Former Sanders Spokeswoman: "We Don't Need White People Leading The Democratic Party"

Symone Sanders, former spokeswoman for the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign, appeared on CNN Wednesday afternoon to weigh in on the future of the DNC and the Democratic party. Sanders dismissed the idea of Howard Dean returning as DNC chairman commenting, "we don't need white people leading the Democratic party right now." "Howard Dean is also on record maligning young people and millennials. Telling those Bernie folks they just need to get in line and maligning Bernie Sanders. And that is not what we need," Sanders said about the former party chairman. "In my opinion we don't need white people leading the Democratic party right now," Sanders said. "The Democratic party is diverse, and it should be reflected as so in leadership and throughout the staff, at the highest levels. From the vice chairs to the secretaries all the way down to the people working in the offices at the DNC." "I think we need a robust discussion about this and I think we need to hear more from all the candidates," Sanders told CNN's Brianna Keilar. "Jaime Harrison of South Carolina, he's great, too. He's done real party building, but everybody doesn't necessarily know Jaime and they want to know what he stands for. So I want to hear more from everybody." "I want to hear from the millennials and the brown folks," she finished. <blockquote>BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN: Howard Dean also in the running for DNC chairman. And I wonder what you think -- you're a Keith Ellison person. SYMONE SANDERS, FORMER BERNIE SANDERS SPOKESWOMAN: No. BRIANNA KEILAR: You're not? SYMONE SANDERS: I don't know. I have not thrown my hat in. I know that my former boss has thrown his weight behind Keith Ellison but I have not thrown my weight behind anyone. BRIANNA KEILAR: Okay, this is even better. Then you're an even better person to ask this question of. You have Howard Dean and others who support -- SYMONE SANDERS: Jaime Harrison. BRIANNA KEILAR: That's right, Jaime Harrison, and their line is that Keith Ellison, who is more to the left than these other guys, that he, since he's a sitting Congressman, since it appears he wouldn't leave that position behind, Debbie Wasserman Schultz had wore the two hats. He's saying, you know what, that doesn't work wearing the two hats. Do you think that Is that a real criticism or do you think that that's people trying to get some cover for not wanting someone who is so, so liberal to be at the helm of the party? SYMONE SANDERS: I think it's a little of both. I definitely think it is difficult to win. You have a chair that is a sitting member of Congress, or has any other kind of job, has two sets of staff. There is DNC staff and then there's office staff. Whenever you want to get something done quickly you just can't go through the DNC staff you also have to go through whatever particular office staff. Look, I think Keith Ellison is great, I have worked with him. He is amazing, he is a fighter and he's committed to the issues, but -- BRIANNA KEILAR: Howard Dean? SYMONE SANDERS: Howard Dean, you know, Howard Dean was there for the 50-state strategy, but here's the issue: Howard Dean is also on record maligning young people and millennials. Telling those Bernie folks they just need to get in line and maligning Bernie Sanders. And that is not what we need. And in my opinion we don't need white people leading the Democratic party right now. The Democratic party is diverse, and it should be reflected as so in leadership and throughout the staff, at the highest levels. From the vice chairs to the secretaries all the way down to the people working in the offices at the DNC. I think we need a robust discussion about this and I think we need to hear more from all the candidates. Jaime Harrison of South Carolina, he's great, too. He's done real party building, but everybody doesn't necessarily know Jaime and they want to know what he stands for. So I want to hear more from everybody. I want to hear from the millennials and the brown folks.</blockquote> Sanders' reaction to a white person getting dragged from car and beaten by anti-Trump protestors: "Oh my goodness, poor white people." <blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/rcpvideo">@rcpvideo</a> <a href="https://t.co/yCuy8RDoGz">pic.twitter.com/yCuy8RDoGz</a></p>— I took it out! (@joebuckhairplug) <a href="https://twitter.com/joebuckhairplug/status/801504131869507585">November 23, 2016</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>