Far-left filmmaker and activist Michael Moore exploded on Friday in Iowa at a campaign rally for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) while discussing how the Democratic Party removed debate requirements to allow Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg to appear during the next party debate.
“They removed it so that he could be in the next debate,” Moore yelled. “He doesn’t have to show he has any support amongst the American people.”
“He can just buy his way onto the debate and I got to tell what’s so disgusting about this,” Moore continued. “I watched the debate in Iowa here two weeks, the all-white debate, and the fact that Democratic, the DNC will not allow Cory Booker on that stage, will not allow Julian Castro on that stage, but they’re going to allow Mike Bloomberg on the stage because he’s got a billion f***ing dollars!”
WATCH:
Michael Moore (@MMFlint) explodes at the @DNC just now at a Bernie rally in Clive, Iowa: “The DNC will not allow Cory Booker on that stage, will not allow Julian Castro … but they’re going to allow Mike Bloomberg because HE HAS A BILLION F*CKING DOLLARS?!" pic.twitter.com/76ChQRsKgN
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) February 1, 2020
Moore’s outburst came after the Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced that it was changing the debate rules in a manner that benefited Bloomberg.
The New York Times reported:
The D.N.C. announced Friday that in order to participate in the debate, set for Feb. 19 in Las Vegas, a candidate must win at least a single delegate in either the Iowa caucuses or the New Hampshire primary or meet polling requirements.
It has eliminated the requirement that candidates must have received donations from hundreds of thousands of individuals. Mr. Bloomberg, a multibillionaire, is running a self-funded campaign and is not soliciting donations.
The changes, which represent the most significant tightening of debate requirements this cycle, set off a fresh and pointed round of criticism at a critical moment in the race, as several campaigns braced for the reality check that the Iowa caucuses will provide. And the edict from party officials, which some saw as a concession to Mr. Bloomberg, quickly reignited concerns among those who believe the D.N.C.’s shifting rules for the debates privilege some candidates and campaigns over others.
Bloomberg campaign manager Kevin Sheekey responded to the changes by saying, “We are thrilled that voters could soon have the chance to see Mike Bloomberg on the debate stage, hear his vision for the country, and see why he is the strongest candidate to defeat Donald Trump and bring our country together. Mike has run for office three times and never taken a dime from special interests, allowing him to act independently, on the merits, without having to do what donors expect. He is proud to be doing the same with this campaign.”
The Sanders campaign responded by telling The New York Times: “To now change the rules in the middle of the game to accommodate Mike Bloomberg, who is trying to buy his way into the Democratic nomination, is wrong. That’s the definition of a rigged system.”
Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren responded in a similar manner, writing on Twitter, “The DNC didn’t change the rules to ensure good, diverse candidates could remain on the debate stage. They shouldn’t change the rules to let a billionaire on. Billionaires shouldn’t be allowed to play by different rules—on the debate stage, in our democracy, or in our government.”
The DNC didn’t change the rules to ensure good, diverse candidates could remain on the debate stage. They shouldn’t change the rules to let a billionaire on. Billionaires shouldn't be allowed to play by different rules—on the debate stage, in our democracy, or in our government.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) January 31, 2020