Hillary Clinton never called Bernie Sanders unqualified. In fact, she refused to.

Clinton never said Sanders is &quot;unqualified&quot;.

(Image credit: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

last updated 8 April 2016

Democrats were in a tizzy after Bernie Sanders tore into Clinton on Wednesday for calling him "unqualified" to be president.

"She has been saying lately that she thinks that I am quote-unquote 'not qualified to be president,'" Sanders said before turning the accusation back around. "I don't think you are qualified if you supported the Panama free-trade agreement, something I very strongly opposed, which has made it easier for wealthy people and corporations all over the world to avoid paying taxes owed to their countries," Sanders added, going on to additionally disqualify Clinton for taking money from Wall Street banks and special-interest groups, favoring the war in Iraq, and supporting other free-trade agreements.

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"Now, there are actually some Sanders supporters pointing out, with a straight face, that [Clinton] also didn't say [Sanders] is qualified, or that what she did say wasn't exactly a compliment, but I've got news for you guys: Hillary Clinton is Bernie’s political opponent, it is not her job to compliment him," Mediaite writes. "It also doesn't change the fact that she did not say what he directly quoted her as saying."

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.

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