Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersJacobin editor: Primarying Schumer would force him to fight Trump's SCOTUS nominee Trump campaign plays up Biden's skills ahead of Cleveland debate: 'He's actually quite good' Young voters backing Biden by 2:1 margin: poll MORE (I-Vt.) fired back at Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonJoe Biden looks to expand election battleground into Trump country Biden leads Trump by 12 points among Catholic voters: poll The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden goes on offense MORE Friday afternoon in response to a subtle dig his Democratic presidential rival made during an NBC interview earlier in the day.

"I think you can come with your own ideas and you can wave your arms and give a speech,” Clinton told NBC's Andrea Mitchell, referring to both Sanders and Donald Trump Donald John TrumpBubba Wallace to be driver of Michael Jordan, Denny Hamlin NASCAR team Graham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Southwest Airlines, unions call for six-month extension of government aid MORE. "But are you connecting with and really hearing what people are either saying to you or wishing that you would say to them?”

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A Sanders spokesman responded with a subtle dig of his own, directing attention to the record-setting number of supporters who attend the Vermont senator’s rallies.

“Bernie is doing more than attracting large crowds,” the spokesman said. “He has a concrete set of proposals to take on the billionaire class and rebuild the disappearing middle class. That’s what people are responding to.”

Clinton has yet to mention Sanders by name in her speeches, but that may soon change as her closest rival continues to close in on her in the early-voting states of New Hampshire and Iowa.