Luke Skywalker
Super Moderator
{vb:raw ozzmodz_postquote}:
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., waves to the crowd during a campaign stop at the Colonial Theatre on Feb. 2, 2016, in Keene, N.H.(Photo: John Minchillo, AP)
DERRY, N.H. — Sen. Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, speaking in separate appearances<span style="color: Red;">*</span>at a CNN town hall here<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Wednesday night, disputed each other's definition<span style="color: Red;">*</span>of "progressive."
Sanders, I-Vt.,responding to a question from moderator Anderson Cooper, said he respects the former secretary of state,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>but there are issues where she is "just not progressive.”
He cited Clinton's vote in favor of the war in Iraq, her support for past trade policies and her reluctance to come out against the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.
“I do not know any progressive who has a super PAC and takes $15 million from Wall Street,” Sanders said.
Appearing on stage after Sanders, Clinton<span style="color: Red;">*</span>said she and Sanders have similar goals and she's not bothered that Sanders has set himself up as "the gatekeeper of who’s progressive.”
“I know who stands with me,” she said. "I know what I've done but I<span style="color: Red;">*</span>don't think it helps for the senator to be making those kinds of comparisons because clearly we share a lot of the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>same hopes and aspirations for our country."
The town hall took place just six days before New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>In 2008, Clinton edged Barack Obama by 2.6 points in the primary. This time, RealClearPolitics' average of the latest polls shows her trailing Sanders by 17.5 points in the state.
Sanders, I-Vt., downplaying expectations, said he is fighting the “most powerful political organization in the country” in battling<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination.
"Some of these polls are off the charts," Sanders said. "I mean, I think this is going to be a very close election here in New Hampshire."
Chris Brownell, an audience member, said he makes $41,000 a year and questioned how he would be helped by<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Sanders’ plan to raise taxes to finance his health care plan.
Sanders said the tax increase would be more than offset by<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the $5,000 a year people would save by not having to pay health insurance<span style="color: Red;">*</span>premiums.
“I’ve been criticized for this, but I believe health care is a right for all people,” he said.
Clinton said she shares the goal of universal health care but wants to improve the 2010 Affordable Care Act.
"I know what it's like to go up against the status quo and special interests," she said. "I don't agree with Sen. Sanders that we should start over."
Sanders came<span style="color: Red;">*</span>to Wednesday's town hall fresh off<span style="color: Red;">*</span>a better-than-expected performance at the Iowa caucus, where he finished only<span style="color: Red;">*</span>0.3 points behind Clinton in the closest contest in the state Democratic Party's caucus history. So far, Sanders has refused to concede defeat.
Wednesday's event did not include<span style="color: Red;">*</span>former Maryland governor<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Martin O’Malley, who dropped his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination<span style="color: Red;">*</span>after a poor showing in Iowa.
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Clinton made her case for tackling risk in the financial system and said Sanders’ plan to separate commercial and investment banking activities is “too small.” She said<span style="color: Red;">*</span>a “wider group” needs to be targeted, including the shadow banking sector and insurance<span style="color: Red;">*</span>and pharmaceutical companies.
Cooper<span style="color: Red;">*</span>asked Clinton why she accepted<span style="color: Red;">*</span>$675,000 in speaking fees<span style="color: Red;">*</span>from Goldman Sachs<span style="color: Red;">*</span>for three speeches in 2013.
“That’s what they offered, so...,” she said to laughter, adding<span style="color: Red;">*</span>that she wasn’t committed at the time to running for president.
She said she doesn’t regret the speeches and won't be swayed by the fees.
Clinton also said again that she made a mistake in voting for the war in Iraq and blamed the Bush administration for moving too quickly to go to war.
She also said she couldn’t assure one audience member, who expressed concern about Clinton's<span style="color: Red;">*</span>“interventionist” foreign policies, that she wouldn’t expand the U.S. military presence abroad.
She said military force must always be a last resort.
“I will be a very careful, deliberate-decision maker when facing hard choices because I know what’s at stake,” she said.
Clinton told MSNBC’s Chris Matthews on Tuesday that she needs to “really get out there” in New Hampshire because the primary is taking place next door to Sanders' home state, and “New Hampshire votes for neighbors.”
Hillary Clinton takes a selfie with a supporter during a "get out the vote" event at Winnacunnet High School on Feb. 2, 2016, in Hampton, N.H.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: Justin Sullivan, Getty Images)
She had three New Hampshire<span style="color: Red;">*</span>campaign events scheduled for<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Wednesday ahead of the town hall. Sanders, meanwhile, made several morning TV appearances but canceled a 6 p.m. rally in Rochester. He later<span style="color: Red;">*</span>announced he would hold more than a dozen rallies and meetings across the state for the remainder of the campaign in New Hampshire. He said he has spoken to more than 32,000 people in the state since the campaign began nine months ago.
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Clinton, Sanders square off on vision, experience
Democratic National Committee chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said in a statement Wednesday that Clinton and Sanders have agreed to participate in four additional<span style="color: Red;">*</span>party-sanctioned debates, including one on Thursday in New Hampshire.
The candidates will also<span style="color: Red;">*</span>debate on March 6 in Flint, Mich., site of an ongoing water crisis, and will have additional debates in April and May.
Sanders said on MSNBC Wednesday morning, after a week of wrangling over terms with Clinton¹s campaign, that he will debate her Thursday night at the University of New Hampshire in Durham.That<span style="color: Red;">*</span>debate will be hosted by MSNBC and moderated by Meet the Press host Chuck Todd and MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow.
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