Clinton turns on Democratic frontrunner Sanders

Hillary Clinton has attacked Bernie Sanders, pictured, her former rival who is a frontrunner for this year’s Democratic presidential nomination, declaring: ‘‘Nobody likes him.’’

Clinton, who narrowly defeated the Vermont senator in 2016 to become the Democratic Party’s candidate, before losing the presidential election to Donald Trump, described Sanders as a ‘‘career politician’’ and suggested that his passion for the causes he espouses was ‘‘just baloney’’.

She added that Sanders and his team were particularly hostile to women, a reference to his row with Elizabeth Warren, his rival for the Democratic nomination. Warren has said that he told her privately in 2018 that a woman could not win the White House, and after last week’s candidates’ debate she refused to shake his hand.

Clinton’s comments, made in a documentary about her 2016 campaign that has yet to be released, will be regarded as the latest sign that the Democratic establishment is terrified Sanders will win the nomination and take the party to the Left. She refused to say whether she would endorse him should he get the nomination. Clinton said in the documentary for the Hulu TV network: ‘‘He was in Congress for years. He had one senator support him. ‘‘Nobody likes him, nobody wants to work with him, he got nothing done.’’ Asked by Hollywood Reporter if that assessment still held, Clinton responded: ‘‘Yes, it does.’’

Sanders has solid support among party progressives for a programme that includes raising taxes and cancelling student debt.

After recovering from a heart attack and cardiac surgery in October, he recorded the best fundraising figures of any candidate.

He has held on to second place in most polls behind Joe Biden, the Centrist former US vicepresident. – The Times