Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) isn’t quick to say whether he’s solely focusing on defeating former Vice President Joe Biden in the Democratic presidential primary just two days before Super Tuesday.
Asked by CBS’ Margaret Brennan if he’s now in a “two-man race” with Biden following the former VP’s win in the South Carolina primary, Sanders pointed out how he won the popular vote in the Iowa caucuses, the New Hampshire primary and the Nevada caucus.
Sanders added that he’s “looking forward to Super Tuesday.”
“I think we’ve got a great chance to win in California, in Texas, in Massachusetts and a number of states around the country,” Sanders said.
Brennan then pointed out that South Carolina is the first southern state in the Democratic primary, before asking if his loss in the state’s primary indicates anything about his prospects in places like Virginia and North Carolina and whether Biden will pose a challenge.
“Well, we’re going to see,” Sanders said. “I mean, I think based on the polling, we’re doing pretty well in Virginia. I think we’ve got a shot in North Carolina.”
Citing how Sanders’ campaign raised $46 million last month, Brennan asked what edge that gives him heading into Super Tuesday. Sanders replied that “it is not only the amount of money that we raised,” but “it’s how we raised it” before proceeding to slam Biden.
“We don’t have a super PAC like Joe Biden. I don’t go to rich people’s homes like Joe Biden. I think Joe has contributions for more than $40 billionaires,” Sanders said. “What we have done is received more campaign contributions from more Americans than any candidate in the history of the United States, averaging 18 dollars and 50 cents. This is a campaign of working people and by working people.”
Sanders added that he’s “extraordinarily proud of that” and that his campaign has “enough money now” for Super Tuesday and the rest of the Democratic primary.
Watch Sanders’ remarks on CBS News below:
Sanders is asked whether he's in a "two-man race" with Biden pic.twitter.com/Qk45xbQp9T
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) March 1, 2020
Sanders also confirmed on ABC News Sunday morning that he was referring to Biden when criticizing “old-fashioned politics,” telling George Stephanopolous: “I could be. Yes, I am.”
When asked about why he’s having trouble with African-American voters following his loss in the South Carolina primary, Sanders pushed back by insisting that he won the young African-American vote and he is winning in terms of polling.
“We’re actually ahead of Biden in terms of the African-American vote,” Sanders said, prompting Stephanopolous to point out that Biden got more than 60 percent of the African-American vote in the South Carolina primary.
Sanders then said that although Biden did “very well last night,” he doubled down on how he won among younger African-American voters.
Watch Sanders’ remarks on ABC News below:
NEW: “I could be, yes I am,” Bernie Sanders tells @GStephanopoulos when asked if he was referring to Joe Biden when he talked of “old-fashioned politics.”
“Biden did very well last night but we did win among younger African Americans,” he adds. https://t.co/23kgGkwFyy pic.twitter.com/x2uhOYTkK9
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) March 1, 2020
