now he's saying she's unqualified. in terms of the personal tone of this campaign how personal it's gotten you are out there on the trail, have you seen this kind of break down over the last few weeks? >> absolutely and it's just stunning and i think kasie pointed to this, that this campaign started out as the cordial campaign, especially when you matched it against republicans and we haven't seen quite the same level of personal attacks that we've seen on the republican side going after each other's spouses, for example, but this has gotten incredibly personal. to say that someone is not qualified to be president really does mark a new level i think in this heated exchange, you sense that out on the campaign trail, you sense that in their public comments. remember, from the perspective of the clinton campaign one of the reasons why we're seeing her ramp up her rhetoric, she had expected to have this race locked up by the end of march. that didn't happen. and now she's in this increasingly competitive race, she's eager

>> the senator said unqualified if, unqualified if you take money from wall street -- >> which she does. every condition that he set out, she meets. by those standards she's unqualified. >> he made it plain. the senator made it plain. he said what he said. that's how he's feeling now. here it is. >> you're a supporter of his. do you agreer is she unqualified to be president. >> i'm supporting senator sanders. he said it. there it is. the point, the fact of the matter is, now the clun campaign wants to cry foul. the same line of attack they used in 2008 running against then-senator obama, and senator sanders is fed up. she implied he was not qualified. he does not mince words help is a man of integrity and honesty. he didn't play around with it. he addressed it in that rally. in the same -- we are talking about that, how about president bill clinton saying to one of the black live matters young ladies, called her a girl, a girl. let's talk about these issues. so, there is a problem. nobody's going to pretend there's not a problem. there is a problem. but senator sanders did not start thi

bernie stopped saying she was unqualified. she said oh, yeah, he said i was. no longer unqualified. but i'm going to keep fighting. then something happened and she said okay, we'll call the truce. what's going on? >> in fairness, secretary clinton said yesterday, chris, that bernie sanders was infinitely better than donald trump or ted cruz. she said that yesterday, which is essentially what senator sanders said about her. both sides should understand that all they're doing by calling each other liars, by saying unqualified or things like that, they're feeding the republican propaganda machine, regardless of who the nominee is. they're for getting why they got in the race in the first place. they go the in the race to have a progressive supreme court, end income inequality. to do something about universal health care, to create jobs by rebuilding the infrastructure. those are the things that matter. who is the president going to be, and look, we've done so well for so long compared to the republican campaign. it was a shame what happened here. and the problem with senator sanders ta

bernie stopped saying she was unqualified. she said oh, yeah, he said i was no longer unqualified. but i'm going to keep fighting. then something happened and she said okay, we'll call the truce. what's going on? >> in fairness, secretary clinton said yesterday, chris, that bernie sanders was infinitely better than donald trump or ted cruz. she said that yesterday, which is essentially what senator sanders said about her today. both sides should understand that all they're doing by calling each other liars, by saying unqualified or things like that, they're feeding the republican propaganda machine, regardless of who the nominee is. they're forgetting why they got in this race in the first place. they got in this race to have a progressive supreme court, to end income inequality, to do something about universal health care, to create jobs by rebuilding our infrastructure. those are the things that matter. even more than who is the president going to be. and look, we've done so well for so long compared to the republican campaign, it was a shame what happened here. and the problem w

you were unqualified. i heard her fail to say you were qualified but she didn't say unqualified. >> well, look, the issue is after we won in wisconsin -- and that was our sixth victory in seven caucuses and primaries -- i think the clinton campaign has been getting a little bit nervous and i think they have been getting more negative and i hope very much that we can have an issue-oriented campaign. there are a lot of of problems that the middle-class and working class in this country are facing. we should be talking about that. but if people attack me and distort my record, we will respond. >> now, i think they should all go back to the issues and deal with that and bernie -- bernie has moved on. he has said, okay, let's not use the word unqualified, let's use the word contrast. why do i think i'm better than her? they would take the country in very different directions, even though it seems like they're on the same page and that's what the secretary's campaign keeps on saying. they're on the same page. th

but unqualified based on her resume' that speaks to something different. andrea: maybe watching all footage people asking what hillary clinton's accomplishments are people can't name any including her self? she was asked, not only, jen psaki, go down list of people, julie, nobody seems to be able to name a key accomplishment by hillary clinton. >> i can name a few. andrea: hillary couldn't name one herself. bernie is going off of that. if she can't liz reasons she is qualified why would he be able to do so? dagen, you say the desperation is the worst perfume. how about victim-hood or incompetence? if we are to believe hillary clinton, let's say we take her at her word, this whole email thing was based on incompetence. she didn't know the rules. she didn't know what is classified and what isn't classified. she didn't know. couldn't get people to rescue americans in benghazi. that is not the best argument to be commander-in-chief when your argument is -- >> that is not what he is saying. andrea: she made a mistake and misunderstood. >> that is not what he sa

