“Sen. Sanders, a Vermont newspaper recently released portions of an interview you gave in 2013 in which you said, ‘My own view on guns is: Everything being equal, states should make those decisions,’” MSNBC host Rachel Maddow said.
“No,” Sanders said, interrupting her.
“Has your thinking changed since then?” Maddow continued. “Do you now think there’s a federal role to play?”
“No, that’s a mischaracterization of my thinking,” Sanders said.
“It’s a quote of you,” Maddow responded, prompting laughter from the audience.
At the time, Sanders was weighing whether to support federal gun control measures proposed by then-president Barack Obama and vice president Joe Biden. Later in the interview, Sanders said, “If you passed the strongest gun-control legislation tomorrow, I don’t think it will have a profound effect on the tragedies we have seen, which are really tragedy.”
Seven Days included portions of the interview in a March 13, 2013, political column, but did not publish the quotation Maddow read at the debate until this week. That was featured in a cover story documenting Sanders’ complicated relationship with the National Rifle Association and the evolution of his position on gun rights during his decades in public office.
The online version of the story included audio of the interview. You can listen to it here:
“Look, we have a gun crisis right now; 40,000 people a year are getting killed,” Sanders began. “In 1988, Rachel, when it wasn’t popular, I ran on a platform of banning assault weapons and, in fact, lost that race for Congress.”
Sanders made similar claims during his 2016 presidential campaign, but the Washington Post called them into question in this fact-checker. Though Sanders spoke frequently about his support for an assault weapons ban during his successful 1990 campaign for the House, there’s little evidence that the issue played a major role in his 1988 loss.
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Stickin’ to His Guns? The NRA Helped Elect Bernie Sanders to Congress. Now He’s Telling a Different Story.
“It’s a local control issue,” the Burlington Free Press quoted him as saying in an October 26, 1988, story. “In Vermont, it is not my view that the present law needs any changing.”
Nearly two years later, the Rutland Herald wrote in a June 16, 1990, story, “In the last congressional campaign, Sanders said repeatedly that gun control was a local issue and avoided taking a public stand on bans. He now denies that his support of assault gun legislation represents a change in his position.”
Asked this week for contemporaneous documentation of his 1988 position, Sanders’ presidential campaign provided only newspaper stories from the 1990 race.
During Thursday night’s debate, Sanders said that he now has a D-minus rating from the NRA. “And I believe that what we need is comprehensive gun legislation that, among other things, provides universal background [checks], we end the gun show loophole, we end the straw man provision,” he said. “And I believed in 1988, and I believe today, that assault weapons … are weapons from the military and that they should not be on the streets of America.”
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) interrupted Sanders, saying, “Your plan leaves them on the streets. You’d leave 15 million on the streets.”
“We ban the sale, we ban the sale and distribution and that’s what I’ve believed for many years,” Sanders responded.
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Stickin’ to His Guns? The NRA Helped Elect Bernie Sanders to Congress. Now He’s Telling a Different Story.
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Is this just an attempt to direct eyes to your longer piece? There does not seem to be any other purpose to this story.
Mt. Philo,
You mean other than pointing out that Bernie blatantly lied in a national debate?
Shifted focus from whether Sanders still holds the position that guns are a state issue, to whether he said it. Ok, he said it in 2013. He was seeking to represent VT which had no gun control and very little gun-related crime.
VT and the nation have evolved on this issue, and the question now is, has Sanders thinking also evolved? He’s gung ho on basing F-35s in VT. Thinking about that has shifted in VT also, but no evolved thinking on this from Sanders or any other member of VT’s congressional representatives.
More importantly, Lea, where does he stand on the Everybody Loves a Parade mural?
Once again Bernie shows he cannot accept he may have been mistaken, even if it was caused by the world changing since then. He’s ALWAYS been _______. But the record shows he has not always been anything. Who has? Great leaders evolve. They own their misconceptions and mistakes because the bit that changed them is a) the key to their new understanding, b) that understanding will help others, c) that understanding will fuel the new fight. It is a strength.
