Democratic Party presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT) has in recent years spoken about the harsh conditions in Baltimore in similar terms as those employed by President Trump Saturday morning on Twitter, with Sanders describing Baltimore as a third world country so bad off that those living in the poorest sections of Baltimore live shorter lives than North Koreans. Sanders made those comments about Baltimore during his previous run for president in the 2016 Democrat primaries.
Sanders tweeted about Baltimore on May 5, 2016: “Residents of Baltimore’s poorest boroughs have lifespans shorter than people living under dictatorship in North Korea. That is a disgrace.”
Residents of Baltimore’s poorest boroughs have lifespans shorter than people living under dictatorship in North Korea. That is a disgrace.
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) May 5, 2016
The Trump campaign on Saturday tweeted likened Baltimore to a third world country, based on a 2015 report by the Baltimore Sun, “Bernie Sanders on West Baltimore: “You would think that you were in a Third World country”
Bernie Sanders on West Baltimore: "You would think that you were in a Third World country"https://t.co/JHxBxZjuNE
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) July 27, 2019
Excerpt from the Sun, December 7, 2015:
Hoping to reach African-American voters nationally in his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, Sen. Bernie Sanders on Tuesday toured the West Baltimore neighborhood where Freddie Gray was arrested — and likened the poverty he observed to that of the Third World.
The independent senator, who describes himself as a democratic socialist, walked the streets of Sandtown-Winchester for about 20 minutes, joined by community leaders and a swarm of cameras that mostly blocked his view of boarded rowhomes and crumbling marble steps. A handful of residents joined the spectacle, and occasionally broke out in chants of Gray’s name.
The scene provided dramatic visuals of the economic inequality Sanders has made the center of his campaign, offering a new backdrop from which to argue for a higher minimum wage, tuition-free public college and tougher federal regulations of the nation’s banking sector.
“Anyone who took the walk that we took around this neighborhood would not think you’re in a wealthy nation,” Sanders told reporters later at the Freddie Gray Empowerment Center in Bolton Hill. “You would think that you were in a Third World country.”
Sanders walks through Baltimore. "Can you change this Bernie," shouts a man as Sanders looks at boarded up shops. pic.twitter.com/8VlJmtjtHH
— Dan Merica (@merica) December 8, 2015
Four years later, nothing has changed as shown by this video posted July 25 by Kimberly Klacik who is a member of the Baltimore County Republican Central Committee:
He claims to care about children & their future, however in West Baltimore you will find abandoned homes on every block. Many filled with trash, rodents & homeless looking for shelter. Children live on these streets seen here. This district belongs to @RepCummings. More to come.. pic.twitter.com/8z7tfIHU0q
— Kimberly Klacik (@kimKBaltimore) July 25, 2019
That video was highlighted by Fox News Saturday morning. It was this appearance by Klacik that inspired Trump’s tweets about Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) who represents that part of Baltimore, as noted by a Media Matters hack:
Trump's attack on Rep. Cummings is a straight recitation of a Fox segment. "Living conditions at the border are better than most areas in his district, the city lined with abandoned building and trash on the streets."
Left, Fox & Friends, 6:18 a.m.
Right, Trump, 7:14 a.m. pic.twitter.com/w5OniqHgW6— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) July 27, 2019
Video of Klacik:
Kimberly Klacik appeared on Fox & Friends at 6:15 EST today where she discussed the terrible living conditions in Baltimore
Klacik said: "there's abandon homes filed with trash, homeless addicts, empty needles that they have used … it's attracting rodents, cockroaches…" pic.twitter.com/AdR2P0rKwU
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) July 27, 2019
The President saw my work. This just made my day 😊 https://t.co/mFgsAeQrNL
— Kimberly Klacik (@kimKBaltimore) July 27, 2019