what bernie tried to do last night was to shift to unqualified, how? unqualified in the issues. if you're going to talk about somebody not being qualified then let's talk about why. he said if i'm it's because of h support for trade deals that have been terrible for our country. it's because she supported and didn't have the judgment for the iraq war or libya. he tried to switch it into a different venue. that's what bernie always does. maybe he shouldn't have repeated the words that the press used. i think you're reading too much in it and he doesn't think she's unqualified. he's said over and over again -- >> he does think she's qualified. >> he said that, the clinton campaign and its surrogates over and over again they're trying to disqualify. >> the strategy has been exact rised that way, but nobody -- like secretary clinton, the reason -- i don't mean to get too specific about it, but i am struck by the fact that she was asked over and over again is he not qualified, is he not qualified and she wouldn't say, no, he's not qualified. >> she also didn't say he is. if you look

what bernie tried to do last night was to shift to unqualified, how? unqualified in the issues. if you're going to talk about somebody not being qualified then let's talk about why. he said if i'm it's because of r support for trade deals that have been terrible for our country. it's because she supported and didn't have the judgment for the iraq war or libya. he tried to switch it into a different venue. that's what bernie always does. maybe he shouldn't have repeated the words that the press used. i think you're reading too much in it and he doesn't think she's unqualified. he's said over and over again -- >> he does think she's qualified. >> he said that, the clinton campaign and its surrogates over and over again they're trying to disqualify. >> the strategy has been exact rised that way, but nobody -- like secretary clinton, the reason -- i don't mean to get too specific about it, but i am struck by the fact that she was asked over and over again is he not qualified, is he not qualified and she wouldn't say, no, he's not qualified. >> she also didn't say he is. if you look

what bernie tried to do last night was to shift to unqualified, how? unqualified in the issues. if you're going to talk about somebody not being qualified then let's talk about why. he said if i'm it's because of h support for trade deals that have been terrible for our country. it's because she supported and didn't have the judgment for the iraq war or libya. he tried to switch it into a different venue. that's what bernie always does. maybe he shouldn't have repeated the words that the press used. i think you're reading too much in it and he doesn't think she's unqualified. he's said over and over again -- >> he does think she's qualified. >> he said that, the clinton campaign and its surrogates over and over again they're trying to disqualify. >> the strategy has been exact rised that way, but nobody -- like secretary clinton, the reason -- i don't mean to get too specific about it, but i am struck by the fact that she was ked over and over again is he not qualified, is he not qualified and she wouldn't say, no, he's not qualified. >> she also didn't say he is. if you look up

so why do you now believe she's unqualified? >> because the "washington post" had a headline which said, "clinton questions whether sanders is qualified to be president." that was what was thrown at me. report clinton never actually called him unqualified, though she has stepped up her attacks. >> well, i think he hasn't dunn his homework and he has been talking for more than a year about doing things that he obviously hadn't really studied or understood. >> reporter: the change in tone has to do with the looming new york primary, which suddenly looks like it could be close. to show she's the true new yorker, clinton ditched her motorcade today in favor of the subway. after an early struggle with her fare card, the former first lady rode the rails for nine blocks in the bronx. >> it is so convenient. it is just the best way to get around. >> reporter: a loss for clinton in the state she represented would be humiliating, but for sanders, the stakes are even higher. he needs to turn that race around, charlie to, preserve even a na

do you believe secretary clinton is unqualified to be president? >>> also tonight, another driver is killed by a defective airbag. this time a teenage girl. >>> the irs warns, con artists are targeting taxpayers. >> i was freaking out. i was so scared. i didn't want my parents to go to jail. >>> and extreme sports in a war zone. >> announcer: this is the "overnight news." >>> good evening. scott is off. i'm charlie rose. as the democratic presidential candidates took to the sidewalks of new york the tenor of the campaign was approaching the gutter with each side raising here's nancy cordes. last night. and repeated tight day. >> maybe the american people might wonder about your qualifications, madam secretary. >> clinton's allies said that crossed a line. claire mccaskill said come on, bernie, not qualified? remember what we all have to do together in november. >> i don't know why he is saying that. i will take bernie sanders over donald trump or ted cruz any time. >> sanders said she started it. >> reporter: you routinely say that you respect hill

so why do you now believe she's unqualified? >> because the "washington post" had a headline which said, "clinton questions whether sanders is qualified to be president." that was what was thrown at me. >> reporter: clinton never actually called him unqualified, though she has stepped up her attacks. >> well, i think he hasn't done his homework and he has been talking for more than a year about doing things that he obviously hadn't really studied or understood. >> reporter: the change in tone has to do with the looming new york primary, which suddenly looks like it could be close. to show she's the true new yorker, clinton ditched her motorcade today in favor of the subway. after an early struggle with her fare card, the former first lady rode the rails for nine blocks in the bronx. >> it is so convenient. it is just the best way to get around. >> reporter: a loss for clinton in the state she represented would be humiliating, but for sanders, the stakes are even higher. he needs to turn that race around, charlie, to preserve eve

