Sanders to Andrea Mitchell: ‘Please do not moan to me about Hillary Clinton’s problems’

By NICK GASS

05/11/16 12:30 PM EDT

Bernie Sanders brushed off the idea that his criticisms of Hillary Clinton would hurt her in the general election against Donald Trump. | AP Photo

Bernie Sanders bristled Wednesday at the very notion that his criticisms of Hillary Clinton are fodder for Donald Trump in a general election bout, entreating NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell to “please do not moan to me about Hillary Clinton’s problems.”

Appearing on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports,” Sanders responded brusquely to the host’s assertion that Clinton has faced attacks from both his campaign and Trump’s as she looks ahead to the general election.

“Andrea, in every state we have won, in 19 states we have had to take on the entire Democratic establishment. We’ve had to take on senators and governors and mayors and members of Congress. That’s what we have taken on, so please do not moan to me about Hillary Clinton’s problems,” Sanders remarked. “I’m in this race to win. We’re taking on the Democratic establishment, standing up for working people and we have a shot. It is a steep hill to climb but we’re going to fight for every last vote that we can get, every delegate that we can get, and that’s what I intend to do in the next month, five weeks”

Mitchell responded, “I don’t think I was moaning about Hillary Clinton’s problems” before playing a clip of Trump remarking on “Morning Joe” last month that he would use Sanders’ criticism of Clinton’s judgment against her.

“If Donald Trump wants to take my ideas and fight for a single-payer health care program or wants to fight to make sure that the wealthiest people pay their fair share of taxes, wants to make sure that we have paid family and medical leave, raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, rebuild our crumbling infrastructure, if that’s what he is supporting, I think that’s a good thing and I hope Hillary Clinton does that as well,” he said before adding, “But frankly, that’s not what Donald Trump will be saying. Point is, when you run for president of the United States you’ve got to make your case to the American people.”

He went on to say that he’s pulled his punches when it comes to Clinton. “As you well know, there are many areas that I could have attacked Hillary Clinton on that I have chosen not to attack her on,” he said. “What I have done is run an issue-oriented campaign. That is what the American people want.”