Clinton Hits Back on Sanders Calling Her ‘Unqualified’

Tensions have been escalating between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders in recent weeks, and as soon as Thursday night’s “Brooklyn brawl” debate began, it lived up to its nickname.

The opening question posed to Vermont Sen. Sanders asked him about his recent comment that Clinton is “unqualified” to be president, and Sanders continued his criticism of the former Secretary of State.

“I’ve known Secretary Clinton how long, 25 years?” Sanders began. “We worked together in the Senate, and I said that in response to the kind of attacks we were getting from the Clinton campaign… Does Secretary Clinton have the experience and intelligence to be a president? Of course she does.”

As the crowd cheered, he clarified, “But I do question her judgment.”

Even though Sanders walked back his “unqualified” comment, Clinton struck back, invoking a stumbling interview Sanders recently gave to the New York Daily News.

“Well, it is true now that the spotlight is pretty bright here in New York, some things have been said, and Senator Sanders did call me unqualified,” said Clinton. “I’ve been called a lot of things in my life, that was a first.”

“We have disagreements on policy, there’s no doubt about it,” she continued. “But if you go and read, which I hope you will before Tuesday, Senator Sanders’ long interview with the New York Daily News, talk about judgment and talk about the kinds of problems he had answering questions about even his core issue: breaking up the banks.”