WASHINGTON — For Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the third time is definitely not the charm.
The Florida congresswoman, who is also the chair of the Democratic National Committee, refused again to delineate the ideological differences between Democrats and socialists during a breakfast with reporters hosted by the Christian Science Monitor Thursday.
“Well, I’ll give you the same answer that I gave both of them,” Wasserman Schultz said, referring to liberal MSNBC host Chris Matthews and NBC “Meet the Press” host Chuck Todd, when The Daily Caller gave the chairwoman another opportunity to explain the difference between a Democrat and a socialist.
Schultz proceeded to say “the important distinction during this campaign is gonna be the difference between Republicans and Democrats.”
“That’s what voters are going to kick the tires about. That’s what they are going to take a good hard look at,” she said. “Democrats, no matter which one of our candidates are talking about, are talking about the bread-and-butter middle class issues that will appeal to voters so that they know they have a candidate for president of the United States that will make sure they can build those cornerstones of a middle-class life.”
In contrast, she said, “Republicans are busy trying to out-right-wing one another.”
Asked at the end of her talking points whether her answer means that she does not see a distinction between Democrats and socialists, she replied: “Like I said, the distinction that’s important to talk about in a presidential campaign is one that is drawn between the Democrats and Republicans.”
Wasserman Schultz first refused to answer the question during an interview with MSNBC host Chris Matthews at the end of July. Several days later she refused again to answer the question during an interview with Chuck Todd on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
One of the leading Democratic candidates for president, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, has referred to himself, at various times, as a “socialist” and a “democratic socialist.”