she never said he was unqualified. she did use some words in that "morning joe" interview that suggested he might not be super well prepared to be president. he has now taken it and is running with it. in our interview with steve korniacki, we're going to be new yorkers, show how real new yorkers fight. in that sound bite you just played she was trying hard not to take the bait, said she would take bernie sanders any time over donald trump. she's trying not to get lured into this. they're both tough. they both can fight. if it happens that they're going to start really going back and forth with each other, that's to be expected in new york. and people pretty much expect that, frankly. >> i mean, i think it's important to clear up what she did and didn't say about sander sanders. >> she has said she was concerned about his interview with the new york daily news where he didn't seem to know the mechanics of breaking up big banks, a major part of his campaign platform. she said she worried about whether he had done adequa

unqualified. >> i didn't hear her say you were unqualified. i failed to hear her say you were qualified. >> the issue is after we won in wisconsin and that was our sixth victory in seven caucuses and primaries, i think the clinton campaign has been getting a little bit nervous and more negative. if people attack me and distort my record, we will respond. >> that as both candidates try to lockdown the state before the april 19th primary. we have cnn's jeff zeleny with the latest from the big apple. >> reporter: christine and miguel, after a heated day on the campaign trail, hillary clinton and bernie sanders campaigning again in new york. bernie sanders questioned the qualifications of hillary clinton to be president. he said because of her vote on the iraq war and wall street, she is not qualified to be president. most people don't believe that, but it fired up supporters. she took the high road. this is how she responded. >> it is a silly thing to say. i'm going to trust the voters of new york wh

do you believe secretary clinton is unqualified to be president? >>> also tonight, another driver is killed by a defective airbag. this time a teenage girl. >>> the irs warns, con artists are targeting taxpayers. >> i was freaking out. i was so scared. i didn't want my parents to go to jail. >>> and extreme sports in a war zone. >> announcer: this is the "overnight news." >>> good evening. scott is off. i'm charlie rose. as the democratic presidential candidates took to the sidewalks of new york the tenor of the campaign was approaching the gutter with each side raising questions about the other's qualifications for the highest office in the land. 12 days before the critical primary our cbs news tracking poll shows hillary clinton, the former new york senator with a ten point lead over brooklyn born bernie sanders. here's nancy cordes. >> i don't believe that she is qualified -- >> reporter: sanders startled democrats with the tough charge last night. and repeated tight day. >> maybe the american people might wonder about your qualifications, madam

she refused to say he was unqualified. it was up to the voters. >> on morning joe, she wouldn't say it, but what she's saying is this guy is not what he claims to be, and the low information voter is falling for it is basically her words. >> the first is, any time we're talking about qualifications and experience, that benefits hillary clinton. any time bernie sanders is talking about that, that benefits hillary clinton. she won't say that he is unqualified. >> is she gets at his age? >> she is getting -- is she getting at his age. >> i think she's getting at the fact that -- democratic socialist, that he has -- >> not a democratic. >> small state, hasn't done much. >> why is she afraid to slam him like most politicians. trump sees somebody, he calls them little marco or big ears. >> you see the exit polls and what is happening she is getting destroyed with young voters, and she needs all those people and come back to the general election. she is actually straddling this very nicely. at the same time, she won't say he is q

. >> you made a comment about hillary clinton being unqualified for the office of president. is that something you regret saying? >> well, it was said after she and her campaign said that i was unqualified. >> well, i didn't hear her say you were up qualified. i heard her fail to say you were qualified. she didn't say unqualified. >> well, look, the issue is after we won in wisconsin, and that was our sixth victory in seven caucuses and primaries, i think the clinton campaign has been getting a little bit nervous and i think they have been getting more negative. and i hope very much that we can have an issue oriented campaign. there are a whole lot of problems but the middle class and working class of this country facing, we should be talking about this. but if people attack me and distort my record, i will respond. >> and the candidates' spouses were dragged into the debate. here's what jane sanders and bill clinton had to say. >> so, about what he says -- yeah. what's the response -- is he qualified? the most qualified person to run for president. more than i was in '92. >>

