New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker vigorously defended Hillary Clinton on Sunday as someone who can “build bridges” between Americans instead of stoking racial tensions.
“How does Hillary Clinton, who’s almost as polarizing and divisive [as Donald Trump], how does she make the case that she’s the candidate here for reconciliation?” NBC News’ Chuck Todd asked the Democratic senator during a joint interview with Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn.
“I patently disagree with you on issues of race and religious diversity that she is in any way polarizing,” Booker responded sharply. “If anything, I’ve watched [Clinton] in black communities and in white communities, and even after this tragedy, put forth the spirit of America, which is an understanding that, as our founders said in the Declaration of Independence, this is a time we need to mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.”
Booker continued, “She has manifested that on issues of race, of religion and of gender diversity she is someone who can build our bridges — and far more than our alternative.”
The New Jersey Democrat, who recently joined Clinton on the campaign trail in the Garden State, said that in comparison to the former secretary of state, Donald Trump is “callously stoking hate and fear and inflaming divide.”
“This is not the person to be president of the U.S. I believe ever, but definitely not at a time when we need a healer, a reconciler and somebody to who realizes our differences matter but our country matters more,” Booker said.
