Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton said during the first Democratic debate Tuesday night in Las Vegas that she was no socialist like her rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
Clinton jumped in after moderator Anderson Cooper asked Sanders about his proclaimed identification as a Democratic socialist and support for the social policies of countries like Denmark and Norway.
“When I think about capitalism, I think about all the small businesses that were started because we have all the opportunity and freedom in our country for people to do that and make a good living for themselves and their families,” Clinton said. “And I don’t think we should confuse what we have to do every so often in America, which is save capitalism from itself.”
“I think what Sen. Sanders is saying certainly makes sense in terms of the inequality we have,” she added. “But we are not Denmark. I love Denmark, but we are the United States of America, and it’s our job to rein in the excesses of capitalism so it doesn’t run amok and it doesn’t cause the kind of inequities we’re seeing.”
“But we would be making a grave mistake to turn our backs on what built the greatest middle class in the history of the world,” Clinton said.
Sanders defended his support for universal healthcare and paid family leave, saying “every other country on earth” provides that sort of social safety net.
He said he doesn’t consider himself “part of the casino capitalist process by which so few people have so much and so many have so little.”
Uh, Hillary, you’re in the pocket of Wall Street, so I think that I’ll take a Democratic Socialist over a sell-out Democrat. I was a small business owner for many years and Sanders more accurately captures my feelings. Oh, and thanks for this. I was really waffling over supporting you. I’m feeling the Bern!
Good line: "“And I don’t think we should confuse what we have to do every so often in America, which is save capitalism from itself.” That’s what we do need to do. I doubt we will have a socialist overnight revolution or “mass movement” such as Sanders wants (and I wonder a bit at the obvious egomania of imagining he could inspire it…but oh well). Short of that, keep Democrats in power longer. Besides some of the commissar wannabes in socialists I know are not terribly pleasant as a prospect…/
Although his response about emails was pure brilliance, as was his response to BlackLivesMatter, his performance thus far has solidified my support for HRC. She’s whooping his ass all over this stage. Hell, so is Martin O’Malley.
Misleading headline. She said nothing like that. I expected more than clickbait from TPM when I paid for a prime membership. (And I’m supporting Bernie)… I just think TPM should hold itself to higher standards than this kind of provocative silliness. Please. Think, before you put words in people’s mouths.
I politely disagree. Hillary has been very good indeed, but so has Bernie. While he’s had a hiccup or two, his passion is shining through and his message has been very strong. I, too, am feelin’ the Bern!