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Clinton, Sanders spar over ‘progressive’ label Clinton, Sanders spar over ‘progressive’ label
(35 minutes later)
DERRY, N.H. — The two Democratic presidential hopefuls sparred Wedneday over whether Hillary Clinton is enough of a “progressive” while she and Bernie Sanders both sought to manage expectations in a race that has now shifted to a very different terrain. DERRY, N.H. — The two Democratic presidential hopefuls sparred Wednesday over whether Hillary Clinton is enough of a “progressive,” while she and Bernie Sanders both sought to manage expectations in a race that has now shifted to very different terrain.
With barely a week before the New Hampshire primary, and polls showing sizable leads here for Sanders, the Clinton team sought to emphasize the advantages the Vermont senator has as a next-door neighbor. Sanders’s camp countered that Clinton should be stronger in the Granite State, given her win here as a presidential candidate in 2008. With barely a week before the New Hampshire primary, and polls showing sizable leads here for Sanders, the Clinton team sought to emphasize the advantages that the senator from Vermont has as a next-door neighbor. Sanders’s camp countered that Clinton should be stronger in the Granite State, given her win here as a presidential candidate in 2008.
The back-and-forth came as both sides continued to offer different spins on the results of Monday’s razor-thin margin in the Iowa caucuses. For Clinton, it was a clear win. Sanders’s aides were very much on message in referring to it as a tie. The back-and-forth came as both sides continued to offer different spins on the results of Monday’s razor-thin margin in the Iowa caucuses. To Clinton, it was a clear win. Sanders’s aides were very much on message in referring to it as a tie.
In a sign of the race’s more contentious tone, Clinton felt compelled Wednesday to respond to a day-old jab from Sanders, who told reporters in Keene that she is a progressive “some days,” except when she “announces she is a moderate.”In a sign of the race’s more contentious tone, Clinton felt compelled Wednesday to respond to a day-old jab from Sanders, who told reporters in Keene that she is a progressive “some days,” except when she “announces she is a moderate.”
Speaking at an event here, Clinton highlighted her work on progressive causes like gay rights, women’s rights and defending Social Security and called Sanders’s comments a “low blow.” Speaking at an event here, Clinton highlighted her work on progressive causes such as gay rights, women’s rights and defense of Social Security, and called Sanders’s comments a “low blow.”
“So I hope we keep it on the issues because if it’s about our records, hey, I’m going to win by a landslide,” Clinton said.“So I hope we keep it on the issues because if it’s about our records, hey, I’m going to win by a landslide,” Clinton said.
Later in the afternoon, Sanders, who spent much of the day huddling with advisers in Vermont, took to Twitter, offering a biting critique of his rival in a storm of tweets. Later in the afternoon Sanders, who spent much of the day huddling with advisers in Vermont, took to Twitter, offering a biting critique of his rival in a storm of tweets.
“Most progressives that I know don’t raise millions of dollars from Wall Street,” read one.“Most progressives that I know don’t raise millions of dollars from Wall Street,” read one.
“Most progressives I know were against the war in Iraq. One of the worst foreign policy blunders in the history of the United States,” said another. “Most progressives I know were against the war in Iraq. One of the worst foreign policy blunders in the history of the United States,” read another.
Clinton’s camp responded in a series of tweets of its own, with one saying: “This shouldn’t be a debate about who gets to define ‘progressive’—it should be about who will get real results for American families.” Clinton’s camp responded in a series of its own tweets, with one saying: “This shouldn’t be a debate about who gets to define ‘progressive’—it should be about who will get real results for American families.”
The candidates will have multiple opportunities to engage more directly in coming days, including at a hastily arranged debate on Thursday night to be broadcast by MSNBC. Sanders agreed to participate just Wednesday morning. The candidates will have multiple opportunities to engage more directly in the coming days, including at a hastily arranged debate to be broadcast by MSNBC on Thursday night. Sanders agreed to participate Wednesday morning.
On the stump Wednesday, Clinton sought to frame the race as a choice between one candidate with a track record of accomplishments and another offering worthy but unachievable goals.On the stump Wednesday, Clinton sought to frame the race as a choice between one candidate with a track record of accomplishments and another offering worthy but unachievable goals.
“There’s a lot of talk in this campaign between Senator Sanders and myself about whether voters will vote with their heads or their heart,” Clinton said here. “Let me ask you to vote with both.” “There’s a lot of talk in this campaign between Senator Sanders and myself about whether voters will vote with their heads or their heart,” Clinton said. “Let me ask you to vote with both.”
Her wonky stump speech is still heavily laden with policy, but Clinton offered voters a more nuanced argument for her candidacy, focused on “heart.” Her wonky stump speech was still heavily laden with policy, but Clinton offered voters a more nuanced argument for her candidacy, focused on “heart.”
“Think about how we need to have more heart in America,” Clinton said. “More heart for those who are suffering, who are left behind and left out, more heart for working folks who feel like they are not getting ahead because the game is rigged against them.”“Think about how we need to have more heart in America,” Clinton said. “More heart for those who are suffering, who are left behind and left out, more heart for working folks who feel like they are not getting ahead because the game is rigged against them.”
Sanders had a huge lead over Clinton — 61 percent to 32 percent — among likely New Hampshire voters in a poll released Wednesday by the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Sanders had a huge lead over Clinton — 61 percent to 32 percent — among likely New Hampshire voters in a poll released Wednesday by the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.
The margin was larger than recent polls but underscored both Clinton’s challenge in closing the gap and Sanders’s challenge in managing expectations. The margin was larger than recent polls, but underscored both Clinton’s challenge in closing the gap and Sanders’s challenge in managing expectations.
