Sanders Attacks Clinton On Trade In Busy Day Of Campaigning

Sen. Bernie Sanders used a stop at a union hall in Janesville to attack former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on trade deals, saying he had consistently fought agreements while Clinton had a history of supporting them.

Speaking to a crowd of a few hundred at United Auto Workers Local 95 near the now-shuttered Janesville General Motors plant, the Vermont senator said trade agreements had undermined American workers and bolstered corporate profits. He said he would strengthen trade unions as president.

“I am not a candidate who goes to the unions and goes to workers, then leaves and goes to a fundraiser with Wall Street,” Sanders said. “You are my family.”

Sanders said he was glad to hear Clinton talking during this campaign about the need for more manufacturing jobs, but he said she should have been talking about it 20 or 30 years ago.

“I have voted against and worked against and led the opposition against every one of these disastrous trade agreements,” Sanders said. “Secretary Clinton has supported virtual every one.”

While Clinton came out against the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership last year, she voted in favor of several trade agreements when she was a U.S. senator.

Sanders also made a stop in northeastern Wisconsin Monday, urging a relatively small group at a Green Bay hotel ballroom to ignore those who say the self-proclaimed “democratic socialist” can’t win the presidency.

Sanders said his campaign sees Green Bay to be “one of the locations in Wisconsin we have to do really, really well in.” He added: “If there is a large voter turnout, I believe we win. If there is a low voter turnout, we will probably lose.”

Actor and liberal activist Tim Robbins introduced Sanders at the event, saying the “mainstream media” is trying to convince people not to vote for the Vermont senator.

Sanders made his final pitch for Wisconsin votes during an evening rally in Milwaukee. There, he said a big turnout would help him send a final message to Gov. Scott Walker.

“Let us make Governor Walker unhappy tomorrow,” he said, to cheers from the audience. “Let us have a huge voter turnout.”

Sanders’ Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton has also been criticizing Walker, calling him a bully during a Saturday night speech in Milwaukee. Clinton has moved on to campaign in New York, the next primary state. Bill Clinton, however, was in Milwaukee Monday to stump on her behalf, telling a crowd that his wife has plans to make college more affordable, improve job training, and push banks to make more loans to local entrepreneurs.