DFA responds to Clinton’s misleading attacks on Bernie Sanders
Over the last couple of days, the Clinton campaign has begun making a number of misleading attacks on Bernie Sanders that we think could endanger Democrats chances in 2016.
Here's a response from Democracy for America's Charles Chamberlain on the Clinton campaign's attacks on Sanders's record against gun violence and the progressive goal of universal healthcare:
"While there is room for candidates in the 2016 race to draw contrasts on the issues, the bald-faced lies about Bernie Sanders's strong record against gun violence and the right-wing attacks on his support for single-payer health care coming from the Clinton campaign have no place in a Democratic primary.
"So, let's get a couple of things straight:
"Anyone who has listened to a single word that Bernie Sanders has said over the last 30+ years or seen the lifetime 'D-' rating he's earned from the NRA knows that any suggestion that he's a 'reliable vote' for some industry lobby simply doesn't pass the laugh test. I know things get heated in a primary campaign, but, honestly, talk like that is so absurdly false it's almost funny.
"Second, Secretary Clinton was right in 2008 when she said that Democratic attacks on universal healthcare 'not only undermines core Democratic values, but gives aid and comfort to... the Republican Party.' Democrats deserve better than to see her flip flop on that core value now that her progressive opponent is surging in the polls.
"We have said since the start of this primary and we reiterated it when our members voted to endorse Sanders that DFA's top priority in 2016 is ensuring that Democrats hold on to the White House. With so much at stake in this election, that's something we know all Democrats agree on.
"However, regardless of who wins our nomination, the goal of Democrats holding on to the White House in 2016 is being made more difficult every second the Clinton campaign continues to distort the facts on Bernie Sanders's strong record against gun violence and attack a core progressive idea like universal healthcare.
"Bernie Sanders and any Democrat can beat right-wing attacks when they're leveled by Republicans, but Democrats taking those same swings only hurts our ability to unite the Democratic coalition we need to win in November." -- Charles Chamberlain, Executive Director, Democracy for America