Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersKenosha will be a good bellwether in 2020 Biden's fiscal program: What is the likely market impact? McConnell accuses Democrats of sowing division by 'downplaying progress' on election security MORE is touting his "friendly" relationship with President Obama.

The Vermont senator said he had a "good relationship" with the president in a Hollywood Reporter interview published Wednesday.

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"We have a very positive and, I think, friendly relationship," Sanders told movie director Spike Lee.

Sanders spoke highly of the president and the legacy he will leave.

"This president will go down in history as one of the smartest presidents. Brilliant guy," Sanders said.

"And especially, the more people hear from the Republicans, the smarter they think he is," he quipped.

Sanders added that the president is also "incredibly disciplined and focused."

"You're around the media every single day, and you have the opportunity to say dumb things — he does it very, very rarely," he said.

Sanders said Obama campaigned for him in 2006 and he worked on Obama's elections in 2008 and 2012. But he did note that Obama likely has a closer relationship with his presidential rival, Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonWhat Senate Republicans have said about election-year Supreme Court vacancies Bipartisan praise pours in after Ginsburg's death Trump carries on with rally, unaware of Ginsburg's death MORE.

"Is he closer to Hillary Clinton? I suspect," he said. "She was his secretary of State for four years."

Sanders met privately with the president earlier this year. Clinton has criticized the Vermont senator in the past for being too critical of the president.

Obama has declined to endorse a candidate in the primary. But he has regularly praised Clinton, and their close relationship has led to speculation that Obama prefers Clinton.