Bill Clinton was repeatedly interrupted by protesters during a rally for Hillary Clinton in Logan, West Virginia Sunday before the state’s primary on May 10.
The group booed the former president and confronted him about Hillary Clinton’s promise to destroy coal jobs, a long-standing staple of West Virginia's economy.
During the rally, Clinton recounted that he had asked his wife to send him to "any place in America that feels left out and left behind." The protesters then began shouting at the former president, to which he reacted with disdain.
"This is where they start screaming because they don’t want to hear this," Clinton said with his hand raised. The crowd applauded and stood up to face the protesters, who continued booing and were ushered out.
"The difference between us and them is that we listen to them," Clinton said.
Prior to Clinton’s appearance in Logan, city officials emailed Sen. Joe Manchin (D., W. Va.) attempting to prevent his visit, according to WVNS-TV.
"Bill and Hillary Clinton are simply not welcome in our town," their email stated. "Mrs. Clinton's anti-coal messages are the last thing our suffering town needs at this point. The policies that have been championed by people like Mrs. Clinton have all but devastated our fair town, and honestly, enough is enough."
At the same rally, Clinton was confronted about his wife’s March pledge to "put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business."
"When’s she going to lay us all off … and wipe us all out?" the protester said, interrupting Clinton’s remarks.
Clinton, hard of hearing, asked Manchin what the man said as the room filled with angry murmurs.
"He’s getting laid off and wiped out, what we gonna do about that," Manchin said.
"Well, that’s good, that’s a fair question," Clinton said.
In a letter to Manchin days after her promise to destroy coal jobs, Hillary Clinton admitted that she was "mistaken" and reiterated her commitment to "bringing jobs to Appalachia."
Those close to Clinton defended her remarks by saying that she did not communicate her intent clearly.
"She actually has a plan to help coal miners and their communities transition to clean energy,"said Kristina Schake, deputy communications director for Hillary for America. "She didn’t say it gracefully."