During a campaign rally in New York City, Bernie Sanders supporter Dr. Paul Song called out the “corporate Democratic whores who are beholden to big pharma and the private insurance industry instead of us.”
For his Wednesday evening remarks, Song — and the Sanders campaign, by extension — faced fierce backlash from the Clinton campaign.
Song argued in front of a crowd of approximately 27,000: “Medicare-for-all will never happen if we continue to elect corporate Democratic whores who are beholden to big pharma and the private insurance industry instead of us.”
Paul Y. Song uses the phrase “corporate Democratic whores” at Sanders rally: https://t.co/rxm6LLVmu9 https://t.co/WEj52jDCEc
— New Day (@NewDay) April 14, 2016
After some negative reaction, Song tweeted an apology, claiming,”I am very sorry for using the term ‘whore’ to refer to some in congress who are beholden to corporations and not us. It was insensitive.”
I am very sorry for using the term “whore” to refer to some in congress who are beholden to corporations and not us. It was insensitive.
— Paul Y. Song (@paulysong) April 14, 2016
Clinton’s communications director Jennifer Palmieri called on Sanders to “disavow” Song’s comments Thursday morning, claiming his language was “distressing.”
Very distressing language to say the least. @BernieSanders should disavow. https://t.co/xSNZyHwlAS
— Jennifer Palmieri (@jmpalmieri) April 14, 2016
Later, Sen. Sanders tweeted that Song’s “comment was inappropriate and insensitive. There’s no room for language like that in our political discourse.”
Dr. Song’s comment was inappropriate and insensitive. There’s no room for language like that in our political discourse.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) April 14, 2016