Bernie Sanders Says Hillary Clinton Cozying Up to Obama to Win Black Voters
LAS VEGAS, NV -- Bernie Sanders on Thursday suggested Hillary Clinton has been cozying up to President Obama on the campaign trail in an effort to win over black voters.
“You know, Hillary Clinton now is trying to embrace the President as closely as she possibly can. Everything the President does is wonderful. She loves the President, he loves her and all that stuff," Sanders said in an interview with BET.
"And we know what that's about," he added, "That's trying to win support from the African-American community where the President is enormously popular."
Sanders' comments to BET come as both he and Clinton have been increasing their outreach to African-American and Latino communities ahead of the Nevada caucuses and South Carolina primaries -- states with demographically diverse electorates.
Clinton has recently gushed about the President on the campaign trail, meanwhile casting Sanders as being against the president.
"My opponent has been quite critical of the President. He has called him weak, he has called him disappointing; he even tried to advocate for somebody to run against him when he ran for reelection in 2012,” Clinton said during a campaign event in the South Side of Chicago on Wednesday.
In addition, her campaign sent a text and robocall to supporters this week accusing Sanders of being against the President.
Clinton's campaign, however, blasted Sanders' assertion to BET that Clinton was doing this as a means of winning votes.
"It's disappointing that Senator Sanders thinks the only reason a Democrat would be proud of President Obama's work would be a political ploy to court African American voters," Clinton campaign spokesperson Jesse Ferguson said in a statement to ABC News today.
"We know Senator Sanders believes the President has shown failed leadership, but like Hillary Clinton, most Democrats have a different view. We are proud of President Obama's work to rescue the economy from the brink of collapse, pass landmark health reform and reform Wall Street.”
During the interview with BET, Sanders also denied Clinton's accusations that he is against the President.
"You know what? I have enormous respect for the President. He's a friend. We have worked together. I think he has done a great job in many respects," he said. "But you know what? Like any other human being, he is wrong on certain issues.”
