Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton denounced her rival Sen. Bernie Sanders Wednesday at a union convention over his aimless campaign promises.
The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Constitutional Convention allows union leaders to discuss important issues with policymakers –Clinton and Sanders were among those in attendance. The two primary rivals have competed for union support, but Clinton has since pulled ahead. She attacked Sanders for not having a clear plan to enact his campaign promises while speaking at the convention.
“[He] doesn’t have a plan at all,” Clinton said according to CBS News. “Like a lot of people, I am concerned that some of his ideas just won’t work because they (sic) numbers don’t add up.”
Clinton made her remarks within days of Sanders being criticized over an interview with the New York Daily News. During the interview, he struggled to articulate the details of his most prominent campaign promises like breaking up the banks. Clinton has since used the interview as a rallying point for supporters and donors.
“You know better than anybody that hard work is the only way to get the job done,” Clinton said. “When you build something, you build it right, and you deserve a president who will work as hard as you do.”
Clinton has been accused of encroaching on the policies Sanders has long since supported. She even celebrated with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo when his state minimum wage went up to $15 an hour. The Sanders campaign denounced her for being insincere since she argues the national minimum wage should not exceed $12 an hour, reports CNN. She has supported states enacting the legislation themselves.
Sanders has done a lot to advance issues important to organized labor and looked to be a union favorite early on. He introduced a bill in July designed to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour and has advocated for mandatory union dues. He quickly gained support, but Clinton eventually pulled ahead when it came time for national unions to formally endorse candidates.
The AFL-CIO is the largest federation of associated unions in the country at 12 million members. Despite being a formidable political force, the union has yet to endorse anyone for president. National unions have overwhelmingly supported Clinton even though Sanders is more aligned with the labor movement. He has done well with local chapters, but some national leaders expressed doubt that he’s electable.
Sanders won his biggest union endorsement Dec. 17 from the Communications Workers of America (CWA). Former CWA President Larry Cohen pledged in July his support for Sanders and is now leading the coalition Labor for Bernie which consists mostly of local unions.
The Sanders campaign did not respond to a request for comment by The Daily Caller News Foundation
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