Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) addressed reports of sexism within his 2016 campaign Wednesday night, telling CNN’s Anderson Cooper that he apologizes to the women affected and that he was “a little bit busy running around the country” and not aware of any sexual harassment at the time.
Sanders described the explosive growth of his campaign and the unexpected number of employees who ultimately came onboard.
“I’m not going to sit here and tell you that we did everything right in terms of human resources, in terms of addressing the needs that I’m hearing from now that women felt disrespected, that there was sexual harassment which was not dealt with as effectively as possible,” he said. “What I will tell you is that when I ran for reelection in 2018 in Vermont, we put forward the strongest set of principles in terms of mandatory training, in terms of women, if they felt harassed, having an independent firm that they can go to. And I think that’s kind of the gold standard for what we should be doing.”
“So I certainly apologize to any woman who felt that she was not treated appropriately,” he continued. “And of course, if I run, we will do better next time.”
In a New York Times report published Wednesday, former female Sanders staffers told of experiences ranging from sexual harassment and indifference from higher ups to pay gaps between men and women on the campaign.
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— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) January 3, 2019
I’m just shocked, SHOCKED that gambling was going in my campaign. I never saw it. I never heard the strident misogynistic roar from my supporters either!
Queue the usual suspects of detractors who have delivered Democratic Party ineffectiveness for decades, enabling Republicans for years, but suddenly now embrace ideas Sanders has been advocating for all his political career.
I don’t know what Art is, but I know TPM ‘New Democrat’ bullshit when I see it.
Sometimes when you’re spending all your time scolding others for their moral failings, you just don’t get around to achieving equitable conditions in the one realm you actually have control over, is that it? Sounds legit.
Beg pardon but I always thought people who worked full time should be able to live on their pay, and I always thought a society as rich as ours should have universal health care since all the comparable ones did and poorer ones besides. I tried not to be a vainglorious moralizing dick about it, and I tried not to sabotage the campaign of other actual Democrats. But if I’m the problem then again I beg your pardon. Sorry.
Then how can you run the executive branch?
Weird situation for an old white guy to be in…