The gloves are now off, with Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders in a sharp public argument. The subject: Who (or what) is a progressive?
A key question, it seems, is whether “progressive” is an adjective to describe a person’s ideals or a proper noun — “Progressive” — to describe an exclusive group of people, ideas, and actions.
Sanders, however, appears to be on the verge of writing out vast swaths of Democratic politicians (and voters) from having a claim to a real progressive identity.
“Hillary Clinton has called herself ‘a progressive with a plan,'” a reporter asked Sanders Tuesday night. “Do you think Hillary Clinton is a progressive?”
“Some days, yes,” Bernie responded, damning with faint praise. “Except when she announces that she is a proud moderate — and then I guess she is not a progressive.”
Q. Do you think @HillaryClinton is a progressive?
A. Some days, yes. Other days she announces she is a moderate.https://t.co/kIdhjzXZDs— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) February 3, 2016
“I think, frankly, it is very hard to be a real progressive, and to take on the Establishment in a way that I think it has to be taken, when you become as dependent as she has through her super PAC and in other ways — on Wall Street or drug company money.” Hillary publicly responded on Wednesday, saying at an event in New Hampshire: “It was kind of a low blow when Sen. Sanders said in response to a question, ‘Well, you know, maybe she’s a progressive on some days.’ I thought to myself: I think it was a good day for progressives when I helped to get eight million kids health insurance under the Children’s Health Insurance Program.”
.@BernieSanders says Hillary’s been a progressive “some days.” Hillary responds:https://t.co/RCWx5w8oYU
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 3, 2016
She spoke of her progressive work on many other “good days,” such as protecting Social Security and advancing gay rights, women’s rights — as well as “stood with friends like the Brady Campaign, and Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly, to take on the gun lobby relentlessly, persistently.” The latter was most certainly a pointed reference to Sanders’ positions on gun control.
“So I hope we keep it on the issues. Because if it’s about our records — hey, I’m gonna win by a landslide on Tuesday.”
The Sanders campaign soon hit back on Twitter, further digging on Bernie’s statements that Clinton was either a “moderate” or a “progressive.”
You can be a moderate. You can be a progressive. But you cannot be a moderate and a progressive.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) February 3, 2016
Most progressives that I know don’t raise millions of dollars from Wall Street.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) February 3, 2016
Most progressives I know are firm from day 1 in opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. They didn’t have to think about it a whole lot.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) February 3, 2016
Most progressives that I know were opposed to the Keystone pipeline from day one. Honestly, it wasn’t that complicated.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) February 3, 2016
Most progressives I know were against the war in Iraq. One of the worst foreign policy blunders in the history of the United States.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) February 3, 2016
The Clinton campaign, too, retaliated in kind by contrasting her own record with that of Sanders — and making the point that you can’t truly be a “progressive” without making actual “progress.”
1) This shouldn’t be a debate about who gets to define “progressive”—it should be about who will get real results for American families.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 3, 2016
2) Now, if you do want to make it about who’s a “real progressive,” @BernieSanders, what were you on these days? pic.twitter.com/8Q6hANYPhh
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 3, 2016
3) An important part of being a progressive is making progress. From health care to fighting inequality, Hillary’s record speaks for itself.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 3, 2016
4) Hillary’s not running to make a point—she’s running to make a difference. She’ll keep doing that. Please feel free to keep tweeting.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 3, 2016