Warren says Bloomberg's debate presence will allow Democrats to show how they'd take on an 'egomaniac billionaire' like Trump
- Sen. Elizabeth Warren tore into rival Mike Bloomberg on Tuesday, predicting his appearance on the Democratic debate stage in Las Vegas will let his rivals demonstrate their skills taking on an "egomaniac billionaire" such as President Donald Trump.
- "It's a shame Mike Bloomberg can buy his way into the debate," Warren wrote. "But at least now primary voters curious about how each candidate will take on Donald Trump can get a live demonstration of how we each take on an egomaniac billionaire."
- Bloomberg will face five Democrats eager to take him down on Wednesday after qualifying for his first debate since entering the 2020 race.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren tore into rival Mike Bloomberg on Tuesday, forecasting that his appearance on the Democratic debate stage in Las Vegas will allow his rivals to demonstrate their skills at taking on an "egomaniac billionaire" such as President Donald Trump.
"It's a shame Mike Bloomberg can buy his way into the debate," wrote Warren, D-Mass. "But at least now primary voters curious about how each candidate will take on Donald Trump can get a live demonstration of how we each take on an egomaniac billionaire."
Bloomberg will face five Democrats eager to take him down on Wednesday after qualifying for his first debate since entering the 2020 race. The business titan is estimated to be worth more than $60 billion.
Bloomberg, a former New York mayor, has rapidly ascended in the polls — he's now in third place in national surveys — despite forgoing the first four nominating contests in order to devote resources to the more delegate-rich states that start voting in March.
Warren, for her part, is facing pressure to make a mark at Wednesday's debate after sliding in the polls following poor showings in Iowa and New Hampshire, the first states to host nominating contests. Warren came in third in Iowa and fourth in New Hampshire.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is leading national surveys, at 24.8%, according to a Real Clear Politics polling average. Former Vice President Joe Biden is at 17.8%, Bloomberg is at 14.6%, and Warren is at 12.6%.
Candidates besides Warren, including Biden, have also signaled that they are thirsty for blood. While Bloomberg has been able to saturate television viewers with advertisements, his rivals argue that he has not yet had to face questions about his record.
Bloomberg has faced renewed scrutiny over his record on race and policing while he was mayor and about the conditions for women in his flagship financial services business, Bloomberg LP. He has also faced questions about what he will do with the business if elected. A senior Bloomberg advisor, Tim O'Brien, told CNN on Tuesday that Bloomberg would sell the company, and also release his tax returns.
Biden said in an interview with MSNBC on Monday that Bloomberg "can buy every ad he wants, but he can't, in fact, wipe away his record on everything from dealing with stop-and-frisk to his foreign policy assertions and the like."
"And so I'm looking forward to debating Michael Bloomberg," Biden said.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., another candidate vying for the nomination, said she welcomed Bloomberg's appearance at the debate — because she could beat him.
"I can't beat him on the airwaves, but I can beat him on the debate stage," she said Sunday during an interview on "Meet the Press."
Bloomberg, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment, has spent more than $400 million already on campaign advertising.