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 less than 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. Sanderss camp countered that Clinton should be stronger in the Granite State given her win here as a presidential candidate in 2008.
On the campaign trail on Twitter and in a town hall broadcast Wednesday night by CNN the biggest issue of the day was Sanderss questioning of Clintons progressive credentials.
The exchange was sparked by 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."
Sanders elaborated on those views during the CNN broadcast saying he admired Clintons work on childrens issues among other things. But there are other issues where I think she is just not a progressive" Sanders told host Anderson Cooper.
I do not know any progressive that has a super PAC and takes $15 million from Wall Street" Sanders said. Thats just not progressive."
Sanders ticked off several other issues on which he saw Clinton falling short of the mark including the Iraq War which Clinton voted to authorize while a senator from New York and the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline which Clinton wavered on for months before announcing her opposition.
Sanders also pointed to a news report from the fall in which Clinton described herself as a moderate."
Im a progressive who likes to get things done" Clinton countered at the CNN forum at which she and Sanders appeared onstage separately.
She questioned Sanderss attempt to be the gatekeeper of whos a progressive" ticking off other Democrats including President Obama who she said would not meet his threshold.
Im not going to let that bother me" Clinton said.
In response to a question from a rabbi Clinton offered some insight into how she has dealt with difficult issues while appearing to allude to indiscretions by her husband former president Bill Clinton.
Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders have different viewpoints on how Iowa turned out. (Mic Smith/AP)
Everybody knows I have lived a very public life for the last 25 or so years" Clinton said. Ive had to be in public dealing with some very difficult issues."
Clinton said she read the prodigal-son parable in the Bible.
I read that parable. . . . That just became a lifeline for me" she said.
Speaking at a campaign event earlier here Clinton highlighted her work on progressive causes such as gay rights womens rights and defense of Social Security and she called Sanderss comments a low blow."
So I hope we keep it on the issues because if its about our records hey Im going to win by a landslide" Clinton said.
The candidates will have a chance to engage more directly Thursday night at a hastily arranged debate to be broadcast by MSNBC. Sanders agreed to participate Wednesday morning.
On the stump Wednesday Clinton sought to frame the race as a choice between one candidate with a record of accomplishments and another offering worthy but unachievable goals.
Theres 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 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."
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 in recent polls but it underscored both Clintons challenge in closing the gap and Sanderss challenge in managing expectations. Sanders also received Secret Service protection Wednesday for the first time an indication of his growing viability.
While Sanderss team would certainly welcome a big win in New Hampshire it was trying to tamp down expectations for that Wednesday.
At a late-afternoon news conference in Concord Sanders reminded reporters of the Clinton familys 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."
Clinton aides said that the campaigns 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 staffers in Clintons Brooklyn headquarters began arriving in New Hampshire in recent days to bolster the campaigns 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 place in Sanderss back yard."
New Hampshire always favors neighbors which I think is neighborly" she quipped.
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.
Both candidates also sought Wednesday to highlight issues that they think play to their strengths.
Sanderss news 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 of Arizona and her husband astronaut Mark Kelly who have endorsed her based on her support for tougher gun laws.
Clinton said little about Sanderss 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" 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 that his team was reviewing the results and could not be certain who actually fared better given the arcane nature of the states caucus rules.
To tell you the truth the Iowa caucus is so complicated its not 100 percent sure we didnt win it" Sanders said during an appearance on NBCs Today" show.
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 less than 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. Sanderss camp countered that Clinton should be stronger in the Granite State given her win here as a presidential candidate in 2008.
On the campaign trail on Twitter and in a town hall broadcast Wednesday night by CNN the biggest issue of the day was Sanderss questioning of Clintons progressive credentials.
The exchange was sparked by 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."
Sanders elaborated on those views during the CNN broadcast saying he admired Clintons work on childrens issues among other things. But there are other issues where I think she is just not a progressive" Sanders told host Anderson Cooper.
I do not know any progressive that has a super PAC and takes $15 million from Wall Street" Sanders said. Thats just not progressive."
Sanders ticked off several other issues on which he saw Clinton falling short of the mark including the Iraq War which Clinton voted to authorize while a senator from New York and the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline which Clinton wavered on for months before announcing her opposition.
Sanders also pointed to a news report from the fall in which Clinton described herself as a moderate."
Im a progressive who likes to get things done" Clinton countered at the CNN forum at which she and Sanders appeared onstage separately.
She questioned Sanderss attempt to be the gatekeeper of whos a progressive" ticking off other Democrats including President Obama who she said would not meet his threshold.
Im not going to let that bother me" Clinton said.
In response to a question from a rabbi Clinton offered some insight into how she has dealt with difficult issues while appearing to allude to indiscretions by her husband former president Bill Clinton.
Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders have different viewpoints on how Iowa turned out. (Mic Smith/AP)
Everybody knows I have lived a very public life for the last 25 or so years" Clinton said. Ive had to be in public dealing with some very difficult issues."
Clinton said she read the prodigal-son parable in the Bible.
I read that parable. . . . That just became a lifeline for me" she said.
Speaking at a campaign event earlier here Clinton highlighted her work on progressive causes such as gay rights womens rights and defense of Social Security and she called Sanderss comments a low blow."
So I hope we keep it on the issues because if its about our records hey Im going to win by a landslide" Clinton said.
The candidates will have a chance to engage more directly Thursday night at a hastily arranged debate to be broadcast by MSNBC. Sanders agreed to participate Wednesday morning.
On the stump Wednesday Clinton sought to frame the race as a choice between one candidate with a record of accomplishments and another offering worthy but unachievable goals.
Theres 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 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."
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 in recent polls but it underscored both Clintons challenge in closing the gap and Sanderss challenge in managing expectations. Sanders also received Secret Service protection Wednesday for the first time an indication of his growing viability.
While Sanderss team would certainly welcome a big win in New Hampshire it was trying to tamp down expectations for that Wednesday.
At a late-afternoon news conference in Concord Sanders reminded reporters of the Clinton familys 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."
Clinton aides said that the campaigns 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 staffers in Clintons Brooklyn headquarters began arriving in New Hampshire in recent days to bolster the campaigns 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 place in Sanderss back yard."
New Hampshire always favors neighbors which I think is neighborly" she quipped.
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.
Both candidates also sought Wednesday to highlight issues that they think play to their strengths.
Sanderss news 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 of Arizona and her husband astronaut Mark Kelly who have endorsed her based on her support for tougher gun laws.
Clinton said little about Sanderss 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" 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 that his team was reviewing the results and could not be certain who actually fared better given the arcane nature of the states caucus rules.
To tell you the truth the Iowa caucus is so complicated its not 100 percent sure we didnt win it" Sanders said during an appearance on NBCs Today" show.
