Clinton says Sanders is an ally

Hillary Clinton on Monday night described Democratic rival Bernie Sanders as an “ally” and said she hopes to work with him in the future if she wins the party’s presidential nomination.

Clinton responded to a 13-year-old student’s question at the Fox News Democratic town hall about whether she views the Vermont senator as an ally or an enemy.

{mosads}”I certainly consider him an ally,” Clinton said.

“We are passionate about our positions and our differences,” the former first lady continued. “Like we saw in the debate last night, we air those differences about issues, compare that to the Republicans and about how they behave.

“I hope to work with him because of the issues he’s raised, the passions he has demonstrated, the people he has attracted are going to be very important in the general election, but equally important following the election to try to get things done,” she continued.

When asked by moderator Bret Baier if she’d consider Sanders as a potential running mate, Clinton brushed off the question.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” she said. “I don’t want to think any further ahead than tomorrow and the Michigan primary.”

Clinton referenced her tough 2008 primary battle, when she lost to Barack Obama, and highlighted the fact she banded her supporters together to back the then-senator in the general election. She said she expects to have the same thing happen this cycle with Democrats in order to prevent a Republican from winning the White House.

“When you get through the primary, despite the emotions engendered in your supporters, you have to take stock of who you are and who’s running on the other side and what that person represents,” Clinton said.

“And I think if any of the remaining candidates on the Republican side is nominated, then I think my supporters, Sen. Sanders’s supporters, we’re going to find a lot of common cause to prevent that person from ever being president of the United States.”