Sanders ramps up attacks on Clinton

After walking back his criticism of Democratic presidential rival Hillary Clinton, Sen. Bernie Sanders was on the attack again Sunday. The Vermont independent ramped up his rhetoric against the Democratic front-runner, questioning her judgment and slamming her policy positions.

“She may have the experience to be president of the United States. No one can argue that,” the Sanders said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “But in terms of her judgment, something is clearly lacking.”

{mosads}Sanders also questioned how the former secretary of State would do in the White House.

“I have my doubts about what kind of president she would make,” Sanders said on CNN’s “State of the Union” in an interview that aired Sunday.

“A candidate like Secretary Clinton, who voted for the disastrous war in Iraq, who has supported virtually every disastrous trade agreement that has cost us millions of decent-paying jobs and receives incredible amounts of money,” Sanders said. “We’re talking about tens of millions of dollars through a super-PAC, from every special interest that you can think of, from the billionaire class.”

Last week, Sanders questioned whether Clinton was qualified to be president, which he said was in response to the same attack from her.

On Friday he walked back that criticism, saying “of course” the former secretary of State is qualified for the White House.

He said he respected Clinton and said she would be a better president than the Republican candidates.

But, he said Sunday, the Clinton campaign had changed its tone against him.

“There was a change in tone on the part of the Clinton people,” Sanders said on ABC’s “This Week.”

“They said we’re not going to be nice to Bernie Sanders any more. We’re getting beaten every week. We’re going to start beating him up when we go to New York City. And that’s what they have done. Their tone has changed.”  

Sanders said he has tried to focus his campaign on the issues but will fight back against attacks when necessary. 

“We have tried to run an issue-oriented campaign, but we are not going to be attacked every single day; our record is not going to be distorted. We are going to fight back,” he said Sunday.

He continued to argue that his rival’s issue rests with her judgment.

He said on ABC’s “This Week” that Clinton supports a $12 minimum wage when “the world is clear now: We want a $15 minimum wage.”

“So I think the issue more is judgment,” he said. “Does she have the experience? Is she extremely intelligent? We all know that she is.”

Sanders also avoided a question Sunday about whether he’d contest Clinton’s presidential nomination if she gets the required number of delegates ahead of the convention.

“Our plan right now is to win this thing, and, again, I think we’re looking pretty good in New York, in Pennsylvania, in California, in Oregon,” Sanders said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “I think we have a real shot to end up with more delegates.”

Sanders touted the momentum his campaign has after winning seven of the past eight contests, including the latest Saturday in Wyoming. But his campaign is still behind Clinton’s in delegate count.

Clinton declined to respond to the attacks Sunday, saying she had nothing “negative” to say about the Vermont senator. She instead touted her own record and said she hopes the Democratic party unifies. She also said she expects to be the nominee and feels good about the upcoming contests — despite her recent string of losses.

“I think people know that I will be a president who will follow through on what I’ve said. That’s why I’ve laid out plans,” she said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Both Democratic presidential candidates said they plan to do everything they can to deny a Republican the presidency. Clinton said GOP either front-runner Donald Trump or Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas) would be a “terrible choice for America.”

“I think she and I would agree, and I hope that that is her view, that we will do everything possible to prevent this country from seeing a Donald Trump or some other Republican in the White House,” Sanders said.

“That would be a disaster for this country, and I will do everything I can to prevent that.”