Hillary Clinton on Tuesday dismissed the idea that Sen. Bernie Sanders was becoming a real threat to her winning the White House, and seemed similarly indifferent about Vice President Joe Biden’s comments implying she’s not genuinely interested in income inequality.
Clinton was interviewed on CNN after a day that saw her fall behind Sanders in major polls in Iowa and New Hampshire, as well as nation-wide.
“Well, the funny thing … is, after that poll came out, about an hour later, there was a PPP poll where I was leading him by the same margin, about six points up,” she said of the Iowa poll.
“I don’t pay any attention to this,” she added. “I don’t feel that it is a good reflection of who will actually come out on caucus night.”
“So, I’ll let people poll and try to figure out who’s actually going to show up,” she said. “I’m looking at people who are showing up, making up their minds and trying to convince them to come out and caucus for me.”
Attempting to convey a serenely untroubled demeanor, Clinton also said she doesn’t think at all about the idea that Sanders might win in both Iowa and New Hampshire.
“I don’t think about that,” she said. “I’m gonna do everything I can to win as big a margin as possible in the caucus, then go to the primary.”
Clinton claimed not to be bothered by Biden’s comment that “no one questions Bernie’s authenticity” on income inequality, which many saw as an underhanded critique that Clinton doesn’t care as much.
“Well, the vice president, who I deeply respect and regard as a friend, went on to say, as I recall, you know, Hillary Clinton has a lot of very good economic policies that are thoughtful and on and on,” she said.
When asked why Biden would go out of his way to hype up Sanders, Clinton replied, “Oh, I don’t know.”
And when asked if she takes Biden’s comments as a slight, she said, “No, not at all.”
