Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton lashed out at MSNBC host Rachel Maddow during a town hall Monday night after Maddow raised the mere possibility that Clinton could fall behind Sen. Bernie Sanders by the end of the California primary.

Maddow noted that Clinton dropped out of the 2008 Democratic race on June 7, and was attempting to ask whether she would expect rival Sanders to drop out June 7 as well, since that is the date of the final Democratic primaries. (RELATED: Lovefest: Rachel Maddow Hugs Clinton And Sanders After Debate)

“That was June 7, 2008 when you got out of the race and endorsed President Obama,” Maddow said. “June 7, 2016 will be the California primary, this year. Is that when—if you’re ahead in the vote, if you’re ahead in pledged delegates—”

But Maddow’s telltale “if” caused her to be cut off by an exasperated Clinton.

“I am ahead in the vote, Rachel!” Clinton said. “I am way ahead in the vote! I mean … Now wait a minute. I have the greatest respect for Senator Sanders. But really, what he and his supporters are now saying just doesn’t add up. I have 2.7 million more votes than he has. I have more than 250 more pledged delegates. I’m very proud of the campaign that we have run and the support we have gotten and of course we’re gonna work together. I, as I said, I share a lot of the same goals. We are going to work together. But I am ahead and let’s start from that premise when we talk about what happens next, OK?”

Clinton’s energetic outburst won applause from the crowd, and caused Maddow to give in and rephrase her question to assume Clinton will be ahead June 7. (RELATED: Hillary Says Half Of Her Cabinet Will Be Women)

“Do you expect [Sanders] to drop out June 7?” Maddow asked.

“That’s up to him,” Clinton replied. “I would never tell him what to do.” She added that when she dropped out against President Barack Obama, she did so because it was “the right thing to do” to strengthen the eventual Democratic nominee.

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