I don't think this was a sit-down interview so much as it was a reporter asking for a comment and getting an offhand response.
If it was a sit-down interview, I can see an argument for doing a limited amount of chud media. You might break off a few people, or at least present them with information that challenges the right-wing narrative/softens their opposition to you. I think this was essentially what Bernie was thinking when he did that Fox News town hall. But you want to direct the conversation -- you don't want to just field a parade of trap questions.
The larger point is that when people do some good things and have a good statement on record about an issue, we shouldn't interpret non-statements ("I defer on this one") as damning. There's no reason to portray something like this in the worst possible light.
Why would you do an interview with National Review at all, even?
I don't think this was a sit-down interview so much as it was a reporter asking for a comment and getting an offhand response.
If it was a sit-down interview, I can see an argument for doing a limited amount of chud media. You might break off a few people, or at least present them with information that challenges the right-wing narrative/softens their opposition to you. I think this was essentially what Bernie was thinking when he did that Fox News town hall. But you want to direct the conversation -- you don't want to just field a parade of trap questions.
The larger point is that when people do some good things and have a good statement on record about an issue, we shouldn't interpret non-statements ("I defer on this one") as damning. There's no reason to portray something like this in the worst possible light.