US Senator Bernie Sanders, who ran a primary campaign against Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton earlier this year, has defended the former secretary of state’s disparaging remarks about his supporters.
Clinton was heard in a leaked audio clip describing Sanders’ supporters as “children of the Great Recession,” who are “living in their parents’ basement.”
Sanders defended Clinton’s remarks in an interview with CNN on Sunday, saying the former first lady had a “point.”
“Well, I agree with her, what she is saying,” Sanders said on CNN's State of the Union.
“There are young people who went deeply into debt, worked very hard to get a good education, and yet get out of school and can't get decent jobs... and are living in their parents' basements. There is a point there.”
The audio, released by the Free Beacon on Saturday, was from a private fundraiser hosted by former US ambassador Beatrice Welters in Virginia in February.
According to the audio, Clinton had also accused the former presidential candidate of selling a “false hope” to his supporters.
Sanders said he was bothered by the comment but his supporters should vote for Clinton regardless.
“Look at Clinton's positions; look at [Republican nominee Donald] Trump's positions. Understand that one or the other of those two will be the next president of the United States, and after you take a hard look at those candidates and their issues, I think the conclusion the vast majority will reach is that Clinton is the superior candidate,” Sanders said.
During the primaries, Sanders ran a close race with Clinton and promised to continue the fight all the way until the Democratic National Convention in June, where the party’s nominee was going to be named.
Towards the end of the race, however, Sanders changed his tone and bowed out in favor of Clinton. He also appeared next to her during the DNC and officially endorsed her by giving an emotional speech.
Meanwhile, Trump jumped on the audio file as an opportunity to win over Sanders’ fans, who feel betrayed by the senator.
The New York billionaire said the comments were “demeaning and mocking,” and showed that Clinton “thinks Bernie supporters are hopeless and ignorant basement dwellers.”
Noting that Clinton had called his supporters a “basket of deplorables,” the Republican nominee concluded that the Democratic nominee looks down on people who are support other candidates.
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