BET 'Black Lives Matter' Democratic TV Special Live Updates: Clinton And Sanders Discuss Racism And Equality

UPDATED: 10:43 a.m. EST — Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke to BET Sunday about some of her plans to end mass incarceration, which diproportionately affects black Americans. She said she would look into such changes as “shutting down private prisons, which I think have contributed to the over-incarceration, looking at ways to go right at mandatory minimums to begin to exercise some discretion, set up drug courts, set up veteran’s courts, set up more diversionary programs for both drug and alcohol abuse to try to help people get the recovery treatment that they need.”

UPDATED: 10:40 a.m. EST — Democratic hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders said Sunday during an interview with BET that he regretted how the white community had reacted to the Black Lives Matter movement. “The white community including myself have not been as sensitive to the issues in the black community,” he told BET.

UPDATED: 10:23 a.m. EST — Hillary Clinton discussed husband and former President Bill Clinton’s legacy when it comes to African-American citizens during her interview with BET Sunday. “I am aware that decisions were made during the eight years of my husband’s presidency that we have to learn lessons from,” she said.

Clinton has made a point throughout the race of distancing herself from her husband’s time in the White House and encouraging people to focus on her plans, such as ways to end mass incarceration and grow business opportunities for African-American women.

UPDATED: 10:12 a.m. EST — Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders spoke to BET Sunday about his plans to help African-American citizens, particularly young people. “It gives me enormous pleasure to see young people getting involved in the political process,” he said. Sanders has won support from young voters as well as important endorsements from figures in the Black Lives Matter movement, including Erica Garner, the daughter of Eric Garner, a Staten Island man who died after being put in a chokehold by police officers.

Original Story:

Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders appeared on BET Sunday to voice their views on the "Black Lives Matter Movement," racism in the U.S. and their plans to make the country more equal. The event took place just one day after Clinton won the Nevada caucus, taking home 52.7 percent of the vote compared to Sanders' 47.2. While the special, set to air on BET and Centric at 10 a.m. EST is not available to watch online, live updates will be provided here throughout the half-hour special.

Clinton and Sanders have both tried to win support from the African-American community with varying degrees of success, and the BET event was intended as a way for them to speak directly to black voters about how they could improve their lives. Sanders recently met with the Rev. Al Sharpton following the New Hampshire primary to discuss his plans for making the U.S. more equal.

Clinton saw a strong showing among African-American voters in Nevada, as Sanders struggled to capture much of the state's large Latino and African-American population. The former secretary of state has struggled to win black votes in the past, particularly after her husband and former President Bill Clinton made remarks following her 2008 loss to Barack Obama in South Carolina in which he insinuated that Obama won simply because he was black. “I’m neither my husband nor President Obama, and I’m not running for either of their third terms. I’m running for my first term,” Hillary Clinton retorted.