Bernie Sanders Cites New York Times Interview with Joe Biden to Attack Hillary Clinton
The democratic presidential hopeful pointed out the VP's kind words.
— -- In an interview published in "The New York Times" Thursday, Vice President Joe Biden hinted at preferring presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders' style of campaigning, rather than Hillary Clinton's.
Although Biden has pledged to stay neutral during the democratic primary season, Sanders wasted no time pointing out the vice president's flattering words at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania Thursday night.
“Let me begin by reading to you something very interesting," Sanders said, looking down at the podium. "I just saw it a few minutes ago,”
Sanders then proceeded to read the article to the 1,500 supporters who had gathered to hear him speak: "Quote, 'he’ll [Biden] take Mr. Sanders’s aspirational approach over Mrs. Clinton's caution any day. Quote, 'I like the idea of saying we can do much more because we can, Mr. Biden said in an interview.' I quote, 'I don’t think any democrat ever won saying,' quote, 'we can’t think that big we ought to really downsize here because it’s not realistic, he said in a mocking tone.'"
Sanders also repeated the line in a mocking tone, which is similar to his plea during his speeches for voters to "think big." Sanders then paused and looked out at the crowd, who will vote in Pennsylvania's primary Tuesday, mentioning the town of Scranton where he campaigned earlier in the day.
"I think the vice president -- born and raised in Scranton -- I think the vice president is exactly right," Sanders said. "That is what this campaign is about.”
Sanders mentioned the article three more times during his Oaks, Pennsylvania, stump speech and it will likely become a staple on the campaign trail. Biden's language in "The New York Times" piece not only sounded like Sanders on the campaign trail, it endorsed Sanders' way of thinking.
Biden told "The New York Times," “Presidents have always been told by really smart people: ‘Don’t push something that you can’t succeed in —- it diminishes your power.'"
Added Biden, “I completely disagree with that proposition.”