Instead, we have denials, plots and revised history. Bernie, you have a great track record and vision but this is your weakness.
OMG, Rachel Maddow mentioned my work on national TV! Conspiracy theorist that she is, she’ll work in a Russian connection on her next show.
“Bernie, you have a great track record and vision but this is your weakness.”
The only part of your good comment I can’t agree with is the above. What’s his “track record”? He’s literally been in Washington DC since 1991 either in the House or the Senate and he’s accomplished next to nothing. Mostly because he spent the entire decade of the 1990s foolishly dissing and pissing off everyone else in Congress. And even after being in the cozy, old-boy Senate since 2007 — over 12 years — he’s accomplished almost nothing there, either. Self-righteous yelling and screaming at the podium of an empty Senate chamber doesn’t accomplish much — certainly not legislation.
And now with his idiotic denial of a quote he undeniably made, he’s looking like the old, out of touch, nappy-time, grumpy grampa that he is.
“OMG, Rachel Maddow mentioned my work on national TV! Conspiracy theorist that she is, she’ll work in a Russian connection on her next show.”
Perhaps instead of criticizing anyone who doesn’t print mindless flattery of the infallible, god-like Sanders, you should focus on the fact that the old coot just out-and-out lied in front of a national audience about what he actually said. OUT-AND-OUT LIED.
Just a thought.
Bernie’s diatribe was as old and tired as Biden’s last night
Joe needs to pass the torch and Bernie needs to pass the Hammer & Sickle
In 1980 incumbent Vt GOP Rep Peter Smith shot himself in the foot by voting for a federal bill to ban AK47 assault rifles. Bernie the predatory opportunist-snake was right there to take advantage and promised Vermonts 2nd amendment nuts that he would never support federal bans on firearms because it it us a states rights issue. As a result, with the support of Vts gun nuts, Bernie won his first trip to Congress. Those of us who truly know and understand Bernie KNEW he would soon betray the naieve gun nuts. The gun nuts are always blinded by short-sighted stupidity. Bernie tricked em and they have been paying for it ever since. Way to go gun nuts!
Warren has taken Bernie’s place and positions and isn’t a straight white male. His freefall began last night.
Can I get some hash browns with the waffle Bernie Sanders just served?
Time to retire,Bernie ! Hopefully after last night the two 70 year OLD white men are finished as
serious candidates . Can’t even respond to simple questions,ugh …
That’s the problem when you pander to every group of identity politics in order to stay in office, eventually you forget who you pandered to and when.
“suggested that Seven Days had mischaracterized comments he made during a 2013 interview” That is always his response when he is caught in a lie or try to change the subject. Sanders says all the newspapers, TV news always misquote him except the Burlington Free Press. FP loves kissing his butt.!! Sanders tells so many lies he can’t keep them straight. I remember when the NRA sent out the crap to NRA members to vote for Sanders. My husband and I sent the stuff right back to them with a strong letter, saying why would we even vote for the crook. He wasn’t for the troops nor gun owners. This so called senator has done NOTHING for Vermont or America much less have a real job..,
I don’t think we need anyone else from New York City as president !
Bernie lied and now is trying to say it was 7 Days that lied…just eh same old Bernie. No wonder he is having to keep[ restarting his campaign
Not sure why everyone is holding Bernies feet to the fire over an interpretation of something he said years ago. The man stands for all that is good and right. His stance on the issues is the only one I can accept and hes been fighting for us for years and years and years. Its a bummer how short-sighted, vindictive and tribal everyone is when it comes to politics. This is why democrats cant function and why disgusting trumpian trolls manage to snake their way into office over and over. We tear down our own candidates over minor issues instead of looking at the big picture.
*The man stands for all that is good and right.*
He stands for one thing and one thing alone: power and money for Bernie. We*d have a Democratic president now if Bernie cared more about the country than himself.
*We tear down our own candidates over minor issues instead of looking at the big picture.*
Many of us ARE looking at the big picture and believe this old, raging narcissist is a terrible candidate and would make a terrible President.