Former Vice President Joe Biden senior advisor Symone Sanders on CNN Wednesday would not say she trusted the results out of Iowa. (Image: screenshot/CNN)
'Trumpian': Biden Campaign Under Fire for Questioning Legitimacy of Iowa Results Showing Candidate in Distant Fourth Place
"This is not going to help anyone trust the process."
Former Vice President Joe Biden's 2020 Democratic presidential campaign came under fire Wednesday after senior advisor Symone Sanders refused when pressed for over three minutes on live television to say the campaign trusted caucus results out of Iowa's Monday contest, which was marred by reporting issues but the numbers from which consistently show Biden in at best fourth place.
"I guess we'll have to take the Iowa Democratic party at their word," said Sanders, while refusing to say she believed the results were accurate.
The remarks came during an interview with CNN Wednesday afternoon at around 1:15 pm.
"Joe Biden's campaign is questioning the legitimacy of the Iowa election results because they lost badly," said progressive group Justice Democrats. "This is Trumpian and sows the worst forms of discord."
Watch the exchange:
Biden, long a frontrunner in the primary for the nomination, severely underperformed expectations in Iowa. He currently sits in fourth place, far below popular vote frontrunner Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and state delegate frontrunner former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) trails Sanders and Buttigieg in both counts.
"I'm not going to sugarcoat it," Biden told supporters in New Hampshire of Iowa Wednesday. "We took a gut punch."
The count in Iowa was marred by reporting issues stemming from an app developed by Democratic Party-affiliated company Shadow Inc., which is itself tied to the center-left non-profit Acronym. As Common Dreams reported, the app has come under increased scrutiny since Monday's results.
Symone Sanders' remarks on CNN were not the first time in recent days the campaign has challenged the numbers from the Hawkeye state. On Tuesday, the Biden camp questioned the transparency of the process as results from 62% of precincts came in. On Wednesday afternoon at press time, that amount stood at 75%.
But the Biden advisor was nonetheless crossing a line, said CNN's Zach Wolff.
"This is not going to help anyone trust the process," Wolff said.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Former Vice President Joe Biden's 2020 Democratic presidential campaign came under fire Wednesday after senior advisor Symone Sanders refused when pressed for over three minutes on live television to say the campaign trusted caucus results out of Iowa's Monday contest, which was marred by reporting issues but the numbers from which consistently show Biden in at best fourth place.
"I guess we'll have to take the Iowa Democratic party at their word," said Sanders, while refusing to say she believed the results were accurate.
The remarks came during an interview with CNN Wednesday afternoon at around 1:15 pm.
"Joe Biden's campaign is questioning the legitimacy of the Iowa election results because they lost badly," said progressive group Justice Democrats. "This is Trumpian and sows the worst forms of discord."
Watch the exchange:
Biden, long a frontrunner in the primary for the nomination, severely underperformed expectations in Iowa. He currently sits in fourth place, far below popular vote frontrunner Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and state delegate frontrunner former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) trails Sanders and Buttigieg in both counts.
"I'm not going to sugarcoat it," Biden told supporters in New Hampshire of Iowa Wednesday. "We took a gut punch."
The count in Iowa was marred by reporting issues stemming from an app developed by Democratic Party-affiliated company Shadow Inc., which is itself tied to the center-left non-profit Acronym. As Common Dreams reported, the app has come under increased scrutiny since Monday's results.
Symone Sanders' remarks on CNN were not the first time in recent days the campaign has challenged the numbers from the Hawkeye state. On Tuesday, the Biden camp questioned the transparency of the process as results from 62% of precincts came in. On Wednesday afternoon at press time, that amount stood at 75%.
But the Biden advisor was nonetheless crossing a line, said CNN's Zach Wolff.
"This is not going to help anyone trust the process," Wolff said.
Former Vice President Joe Biden's 2020 Democratic presidential campaign came under fire Wednesday after senior advisor Symone Sanders refused when pressed for over three minutes on live television to say the campaign trusted caucus results out of Iowa's Monday contest, which was marred by reporting issues but the numbers from which consistently show Biden in at best fourth place.
"I guess we'll have to take the Iowa Democratic party at their word," said Sanders, while refusing to say she believed the results were accurate.
The remarks came during an interview with CNN Wednesday afternoon at around 1:15 pm.
"Joe Biden's campaign is questioning the legitimacy of the Iowa election results because they lost badly," said progressive group Justice Democrats. "This is Trumpian and sows the worst forms of discord."
Watch the exchange:
Biden, long a frontrunner in the primary for the nomination, severely underperformed expectations in Iowa. He currently sits in fourth place, far below popular vote frontrunner Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and state delegate frontrunner former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) trails Sanders and Buttigieg in both counts.
"I'm not going to sugarcoat it," Biden told supporters in New Hampshire of Iowa Wednesday. "We took a gut punch."
The count in Iowa was marred by reporting issues stemming from an app developed by Democratic Party-affiliated company Shadow Inc., which is itself tied to the center-left non-profit Acronym. As Common Dreams reported, the app has come under increased scrutiny since Monday's results.
Symone Sanders' remarks on CNN were not the first time in recent days the campaign has challenged the numbers from the Hawkeye state. On Tuesday, the Biden camp questioned the transparency of the process as results from 62% of precincts came in. On Wednesday afternoon at press time, that amount stood at 75%.
But the Biden advisor was nonetheless crossing a line, said CNN's Zach Wolff.
"This is not going to help anyone trust the process," Wolff said.