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Sanders Spars With MSNBC Anchor Over Biden Comments

'That's my view, Ma'am, I'm sorry'

June 20, 2019

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) got testy with MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle during an appearance on MSNBC Live With Ali Velshi and Stephanie Ruhle on Thursday.

Ruhle asked Sanders about former vice president Joe Biden's comments about pro-segregation senators.

"Senator, you have joined Cory Booker in the last 24 hours calling on Joe Biden to apologize for comments he made about working with segregationists. The more people hear about it, some are saying, well, he was applauding or celebrating that. That wasn't what Joe Biden was doing. Joe Biden was trying to make the point that bipartisanship is necessary. He's done so working with the deplorable of the deplorables. That's why he gave the example of the segregationists. So why is it that you believe he has to apologize?" Ruhle asked.

"Look, I think the media makes a bigger deal of it than it is," Sanders responded.

"So he doesn't have to apologize?" Ruhle pressed.

"All that I said — yeah, I do. Because it is one thing — look, when you're in Congress you work with everybody. I do. I think every member of the Senate, every member of the House works with people who have very, very different points of view. I don't think you have to be touting personal relations with people who were very brutal segregationists" Sanders said.

"Senator, he wasn't touting relations," Ruhle interjected.

"That's my view, Ma'am, I'm sorry. If you disagree with me that's fine. That is my view," Sanders replied, raising his voice.

Biden has received pushback after remarks where he touted bipartisan cooperation with segregationist senators, fellow Democrats James Eastland of Mississippi and Herman Talmadge of Georgia.

"At least there was some civility. We got things done. We didn't agree on much of anything. We got things done," Biden said according to the New York Times. "We got it finished. But today you look at the other side and you're the enemy. Not the opposition, the enemy. We don't talk to each other anymore."