Sanders says Obama will remain neutral in Democratic race

“Of course not”, Sanders said, when asked if he had sought the President’s support during their meeting.

The key omission was particularly noticeable Wednesday as Obama and Sanders met for their first one-on-one since Sanders jolted the Democratic campaign and locked Hillary Clinton in an unexpectedly tight race.

“There’s no doubt that Bernie has tapped into a running thread in Democratic politics that says: Why are we still constrained by the terms of the debate that were set by Ronald Reagan 30 years ago?” Later, the White House noted that Sanders’ said he would revisit his position following Obama’s warning.

The push by Clinton for more debates underscores Sanders’ strength in Iowa and New Hampshire and the heightened concern within Clinton’s team that she could lose both of the early voting states.

In an interview with CNN’s Carol Costello on Thursday, the Academy award-winning actress hailed Sanders’ commitment to tackling income inequality and taking on Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump. “I think [the President] and the vice-President have tried to be fair and even-handed in the process and I expect they will continue to be that way”. The president this week declared bluntly he doesn’t see Sanders’ upstart campaign as a reboot of his own battle against Clinton in 2008.

Sanders’ campaign responded that it would be willing to participate in a February 4 New Hampshire forum if she was willing to agree to three more debates – one each in March, April and May. President Obama and Vice President Biden have been very even handed. In a statement, Sanders said the ad “completely distorts my record”.

Clinton argues that her financial regulation proposals would do more to crack down on industry abuses and rein in risky behavior within the shadow banking sector. “It’s a cynical political ploy”.

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 don’t believe that at all”, the senator from Vermont told reporters on the White House driveway, a day after he spoke to a crowd of several thousand supporters in Duluth. His spokesman Michael Briggs said the campaign will be working with the DNC and the other campaigns to schedule additional debates but he declined to answer other questions. He underwent hernia surgery earlier this year but is in good health, his doctor said.

Obama, who the White House says will not endorse a candidate in the Democratic primary but will campaign for the eventual nominee, is watching the current election with an eye toward his legacy. Her doctor said at the time she was in “excellent physical condition”.