WASHINGTON -- Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders played tug-of-war over President Obama's heart at Thursday's Democratic debate, with each arguing the other has been more disrespectful to the president.
Clinton lit into Sanders for his Thursday comments that President Obama hasn't been able to work with Congress well enough, accusing him of Republican-like attacks.
"I don't think he gets the credit he deserves," she said. "The kind of criticism that we've heard from Senator Sanders about our president I expect from Republicans, I do not expect from someone running for the Democratic nomination to succeed President Obama."
Clinton then pointed out that Sanders had said Obama should face a primary for his 2012 reelection because he thought the president hadn't been liberal enough.
Sanders reacted like he'd been hit in the stomach, practically growling as he waited for his chance to respond.
"Madam secretary, that is a low blow," he said. "Do senators have the right to disagree with the president? have you ever disagreed with the president? I suspect you may have... one of us ran against Barack Obama. I was not that candidate."
.@BernieSanders: “One of us ran against Barack Obama. I was not that candidate."— Cameron Joseph (@cam_joseph) February 12, 2016
Obama is popular with the Democratic base — and especially with African American voters who are key to winning the upcoming primary states, including South Carolina. Clinton has increasingly touted her connections with Obama and work for him in recent months as she's sought to ward off Sanders, a rhetorical shift from her early campaign promises that while she loves both him and her husband, she'd be her own woman in the White House.
Both candidates haven't exactly been BFFs with Obama. Clinton and Obama ran a hard-fought, testy 2008 primary, and while they patched things up and developed a strong working relationship during her time as Secretary of State, she has many more closer allies within the party.
Sanders has been much more willing to criticize Obama in recent years, however, as Thursday's comments made clear. And while he usually voted with Obama, his claims to be good friends with the president may be overstated.
Hey @POTUS, can you confirm your "friend"ship with @BernieSanders? DM me if true— Matt Laslo (@MattLaslo) February 12, 2016
One of Obama's top former advisors made it clear he thought her points were valid.
Not a low blow. @SenSanders was among those who mused in '11 about encouraging a challenge from left to @barackobama.#DemDebate— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) February 12, 2016