Warren: Bloomberg making debate will show how other candidates handle ‘an egomaniac billionaire’

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) lamented former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg meeting the qualifications for Wednesday’s Democratic debate, but suggested his presence might better prepare the other candidates for a head-to-head with President Trump.

“It’s a shame Mike Bloomberg can buy his way into the debate. 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,” Warren tweeted Tuesday.

It’s a shame Mike Bloomberg can buy his way into the debate. 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. https://t.co/H02radEZcv

— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) February 18, 2020

Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) have both been frequent critics of Bloomberg’s presence in the race after the billionaire used his personal wealth to blanket the airwaves with advertising despite not entering the early contests, instead planning on competing beginning with Super Tuesday states.

At a Thursday rally in Arlington, Va., the Massachusetts senator blasted 2008 remarks by Bloomberg in which he blamed the discontinuation of racially discriminatory “redlining” practices for the 2008 financial crisis.

“Michael Bloomberg is saying, in effect, that the 2008 financial crash was caused because the banks weren’t permitted to discriminate against black and brown people,” Warren said. “I want to be clear: That crisis would not have been averted if the banks had been able to be bigger racists, and anyone who thinks that should not be the leader of our party.”