Politics

Heilemann: If A GOPer Had Written Bernie Sanders’ Rape Tale, It Would Be A ‘Huge Scandal’ [VIDEO]

Al Weaver Reporter
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After the unearthing of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ rape-based essay, Bloomberg’s John Heilemann argued Friday that Sanders needs to answer questions on the piece, adding it would be a “huge scandal” if a Republican wrote it.

Heilemann also told “With All Due Respect” co-host Mark Halperin that journalists need to hold Sanders to the “same standard” as a Republican and ask him “tough questions” about the essay.

“I know we both agree about this, which is that if a Republican, any Republican candidate wrote an essay like this, whether they were 16 years old and high on dope or whether it was two weeks ago, it would be a huge scandal,” Heilemann said. “So I think we need to hold Bernie Sanders to the same standard, and people need to ask him tough questions about it.”

“He needs to address it,” Heilemann added. “There may be — again, it’s a confusing essay, and there may be some plausible explanation for what he was trying to do here as satire, but he’s going to have to make that argument himself.”

Halperin offered up a similar question from a different perspective, one that surely will not please former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

“What if Bill Clinton had written that essay?” he asked before segueing to a topic on the Democratic frontrunner.

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