Opinion: Why is Bernie Sanders struggling to win over black voters? Listen to his response

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders paid a visit to the L.A. Times editorial board on Wednesday as part of a West Coast campaign swing. In all of Sanders' exchanges with the board, perhaps none was more candid than his discussion of his struggles to earn the trust of black voters — a traditionally crucial voting block for any Democratic candidate.

Asked by Times editorial writer Carla Hall what he could do to turn those fortunes around, Sanders catalogued the obstacles he faces.

Despite his struggles to win black voters, however, Sanders was adamant that he, and not Hillary Clinton, is the more electable of the Democratic candidates in a head-to-head matchup with Donald Trump.

In an effort to perhaps further hammer home the notion of his electability, Sanders was quick to say he has been inaccurately saddled with a pacifist label, during an exchange with Opinion Page Editor Nicholas Goldberg.

Sanders, however, later clarified that the job of fighting terrorism cannot be left to the United States alone. Arab allies need to shoulder more of the burden.

Read the full transcript of Sanders' meeting with the editorial board here.

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MORE FROM BERNIE SANDERS' VISIT:

Bernie Sanders discusses his prospects of beating Donald Trump with the L.A. Times editorial board

Bernie Sanders visits the L.A. Times