Donovan Slack

USA TODAY

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on Friday brushed aside remarks by Vice President Biden earlier this week that income inequality is a “relatively new” issue for her.

During a phone interview with MSNBC’s Morning Joe, she pointed to Biden’s later clarification that what he meant was she was busy with other issues during the four years she was secretary of State.

“Here’s the bottom line. I have been working against inequality since I was right out of law school and I have worked hard to try to level the odds for people who are often left behind and left out,” Clinton said.

“That’s why I’ve devoted a lot of my time and attention to trying to end the inequality of opportunity that poor kids face, why I have worked hard to level the playing field for women who are often treated unequally, why I have stood up and fought against a lot of the plans and the proposals when I was a senator to slash taxes on the wealthy… I could go on and on.”

The fact she is having to defend her record on inequality is something of a win for fellow Democratic presidential contender Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who has made it a central theme of his campaign.

It didn’t hurt Sanders either that Biden told CNN the Vermont senator is doing a “heck of a job” and has “authenticity” and “credibility” on income inequality. Biden told NBC that Sanders is “pushing the envelope on (it) for everyone — for everyone involved."

Clinton on Friday sought to differentiate herself from Sanders, saying her understanding is “broader” on the issue.

“I think we have to have a very sharp focus, which I really applaud Sen. Sanders for having, but we need a broader understanding about all of the root causes and contributors to inequality,” she said. ”I feel very committed, but I also feel very confident that my varied experience has (given me) an understanding of all the different issues about inequality that we have to address.”

The battle between Clinton and Sanders has been heating up in recent weeks as polls have shown the race tightening.