By Bronte Price, PolticKING
Bernie Sanders is doing some political damage control on Thursday after a supporter used the phrase "corporate Democratic whores" ahead of his speech at a campaign rally in New York. Dr. Paul Song, who is an oncologist and an outspoken advocate for single-payer health care, received applause from Bernie’s supporters, but outrage from Hillary supporters. "Medicare for all will never happen if we continue to elect corporate Democratic whores, who are beholden to Big Pharma and the private-insurance industry instead of us," Song said.
Sanders supporter tells crowd not to elect “Democratic whores,” then swiftly apologizes: https://t.co/rkIELF6p4rpic.twitter.com/v4IvfNyGVc
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) April 14, 2016
His word choice caused online outrage, and spurred the Twitter hashtags #DemocraticWhore and #WhoAreYouCallingAWhoreBernie.
Sanders' campaign took to Twitter on Thursday to denounce the comments made by Song. "I am very sorry for using the term 'whore' to refer to some in congress who are beholden to corporations and not us. It was insensitive," Sanders tweeted.
Dr. Song's comment was inappropriate and insensitive. There's no room for language like that in our political discourse.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) April 14, 2016
Song later apologized on Twitter clarifying that he wasn't talking about Hillary Clinton. Instead, he insisted, it was members of Congress, who failed to pass a public option during the debate over the Affordable Care Act that he was calling whores.
“I am very sorry for using the term "whore" to refer to some in congress who are beholden to corporations and not us. It was insensitive,” Song tweeted.
Dr. Paul Song is married to CNN’s Lisa Ling, host of "This is Life with Lisa Ling." Along with his controversial remarks, Song had positive words for President Bill Clinton. When Ling's sister captured by North Korea in 2009, it was Bill Clinton who helped secure her release.
Here’s what Clay Aiken has to say about Bernie Sanders’ campaign:
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