In her statement, Warren said “I have no interest in discussing this private meeting any further because Bernie and I have far more in common than on our differences on punditry. “We have been friends and allies in this fight for long time, and I have no doubt we will continue to work together to defeat Donald Trump and put our government on the side of the people.”
Sanders campaign manager Faiz Shakir had urged Warren to speak out on the CNN report earlier in the day, telling NBC News, “I believe strongly what we are talking about here is a lie.”
“I believe that she should come out and say yeah, that is not my recollection of events, of course Bernie Sanders does not believe that,” Shakir said.
The bitter back and forth between the two longtime friends comes one day before the two are due to share the stage at a Democratic presidential debate in Des Moines, Iowa.
The pair had defended each other against their more moderate rivals in past Democratic debates, but cracks in their relationship began to show in recent days after Sanders started surging in the polls.
Colorado school staffer accused of sexually abusing 13-year-old student, now on the run
State Department to ask for bonds of up to $15,000 for visa applications from a dozen more countries
Former counterterrorism chief Joe Kent under FBI investigation for alleged classified leaks
186 Democrats Kick and Scream as Critical Bill Targeting Fraudsters Narrowly Passes House
BREAKING: Sen. Kennedy Just Moved to Pass the SAVE America Act Using a Brilliant Legislative Trick That Only Requires 51 Votes
Immigration judge orders deportation of NYC Council employee after ICE arrest, city leaders push back
Millionaire developer found dead in ritzy beach home; bizarrely dressed suspect arrested after standoff
GOP overperforms in Virginia special election, fueling early momentum talk in blue-trending state
Watch: Senate Dem Turns to Conspiracy Theories When Markwayne Mullin Refuses to Play Her Games During Confirmation Hearing
MS Now Axes Part of ‘Morning Joe’ in Significant Shake-Up
Mullin committee vote could hinge on John Fetterman as Rand Paul vows to oppose
How Markwayne Mullin would lead DHS differently than Kristi Noem
GOP governors, AGs back Trump SAVE Act push, warn system gives ‘undue influence’ to states with illegal aliens
Strikes may set Iran back — but likely won’t end nuclear program, UN watchdog chief warns
China pursuing non-violent unification with Taiwan, unlikely to invade in 2027: US intel
“The timing of this clearly shows that this is a desperate move,” one senior Sanders aide told NBC News. “Unfortunately Elizabeth Warren’s campaign has been going down in the polls, and this is the latest in an attack on one of her leading competitors.”
Politico reported over the weekend that the Sanders’ campaign had been giving volunteers talking points describing Warren as the candidate of elites.
Warren said Sunday she was “disappointed” by the campaign’s actions.
“I was disappointed to hear that Bernie is sending his volunteers out to trash me,” she told NBC News.
Sanders downplayed the Politico report, saying his campaign has “hundreds of employees” and “people sometimes say things that they shouldn’t.”
“I have never said a negative word about Elizabeth Warren who is a friend of mine. We have differences on issues, that’s what campaigning is about. But no one is going to be attacking Elizabeth,” Sanders said.
Sanders has in the past been critical of some of Warren’s policy positions, particularly health care.
Colorado school staffer accused of sexually abusing 13-year-old student, now on the run
State Department to ask for bonds of up to $15,000 for visa applications from a dozen more countries
Former counterterrorism chief Joe Kent under FBI investigation for alleged classified leaks
186 Democrats Kick and Scream as Critical Bill Targeting Fraudsters Narrowly Passes House
BREAKING: Sen. Kennedy Just Moved to Pass the SAVE America Act Using a Brilliant Legislative Trick That Only Requires 51 Votes
Immigration judge orders deportation of NYC Council employee after ICE arrest, city leaders push back
Millionaire developer found dead in ritzy beach home; bizarrely dressed suspect arrested after standoff
GOP overperforms in Virginia special election, fueling early momentum talk in blue-trending state
Watch: Senate Dem Turns to Conspiracy Theories When Markwayne Mullin Refuses to Play Her Games During Confirmation Hearing
MS Now Axes Part of ‘Morning Joe’ in Significant Shake-Up
Mullin committee vote could hinge on John Fetterman as Rand Paul vows to oppose
How Markwayne Mullin would lead DHS differently than Kristi Noem
GOP governors, AGs back Trump SAVE Act push, warn system gives ‘undue influence’ to states with illegal aliens
Strikes may set Iran back — but likely won’t end nuclear program, UN watchdog chief warns
China pursuing non-violent unification with Taiwan, unlikely to invade in 2027: US intel
In an October interview with ABC, Sanders said his Massachusetts counterpart “is a very, very good senator. But there are differences between Elizabeth and myself. Elizabeth, I think, as you know, has said that she is a capitalist through her bones. I’m not.”
Before Sunday, Warren had largely avoided being critical of Sanders and his campaign, typically telling reporters asking about the differences between them that they’re friends and she doesn’t want to comment on other campaigns.