DES MOINES — Sen. Bernie Sanders called the past sexual transgressions by former President Bill Clinton “deplorable” toward the end of Sunday night’s Democratic debate, then added that questions on the matter are annoying.
When asked by NBC’s Andrea Mitchell why he recently commented on the 42nd president’s past misdeeds, Sanders tried to dodge, saying simply that he was asked a question and that it would be a “front page story” if he didn’t answer the initial question, adding that the question in itself “annoys” him.
During an event in Iowa on Jan. 8, Sanders called Clinton’s past behavior with Monica Lewinsky “totally, totally, totally disgraceful and unacceptable.”
“I was asked a question,” Sanders responded Sunday night. “That question annoys me. I cannot walk down the street, Secretary Clinton knows this, without being told how much I have to attack Secretary Clinton. Want to get me on the front pages of the paper? I make some vicious attack. I have avoided doing that, trying to run an issue-oriented campaign.
“I was asked a question,” Sanders repeated, when Mitchell pressed him on why he used that kind of terminology.
“Then if I don’t answer it, it’s another front page story,” Sanders said. “I mean this seriously … Yes, his behavior was deplorable. Have I ever once said a word about that issue? No I have not. I’m going to debate Secretary Clinton and Governor O’Malley on the issues facing the American people, not Bill Clinton’s personal behavior.”
Throughout Sanders’ answer, Clinton simply nodded her head repeatedly and did not respond to the answer before NBC went to a commercial break.
