Bernie Sanders stopped by The View, where the Vermont senator made short work of Meghan McCain‘s attempts to tie him to controversial remarks on Israel made by the left-leaning congresswomen in The Squad. During her first question, McCain asked Sanders what he thinks about comments calling Israel “an apartheid state” and “akin to terrorist organizations,” but he didn’t take the bait. Instead, he side-stepped McCain’s jabs at The Squad (Democratic U.S. Representatives Rashida Talib, Ilhan Omar, and Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez) and reiterated his stance that America should have an “even-handed role” in bringing peace to the sensitive conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Sen. @BernieSanders to @TheView: “I want to see the United States work with other countries to try to bring the Israelis and the Palestinians together to bring about some peace in that region.”
“What I want to see is our country play an even-handed role.” https://t.co/cVclFZQmjA pic.twitter.com/MGKpit6ffj— The View (@TheView) June 23, 2021
However, McCain wasn’t going to quit until she could make Sanders either condemn The Squad or endorse their (in her words) views on “exterminating Israel.” She then asked, “Do you think the movement, which you started, has moved away from what you envisioned?”
But, again, Sanders wasn’t playing, and this time, he shut McCain down.
Meghan McCain: You're the Godfather of the Squad… how can you stand by Tlaib and Omar saying Israel doesn't have right to exist?
Bernie Sanders: "I don’t believe that’s what they’re saying and second of all, it’s not my job to have to defend every member of Congress…" pic.twitter.com/eZ7GXZp2KR
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) June 23, 2021
“Well Meghan, first of all, I don’t believe that’s what they’re saying, and second of all, it’s not my job to have to defend every member of Congress, any more than it is their job to defend every statement that I make,” Sanders said before not giving McCain the satisfaction of seeing him throw The Squad under the bus.
“I think the progressives in the House are doing a very good job in standing up for working families,” Sanders continued. “It’s not my job to comment on everything that any member of the House says, any more than it is for them to comment on what I say.”
(Via The View on Twitter)