unqualified. >> i didn't hear her say you were unqualified. i heard her fail to say you were qualified. she didn't say unqualified. >> the issue is after we won in wisconsin and that was our sixth victory in seven caucuses and primaries. i think the clinton campaign has been getting nervous and negative. if people attack me and distort my record, we will respond. >> this as they cross the state and try to lockdown the state before the primary. senior correspondent jeff zeleny has the latest. >> reporter: after one of the heated days on the campaign trail, bernie sanders and hillary clinton campaigning in new york. sanders questioned the qualifications again of hillary clinton. he actually went there and said because of her vote on the iraq war and positions on wall street and accepts money from wall street donors, she is not qualified to be president. it fired up his supporters. she took the high road for a moment. this is how she responded. >> it is a silly thing. i'll trust the voters of new yor

when he's the one who said she was unqualified. and also, responding to a question about the daily news editorial board and one of the question was about didn't know he would break up the banks. that is a fair point to say, for her to say, seemed like he wasn't prepared. because whenever she talks about it, if you break up the banks, we have that authority under dodd frank but we have to deal with systemic risk. here's i want to do that. i don't think it's unreasonable for him to say he was unprepared and now it's all about. >> how real is the concern that if and when she should get the democratic nomination that all of the sudden, the clinton folks find yourselves having alienated a significant number of voters who supported bernie sanders for months, some not just with money but spent a fair amount of time, you know? >> hold on. secretary clinton said many, many times that she respects senator sanders, what he's done for the party, for this race, the fact he's bringing in new people and a good thing. she said that many, many time

let's not use the word unqualified. let's use the word contrast. why do i think i'm better than her? they would take the country in very different directions even though it seems like they're on the same page and that's what the secretary's campaign keeps on saying. they're on the same page. they're not on the same page. >> jane sanders on "the rachel maddow show." the party said fights like this could damage whoever wins the nomination. tad devine is a senior advisor to the sanders campaign. tad, where do you go with all of this? okay, so whoever started it, is it hurting the party? is it hurting whoever becomes the nominee? >> andrea, i don't think it will hurt our party in november. the contrast between whoever the democratic nominee is and the republican nominee is so stark, the party i believe will pull together whether it's bernie or hillary to get behind whoever the nominee is and i think will have a united democratic party in the fall. >> bill clinton was just asked, i believe, in pittsburgh by our reporter about whether a man with the resu

she has attacked me for being unqualified. if i'm going to be attacked for being unqualified, i will respond in quiet. this is a quote from cnn. quote, disqualify him, defeat him and unify the party later. that sounds like they are ready to run a very negative campaign. >> sanders reiterated his attacks on clinton's own qualifications to be president. >> if you want to question my qualifications, let me suggest this. maybe the american people might wonder about your qualification, when you voted for the war in iraq, the most disasterous foreign policy blunder in the modern history of america. people might want to wonder about your qualifications when you supported every trade agreement. >> clinton camp called this a new law and noted the position would disqualify president obama. president obama did not support the iraq war. the white house said president obama thinks clinton is qualified to be president. speaking to reporters in the bronx, clinton called sanders criticism silly. >> it's a silly thing to say. i'm going to trus

but unqualified has not been one of them. he doesn't really believe that. this is all pretty silly. >> the rebuke from the democratic frontrunner backs off on her qualifications. >> does she have the experience? obviously, she does. she was secretary of state, i thought an outstanding first lady in many respects, breaking the mold. >> clinton responding, asked if sanders is qualified. >> i would take him over trump and cruz any day. >> we all make mistakes. but i regret less than she does, because i had the courage to vote the right way even when it was not necessarily popular. >> reporter: a sign of the tough battle under way in new york, ahead of next thursday's cnn debate in brooklyn and the state's april 19th primary. both sides are playing up their empire state connections. >> i'm really going to try to win the new york primary because i love new york. >> reporter: while the brooklyn-born sanders paid a visit to his childhood home. >> i spent the first 18 years in an apartment right here. >> reporter: thursday, bill clinton firing an exchange with "bla

. >> do you believe secretary clinton is unqualified to be president? >> well, does secretary clinton believe that i am unqualified to be president? >> why can't you simply say yes? she has some of the -- a first-rate resume -- >> absolutely. >> in terms of a life and public service and she is one of the most qualified people. >> she has -- >> to run. >> -- years of experience. >> what should she say? >> i have some experience too. i have a pretty good record in congress, as a senator, as a mayor. i think i am qualified to be president. you're right, we should not get into this tit for tata and we should be debating the issues facing america. all i am saying if the people are going to attack us and distort our record, as has been the case time and time again, i'm going to respond. >> this could happen to anyone but hillary clinton's ride on a new york city subway yesterday didn't go as smoothly as she had hoped. it took the senator five tris to get the subway card to work. she eventually got through. >>> john kasich clearly has a stomach for new york po

