Watch Bernie Sanders help save reporter Andrea Mitchell from a ‘dangerous situation’
LAS VEGAS — After leaving the debate stage on Tuesday evening, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., helped shield MSNBC anchor Andrea Mitchell from a crush of cameramen that nearly knocked her down as they sought to get him on video.
The incident occurred in a hallway just outside the spin room at the Wynn Las Vegas, where candidates and their surrogates spoke to the press following the Democratic presidential debate.
Sanders, who has been gaining on frontrunner Hillary Clinton in national and state polls, had one of the most talked-about moments of the evening when he declared that the public has had “enough” with relentless coverage of the scandal over Clinton’s email use. In the wake of his debate performance, Sanders’ arrival in the spin room led to a near-stampede as reporters and cameramen rushed over to speak to him. The pack of press followed him as he walked out of the spin room.
Yahoo News was standing right behind Sanders as the human surge began to knock Mitchell off balance. Sanders threw his hands out and pushed the crowd away as he shouted for people to move back. As the crowd began to part he reached over to Mitchell, who was still regaining her footing.
“You all right?” Sanders asked. “Are you OK?”
After checking in with Mitchell, Sanders continued admonishing the crowd to move back.
“All right! You know, excuse me! Please move back! You’ve almost injured —” Sanders said before trailing off and turning back to Mitchell.
“Are you all right?” he asked again.
“Yeah,” Mitchell confirmed. “I’m OK.”
Bernie Sanders speaks with news anchor Andrea Mitchell amid a throng of reporters after Tuesday’s debate. (Photo: Erik Kabik Photography/ MediaPunch/IPX/AP)
Sanders continued to wave his hands and urge the crowd to back up.
“All right now! Stop it!” he declared. “Will the cameras slow it down?”
Sanders then reached out and touched Mitchell’s shoulder. Seemingly relieved, she took a deep breath.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“I’m sorry,” Mitchell said. “That was a dangerous situation. I apologize.”
Sanders waved off Mitchell’s apology. She went on to describe the incident as a “terrible situation.”
“You don’t apologize. These people,” he said trailing off and pointing to the surrounding crowd.
He then proceeded to grant Mitchell an interview. She began by acknowledging the huge crowd Sanders brought into the spin room.
“There’s a lesson in this,” Mitchell said to Sanders. “Obviously, you did very well. You’ve been on fire tonight.”
