Sanders and Clinton trade sharp barbs about judgment


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.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
July 12 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons include generational ennui, tariffs on Canada, and a conspiracy rabbit hole
-
5 unusually elusive cartoons about the Epstein files
Cartoons Artists take on Pam Bondi's vanishing desk, the Mar-a-Lago bathrooms, and more
-
Lemon and courgette carbonara recipe
The Week Recommends Zingy and fresh, this pasta is a summer treat
-
Trump set to hit Canada with 35% tariffs
Speed Read The president accused Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney of failing to stop the cross-border flow of fentanyl
-
Mahmoud Khalil files $20M claim over ICE detention
Speed Read This is the 'first damages complaint' brought by an individual targeted by the Trump's administration's 'crackdown' on Gaza war protesters
-
Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariffs
Speed Read He accused Brazil's current president of leading a 'witch hunt' against far-right former leader Jair Bolsonaro
-
AI scammer fakes Rubio messages to top officials
Speed Read The unknown individual mimicked Rubio in voice and text messages sent to multiple government officials
-
SCOTUS greenlights Trump's federal firings
speed read The Trump administration can conduct mass federal firings without Congress' permission, the Supreme Court ruled
-
New tariffs set on 14 trading partners
Speed Read A new slate of tariffs will begin August 1 on imports from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and more
-
Elon Musk launching 'America Party'
Speed Read The tech mogul promised to form a new political party if Trump's megabill passed Congress
-
Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at US border
Speed Read The president violated federal law by shutting down the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers, said the ruling