While Sanders’s team would certainly welcome a big win, they were trying to tamp down expectations for that on Wednesday. While Sanders’s team would certainly welcome a big win, it was trying to tamp down expectations for that Wednesday.
At a late-afternoon news conference in Concord, Sanders reminded reporters of the Clinton family’s history in New Hampshire.At a late-afternoon news conference in Concord, Sanders reminded reporters of the Clinton family’s history in New Hampshire.
“Her husband ran for president here twice, she ran and won in 2008,” Sanders said, adding: “We expect a very difficult race. We take nothing for granted.” “Her husband ran for president here twice; she ran and won in 2008,” Sanders said, adding: “We expect a very difficult race. We take nothing for granted.”
Clinton aides said the campaign’s strategy in New Hampshire is to narrow the gap with Sanders as much as possible. While they say that winning the state is unlikely, they hope to force Sanders to leave a state where he has a clear advantage with only a narrow margin, calling into question his ability to compete in later primaries. Clinton aides said that the campaign’s strategy in New Hampshire is to narrow the gap with Sanders as much as possible. While they said that winning the state is unlikely, they hoped to force Sanders to leave a state where he has a clear advantage with only a narrow margin, calling into question his ability to compete in later primaries.
An influx of support from staff in Clinton’s Brooklyn headquarters began arriving in New Hampshire in recent days to bolster the campaign’s ground game. And even before votes were cast in Iowa, staff in New Hampshire began rallying hundreds of volunteers over the weekend to begin get-out-the-vote activities. More than 500 volunteers hit the ground in Nashua on Saturday and hundreds more fanned out in Manchester on Sunday. An influx of support from staff in Clinton’s Brooklyn headquarters began arriving in New Hampshire in recent days to bolster the campaign’s ground game. Even before votes were cast in Iowa, staff in New Hampshire began rallying hundreds of volunteers over the weekend to begin get-out-the-vote activities. More than 500 volunteers hit the ground in Nashua on Saturday. Hundreds more fanned out in Manchester on Sunday.
Echoing the sentiments of many of her boosters, Clinton referred to the New Hampshire contest as taking places in Sanders’s “back yard.” Echoing the sentiments of many of her boosters, Clinton referred to the New Hampshire contest as taking place in Sanders’s “back yard.”
“New Hampshire always favors neighbors, which I think is neighborly,” she quipped.“New Hampshire always favors neighbors, which I think is neighborly,” she quipped.
She dismissed the suggestions of some “pundits” that she move on to other states. She dismissed the suggestions of some “pundits” that she should move on to other states.
“I have to tell you, I just could not ever skip New Hampshire,” she said.“I have to tell you, I just could not ever skip New Hampshire,” she said.
Talk of Sanders’s home-court advantage prompted a rebuke Wednesday from his state director, Julia Barnes.Talk of Sanders’s home-court advantage prompted a rebuke Wednesday from his state director, Julia Barnes.
“Whether it’s equal pay, more secure retirement or affordable health care, the people of New Hampshire will go to the polls Tuesday and vote for the candidate they believe will fight for them,” she said in a statement. “To repeatedly suggest otherwise is an insult to voters in the Granite State.”“Whether it’s equal pay, more secure retirement or affordable health care, the people of New Hampshire will go to the polls Tuesday and vote for the candidate they believe will fight for them,” she said in a statement. “To repeatedly suggest otherwise is an insult to voters in the Granite State.”
Both candidates also sought Wednesday to highlight issues that they think play to their strengths.Both candidates also sought Wednesday to highlight issues that they think play to their strengths.
Sanders’s press conference in Concord focused on his opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a proposed free trade agreement being championed by President Obama. Clinton announced her opposition to the deal long after Sanders and has been more pro-trade than Sanders throughout her career, including as a senator from New York. Sanders’s press conference in Concord focused on his opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a proposed free-trade agreement being championed by President Obama. Clinton announced her opposition to the deal long after Sanders, and has been more pro-trade than Sanders throughout her career, including as a senator from New York.
Clinton, meanwhile, has already appeared twice this week — including in Derry on Wednesday morning — with former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, who have endorsed her based on her support for tougher gun laws. Clinton, meanwhile, has already appeared twice this week — including in Derry on Wednesday morning — with former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona and her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, who have endorsed her based on her support for tougher gun laws.
Clinton said little about Sanders’s record on guns Wednesday, but she has repeatedly said he is not tough enough on the issue, citing several votes, including one in 2005 to grant legal immunity to gun dealers and manufacturers when their products are used in crimes. Clinton said little about Sanders’s record on guns Wednesday, but she has repeatedly said that he is not tough enough on the issue, citing several votes, including one in 2005 to grant legal immunity to gun dealers and manufacturers when their products are used in crimes.
While Clinton touted her narrow victory in Iowa, the Sanders camp continued to refer to it as “a tie” on Wednesday, even as Sanders acknowledged that Clinton would likely get a couple more national delegates out of the process — an estimated 22 to his 20. While Clinton touted her narrow victory in Iowa, the Sanders camp continued to refer to it as “a tie” Wednesday, even as Sanders acknowledged that Clinton would probably get a couple more national delegates out of the process — an estimated 22 to his 20.
Echoing an assessment by his campaign manager a day before, Sanders said his team was reviewing the results and could not be certain who actually fared better, given the arcane nature of the state’s caucus rules. Echoing an assessment by his campaign manager a day before, Sanders said that his team was reviewing the results and could not be certain who actually fared better, given the arcane nature of the state’s caucus rules.
“To tell you the truth, the Iowa caucus is so complicated it’s not 100 percent sure we didn’t win it,” Sanders said during an appearance on NBC’s “Today Show.” “To tell you the truth, the Iowa caucus is so complicated it’s not 100 percent sure we didn’t win it,” Sanders said during an appearance on NBC’s “Today.”