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WATCH: Clinton And Sanders Duel In Ads Ahead Of Iowa

With the Iowa caucuses less than a week away, leading Democratic candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton have released new television ads in Iowa, making two distinct cases for their candidacies.

Clinton's is a super cut of her speaking out on children's and family issues throughout her career, ending with the former secretary of state saying, "I've spent my life fighting for children, families and our country and I'm not stopping now."

The subtle message in the TV spot is that Clinton is consistent; she's been dinged for changing positions on issues over time, where her competitor Bernie Sanders is often praised by his supporters for delivering the same economic justice message for 40 years.

Bernie Sanders' ad, on the other hand, attempts to paint the Vermont senator as a candidate of the future. "There are those who say we can not defeat a corrupt political system and fix a rigged economy," Sanders says in the ad. "But I believe we need to lift our vision above the obstacles in place and look to the American horizon." The ad shows open corn fields, factory workers and farmers lifting hay as Sanders speaks of making college and health care more affordable, ensuring equal pay for women, and a living wage for all.

With the ad, Sanders suggests that he can overcome the political status quo, the "corrupt political system" and "rigged economy" he speaks of. It's a subtle dig at Clinton, who he's been trying to paint as the status quo.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Sam worked at Vermont Public Radio from October 1978 to September 2017 in various capacities – almost always involving audio engineering. He excels at sound engineering for live performances.
Sam Sanders
Sam Sanders is a correspondent and host of It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders at NPR. In the show, Sanders engages with journalists, actors, musicians, and listeners to gain the kind of understanding about news and popular culture that can only be reached through conversation. The podcast releases two episodes each week: a "deep dive" interview on Tuesdays, as well as a Friday wrap of the week's news.