PRESIDENTIAL hopeful Hilary Clinton has accused rival Bernie Sanders of an “artful smear” after he suggested her policies could be influenced by her rich donors.In a fiery debate, which could mark the turning point in the race for the Democratic nomination, Clinton reacted with fury to the suggestion that payments from Wall Street to her campaign were a sign of corruption.“If you have something to say, say it,” she demanded, adding that it was time for Sanders to end his “artful smears” against her.The TV debate in New Hampshire was the pair’s first one-on-one clash after the exit this week of third candidate Martin O’Malley and it left Sanders exposed to a full onslaught from Clinton, who appeared genuinely angry at the accusations. The two Democrats embraced a markedly more contentious tone than when they last debated before the year’s presidential voting began in Iowa.“Senator Sanders has repeatedly made veiled accusations against her. All she was asking him to do was lay it out,” said Clinton’s campaign manager, Robby Mook.“We clearly saw a robust discussion about what it’s going to take to be our next commander in chief. Secretary Clinton clearly passed that test with flying colours. Senator Sanders struggled a bit.”The fight over who is the most genuine progressive has been brewing since Sanders’ surprise showing in the Iowa primaries, where he came within a whisker of Clinton’s lead.The second state-by-state contest comes on Tuesday in New Hampshire where Sanders is a firm favourite. A poll published yesterday shows he still has two-thirds of the Democrat vote in the state, despite looking shaky at times during the debate.Sanders has portrayed Clinton as an establishment candidate who will not reform Wall Street, which he denounced on Thursday as “an entity of unbelievable economic and political power”.“She represents the establishment, I represent – I hope – ordinary Americans,” said Sanders.“By standing up to big money interests and campaign contributors, we transform America,” he added, arguing that lobbying by the energy, pharmaceutical and finance industries was the main reason that Congress had given them favourable deregulation.Mrs Clinton may say the right things, he suggested, but “one of the things we should do is not only talk the talk but walk the walk”.He added: “I am very proud to be the only candidate up here who does not have super PAC, who’s not raising huge sums from Wall Street and special interests,” referring to outside groups who can receive unlimited funds to support candidates.Sanders pointed out that Clinton had described herself as “moderate” but that he was a true progressive, like President Barack Obama.Infuriated, Clinton replied: “I am a progressive who gets things done, and the root of that word progressive is progress. Senator Sanders is the only person who would characterise me, a woman running to be the first woman president, as exemplifying the establishment.”Clinton then agreed to consider Sanders’ challenge to publish the transcripts of all her paid speeches, noting that Obama had accepted donations from the finance industry and had still put forward comprehensive reform.Clinton argued that while Sanders had demanded the break-up of the big banks, her proposed regulatory policies would actually be tougher on Wall Street and she said that she stood for paid family leave, clean energy and the affordable care act.“Hedge fund guys are trying so hard to stop me,” she claimed.Sanders attempted to turn the spotlight on Clinton’s vote in favour of the Iraq War in 2002 but she emphasised his comparative inexperience in foreign affairs.Even so, despite initially laughing when asked if she would consider Sanders as her vice-president, Clinton then said he would be the first person she would call.She is still the favourite at the national level and her aim is to shrink Sanders’ lead in New Hampshire to single digits.Clinton said this week that she was not worried about the current FBI investigation into the private email server she used when secretary of state. She said it would not lead to harmful revelations about her handling of classified information. During the debate, Sanders declined the chance to criticise her on the issue. In turn, Clinton refused to score points about minor errors Sanders’ staff have made regarding advertising.
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