Despite a tightening race, Hillary Clinton said Sunday she’s confident she’ll secure the Democratic nomination, dismissing speculation that former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is seeking an independent bid for the White House.
“He’s a good friend of mine,” Clinton said. “The way I read what he said is if I didn’t get the nomination, he might consider it. Well, I’m going to relieve him of that and get the nomination so he doesn’t have to.”
With only 8 days until the Iowa caucuses, Clinton said she feels “great” about her ground game in the state, which is working to ensure enthusiasm is “not just here today, gone tomorrow.”
Clinton’s closing argument to voters is a laundry list of where she differs from her chief rival Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders—from gun control and Wall Street to health care and foreign policy.
On Sunday, the former secretary of state made the case that her experience will help voters decide, despite the enthusiasm Sanders has garnered.
“People look and they think: can we imagine this person to be president and commander in chief? And because of my experience, particularly my years as secretary of state, working with President Obama, I think that’s something that people really take into account,” she said.
When asked what issue she’d prioritize at the beginning of her hypothetical administration, Clinton rejected the idea that a president has to emphasize solving one problem.
Chuck Todd: You and I both know, you basically have one big shot at one big issue. What is it that you’re willing to use all your political capital to do it with?
Former Sec. Hillary Clinton: Well, Chuck, first of all, I don’t agree with you on that. I think that there are several really important issues, healthcare being one of them…But I’m also going to focus on the economy.
All week long, Clinton has been knocking Sanders on his single-payer health care proposal, saying he wants to “start all over again.” Clinton’s plan would instead improve upon the Affordable Care Act.
Clinton defended the paid Goldman Sachs speeches she gave after her tenure as secretary of state, which Sanders has criticized her for repeatedly, explaining that she spoke to a range of groups, not just Wall Street.
“People were interested in what I saw, what I thought, they asked questions about matters that were on their minds, a lot of interest in the bin Laden raid, how such a tough decision was made and what I advised the president,” she said. “I actually think it’s a good conversation to be having.
“I can’t control what the Republicans are doing but I know what the facts are and I will just keep putting them out there,” she said.
When pressed if this cycle was starting to feel like a repeat of her third-place loss in Iowa in 2008, Clinton dismissed the comparison.
