FLINT, Mich. — This city near Michigan’s thumb took center stage in Sunday night’s Democratic presidential primary debate as the candidates slammed the government’s response to the lead water crisis that keeps residents from drinking their tap water.
The first 20 minutes of the debate held on the campus of University of Michigan-Flint’s campus focused totally on how former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders would respond to the crisis as president and their thoughts on how it happened.
Both candidates, Clinton for the first time, called on Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder to resign and said the federal government needs to step in to help the city recover.
“If local government does not have the resources, if state government for whatever reason refuses to act, children in America should not be poisoned,” Sanders said. “The federal government comes in, the federal government acts.”
In April 2014, a state emergency manager appointed by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder signed off on a symbolic vote from the Flint City Council to change the city’s water source. The move aimed to cut costs by requiring the city to take its water from the Flint River instead of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department while a new pipeline was built to connect the city to Lake Huron.
The Flint River water, however, was so acidic that it caused the lead pipes bringing water from the city’s cast iron mains to homes to corrode. Lead leached off the pipes and into the drinking water of homes throughout the city.
The state has declared a state of emergency and Flint residents are not able to drink the water coming out of their taps.
Both candidates have visited Flint and Clinton has made it a centerpiece of her campaign, already releasing two ads focused on her work in the city. She’s opened a campaign office in Flint and has aides on the ground in the city helping raise money and water donations.
In saying Snyder should resign, Clinton said the state has failed in their responsibility to the people of Flint.
“It is raining lead in Flint and the state is derelict in not coming forward with the money that is required,” she said.
It’s clear the residents of Flint have a crisis of confidence in their elected officials. One question posited by a Flint resident asked Clinton what she would do to regain the public’s trust.
“I would work with elected officials who I trust, like you mayor, like your senators, like your member of Congress,” she said, “so we can assure you that when it’s fixed, you can trust it. You deserve nothing less.”
Both candidates refused to call for anyone to go to jail over the crisis without knowing more about what happened.
Clinton dodged a question about whether she would fire Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy, but Sanders said he would fire every member of the federal bureaucracy who knew about the problems with Flint’s water without doing something about it.
“President Sanders would fire anybody who knew about what was happening and did not act appropriately,” he said.
For the last week or so, the national media has descended on Flint in anticipation of the debate and Michigan’s primary election on Tuesday. The story of Flint has been in news outlets around the world and TV cameras have been seen around town for days.
However, Sanders said he’s heard, in talking to Flintites, they’re worried about what happens when the news cycle moves on. It’s going to be the job of the next president to make sure the people of Flint are remembered when the bright lights go away, he said.
“The legitimate fear of the people of Flint is at a certain point that the TV cameras and CNN is going to disappear,” he said, “and then people are going to be left struggling in order to live in a safe and healthy community.”
