It was really painful to watch how inept our press is. On MSNBC with Andrea Mitchell today, almost every single question was about Hillary Clinton.
http://www.msnbc.com/...
"You're heading to Iowa... first of all Hillary Clinton's relaunch... What's your response to this reintroduction of Hillary Clinton? It's her first public even of this campaign that's lasted two months now?
Check out Bernie's roll of the eyes!!
Bernie then composes himself and responds in the best way possible:
Um, well Hillary Clinton will run her campaign and I'll run my campaign...my style has been to do town meetings all over Iowa, all over New Hampshire. We did a huge meeting in Minneapolis. We get out... we talk to people, we take questions...and what we find is that the world outside of the Beltway is very different. People are deeply concerned about the disappearing middle class, wealth and income inequality, the fact that their young kids cant afford to go to college... those are the issues that we are talking about... and the need to take on the Billionaire class... we need to transform our economics and politics so that billionaires can't buy elections. Frankly Andrea, I think those are the ideas that the American people are resonating towards.
Then of course she brings it back to Clinton:
She said she's on a listening tour and she's talking about getting money out of politics... so what is different between you and Hillary Clinton if you are a Democratic voter?
And Bernie tries again:
Well let me start with one simple difference... I don't have a Super PAC, I'm not going to be getting huge sums of money from Millionaires and billionaires.
He then goes on to describe the over 100k donors with a forty dollar average donation etc etc etc... (that's $4 million people)
...so working families all over this country are saying, Bernie we want to stand with you. Take on this billionaire class who are dominating our economics and our politics.
And of course back to the Clinton's from Andrea...
Bill Clinton said in an interview that nobody sought any favors, none of the donors to the family foundation, and he said that I don't think that Hillary Clinton eitheras the Secretary State didn't know who those donors were... so basically there's no conflict of interest to worry about.
Bernie then deflects and says that it's amazing that no one talks about the Koch brothers and their influence.
I think we should talking about their influence...
He then again calls for campaign finance reform.
And then Mitchel again - trying to goad him into talking dirt about Hillary:
But is Bill Clinton correct when he says that there isn't a conflict interest...etc etc etc...
Bernie then seems extremely frustrated again:
He composes himself and again tries to bring it back on track:
I have concerns about anyone who is dependent on huge campaing contributors but you'll have to ask Hillary Clinton for more details on that.
Undeterred... Mitchell plows on:
But do you think there's a trust issue... polls show that... blah blah blah blah
Bernie then comes back with his usual gem:
What I've said throughout this campaign is that I'm not running against Hillary Clinton.. I'm running against the billionaire class...
[usual spiel on his own issues]
...I've known Hillary for 25 years - I'm not going to be waging personal attacks against her. We differ on issues and those are the issues that I'm going to be focusing on.
Mitchell then grabs onto that like a bull in a rodeo... she asks about Clinton's position on trade and then about Hillary and on and on and on...
What about Hillary Clinton on the trade issue?
Well you say you're not running against her but for the nomination you are running against her?
He then responds:
Well she is a candidate. I'm a candidate but we are going to win this nomination because we're talking about issues that American working families want to hear discussed and want to have us deal with....
He then goes on to list more of his platform to help working families etc etc etc (which are all awesome)
And of course she brings it back to Clinton...
And do you think it's an issue that she has not done interviews?
Bernie then says that he can't imaging running for President without doing interviews.
Well I get it. It's an issue... it's hard for me understand how you run for President of the United States and not take questions.
He then goes on to say how he takes questions all the time. And the interview is over.
No follow up questions on any of his platforms.... just Hillary Hillary Hillary.
The media need to talk about the issues and what the actual candidates stand for! Enough of the gossip rag stuff!
And one more time:
Whew - it was painful. But his expressions are priceless.