Sen. Bernie Sanders could name only one person who has advised him in foreign policy matters in his bid to be president, and that person said he has spoken to the Vermont senator only once, according to reports.
Sanders said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that “many, many, many people who are very knowledgeable about national security issues and foreign policy issues” have been advising him during his campaign. When pressed to name just one, Sanders said he’s spoken with Lawrence Korb, a senior fellow at the Center for American progress.
“Larry Korb is one,” Sanders said. “Larry Korb has worked, who, actually, I think, worked in the Reagan administration, is somebody we have consulted with.”
But Korb told Politico he had spoken with Sanders only once late last year.
“I was asked to go over and speak with him just once, which I did,” Korb said.
He said the two men discussed the Middle East, climate change, nuclear modernization and budgeting.
“He was very attentive, was taking notes, asks good questions and is very thoughtful about the issues,” Korb told Politico.
Sanders has focused on domestic issues so far during the campaign, prompting attacks from Hillary Clinton, who has sought to contrast Sanders’ struggle with her extensive foreign policy experience as secretary of state.
“Sen. Sanders doesn’t talk much about foreign policy, but when he does it raises concerns,” Clinton said last month in Iowa, according to a CNN report. “Sometimes it can sound like he really hasn’t thought it through.”
