Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders debate over debates

Earlier Thursday, Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon said the campaign was “glad that Senator Sanders has changed his mind about a debate next week in New Hampshire”.

“We were disappointed but not surprised that Secretary Clinton has chose to broadcast a television ad in Iowa that completely distorts my record”, Sanders said in a statement. “But Bernie Sanders is the most qualified candidate to create the political system we should have, because he’s leading a political movement for change”.

“Our economy works for Wall Street, because it’s rigged by Wall Street, and that’s the problem”, the narrator says.

Clinton and Martin O’Malley, the third candidate in the race, quickly said they would be open to joining, but Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver said his candidate was not interested in an unsanctioned debate.

“If I lose Iowa by two votes and end up with virtually the same number of delegates, is that a must-lose situation?” asked Sanders on Tuesday. “If there is a large turnout, I think we win”.

The Times report already is being used as a fundraising tool by the Clinton campaign, which is accusing Sanders of considering going back on past pledges not to run negative ads. “It’s a cynical political ploy”.

Sarandon’s appearance at Sanders’ Iowa rally came just days before the first-in-the-nation caucuses in that state kick off the presidential nominating contest in earnest.

“What the president has tried to do, what Vice President Biden has tried to do, is to be as evenhanded as they could be”, Sanders said at a brief news conference outside the West Wing.

“I think what the president is trying to do is the right thing”, Sanders continued.

Leaders of the powerful Culinary Workers Union in Las Vegas – which remains neutral in the race – condemned Sanders’ campaign staffers who falsely claimed an affiliation with the union as a way to gain access to its members at casino employee dining rooms. “I enjoyed the meeting and I thought it was a very positive and constructive meeting”. Sanders, as expected, kept to his singular beat, though pointing out that just because Clinton has the experience doesn’t “means she’s always right”, and he emphasized her wrong decision on Iraq.

The letter notes that Sanders has, over the years, been treated for conditions ranging from gout to hypothyroidism to diverticulitis.

Sanders, however, is still holding out for a better deal.

According to the White House, the “informal” meeting was held in the Oval Office on Wednesday and had no preset agenda.