MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Say you're head over heals for Bernie Sanders. You're staying in a stranger's house along with 10 other people outside Manchester, and volunteering for his campaign without pay. And suddenly, as you're walking down Elm Street, a figure emerges over the snowy horizon. It's a woman with blond hair. She's surrounded by bodyguards. She's coming your way. It's Hillary Clinton!
What, in that moment, would you ask her?
Then let's say you're a Clinton diehard. You've always assumed she's the brainier, better part of the marriage. You've yearned to see her break the White House gender barrier and moved to Washington to work for her at the State Department. One day, strolling around Capitol Hill, you see an old, bald, Jewish man lumbering your way. What the … It's Bernie Sanders!
What, in that moment, would you ask him?
On Friday night, at the New Hampshire Democratic Party's 2016 McIntyre Shaheen 100 Club Celebration, supporters of Sanders and Clinton gathered in the Verizon Wireless Center in downtown Manchester to hear the two presidential candidates speak. As they roamed the halls -- grabbing drinks, passing out buttons, and whipping up support -- The Huffington Post asked some of them the question about the question.
If they had one opportunity, what one thing would they ask the Democratic candidate they oppose? Below are actual responses, unedited.
Questions For Bernie Sanders From Hillary Clinton Supporters:
- "How are you going to do this?"
- "Do you think it is realistic that you can accomplish single-payer in this environment … really … question mark."
- "What would you do differently than the Obama campaign did in 2008 to turn out new voters?"
- "How are you going to get the Republicans to agree to free college for everyone?"
- "What the fuck is wrong with you? I don't think you can write that." (Yes we can.)
- "Why did you choose to run as a Democrat and not as an independent, because he does not represent the Democratic Party?"
- How are you going to get any of your agenda done? How are you possibly going to get any of it done?
- "Who is your pot supplier?"
- "Did you inhale ... yesterday?" (from the person standing nearby)
- "How would your experience compare with Hillary's 30 years of experience?"
- "You have big claims and ideas and promises you made to the American people. Can you explain to me how these proposals pass?"
- "Why did you vote against the Brady Bill ... five times"
Questions For Hillary Clinton From Bernie Sanders Supporters:
- "Why is she having students outside [this event] put covers over the Bernie signs?"
- "Why won't she release the transcripts to those Goldman Sachs speeches?"
- "What were you thinking when you took all those speaking fees from Goldman Sachs?"
- "When are you going to address your changing stances on legalizing gay marriage?"
- "How can you justify being endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign?"
- "She's an attorney, so she knows conflict of interest arises out of the mere possibility of being influenced by money. So how can she say she isn't influenced by money?"
- "Why did she put the emails on her personal server?"
- "When are you going to release those transcripts of your speeches?"
- "How are you going to make decisions for me, when you're taking money from the huge rich interests?"
- "If you were president today, would you signature put the TPP into law or not?"
- "Why did you accept corporate money for speaking fees? What makes you any different from the Republicans taking money from billionaires?
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