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Sanders Gets Testy When Chuck Todd Brings Up His Voting Record on Guns

February 18, 2018

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) became testy with "Meet the Press" host Chuck Todd on Sunday when his own voting record on guns was brought up.

Todd asked Sanders about his past voting record where he has not always voted for gun control and comments of his from 2013 where he said gun control wouldn't necessarily prevent shootings.

"If you passed the strongest gun control legislation tomorrow, I don't think it will have a profound effect on the tragedies we have seen," Sanders said in 2013.

Todd first mentioned Sanders's prior comments and before Todd could finish his question, Sanders interrupted him to boast of his poor voting record grade from the NRA.

"Senator, you ended up voting for some of those reforms, gun control measures that you weren't 100 percent sure would solve all the problems," Todd said. "Where are you today? Do you think now—"

"Hey, Chuck, Chuck, let's be very clear!" Sanders said. "Hey, Chuck, let's be very clear. I have a D-minus voting record from the NRA. I lost an election probably for Congress here in Vermont back in 1988, because I believed that we should not be selling or distributing assault weapons in this country. I am on record and have been for a very long time in saying we have got to significantly tighten up the background checks."

During the 2016 Democratic primary, Hillary Clinton criticized Sanders for several of his past votes against gun control.