WASHINGTON — (CNN) Bernie Sanders struck back at Hillary Clinton on Monday after the former secretary of state repeatedly blasted his previous opposition to gun control measures, saying her own position has changed since 2008.
“People will remember that Secretary Clinton has been all over the map on guns, she’s been very conservative on guns, she’s been very liberal on guns. People will remember the attacks she leveled against then-Sen. Barack Obama, now President Barack Obama, back in 2008 on guns, when she was tacking to the right on this,” Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver told CNN’s Chris Cuomo on “New Day.” “So I think her argument would be much more compelling if she had a consistent record on this issue.”
A request for comment from the Clinton campaign was not immediately returned Monday.
Clinton hit Sanders again Sunday, for supporting legislation granting gun manufacturers immunity from legal action in shootings while he was in the House, in 2005.
“Senator Sanders voted with them, and through this morning has been unwilling to join the president and me in saying that this should be repealed,” Clinton said Sunday, on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “Who is going to really stand up to the gun lobby, try to deal with the scourge of gun violence that takes 90 people’s lives a day? I’m pretty clear on what I will do. And I support and will work hard to implement what the President has been advocating.”
Clinton’s revived attacks on guns come as polls have shown Sanders closing the gap and turning into a real threat to beat her in Iowa. Through much of December she had been punching past Sanders, targeting Donald Trump, but she has been forced to reengage with Sanders.
Sanders has recently softened his stance, however, saying he might not vote for the legislation again if given the chance — an announcement which came shortly after Obama said he would not campaign for anyone with an inconsistent record on gun control.
“What is happening is you’re seeing the polls and and I think that Clinton campaign is getting very very nervous,” Weaver said.
Clinton has been touting her voting record on gun control, and picked up key endorsements from gun control activists Mark Kelly and Gabby Giffords, but in 2008 she largely avoided the issue and even knocked then-primary opponent Barack Obama after he criticized voters who “cling to guns.”
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