Bernie Sanders Says Planned Parenthood Is "Part Of The Establishment" Wow! (Update)

According to Jennifer Epstein, Bernie Sanders was on the Maddow show tonight and said that Planned Parenthood and the Human Rights Campaign were part of the establishment. She provides the transcript in her tweet. Earlier, his campaign spokesman, Michael Briggs went after the HRC this way.

This has now drawn a strong rebuke from Hillary on Twitter. Planned Parenthood also weighed in on Twitter as well.

I wonder why the Sanders campaign thinks this is a winning strategy, especially lumping Planned Parenthood into the mix?

What are his strategists thinking? Real bad move by the Sanders campaign, in my opinion.

Here's Sanders on @Maddow, suggesting @HRC and @PPact are establishment political groups (h/t @stylistkavin) pic.twitter.com/8g9qKNr0Wb

— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) January 20, 2016 x

Now Clinton herself is weighing in on Sanders's comments tonight to @Maddow https://t.co/J7hWz02RKg

— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) January 20, 2016

Planned Parenthood responds.

We respect @SenSanders. Disappointed to be called "establishment" as we fight like hell to protect women's health. https://t.co/kiimTsVw2x

— Planned Parenthood (@PPact) January 20, 2016

Cecile Richards responds.

disappointing to hear this https://t.co/0uObHL6MCa

— Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) January 20, 2016

Hillary responds.

Really Senator Sanders? How can you say that groups like @PPact and @HRC are part of the "establishment" you're taking on? -H

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) January 20, 2016

NARAL weighs in.

Sadly, establishment is anti-choice forces out to end legal abortion & contraception, not our friends @PPact& @HRC https://t.co/lqA2OWC9rZ

— ilyse hogue (@ilyseh) January 20, 2016

Update: When given the opportunity to walk back their comments, the Sanders campaign chooses to double down.

Asked by MSNBC if he wanted to clarify Sanders' remarks on PP, Briggs replied, “He said it better than I could.” https://t.co/K5IJjJiFdB

— Alex Seitz-Wald (@aseitzwald) January 20, 2016 x

— ilyse hogue (@ilyseh) January 20, 2016