Sanders, Clinton state their case at FOX News Detroit town hall

Image 1 of 4

National security, education and an email scandal were all topics at Monday's Democratic town hall meeting in Detroit.

Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders took the stage to answer questions from metro Detroiters one day before the Michigan Primary at the Gem Theatre.

Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders attended the same town hall but were questioned separately.

Sanders seemed to be favored by the crowd while Fox News moderator Bret Baier drilled Clinton about classified emails.

Baier did not waste any time peppering Hillary Clinton about the email investigation that seems to have consumed her campaign.

"Release it and once the American people see it they will see how absurd this is," Clinton said.

Bernie Sanders was welcomed to the stage by a supportive crowd.

But right away he was asked about a controversial comment he made at the Flint debate when he said "When you are white you don't know what it is like to be poor."

"What I meant by that is that in African-American communities you have people living in desperation, often being abused, by white police officers," Sanders said. "We have too many people living in poverty. We have to change our national priorities and deal with that issue."

The topic of the auto industry bail out also came up. Sanders defended his support which saved thousands of jobs in the state of Michigan.

"What I did not vote for was the bail out for Wall Street," he said.

Differing from last week's Republican debate, the audience was able to ask candidates questions directly.

Clinton focused on her plan to rip away the school to prison pipe line and replace it with a cradle to college.

She demanded the reverse of the deplorable conditions at Detroit Public Schools and return control to the people of Detroit.

Skeptical of Sanders' free tuition plan, she called for colleges to cut costs and states to reinvest in higher education.

"Reduce student debt," she said. "Not only refinance your student debt but make it possible to allow you pay it back as a percentage of your income."

Sanders fielded questions from the crowd regarding the economy and what he referred to the massive transfer of wealth to the one percent.

"We have to put more money in the hands of working families," Sanders said. "How do you do that? You have to raise minimum wage to a living wage."

Bernie Sanders was asked if he would be willing to be Clinton's vice president but he said no, he was going to be president.

When Hillary Clinton was asked if she would ask Sanders to be her VP - she hesitated and then just said all she can concentrate on is what is next - tomorrow’s Michigan Primary.