she refused to say he was unqualified. it was up to the voters. >> on morning joe, she wouldn't say it, but what she's saying is this guy is not what he claims to be, and the low information voter is falling for it is basical basically her words. >> the first is, any time we're talking about qualifications and experience, that benefits hillary clinton. any time bernie sanders is talking about that, that benefits hillary clinton. she won't say that he is unqualified. >> is she gets at his age? >> she is getting -- is she getting at his age. >> i think she's getting at the fact that -- democratic socialist, that he has -- >> not a democratic. >> small state, hasn't done much. >> why is she afraid to slam him like most politicians. trump sees somebody, he calls them little marco or big ears. >> you see the exit polls and what is happening she is getting destroyed with young voters, and she needs all those people and come back to the general election. she is actually tradlistraddlin very nicely. at the same time, she won't say

he calls her unqualified to be president. we have cnn's brianna keilar with the latest from the sanders campaign. >> reporter: bernie sanders here before a crowd at temple university pushing back on some of the charges of hillary clinton and her campaign where they take issue with some of his recent answers and some of his struggles to explain the key parts of his campaign promises. here's what bernie sanders said to hillary clinton. >> she has been saying lately that she thinks that i am quote/unquote, not qualified to be president. well, let me just say in response to secretary clinton. i don't believe that she's qualified if she is -- if she is through her super pac taking tens of millions o dollars in special interest funds. i don't think you are qualified if you have voted for the disastrous war in iraq. i don't think you are qualified if you supported virtually every disastrous trade agreement which cost of millions of decent paying jobs. >> reporter: pennsylvania is a delegate rich state which is important for sanders

if he believes she's unqualified to be president, he believes it -- that president obama has been unqualified to be president and frankly what nomiki says is ridiculous in terms of democratic values and clinton not representing those because guess what? she's winning by 245 votes and across the boards she wins democrats in these primary, not senator sanders. >> we should point out she is ahead in new york. nomiki, how much does the percentage of the win mat never new york, whether it be hillary clinton or bernie sanders? does it have to be a huge gap and does it matter? >> i think it matters in delegate count, but i think it's going to be very significant regardless if bernie sanders wins in new york state where he is from. the reality is just three weeks ago, hillary clinton was up by 30% and now she's up by almost 10%. that is a problem. i mean the issue here is not just about democratic voters. it's about people who have left the democratic party because the ways have been completely sold out to corporate interest by the clintons over the past 20 to 30 years. you have more independence, di

bernie sanders said hillary clinton is unqualified for office. they face off in the wyoming caucus tomorrow. 11 days before the new york primary, donald trump is rejiggering his campaign, while ted cruz tried to explain his remarks about new york values. >>> new evidence in the search for a suspect in the brussels terrorist attacks. just released video shows the so-called "man in the hat" calmly walking away from the airport into the heart of the city. his jacket appears in later videos. he is last seen nearly two hours after the bombings. >>> the sport of parkor is physically demanding and at times dangerous. athletes often use buildings and structures as jumping points. as barry petersen reports, a war-torn region has become an unlikely playground. >> reporter: a war blasted hug and at an apartment building in gaza becomes a perfect stage for parkor, an extreme sport blending gymnastics with agility training developed for a military obstacle course. how many wars have you seen in your lives? >> three. >> reporter: three wars? the men on this pa

bernie sanders said hillary clinton is unqualified for office. they face off in the miami caucus tomorrow. 11 days before the new york primary, donald trump is rejiggering his campaign, while ted cruz tried to explain his remarks about new york values. >>> new evidence in the search for a suspect in the brussels terrorist attacks. just released video shows the so-called "man in the hat" calmly walking away from the airport into the heart of the city. his jacket appears in later video. he is last seen nearly two hours after the bombings. >>> a sport is physically demanding and at times dangerous. athletes use buildings and structures as jumping points. as barry petersen reports, a war-torn region has become an unlikely playground. >> reporter: a war blasted hug and at an apartment building in gaza becomes a perfect stage for parker, an extreme sport blending gymnastics with military training developed for a military obstacle course. how many wars have you seen in your lives? >> three. >> reporter: three wars is in the men on there parker team call

she never said he was unqualified. i find the parsing of words, i feel like they saw that it wasn't working and now they're working their way back. i mean, you can say a lot of things about hillary clinton but unqualified seems like a stretch. i guess they're trying to walk it back. >> hillary clinton never said he was unqualified, but she also has not said he is qualified. i mean, so why is she dancing around this question? same thing that we asked jeff weaver. bernie sanders this morning said she's qualified. then jeff weaver wanted to give caveats. why is hillary clinton dancing around this? >> i think we think it's ridiculous that this is the conversation we're having. >> only because you guys are dancing around it. >> it's not. the way this started -- >> hang on. it's at this point right now, and this morning clinton still wouldn't say yes, bernie sanders is qualified to be president. it's a simple yes, no question. does she think he's qualified to be president, yes or no? >> you asked me a question. let me answer

