Clinton Campaign Accuses Bernie Sanders of Breaking Pledge Not to Go ‘Negative’

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton addresses an audience during a campaign event Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2015, at South Church, in Portsmouth, N.H. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, argues a point during the Brown & Black Forum, in Des Moines, Iowa.

An ad released by Senator Bernie Sanders that condemns the system of legalized bribery that has given Wall Street billionaires unprecedented political influence is triggering a harsh reaction by his principle Democratic rival. In the past three weeks, he’s spent about $4.7 million on TV commercials to Clinton’s $3.7 million, resulting in 1,000 more Sanders ads on broadcast TV than Clinton commercials, according to the Associated Press and Kantar’s Campaign Media Analysis Group.

HAYES: Is Hillary Clinton demagoguing this issue?

Sanders said that under his plan the typical family would save thousands of dollars a year in out-of-pocket health-care costs because they would no longer pay private insurance premiums, deductibles or co-payments.

Clinton’s campaign tells us America is ready for Hillary. “Secretary Clinton is not mentioned anywhere in there”.

At Dartmouth, Sanders addressed the ad, “This is not a negative ad everybody knows there are two divisions there is a division of the Democratic Party there is a division between those people who fought to deregulate Wall Street were very tight with Wall Street and those of us who fought against that deregulation”.

Critics have said Sanders has broken his pledge to steer clear of attacks during his campaign. And in case you needed an Exhibit C to be convinced further, the Clinton campaign went ahead and provided it Thursday afternoon, when they cried foul on a relatively mild Sanders television spot that they say breaks his pledge to never go negative. Many believe this strategy backfired on Clinton, giving Sanders both a boost in the polls and with fundraising.

Should Mr. Sanders seize momentum once voting starts in the Democratic presidential nominating contests, there’s a growing belief that Mrs. Clinton’s 36-point lead in SC could quickly evaporate, just as it did in 2008 when then-Sen.

Bernie Sanders might slip in the Iowa caucuses’ delegate tally because his support is relatively concentrated in college towns, the new Iowa Poll suggests.

The Clinton campaign held an abruptly scheduled conference call with reporters Thursday afternoon to respond to the ad.

“I think the worst-case scenario for her would be something like what happened in 2008, where early losses led a lot of people to take a step back, take a second look and maybe start embracing Sanders”, Galdieri said.