Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton repeated her claim Sunday that rival Bernie Sanders is using an “artful smear” against her over donations she has received from Wall Street.
“What the Sanders campaign is trying to do is link donations to my political campaign or really donations to anyone’s political campaign, with undue influence with changing people’s’ views and votes. I’ve never ever done that and I really do resent the implication or as I said the other night the insinuation,” Clinton said on CBS.
“That would be like saying President Obama, who took more money from Wall Street than certainly any Democrat ever had in 2008 with his successful campaign, was therefore automatically disqualified.”
On CBS Sunday morning, host John Dickerson asked Clinton to elaborate on a claim that financial interests did not give her excessive donations.
The Washington Post has calculated that Clinton has received at least $21.5 million from donors with financial interests — i.e. donors at hedge funds, banks and insurance companies.
Clinton said her calculations differ, but declined to argue with the Post’s findings.
Clinton said people with ties to financial interests do not have greater access to her than those who do not.
“I am available to and open to listening to people from all walks of life. I always have been and always will be,” she responded.
