CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Bernie Sanders’s supporters love him because they say he speaks for them on all sorts of issues. When it comes to the issue of Hillary Clinton, though, Sanders is leaving it to Rashida Tlaib to speak for his voters.
Tlaib, a Democratic congresswoman from Michigan, booed Hillary Clinton’s name from the stage at a Sanders rally outside of Des Moines, Iowa, on Friday night. Sanders has generally avoided locking horns with Clinton or Democratic leaders, but Sanders’s base wants someone to punch back.
“I don’t think it’s great to encourage animosity, but I understand,” explained Samantha Krause, a Sanders supporter from Iowa City who caucused for Clinton in 2016. “I would probably boo if I was there,” referring to the incident Friday night where Tlaib, 43, booed at the mention of Hillary Clinton.
At a campaign rally for the Vermont senator’s second White House bid in Cedar Falls, Iowa, thousands showed up to attend a free Vampire Weekend show to gin up enthusiasm just two days before the state’s caucuses. Every Sanders supporter who spoke with the Washington Examiner had choice words for Clinton and questioned what exactly she was trying to accomplish with her constant criticism of Sanders, 78.
“You gotta let sleeping dogs lie. We need to come together as a party, that’s all we ever hear from the establishment, said Read Styles, 36, a factory worker in Waterloo. “I mean, I think Tlaib’s comments are justified, but I’d rather have her making them than Bernie.”
Those who attended the Sanders event rejected the notion that Sanders and his base were not supportive enough of Clinton’s candidacy after she secured the nomination — a line of criticism Clinton and her aides have repeated since her 2016 loss.
“That’s not true,” said Marci Willey, who caucused for Sanders in 2016. “He went around and did speeches for her.”
Those comments were echoed by Andy Schrantz, who said he feels “betrayed” by Clinton’s criticisms.
“I think she’s been trashing Bernie so much, saying, ‘No one likes him’ … And he did so many rallies for her, he backed her so hard, and then she’s not giving him anything,” he said.
As Michael Moore spoke before Vampire Weekend took the stage, the very mention of the Democratic National Committee elicited a chorus of boos from the crowd.
“I’m so disappointed, maybe they’ll change their minds after they hear from enough of us,” the liberal filmmaker said as the crowd erupted in boos at the mention of the organization.
