November 8, 2015

Sen. Bernie Sanders was asked by Meet the Press host Chuck Todd what he thought of Ben Carson's recent troubles and his evolving stories about his childhood and whether it's fair game to ask someone about what they did or said 30 plus years ago, given what Sanders went through with criticism of some of his writing from back in the '70's.

First off, shame on Chuck Todd for the false equivalency. There's no comparison between what Sanders wrote in an essay about male and female sex fantasies, and the litany of lies and downright crazy stories that we've been hearing from Ben Carson that he continues telling to this very day.

Anyway, Sanders wasn't biting and refused to go after Carson, and did what he always does, which is to try to bring the conversation back to one about policy.

SANDERS: Dr. Carson, to the best of my knowledge, this man does not believe that climate change is caused by human activity. This man wants to abolish Medicare, impacting tens of millions of seniors and this man wants to give huge tax breaks to the rich.

I think it might be a better idea, I know it might be a crazy idea, but maybe we focus on the issues impacting the American people and what candidates are saying, rather than just spending so much time exploring their lives of thirty or forty years ago.

I think they should be doing both, especially in Carson's case because a lot of the recent debate is relevant to whether or not the man is even mentally stable enough to be president. That said, Sanders makes a good point as to what the media decides to focus on and their love of sensationalism over substantive debates about actual policies that are going to impact everyday Americans' lives.

Todd also accused Sanders of flip flopping on his vow not to attack Hillary Clinton, which Sanders pushed back on as well.

TODD: You said, you're tired of her damn emails, but then you said let the investigation go on unimpeded, are you backtracking here?

SANDERS: No.

TODD: Do you want to target Hillary Clinton?

SANDERS: Not at all. This is what I mean. Chuck, this is exactly media stuff. My views on Hillary Clinton's emails are exactly what I said in the debate and right after the debate. The American people are sick and tired of seeing on the front pages, emails. They want a real discussion on real issues.

There is an investigation ongoing. I have nothing to do with it. That's that. But my views on that have not changed. In terms of disagreeing with Hillary Clinton, yeah, I do on many, many issues. What I understand politics and elections to be about is to discuss differences of opinion. I intend to do that and do that vigorously. That does not mean that I'm making personal attacks against somebody I respect.

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