(CNSNews.com) – At a campaign rally in Richmond, Va., on Wednesday, GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump called Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) a “socialist/communist.”
“This socialist/communist,” Trump said about Sanders’ performance in the first Democratic presidential debate. “Okay. Nobody wants to say it. No, in all fairness to her [Hillary Clinton], she’s standing here listening to this guy. He’s gonna tax you people at 90 percent. He’s gonna take everything – and nobody’s heard the term communist, but you know what? I’d call him a socialist/communist, okay? ‘Cause that’s what he is.”
Sanders considers himself a Democratic socialist.
As CNSNews.com previously reported, at the debate on Tuesday, CNN moderator Anderson Cooper asked Sanders: “A Gallup poll says half the country would not put a socialist in the White House. You call yourself a democratic socialist. How can any kind of socialist win a general election in the United States?”
“Well, we're going to win, because first we're going to explain what democratic socialism is, and what democratic socialism is about is saying that it is immoral and wrong that the top one-tenth of 1 percent in this country own almost 90 percent--own almost as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent. That it is wrong, today--in a rigged economy--that 57 percent of all new income is going to the top 1 percent,” Sanders responded.
“That when you look around the world, you see every other major country providing health care to all people as a right, except the United States,” Sanders added.
“I watched Hillary last night with – we’re gonna give this, we’re gonna give that, we’re gonna give that - the poor woman. She’s gonna give everything away, cause this maniac that was standing on her right is giving everything away, so she’s following,” Trump said about Clinton, comparing her to Sanders.
“That’s what happening. This socialist/communist. Okay. Nobody wants to say it. No. In all fairness to her, she’s standing here listening to this guy. He’s gonna tax you people at 90 percent,” Trump said.
“He’s gonna take everything – and nobody’s heard the term communist, but you know what? I’d call him a socialist/communist, okay? Cause that’s what he is. So then you see her stand up. Now it’s her turn, and she goes, oh, I’m gonna do that too. I’m gonna do that too. … cause she’s gotta win, cause she’s not doing so well,” he said.