Purchase, New York (CNN)Hillary Clinton hit Bernie Sanders on Thursday for suggesting her repeated condemnations of Donald Trump's comments on abortion were a distraction from "a serious discussion about the serious issues." Clinton, speaking at State University of New York at Purchase, said she knows the Vermont senator "supports a woman's right to choose." But she also questioned his approach to the controversy.
"I want you to hear this because last night, Senator Sanders agreed that Donald Trump's comments were shameful, but then he said they were a distraction from, and I quote, 'A serious discussion about the serious issues facing America,'" Clinton said to boos from the crowd. "To me, this is a serious issue and it is a very serious discussion. I know Senator Sanders supports a woman's right to choose and I also know that Planned Parenthood Action Fund and NARAL endorsed me because I led on this issue."
During an interview on Wednesday, Trump said there should be
"some form of punishment" for women who get abortions if the procedure was outlawed. His campaign scrambled to clean up the statement later in the day, saying that women who obtain abortions are victims and that doctors who perform the service are the ones who should be punished.
Sanders, during his own interview on Wednesday night, was asked a series of questions about Trump's comments. After disavowing Trump's statements, Sanders then questioned why the mogul's comments were dominating the political conversation.
"Because media is what media is today, any stupid, absurd remark made by Donald Trump becomes the story of the week," Sanders told MSNBC. "Maybe, just maybe, we might want to have a serious discussion about the serious issues facing America." Sanders then went on to say that Trump's other positions -- on issues like climate change, the economy and wealth -- should also be talked about.
"If we don't discuss those issues, it creates the climate for people like Donald Trump to do much better than he really has a right to do," Sanders concluded.
Clinton on Thursday took issue with the idea that abortion does not rise to a comparable level of importance.
"This is a fundamental, constitutional right and we cannot think it is anything other but really serious," said the former secretary of state.
Michael Briggs, Sanders' spokesman, responded to Clinton on Thursday by turning fire back against Trump, sidestepping her claim.
"Donald Trump's statement about punishing women who have abortions is an outrage," Briggs said. "It is unbelievable that a candidate for president would make such an absurd statement. Sen. Sanders has a 100 percent lifetime voting record defending a woman's right to choose and will do all that he can to protect and expand that right if elected president."