When asked by moderator Wolf Blitzer at Thursday’s debate if, as president, she would sign legislation to bring the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, Clinton said yes. This was seemingly a different position on an issue that has been central to Bernie Sanders’s platform.
In the contentious back-and-forth that followed, Clinton covered all possible bases. “We’ve got to be smart about it,” she said, citing New York’s plan to reach $15 an hour in the city at a faster rate than in suburban and rural areas. Clinton assured viewers that she has supported the fight for $15 “from the very beginning.”
But when pressed, Clinton confirmed that she actually still supports a $12 federal minimum wage. However, she would “urge” cities to go to $15 if they can. “Of course, if we have a Democratic Congress, we will get to $15,” she added, somewhat confusingly.