Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders dismissed the idea on Monday that both he and Donald Trump are making similar attacks against Hillary Clinton, after Trump started calling the Democratic front-runner “crooked Hillary Clinton.”
Appearing on the “Today” show, Sanders was confronted by host Savannah Guthrie over Trump’s new nickname, and asked if Trump is making “the same argument” as Sanders, with fewer words. But Sanders disagreed.
“Donald Trump is very brilliant by coming up with statements that you guys respond to,” Sanders told the host. “It’s an ugly statement.”
“What I have said is that we have a corrupt campaign finance system in which billionaires …,” Sanders said before Guthrie cut him off.
“You have said that she accepts this money from Wall Street or big banks or fossil fuels and that that affects her judgment,” Guthrie told him.
“Well, of course it does,” Sanders responded.
“Wouldn’t that be crooked?” Guthrie asked.
“No. In that case the United States government is crooked,” Sanders said. “We have a corrupt system. I am very proud that we are doing it differently,” Sanders said, noting the seven million campaign contributions he has received averaging $27. He went on to tout his support for public financing of elections and overturning the Citizens United Supreme Court decision from 2010.