so why do you now believe she's unqualified? >> because the "washington post" had a headline which said, "clinton questions whether sanders is qualified to be president." that was what was thrown at me. report clinton never actually called him unqualified, though she has stepped up her attacks. >> well, i think he hasn't dunn his homework and he has been talking for more than a year about doing things that he or understood. >> reporter: the change in tone has to do with the looming new york primary, which suddenly looks like it could be close. to show she's the true new yorker, clinton ditched her motorcade today in favor of the subway. after an early struggle with her fare card, the former first lady rode the rails for nine blocks in the bronx. >> it is so convenient. it is just the best way to get around. >> reporter: a loss for clinton in the state she represented would be humiliating, but for sanders, the stakes are even higher. he needs to turn that race around, charlie to, preserve even a narrow path to the nomination. >>

i mean, he has said okay, let's not use the word unqualified. let's use the word contrast. why do i think i'm better than her? on trade. >> and when sanders talked to late night's seth meyers he didn't use the word, but left the door open to more fired up rhetoric. >> the issue is, you know, after we won in wisconsin, and that was our sixth victory in seven caucuses and primaries i think the clinton campaign has been getting a little bit nervous. i think they have been getting more negative and i hope very much that we can have an issue oriented campaign. but if people attack me and distort my record we will respond. >> both will continue to campaign throughout the state today. >>> bill clinton went on the offensive or the defensive i should say thursday during a stump speech for hillary clinton in philadelphia. the former president was repeatedly interrupted by black lives matter protesters and about halfway through his speech, one of them started shouting about several issues including how his 1994 crime bill led to the surge in incarcerations. >> [ inaudible ]. >> wait a

. >> you may have heard senator sanders say i'm unqualified to be president. well, seriously, i've been called a lot of things over the years but unqualified has not been one of them. >> reporter: her husband riled up too. a heated exchange with black lives matter demonstrators protesting a crime bill he signed while president. >> you are defending the people who killed the lives you say matter! tell the truth! >> reporter: today bill clinton apologizing, almost. >> i did something yesterday in philadelphia. i almost want to apologize for it. >> reporter: bernie sanders, in brooklyn where he was born and raised. >> i knew somebody that lived in that apartment house over there. >> reporter: we were there with him walking through the old neighborhood. a stark contrast to the nastiest week on the campaign trail yet. >> reporter: you said quote unquote she is unqualified, and this morning you said she's qualified, so which is it? >> well, in a sense, it's both. >> reporter: it can't be both, can it? >> in a sense. >> reporter: i asked him if he's said anything in

>> well, does secretary clinton believe that i am unqualified to be president? >> why can't you simply say yes, she has some of a first rate resume in terms of a -- >> absolutely. >> the pennsylvania primary april 26, new quinnipiac pole has clinton ahead of sanders by six in the state. >> former president, bill clinton, was also in town, rallying support for his wife. clinton spoke at the dolores emanuel recreation center in east mt. airy. things were going as planned until two black lives matter protesters through up signs criticizing clinton's passage of the 1994 crime bill. here's how clinton responded to it. >> okay, i heard it, did i -- can i answer? here is the thing, i like protesters. but the ones that won't let you answer are afraid of the truth. that's a simple road. >> after philadelphia the former president stopped in scranton. meantime, on the republican side, the candidate are firmly focused on new york. texas senator ted cruz campaigned yesterday in brooklyn, at one of the stops he made maas is a with rabbi's and children, ohio governor john kasi

. >> you may have heard senator sanders say i'm unqualified to be president. well, seriously, i've been called a lot of things over the years but unqualified has not been one of them. >> reporter: her husband riled up too. a heated exchange with black lives matter demonstrators protesting a crime bill he signed while president. >> you are defending the people who killed the lives you say matter! tell the truth! >> reporter: today bill clinton apologizing, almost. >> i did something yesterday in philadelphia. it. >> reporter: bernie sanders, in brooklyn where he was born and raised. >> i knew somebody that lived in that apartment house over there. >> reporter: we were there with him walking through the old neighborhood. a stark contrast to the nastiest week on the campaign trail yet. >> reporter: you said quote unquote she is unqualified, and this morning you said she's qualified, so which is it? >> well, in a sense, it's both. >> reporter: it can't be both, can it? >> in a sense. >> reporter: i asked him if he's said anything in this race that he regrets. >> i

