CNN Airs Audio Of Tense Exchange Between Elizabeth Warren And Bernie Sanders

CNN aired audio of a tense exchange between Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders that took place at the end of a Democratic presidential debate in Des Moines, Iowa on Tuesday.

“I think you called me a liar on national TV?” Warren said as she approached Sanders.

“What?” Sanders replied.

“I think you called me a liar on national TV?” Warren repeated.

“Let’s not do it right now. You want to have that discussion, we’ll have that discussion,” Sanders said. “You called me a…you told me, alright let’s not do it right now.”

The exchange unfolded after Warren approached Sanders just as the debate ended. Warren was seen refusing to shake Sanders’ hand before the pair engaged in what appeared to be a contentious exchange.

Sanders had denied during the debate that he told Warren during a 2018 meeting that a woman could not be elected president. CNN reported the allegation in a story on Monday that cited four anonymous sources who claimed to be familiar with the exchange.

“CNN reported yesterday and senator warren confirmed in a statement that in 2018 you told her that you did not believe a woman could win the presidential election. Why did you say that?” CNN moderator Abby Phillip asked Sanders during the debate.

“Well, as a matter of fact I didn’t say that,” Sanders said.

“So Sen. Sanders, I do want to be clear here, you’re saying that you never told Sen. Warren that a woman could not win the election?” Phillip asked.

“That is correct,” Sanders replied.

Phillip then turned to Warren to ask about the report, but posed the question in a way that made it seem like the story had been verified as accurate.

“Sen. Warren, what did you think when Sen. Sanders told you that a woman could not win the election?” Phillip asked.