Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and former New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg repeatedly butt heads throughout the Democratic presidential debate Tuesday night.
Although Bloomberg appeared more combative during his second debate appearance, Warren similarly continued torching him on various issues.
Here are notable moments in the Warren-Bloomberg animosity during the debate:
Warren slams Bloomberg for donating to GOP senators
When asked by moderators what she meant when she said Bloomberg is not the safest candidate, Warren mentioned how Bloomberg has donated to Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-SC) re-election campaign.
Warren continued calling Bloomberg out for his donations to Republican senators in 2012 and 2016, sarcastically adding that when he tried to “defend another Republican senator against a woman challenger” in 2012, “that was me.”
“It didn’t work, but he tried hard,” Warren said.
Bloomberg shrugs off Warren’s attack on NDAs
Bloomberg argued that releasing three people from NDAs changed “the corporate landscape across America.”
“The trouble is with this senator, enough is never enough for what this —” he began. “I’m going to start focusing on some of these other things. We just cannot continue to re-litigate this every time. We did what she asked, and, thank you, we probably made the world better because of it. And by my company renouncing using these [NDAs], we probably changed, hopefully, the corporate landscape all across America.”
Bloomberg denies allegedly telling a pregnant female staffer to “kill it”
While describing why she views pregnancy discrimination as an issue that she takes personally, Warren referenced Bloomberg reportedly telling a pregnant female staffer to “kill it.”
Bloomberg denied the alleged quote and said “if she was a teacher in New York City, she would never have had that problem” because “we treated our teachers the right way, and the unions will tell you exactly that.”
Warren then called for the women who accused Bloomberg of misogynistic comments to “have an opportunity to speak,” citing the NDAs he had them sign.
Warren railed against Bloomberg’s 2008 redlining remarks
Warren went after Bloomberg’s 2008 comments arguing that redlining was to blame for the financial crash.
“In fact, I was out there fighting for a consumer agency to make sure people never get cheated again on their mortgages. I have a housing plan, and what it has in it specifically, is it needs to deal with the effects of redlining,” Warren said. “We can no longer pretend that everything is race-neutral. We have got to address race consciously what’s happening in this country.”
Bloomberg responded: “I’m sorry, but, unfortunately, she’s misinformed on redlining.”
Warren defends Sanders after Bloomberg’s attempts to attack him
Warren came to Sanders’ defense after Bloomberg mentioned Russian interference, reportedly to help the Vermont senator’s presidential campaign. Bloomberg posited that it was a Kremlin effort to boost President Trump’s re-election.
“Bernie is winning right now because the Democratic Party is a progressive party, and progressive ideas are popular ideas, even if there are a lot of people on this stage who don’t want to say so,” Warren said.
However, though Warren acknowledged she and Sanders agree on many things, she said would be a better President than Sanders.
Later on in the debate, Warren jumped in when Bloomberg rhetorically asked if anybody in the room could imagine moderate Republicans voting for Sanders.
“You know, that is the problem — and that is that a progressive agenda is popular, Mayor Bloomberg,” Warren said, before bringing up her proposal of a wealth tax.
As Warren notes, progressive ideas are popular. It is weird that these debates have turned into a focus group test for Republican talking points.
At this point she’s out for blood and she ain’t stopping until he’s GONE
Bloomberg is helping the Democrats more than any current candidate that is running for the nomination. He’s really the only one attacking Trump, which is what we’re all waiting to see during these debates. What is Warren doing with her little bag full of change? Nothing.
I’m not excusing any of Bloomberg’s past actions or who he has donated to but I think what he is doing now is what matters. Politics can be really sketchy. Those who run shift and change positions to suit the situation. For me, as long as they are evolving in the right direction is good enough.
Warren’s actions have made her come off as a scold and my opinion has soured on her … even though I am on the same page with her on many, if not all, issues. She hasn’t done herself any favors.
She doesn’t have very good political instincts.
Nevertheless she persisted.