Michael Moore, a surrogate for Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, lashed out at the Democratic National Committee for changing its debate rules in a way that will allow Michael Bloomberg to qualify “because he’s got a billion f—ing dollars!”
Speaking at the Horizon Events Center in Clive, Iowa on Friday night, Moore noted that the DNC earlier in the day announced that it was removing a qualification requirement in which candidates had to show they had a minimum number of donors. But Bloomberg is self-financing his campaign, making him ineligible.
“They removed it so he could be in the next debate,” Moore told the crowd. “He doesn’t have to show he has any support amongst the American people. He can just buy his way onto the debate stage, and I got to tell you what is so disgusting about this. I watched the debate in Iowa two weeks ago — the all white debate. And the fact that the DNC will not allow Cory Booker on that stage. Will not allow Julian Castro on that stage. But they are going to allow Mike Bloomberg on that stage because he’s got a billion fucking dollars.”
Booker and Castro qualified for early debates but failed to make it on the stage for the most recent events. Both have withdrawn from the race.
Moore continued, “I’m sorry. Those days are over. Those days are over.”
Then, he noted, with a chuckle, “There are TV cameras here.”
Later, he responded on Twitter to a compliment about his outburst. “Well, thank you. But some days I just lose it.”
The DNC’s new guidelines, effective for the Feb. 19 debate in Las Vegas, require that candidates get at least one delegate out of the upcoming Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, or reach at least 10% in four national polls or 12% in two state polls. To qualify previously, candidates had to reach a polling and a donor threshold.
Bloomberg put more than $200 million of his own money into his presidential campaign as of Dec. 31, according to the latest figures filed with the Federal Election Commission.
Sanders is among a number of celebrity surrogates who have been campaigning for Sanders throughout Iowa in the past week, as the candidate has been forced to remain in Washington, D.C. for the Senate impeachment trial. He is returning to Iowa on Saturday, where he is expected to appear at a campaign concert in Cedar Rapids headlined by Vampire Weekend.