Story highlights Bernie Sanders on Thursday night argued that the fruits of his economic agenda would help ease racial tensions in America

Members of the Clinton campaign quickly seized on Sanders' answer

(CNN) Bernie Sanders on Thursday night argued that the fruits of his economic agenda would help ease racial tensions in America.

Asked by PBS debate moderator Judy Woodruff if "race relations would be better under a Sanders presidency than they've been," the Vermont senator replied, "Absolutely."

"Because what we will do is say, instead of giving tax breaks to millionaires, we are going to create millions of jobs for low-income kids so they're not hanging out on street corners," he said. "We're going to make sure that those kids stay in school or are able get a college education. So I think that when you give low-income kids, African-American, white, Latino kids, the opportunities to get their lives together, they are not going to end up in jail. They're going to end up in the productive economy, which is where we want them."

Members of the Clinton campaign quickly seized on Sanders' answer, calling it a dig at President Barack Obama.

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