still, she never used the term unqualified. i think you'll hear the campaign push that point. they'll also push the point that, by senator sanders' standards, president obama, john kerry would be unqualified. president obama supports tpp. that's one of the points that was brought up. that sort of allows secretary clinton to hug president obama. we've seen her take that tactic to try to rally the democratic base. seems like the campaign using that in this instance again, seeing an opening there. and then they're making the point that you heard secretary clinton make earlier today when she spoke briefly with reporters. look, this only gives the gop fodder. she tried to stay above the fray with that sound bite. her entire event today aimed at jabbing senator sanders. she took the subway. a few days ago, senator sanders made that comment about using tokens on the subway. some saw as an indication that he wasn't quite up-to-date with how folks use the subway these days. bottom line, tamron, the gloves are coming off. such a fierce fight right now in new york. clinton campaign eager

and if i'm going to be attacked for being unqualified, i will respond in kind. i know every day they develop a new approach to the campaign. i gather their approach is, again, this is a quote from cnn. quote, disqualify him, defeat him, and unify the party later. that sounds like they're ready to run a negative campaign. >> now, this morning the kpant camp is adamant that hillary clinton never said that she thought bernie sanders was unqualified to be president. if you look at the tape from yesterday, she didn't go out of her way to say he was qualified. this morning, a different tone from secretary clinton. listen. >> well, i'm going to keep talking about the issues, dan. i'm going to keep drawing contrast. that's what elections are about. i think it is important to tell people what you're going to do for them, and how you can get it done, how you can produce results that can make a positive difference in people's lives. >> joining us right now is jeff zeleny for more on this. jeff, it seemed different sanders and clinton last night than this morning. >> some c

so the one thing i don't think you're going to hear anymore of is this unqualified line. over the course of the last couple of days we've only heard him make that charge from the stump once and that was when he first used that line against hillary clinton at a rally in philadelphia a couple of nights ago. he reiterated it at a press conference the following morning. but after 24 or so hours of criticism for making that remark, he backed away from it and he said, okay, you know what, she is qualified to be president. but i think you have to think about it in a little bit of a broader sense, frances, which is to say part of the reason for doing that was to show that he wasn't going to simply roll over and let hillary clinton kind of steam roll through this new york primary. he was personally frustrated, irritated that she was attacking him in what he felt was a personal way and he felt he needed to prove he wasn't going to simply let it go, that he was going to hit back if he was provoked. that of course is the risk for the clinton campaign. at the end of the day hillary cl

sanders fired back saying clinton's unqualified for the job. cbs charlie rose pressed sanders on those comments last night. >> do you believe secretary clinton is unqualified to be president? >> well, does secretary clinton believe that i am unqualified to be president? >> why can't you simply say yes, she has some of a first rate resume -- >> absolutely. >> now the pennsylvania primary is april 26th. the new quinnipiac pole has clinton ahead of sanders, by six in the state. >> former president bill clinic ton was in town for his wife. east mt. airy, clinton spoke in front of several hundred people yesterday. the things were going as planned until two protesters from black lives matter through up signs criticizing clinton's passage of the 1994 crime bill. here's how clinton responded to the criticism. >> i heard t can i answer? no, see, here is the thing, i like protesters, but the ones that won't let you answer are afraid of the truth. that's acinal road. >> after philadelphia, the former president made a stop in scranton. >> on the republican

he specifically said he is unqualified. she has not used that word but essentially said -- >> she never said that she was unqualified. >> let me play the exchange on msnbc of exactly what she said so people can hear for themselves. here she is. >> i think the interview raised a lot of really serious questions. and i look at it this way. the core of this campaign has been break up the banks. and it didn't seem in reading his answers that he understood exactly how that would work under dodd/frank, exactly who would be responsible, what the criteria were. and, you know, that means you can't really help people if you don't know how to do what you are campaigning on saying you want to do. >> ruben, she didn't use the word "unqualified." isn't she making the same point? >> no. she is talk bernie sanders whether as a presidential candidate or as a u.s. senator for the last 20 years has been talk about regulating banks and dealing with wall street. and then when he is asked on an editorial board, how would you solve this. it's one

. >> you may have heard senator sanders say i'm unqualified to be president. well, seriously, i've been called a lot of things over the years but unqualified has not been one of them. >> reporter: her husband, riled up too. a heated exchange with black lives matter demonstrators protesting a crime bill he signed while president. >> you are defending the people who killed the lives you say matter! tell the truth! >> reporter: today bill clinton apologizing, almost. >> i did something yesterday in philadelphia. i almost want to apologize for it. >> reporter: bernie sanders, in brooklyn where he was born and raised. >> i knew somebody that lived in that apartment house over there. >> reporter: we were there with him walking through the old neighborhood. a stark contrast to the nastiest week on the campaign trail yet. >> reporter: you said, quote, unquote, she is unqualified, and this morning you said she's qualified, so which is it? >>ell, in a sense, it's both. >> reporter: it can't be both, can it? >> in a sense. >> reporter: i asked him if he's said anything i

