The Democratic town hall Wednesday between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton boiled down to one fighting word: progressive.
The defining concept has been at the center of recent skirmishes between the two pols, who are locked in a tight fight for their party’s nomination. On Wednesday, the duo continued to trade barbs over what it means to be one.
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“You can’t be a moderate and a progressive,” Sanders charged, during his time on stage at the CNN-hosted town hall from Derry, N.H.
“(Clinton) has had a long and distinguished career,” he said. “I thought she did a good job as secretary of state … but there are other issues on which I think she is just not progressive.”
He elaborated, saying, “I do not know a progressive who has a Super PAC and takes $15 million from Wall Street.”
The event’s format, which had candidate appear individually on stage with CNN moderator Anderson Cooper, prevented Clinton from hitting back right away.
The former secretary of state went on the defensive when she took the stage, responding to a question about her the high speaking fees she received from Goldman Sachs.
“Well, I don’t know. That’s what they offered,” she said. “They’re not giving me that much money now.”
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But she soon returned fire at Sanders over his progressive digs.
“I am somewhat amused that Sen. Sanders has set himself up to be the gatekeeper of who is a progressive,” Clinton said. “Under the definition that is flying around … President Obama wouldn’t be a progressive, Vice President Biden wouldn’t be a progressive. So, I’m not going to let that bother me.
“But I don’t think it helps for the senator to be making those kinds of comparisons,” she said.
The rhetoric between the two candidates has grown increasingly bitter and personal in recent days as the race for the nomination has tightened. Following Clinton’s razor-thin victory over Sanders in Monday’s Iowa caucuses, Sanders, who has avoided going negative against his competitor, blasted the former First Lady’s liberal credentials.
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When asked by a reporter Tuesday whether he felt Clinton was “a progressive,” Sanders, who polls show is heavily favored to win in the Granite State’s Feb. 9 primary, responded, “Some days.”
Clinton shot back on Twitter, writing, “A 40-year record of progressive results — boiled down to ‘some days.'”
Throughout Wednesday’s town hall, however, the second in as many weeks and coming just six days before the pivotal New Hampshire primary, Clinton and Sanders touched on several issues that have marked their ongoing debate: Economic inequality, health care, criminal justice and fighting terrorism.
But the candidates were also frequently put on the defensive by various questions from the audience.
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When asked by a crowd member whether he could, as a self-proclaimed “Democratic Socialist” with a liberal track record, work together with a Republican Congress to get things done if elected, Sanders rejected that he couldn’t be bipartisan.
“It’s just not accurate to say ‘it’s my way or the highway,’ I know some people portray me like that,” he said.
Clinton, meanwhile, was challenged over her ability to resonate with young voters, who in Iowa, threw their support behind Sanders 84% to 14%.
“I accept the the fact that I have work to do, I don’t really know here what I want young people to know,” she said after being asked about what she could do to perform better with the key demographic.
“But they don’t have to be for me. I’m going to be there for them,” she added.
The town hall also wasn’t without moments of humor.
Sanders, after being asked for his opinion about comparisons between him and actor and fellow-Brooklyn native Larry David, offered Cooper an amusing answer.
“Anderson, you’ve been a journalist for a long time … this is a big scoop,” Sanders said. “I am Larry David.”
With Jennifer Fermino
