Sanders and Clinton trade sharp barbs about judgment

Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders trade barbs

(Image credit: Getty Images)

last updated 15 April 2016

Wolf Blitzer got Thursday night's Democratic debate in Brooklyn off to a fiery start, asking Bernie Sanders about his comments that rival Hillary Clinton is unqualified and lacks the judgment to be president. Sanders said that he was responding to attacks from the Clinton camp and that Clinton herself is intelligent and experienced enough to be president, "but I do question her judgement," citing her vote for the war in Iraq, support of "disastrous" trade deals, and "running super PACs" that take millions from Wall Street banks and special interests.

Clinton focused on the not-experienced-enough claim, saying, "I've been called a lot of things in my life, but that was a first." Then she hit back, bringing up his Daily News interview. "I think you need to have the judgment on day one to be president and commander-in-chief," she said, and Sanders couldn't name specific laws and provisions from banking to foreign policy. Sanders went back to judgment, calling the Iraq war the "worst foreign policy blunder in the modern history of this country." He brought up super PACs, 401(c)4s, and said Clinton can't bring change if she's "so dependent on big-money interests."

Clinton earned some boos for saying that attacking the super PACs supporting her is also "an attack on President Obama," adding "this is a phony attack designed to raise questions" when there is no evidence of influence.

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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.