Clinton and Sanders condemn, explain how they'd each beat 'pathological liar' Donald Trump

Hillary Clinton speaks at a CNN/TV One town hall in Ohio

(Image credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

last updated 14 March 2016

At a Democratic town hall in Columbus, Ohio, on Sunday night, presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders fielded questions from voters, CNN's Jake Tapper, and TV One's Roland Martin. Clinton and Sanders appeared separately, and both spent a good deal of their time talking about Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump. Referring to violence at Trump's rallies, Clinton accused him of committing "political arson," saying Trump "has lit the fire and then he throws his hands up and claims that he shouldn't be held responsible."

Tapper showed a clip of Trump blaming Sanders and his supporters for forcing Trump to cancel a rally in Chicago, then asked for Sanders' response. "I hate to say this, because I hate to disparage public officials, but Donald Trump is a pathological liar," Sanders said, to cheers from the audience. Referring to Trump saying he might pay the legal fees of a man who sucker-punched a protester, Sanders added: "Donald Trump is literally inciting violence with his supporters. He's saying, 'If you go out and beat somebody up, that's OK, I'll pay the legal fees.' That's an outrage, and I hope Mr. Trump tones it down big time."

Clinton and Sanders also discussed how each one planned to beat Trump, assuming he wins the GOP nomination. Clinton said she's "not going to spill the beans right now, but suffice it to say, there are many arguments we could use against him." Then she at least showed some beans, suggesting she would focus on how Trump undermines America's "standing in the world." "I'm having foreign leaders ask if they can endorse me and stop Donald Trump," she said.

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Sanders said that he would bring out enough young voters, because "the excitement and the energy for large voter turnouts is with the Sanders campaign." He also said "the American public is not going to elect a president... insulting virtually everybody who is not like Donald Trump. Thank God most people are not like Donald Trump."

Even on trade, an issue Sanders used as a cudgel against Clinton in Michigan, Sanders took a swipe at Trump. "Of course we're going to do trade," Sanders said. "Nobody is talking about building a wall around the United States. Of course we value trade — Oh, I beg your pardon, there is one guy who is talking about building a wall. Let me rephrase it, no rational person is talking about building a wall." Ohio and several other states vote on Tuesday.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.