Senate

Hillary gives Bernie cool reception at Trump inaugural lunch

by Alexander Bolton - 01/20/17 1:39 PM ET

Hillary Clinton gave her 2016 campaign rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the cold shoulder at a posh lunch held in the U.S. Capitol’s ornate Statuary Hall Friday to celebrate Donald Trump’s inauguration as the country’s 45th president.

Clinton spent quality time chatting with Democratic Sens. Tammy Baldwin (Wis.) and Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), as well as with House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (Md.).

But when Sanders waded through the crowd to say hello to Clinton, she took awhile to acknowledge him and did not embrace him as she did other Democratic lawmakers.

{mosads}Sanders hovered around Clinton for a while until she noticed him and their interaction was brief, out of earshot of reporters standing at a balcony covering the event.

Clinton spent more time chatting with some Republicans, such as Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, with whom she was locked in conversation for a few moments.

Democratic and Republican lawmakers alike lined up to say hello to Clinton, who appeared to be one of the biggest celebrities in the room. Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) snapped her picture.

Sanders received far less attention from colleagues, although one unidentified person asked him for his autograph.

Sanders gave Clinton a tougher-than-expected challenge in last year’s Democratic presidential primaries, and some Clinton backers feel he cost her the election by dividing the party’s base.

Hacked internal emails from the Democratic National Committee revealed that party officials were secretly favoring Clinton during the primaries, something that angered many Sanders supporters and may have contributed to depressed Democratic voter turnout in November.

Sanders and his wife drifted back to their assigned table with Texas Rep. Pete Sessions (R).

Tags Bernie Sanders Debbie Stabenow Donald Trump Hillary Clinton Rob Portman Tammy Baldwin