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.
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.