Democratic presidential contender Sen. Bernie Sanders suggested Tuesday that his only competition as of yet, Hillary Clinton, hustles so much money that she is probably unable to understand the plight of the middle class American voter.
"When you hustle money like that, you don't sit in restaurants like this," the independent Vermont senator told CNBC's John Harwood as they sat at a Capitol Hill bistro. "You sit in restaurants where you're spending -- I don't know what they spend -- hundreds of dollars for dinner and so forth."
Sanders was referring to recent revelations that Hillary Clinton and her husband former President Bill Clinton earned more than $25 million in speeches alone in 2014. Since Bill Clinton left the White House, the two reportedly earned more than $130 million in speaking fees.
Clinton announced her presidential campaign in April with the release of a video, in which she attempted to humanize her ambitions by tying them to hopes for the future expressed by ordinary Americans.
"Everyday Americans need a champion," Clinton said in the video, "and I want to be that champion."
Aside from suggesting that Clinton wouldn't eat dinner at the Washington bistro where the interview was held, Sanders questioned whether Clinton would be "very concerned" about issues affecting working-class Americans.
Critics also like to point out the fact that Clinton takes private jets from gig to gig, and admits she hasn't driven a car since 1996, notes The Washington Times.
"That's the world that you're accustomed to, and that's the world view that you adopt. You're not worrying about a kid three blocks away from here whose mom can't afford to feed him," Sanders said.
"I'm not going to condemn Hillary and Bill Clinton because they've made a lot of money. [But] that type of wealth has the potential to isolate you from the reality of the world."
He added, "I think it's hard not to acknowledge that Hillary Clinton is part of the establishment."
