Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) pushed back Friday morning on suggestions by Hillary Clinton and her allies that he didn’t think abortion was a serious issue, arguing “What Secretary Clinton did is take things out of context.”
“I am 100 percent pro-choice and will defend women’s right to choose,” Sanders told “Good Morning America” host David Muir.
Clinton’s latest line of attack focused on comments Sanders made in the wake of the outrage over Donald Trump’s Wednesday remark that “there has to be some form of punishment” for women who seek abortions if the procedure was banned. Trump has since reversed that position.
Later that day, Sanders decried the media attention the Trump abortion comment was getting.
“Any stupid, absurd remark made by Donald Trump becomes the story of the week,” Sanders told MSNBC. “Maybe, just maybe, we might want to have a serious discussion about the serious issues facing America.”
By Thursday, Clinton was using Sanders’ comments about the abortion controversy against him, telling an audience in New York that “to me, this is a serious issue, and it is a serious discussion.”
The Sanders campaign initially responded by pointing to his voting record on the issue, a defense the senator reiterated Friday.
“Let’s put it into the context,” Sanders said. “Do I believe its a serious issue? I’ve been spending my entire political life fighting for the right of a woman to control her own body.”
Watch below:
His explanation needs at least 45% more finger wagging and a few more “Wall Street” mentions.
I like Bernie but he has one terrible habit I’d wish he’d stop doing. Watch for this the next time in debates. Every single time a moderator asks Hillary a question, Bernie within seconds raise his arm and points his index finger straight up…just like a school kid trying to get the teacher’s attention! Every-single-time!
This is his technique for taking away at least some of the audience’s attention from the speaker. It’s bad form, maddening and I do believe he does this on purpose.
And old joke: know how to silence an Italian? Tie their arms behind their back!
(Apologies to those of said heritage!).
I’ve wondered how Bernie would react if, every time he raised that finger when another was speaking, the moderator told him to stop it!
I thought waving that finger meant he needed another pee break
Actually, his words did kinda say there were more important things to talk about than choice. I’ll grant that’s probably not what he meant, but that’s what he said, and that makes it fair game in politics.
Wouldn’t it me nice if these two would stop this squabble. They are vying for the Democratic nomination…not the Tea Party one. They don’t have to show us how tough they are. Everyone knows that Sanders is a hard core liberal and supports abortion rights. Clinton doesn’t need to imply otherwise. It’s an area they are in complete agreement…they don’t need to spat over it.
I like them both. I don’t care which one get the nom I’m going to vote for that person. I’d like to see their stop for a meaningful debate. How are they going to contrast themselves with the GOP assholes if they crib the GOP script?