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November 16, 2015

Clinton Invokes 9/11 to Defend Wall Street Ties at Democratic Debate 
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Democratic presidential candidates faced off Saturday during a debate in
Iowa, the day after the attacks in Paris. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders
criticized former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's 2002 Senate vote
in support of the Iraq War, saying the "disastrous invasion of Iraq,"
which Sanders opposed, led to the rise of ISIL. Meanwhile, Hillary
Clinton invoked 9/11 to defend herself against Sanders' criticism of her
Wall Street ties.

Sen. Bernie Sanders: "Why do—why, over her political career, has Wall
Street been a major—the major campaign contributor to Hillary Clinton?
Now, maybe they're dumb, and they don't know what they're going to get,
but I don't think so."

Hillary Clinton: "I represented New York, and I represented New York on
9/11, when we were attacked. Where were we attacked? We were attacked in
downtown Manhattan, where Wall Street is. I did spend a whole lot of
time and effort helping them rebuild. That was good for New York. It was
good for the economy. And it was a way to rebuke the terrorists who had
attacked our country."

Clinton's reference to 9/11 in response to criticism of Wall Street
donations led to widespread criticism on social media. In a Twitter post
read aloud by moderators during the debate, one user wrote: "Have never
seen a candidate invoke 9/11 to justify millions of Wall Street
donations. Until now."

 

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