Bernie Sanders Heading to Morehouse; Lewis Clarifies Remarks on VT’s Senator

UPDATE: 

Bernie Sanders continues his HBCU Tour at Morehouse College on Tuesday. The Democratic prez hopeful has a rally scheduled for 7:00 to 9:00. 

In case you were wondering:

The #FeelTheBERN HBCU tour is designed to engage students on the policies and platform of Senator Bernie Sanders, and why he is the best candidate for president. It also serves as a platform to mobilize students and community members to join the political revolution and/or become grassroots organizers.

On Friday, John Lewis had to clarify remarks he made about Sanders. Lewis, who was a leader of the civil rights movement, said “I never saw him” when asked about Sanders’ involvement during that era. The quote it appears, was taken slightly out of context (this blogger labeled the quote as a “serious bomb”). But the damage was done as Sanders supporters read a fairly benign statement as an indictment on his record. Perhaps not surprising as Sanders is campaigning on Millenials’ sensibilities.

At any rate, through the Congressional Black Caucus PAC, Lewis said (emphasis added):

“In the interest of unity, I want to clarify the statement I made at Thursday’s news conference.I was responding to a reporter’s question who asked me to assess Sen. Sanders’ civil rights record. I said that when I was leading and was at the center of pivotal actions within the Civil Rights Movement, I did not meet Sen. Bernie Sanders at any time. The fact that I did not meet him in the movement does not mean I doubted that Sen. Sanders participated in the Civil Rights Movement, neither was I attempting to disparage his activism. Thousands sacrificed in the 1960s whose names we will never know, and I have always given honor to their contribution.

“If you take a look at a transcript of my statement, you will find I did not say that I met Hillary and Bill Clinton when I was chairman of SNCC in the 1960s. My point was that when I was doing the work of civil rights, led the Voter Education Project and organized voter registration in the South in the 1970s, I did cross paths with Hillary and Bill Clinton in the field. They were working in politics, and Bill Clinton became attorney general of Arkansas in the 1970s as well. That began a relationship with them that has lasted until today.”

The full statement is below.

REP. JOHN LEWIS ON THURSDAY’S CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS PAC PRESS CONFERENCE
Submitted by Tatiana Brown on Feb 13 2016
February 13, 2016

“We are facing a crossroads in the history of our country. The choices we make in this election will determine the very future of our nation. Will we go back or continue to more forward toward the building of a more perfect union? As we move through this competitive campaign season, we must respect each individual’s sacred right to choose, whether we like a person’s decision or not. That is our democracy in action, a process in which we have all committed to participate. But at the end of the day, we must unite and determine to work together to ensure a Democrat becomes president in the fall.

“In the interest of unity, I want to clarify the statement I made at Thursday’s news conference.I was responding to a reporter’s question who asked me to assess Sen. Sanders’ civil rights record. I said that when I was leading and was at the center of pivotal actions within the Civil Rights Movement, I did not meet Sen. Bernie Sanders at any time. The fact that I did not meet him in the movement does not mean I doubted that Sen. Sanders participated in the Civil Rights Movement, neither was I attempting to disparage his activism. Thousands sacrificed in the 1960s whose names we will never know, and I have always given honor to their contribution.

“If you take a look at a transcript of my statement, you will find I did not say that I met Hillary and Bill Clinton when I was chairman of SNCC in the 1960s. My point was that when I was doing the work of civil rights, led the Voter Education Project and organized voter registration in the South in the 1970s, I did cross paths with Hillary and Bill Clinton in the field. They were working in politics, and Bill Clinton became attorney general of Arkansas in the 1970s as well. That began a relationship with them that has lasted until today.

“We, as a party, must remember we have a great need to work together. We must not get lost in hostility and discord. After all, it was not the Democrats who sponsored and defended Citizens United, who are making it harder to register and vote, or are working to privatize Social Security,get rid of Obamacare, Medicare, food and income supports for the poor, the hungry and more.We should debate the issues vigorously, but we must not tear each other apart and damage our ability to unite and defeat the Republican nominee for president.”