Let me start by saying that the point of this diary is not to question Rachel Maddow’s integrity. However, I would like to know why this happened. Just a few moments ago, right before a commercial break on her show, Rachel Maddow breathlessly and dramatically announced the breaking news that Bernie Sanders had just stated that Hillary Clinton was not qualified to be president. As someone who has been feeling the Bern from the very beginning of this campaign, to say that I was flabbergasted is an understatement. I literally waited with my eyes glued to the TV until the commercial break was over, bracing myself to hear the gory details of what sounded like a real messaging failure on the part of my candidate. As much as I don’t want Hillary Clinton to become president, even I wouldn’t go so far as to say she is not qualified, by our conventional understanding of what that means. So… what happened after the break? Drum roll, please…
After the break, Rachel showed the video clip showing what Bernie actually said, in context. I as at once relieved, but also apprehensive because the level of spin that Rachel applied to Bernie’s words was masterful. In fact, after showing the video clip, Rachel herself, toned down her delivery to the point that it almost looked like she had been fed the headline of Bernie’s statement and was only just viewing the actual video at the same time as her audience, putting her in the awkward position of having to stick to her original characterization of Sanders’ words, i.e. the “script.” Here is what Bernie said in context (and I urge you to locate and watch the video clip so that you can also hear his tone and delivery, including the air quotes) which make it clear that Sanders is using satire to respond to and highlight the irony of Clinton implying that Sanders is not qualified to be president. But you can all judge for yourselves:
"We have won, we have won seven out of eight of the recent primaries and caucuses. And she has been saying lately that she thinks that I am, quote unquote, not qualified to be president," he continued.
“Well let me, let me just say in response to Secretary Clinton: I don't believe that she is qualified if she is, if she is, through her super PAC, taking tens of millions of dollars in special interest funds."
"I don't think you are qualified if you get $15 million from Wall Street through your super PAC," he went on.
"I don't think you are qualified if you have voted for the disastrous war in Iraq. I don't think you are qualified if you've supported virtually every disastrous trade agreement, which has cost us millions of decent paying jobs. I don't think you are qualified if you supported the Panama free trade agreement, something I very strongly opposed and which, as all of you know, has allowed corporations and wealthy people all over the world to avoid paying their taxes to their countries," he concluded.”
In fairness, I have not seen any direct quotes from the Hillary Clinton or her surrogates stating that Sanders is not qualified to be president. However, I did see a clip of Clinton’s interview with Joe Scarborough, where Joe asked Clinton if she thought that Sanders was qualified to be president. Clinton responded by essentially questioning Sanders’ reasoning skills and then declined to confirm or deny his qualifications in favor of “letting the voters decide,” a la her “Is Obama a muslim” response back in ’08. Expect fireworks.