In a debate noted for any number of angry clashes, the Democratic presidential candidates found common ground when it came to the toxic water crisis in Flint — both agreed to blame a Republican.
In response to the crisis, both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders said that Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder should step down, but neither candidate was willing to say the same thing about Gina McCarthy, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency — McCarthy was appointed by President Barack Obama.
Sanders charged Snyder with “dereliction of duty” in calling for him to resign.
“The governor should resign or be recalled,” Clinton agreed. “And we should support the efforts of citizens attempting to achieve that.”
But when asked by CNN’s Anderson Cooper why nobody at the EPA has been fired, Clinton’s first instinct was to protect the chiefs and throw the Indians to the wolves.
Clinton first called for a “full investigation” to see “how far up it went” — sound familiar?
But ironically, she was quick to insert a defense for the “higher-ups.”
“I was told that some of the higher-ups were pushing to get changes that were not happening,” Clinton hedged.
With votes on the line, hyperbole and grandiose statements were the order of the evening, with Clinton going so far as to say “it’s raining lead” in the city. Both candidates claimed the crisis would never have happened if Flint was a whiter city and both called for federal money, and lots of it, to address the crisis.
Clinton agrees with Sanders' call for the Michigan gov to resign amid the #FlintWaterCrisis https://t.co/NoOSP5ydnk https://t.co/lmtIoKOwDi
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) March 7, 2016
Not that Snyder was willing to take the criticism lying down. Taking advantage of today’s technology, the Republican governor took to responding to the charges leveled against him in real time, using social media as his platform.
There are many questions about the #FlintWater crisis. Get the facts & learn how we’re working to move #FlintFWD pic.twitter.com/jxVaFv4vne
— Governor Rick Snyder (@onetoughnerd) March 7, 2016
This was never about money. This was a failure of government at all levels that could be described as a massive error of bureaucracy.
— Governor Rick Snyder (@onetoughnerd) March 7, 2016
I’ve proposed more than $230 million in additional aid for Flint, and have already delivered $70 million #FlintFWD
— Governor Rick Snyder (@onetoughnerd) March 7, 2016
ICYMI: We’ve partnered with Michigan Works! to hire 81 Flint residents for water resource sites –> https://t.co/lclLFxTVs2 #FlintFWD
— Governor Rick Snyder (@onetoughnerd) March 7, 2016
I’m taking responsibility as our value system says we should. My track record is getting things done, and I want to get this done. #FlintFWD
— Governor Rick Snyder (@onetoughnerd) March 7, 2016
Details on the $30 million in water bill relief for #Flint residents at https://t.co/PEFihE7Qvz. No one should pay for water they can’t use.
— Governor Rick Snyder (@onetoughnerd) March 7, 2016
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Tom@bizpacreview.com
The longest-tenured writer at BizPac Review, Tom grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills.
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