WATCH: Bernie Sanders Blames Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton for Trump Presidency
Independent Vermont Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders agreed with one supporter who blamed former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton for Trump’s 2016 election victory, agreed with another who said he had “truly won” over Hillary Clinton in 2016, and thanked another supporter for comparing Trump’s campaign with Bernie’s.
At a campaign rally in Clinton, Iowa Monday night, Sanders asked the audience to explain Trump’s victory, and he got some interesting responses.
“I’m going to ask a hard question, a hard question,” Sanders said.
“I’m here tonight, and I’ve been to three towns in Iowa today, because Obama won here in 2012, Trump won here in 2016,” Sanders continued and asked “Why?”
Sanders called on one man, who said “Because people were so upset with Hillary Clinton, we thought it was skewed, that you truly won, and that they, the Democratic Party, Skewed that.”
“Okay, but that still doesn’t explain to me fully why Clinton won,” Sanders said, then corrected himself, adding “I see gentlemen right here, sir, why Trump won. Here’s a mic.”
“Basically, my first campaign was for John f Kennedy, however I’ve watched campaigns ever since,” the man, who identified himself as Art Connor, told Sanders. “Campaigned for Clinton, he won, had a majority in the Senate, majority in the House, damn it he didn’t do anything for organized labor.”
“I’m sorry, Obama won, he had the majority in the Senate, he had the majority in the House, did not come through on these important issues,” he continued. “I don’t care if you win, you have to help the people that put you there, or they’re not going to put you there second time.”
After determining the man’s name, Sanders said “Okay, I agree with Art. I think when people do not see government responding to their needs, we’re ignoring their needs, they become alienated from the political process or they vote the other way.”
But extensive research has demonstrated that racial and “cultural” factors were key to Trump’s victory, and not economic anxiety. And while President Obama did lose his filibuster-proof majority after a total of fourteen legislative weeks — passing health care reform and rescuing the economy in that time — voters did send him back to the White House a second time.
“Any more discussion on this one?” Sanders asked, and handed the mic to a woman on the riser behind him.
“I think a huge reason why Trump won is because at a certain point, he did start speaking a populist message, copying you,” the woman said, adding “and people wanted that message, and they felt that message, and they just, if they had been Republicans forever and they wanted to believe it was true coming from him, but the message is…”
“Bernie’s!” someone in the crowd shouted.
“…yours, that’s right, it’s Bernie’s message, and it’s always been your message, and you are awesome,” she concluded.
“Thank you,” Sanders said.
So to recap: Bernie Sanders agrees that he really beat Hillary Clinton, that two of the most popular Democrats in history are to blame for Trump’s victory, and that Trump also eked out a victory by “copying” Bernie Sanders’ message. Bernie Sanders is running to be the Democratic nominee for president.
Watch the clip above, via Bernie Sanders for President.
