Bernie Sanders: Republicans are using gay marriage to divide people
Bernie Sanders has claimed that Republicans use issues like gay marriage to get people to vote against their own self-interest.
The Democratic Presidential hopeful, who is challenging former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the party’s nomination, told reporters that opposition to LGBT rights is exploited by Republicans to get votes from people who don’t benefit economically from their policies.
Asked why people “vote against their economic self-interest”, the United States Senator said: “If I knew the complete answer to that, I would be a lot smarter than I am!
“But this is what I will tell you: I think the Republicans have done a very good job over the years dividing people on a million issues.
“They divide people on gay marriage, they divide people on abortion, they divide people on immigraiton. What my job is, and it’s not just in blue states – is to bring working people together.
“We have an agenda that I believe can bring people together.”
Sanders also refused to criticise his opponent, Hillary Clinton, angrily dismissing “gotcha” questions from the press.
He said: “Time after time I’m being asked to criticise Hillary Clinton. The reason this campaign is doing well is because we’re talking about the issues that impact the American people.
“I’ve known Hillary Clinton for 25 years. I like her, I respect her – I disagree with her on a number of issues. It’s not great secret.
“The reason this campaign is doing well is because we’re talking about the issues that impact the American people.”
The Republican National Convention recently passed a resolution backing a law that would permit discrimination against LGBT people nationally.
Speaking about the rise of Jeremy Corbyn in the UK’s Labour leadership election, Sanders said: “I am [aware]… whether it’s the UK or here in the United States, people are sick and tired of establishment politics.”
