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Tavis Smiley: Clinton Is Taking Money From Wall Street Like Nobody's Business

June 21, 2016

PBS host Tavis Smiley said that Hillary Clinton is taking money from Wall Street like "nobody's business" during an appearance Tuesday on Morning Joe.

MSNBC host Thomas Roberts first mentioned how much money Clinton's rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), has from his presidential campaign and how he could potentially be an asset as Clinton's running mate before Smiley shot the idea down due their differences.

"You say, of course, she's not going to look at him. But we just got an email this morning from Michael Briggs about the money that Bernie was able to raise in May and Mark Murray put this out. $16.4 million in May raised, spent $12 million. So, June 1 right now, he's $9 million in the bank. So, not only does he have leverage, he has cash," Roberts said. "Why wouldn't that be attractive to Hillary Clinton?"

"I think that, it's my own personal point of view, I think that she and Bernie had a spirited fight, but I don't think that she wants to anger Wall Street. Let's be honest, she's taking money from them like nobody's business and I don't know how Bernie aids and abets her when it comes to that particular audience," Smiley said. "And again, I don't relish that, but that's the way she's run this campaign. So that's why I don't think that's an advantage for her."

Smiley added he didn't see having "an older white guy" as her running mate was helpful.

"That's why she and Julian (Castro) look so good together, she and Cory Booker look so good together," Smiley said. "And frankly, this talk about Elizabeth Warren, I could be wrong about this, I just don't see that happening either. I don't see Warren on the ticket either. I don't think Hillary Clinton wants to roll the dice anymore than she's already rolling trying to become the first woman to be president."