The Democratic presidential primary may be getting serious, but Bernie Sanders took on a more humorous tone Thursday night when he played “Ya Bernt” with late night host Seth Meyers.
The game is a campaign-inspired derivative of NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers”‘ usual segment “Ya Burnt,” and this time the Vermont independent senator issued some advice to big banks and, yes, couples.
“The big banks? You’re not too big to fail — you fail! My advice to you is the same advice I give to a couple contemplating an open relationship: it’s time to break up,” he said to applause.
“But don’t feel bad,” Sanders assured. “All the best bands break up eventually — the Beatles, Destiny’s Child. Personally, I can’t wait for the ‘Behind the Music’ on Goldman Sachs. Big banks, ya Bernt!”
While Sanders didn’t walk back calling Clinton “unqualified,” he did say that his Democratic primary opponent is better suited to move into the White House than the remaining Republican candidates.
“On Hillary Clinton’s worst day, she’s 100 times better than any of the Republican candidates,” Sanders said.
Sanders, who won the Wisconsin Democratic Primary earlier this week, told the host that his comments were said “after she and her campaign said (he) was unqualified.”
“Well, look, the issue is, after we won in Wisconsin, and that was our sixth victory in seven caucuses and primaries,” Sanders told Meyers. “I think the Clinton campaign has been getting a little bit nervous. I think they’ve been getting more negative and I hope very much we can have an issue-oriented campaign.”
The last time Sanders appeared on Meyers’ “Late Night” was last summer, as Meyers put, Sanders was “more of a fringe candidate.”
He continued to comment on how both campaigns should focus their exchanges on the issues that working and middle-class Americans are facing.
“But,” Sanders said, “if people attack me and distort my record, we will respond.”
Sanders and Meyers joked that any perceived animosity between him and Clinton is still more “civil” than the Republican race to the White House.
“The bar is pretty low,” Sanders said.