bernie sanders saying she is unqualified to be president. she is not fit to be the commander and chief. someone must have had a talk taking with him over the past few days, sitdown saying this is not good. the republicans are the ones that are fighting each other. guys need to get on the loving path. so on friday this happened. a love fest. watch. >> you may have heard senator sanders say i'm unqualified to be president, well, seriously -- [crowd boos] >> seriously i have been called a lot of things over the years, but unqualified has not been one of them. this morning he finally acknowledged that of course, he doesn't really believe that. >> does she have the experience? obviously she does. she was secretary of state, a u.s. senator. i thought an outstanding first lady in many respects, breaking the mold. >> i will take bernie sanders over donald trump or ted cruz any time. >> i respect hillary clinton. we were colleagues in the senate. and on her worst day she will be -- she would be an infinitely better president than either of the republ

but at no point, andrea mitchell, did we hear her utter the words "unqualified." but we did hear from that from bernie sanders last night. >> it's been incredible you pressed her. you said is she ready to be president? is she qualified to be president? and this was largely based on the editorial board with the "daily news" and they pressed her and he failed to answer a number of questions. at least to their satisfaction and to a lot ott press criticism. and she never used the word unqualified. but she suggested it. but very carefully worked around it. this was part of a strategy on their part clearly to dial it up. to suggest that he isn't ready. he's not up to the job. they are increasingly frustrated but they've been careful. they have a concern not to alienate his passionate supporters. they know the party has to at some point come together. but she took it another step, talking to you and politico act the fact that he's never been a democrat. this is a signal to the super delegates. he's not one of us because his pathway to the nomination numerically is switch

he said she called him unqualified. she certainly didn't. joe scarborough pushed her over and over again to say that. she never did. she never would. that's not the kind of person she is. so that was absolutely not true. she was sorry to see him take that turn himself. the other thing he did, whether he was called upon by the loved ones of the victims of the sandy hook mass shooting, to really apologize to them for standing with the gun manufacturers instead of standing with their families and letting them have their day in court. he didn't respond to their pleas and instead attacked hillary. we're sorry to see him take that turn. we really think it's too bad. >> what has her response been behind the scenes? we saw her in front of all the cameras. >> you saw her out there today, riding the subway in new york, campaigning in new york. you saw her, what she has said behind the scenes too, is she would certainly vote for sanders over the republican contenders at that point. she thinks it's really important as a democrat. and so those were her w

that's what led to the unqualified. now, there were several women, including claire mccaskill, who really took to that unqualified comment and said that they thought it was gender-related because a man with the same resume as hillary clinton would not be called unqualified. you'd find some other description. a lot of people disagreed with that. they don't see gender in that. but that, according to a lot of women, that did galvanize, and it also hit some younger people, who said maybe he's not the nice guy that i thought he was. >> it made bernie sanders look like less of an appealing character because it became bernie sanders and not the movement that he represents. >> you know you turn a car off sometimes when it gets old and it doesn't go off? >> i don't want to hear about that, chris. >> you turn the key off and it stays on because it's called preignition oddly, but it's actually post-ignition. it stays on. i think bernie is still working. he may not have the numbers, but he's working still, and he's still running a

and justifying his attack on her as unqualified for the white house. while the headline was a stretch because clinton didn't use those words, sanders reverted to one of his favorite themes. >> let me be clear, this is not the type of politics that i get toet -- i know it's what the media loves. >> bernie whacked hillary because he thought she had whacked him and blamed it on the media's hunger for conflict. thanks a lot. what's also striking here is how much newspapers have mattered in this campaign. sanders took heat for his lack of detailed answers with the new york editorial board, unable to say what laws he would tuesday break up the big banks. trump got knocked for his session with the "washington post" editorial board for telling the "post's" bob woodward we're heading for a massive recession, and his comments to two "new york times" reporters on nato and nuclear policy. sometimes, not always, the press is actually doing its job. it also happens to make a pretty fat target. >>> ahead, now that "saturday night live" is mocking donald trump, is the

john kerry, the democratic party nominee in 2004 would be unqualified by that standard. this is an absurd line of attack. and it's probably the lowest we have sunk here in terms of the rhetoric on the democratic side. obviously, to date you've seen us keep it on the level, policy oriented. especially compared to the republicans. senator sanders, though, in the last few days has really stepped away from that. you've seen harsh rhetoric, not just from the candidate himself, but his campaign manager going around, suggesting this morning that hillary clinton has made a deal with the devil. there's been a coarsening of rhetoric from the sanders campaign that is going to impair our ability to unify the party in the weeks ahead. >> does she take money from the nra lobe, the national rifle association? >> that's another ridiculous attack. there is no question where hillary clinton stands when it comes to gun safety issues. she has opposed the nra at every turn. it's senator sanders that voted consistently with the nra, five times against the brady bill. voted in favor of giving