Bernie Sanders says gender is 'obstacle' for women in politics following Elizabeth Warren row

Bernie Sanders says sexism, racism, homophobia and ageism continue to impact the political process as US voters determine which presidential campaign to support despite the electorate moving "very significantly in trying to look at candidates based on what they stand for."

Asked in an interview with New Hampshire public radio whether he believes if "gender is still an obstacle for female politicians", the Vermont Senator — who remains the front-runner ahead of that state's primary on 11 February — said yes, noting that "everybody has their own sets of problems" in the eyes of voters taking gender, or age, or sexuality into account.

Mr Sanders said voters are more concerned with a candidate's positions than their gender, age or racial identity.

He said: "I'm 78 years of age. That's a problem. ... If you're looking at [Pete] Buttiegieg, he's a young guy. People will say, 'He's too young to be president.' You look at this one, 'She's a woman.' ... I would just hope, very much, that the American people look at the totality of a candidate, not at their gender, at their sexuality, but at everything."

Mr Sanders' response followed a previous question about whether an "anxiety" exists within the American electorate about choosing a woman president.

"As a country, we've come a long way", he said, pointing to the election and sweeping re-election of Barack Obama and the Democratic candidacy of Pete Buttiegieg, a married gay man.

Mr Sanders said: "The world has changed, and to those people who think that a woman cannot be elected, you're dead wrong. If you think a gay American can't be elected, you're dead wrong. If you think an African American can't be elected, you're dead wrong."

The interview follows Elizabeth Warren's recent claim that Mr Sanders had told her privately during a 2018 meeting that he didn't believe a woman could be elected president. He has unequivocally denied that claim, saying during last week's debate on CNN that "anybody who knows me knows it's incomprehensible that I would think a woman could not be president".

Asked about his interview comments, Ms Warren said: "I have no further comment on this. ... I have been friends with Bernie for a long time."

Mr Sanders' communications director Mike Sesca responded to criticism of his interview comments, which seized on his use of the word "problem" to reference a person's race, gender or sexuality as a potential obstacle to one's vote, by clarifying that the candidate is "very clearly calling on voters to move beyond the societal scourges of ageism, homophobia, and sexism".

Mr Sesca said Mr Sanders "observes that sexism, ageism and homophobia exist in [America] and will be weaponised by [Donald Trump] in the general election".