Sanders attacks Biden on Social Security record in tense debate confrontation

Sanders and Biden did not see eye to eye.

(Image credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

published 16 March 2020

Former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders went toe-to-toe at the CNN Democratic debate on Sunday over Biden's record on Social Security. The debate marked the first time the two frontrunners were alone on stage together, and allowed for them to directly attack each other in back-to-back exchanges. "Bernie, you're running ads saying I'm against Social Security, that Politifact says is a flat lie," Biden began.

"Oh, well, let me ask you a question, Joe," Sanders fired back. "You're right here with me. Have you been on the floor of the Senate — you were in the Senate for a few years — time and time again talking about the necessity, with pride, about cutting social security, cutting Medicare, cutting veterans programs?"

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Sanders appeared to be referring in particular to a speech Biden gave in 1995, when he said: "When I argued if we should freeze federal spending, I meant social security as well, I meant Medicare and Medicaid, I meant veterans benefits, I meant every single solitary thing." Politifact has contextualized that attack, noting that "in the 1980s and 1990s, [Biden] supported a one-year freeze in benefits" and "in the 2000s, he opposed benefit cuts, protected Social Security from automatic budget cuts, and supported a change that would reduce benefits by about 4.5 percent over 40 years." Watch the entire exchange below. Jeva Lange

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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.