or justification… STOP IT!!!
we get enough of this crap with the wall-to-wall coverage of the Republican children…
I am pleased Bernie said he would support Clinton if she is the nominee and Clinton has said she would support Bernie if he is the nominee. Can we now move on to insuring neither Cruz or Trump ever see the inside of the White House as anything more than tourists. Stop with he said, she said and pointing fingers about who started it. Thanks!
Actually she did not start it, when asked she never said he was unqualified, when asked again same answer, when asked a third time same answer. She said he needs to do his homework and needs to put some meat onto his positions not just sound bites… I like Rose but he failed by not pointing out that she did not start this. Bernie by keeping this narrative going just reinforces my thinking that he has jumped the shark.