Amy Klobuchar took a veiled swipe at Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren over their public spat before donors at a high-dollar fundraiser.
The Minnesota senator, 59, was giving supporters a behind-the-scenes glimpse of what happens at the Democratic presidential primary debates during the fundraiser late Wednesday at restaurateur Danny Meyer’s Manhattan home.
Klobuchar, who has mostly stayed above the political fray, specifically highlighted moments she shared with Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kamala Harris of California, both of whom have dropped out of the 2020 Democratic race for the White House.
“Cory and I would write notes to each other during the debates. And then, Kamala and I would always hang out in the back of every break,” she said. “We are better friends during the political campaign, which does not appear to be true with regards to everyone.”
Sanders, 78, and Warren, 70, clashed this week over their differing accounts of a 2018 meeting at the Massachusetts Democrat’s home, during which she told the Vermont senator, her former ideological ally, she was running for president. Warren claims Sanders told her he didn’t believe a woman could win the White House, an allegation he has denied.
After moderators of the Iowa debate forced the pair to address the issue on stage Tuesday night, Warren confronted Sanders after the debate but before a bank of TV cameras, refusing to shake his hand.
“I think you called me a liar on national TV,” Warren said.
“What?” Sanders replied.
“I think you called me a liar on national TV,” Warren said again.
“You know, let’s not do it right now,” Sanders responded. “If you want to have that discussion, we’ll have that discussion.”
Warren said, “Anytime.”
Tensions between the duo boiled over three weeks before Iowa’s opening caucuses. The top four contenders for the nomination, Sanders and Warren, along with former Vice President Joe Biden and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, are separated by only 4 percentage points, according to polling averages compiled by RealClearPolitics.
