After remaining unusually silent through Tuesday night’s Democratic debate in Detroit, President Donald Trump took to Twitter Wednesday morning to weigh in on the 2020 contenders, saying his rivals would lead the U.S. “into an economic sinkhole.”
The president took shots at Democratic frontrunners, former Vice President Joe Biden and California Senator Kamala Harris, who will face off against each other Wednesday night.
“If I hadn’t won the 2016 Election, we would be in a Great Recession/Depression right now,” Trump tweeted nearly 12 hours after the first debate ended. “The people I saw on stage last night, & you can add in Sleepy Joe, Harris, & the rest, will lead us into an economic sinkhole the likes of which we have never seen before. With me, only up!”
Trump’s tweets come after the first 10 of 20 Democratic candidates debated onstage in Detroit on Tuesday, including Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
Warren criticized Trump for his racial inequities in education as she vowed to set aside $50 billion for historically black colleges and universities, encourage universal tuition-free college, and cancel loan debt for 95% of students. She also blasted Trump over the economy.
Sanders told his fellow debaters that Trump demoralizes immigrants and doesn’t care about health care for all Americans. “Health care is a human right, not a privilege, I believe,” he said.
In what appeared to be a response, Trump retweeted a tweet from Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar about the release of a Safe Importation Action Plan.
“This is the next important step the Administration is taking to address foreign freeloading and lower the cost of drugs for Americans,” Azar tweeted.
Sanders fired, or rather tweeted back, sort of. In response, Sanders told Utah GOP Senator Mitt Romney (and 2012 Republican presidential nominee), and Trump Wednesday that he’s “angry because multi-millionaires” like them “have rigged our economy” at the expense of the middle class. Romney tweeted earlier Wednesday that in Sanders’ 28 years in Congress he’s “never able to pass even a scintilla of his socialist agenda. All hat, no cattle.”
“I’m angry because millions are living paycheck to paycheck,” Sanders said. “I’m angry because 34 million Americans are uninsured. Why doesn’t that anger you?”
Trump also went on to criticize the intellect of CNN anchor Don Lemon, who co-moderated Tuesday’s debate by calling Lemon dumb.
“CNN’s Don Lemon, the dumbest man on television, insinuated last night while asking a debate “question” that I was a racist, when in fact I am “the least racist person in the world,” Trump tweeted. “Perhaps someone should explain to Don that he is supposed to be neutral, unbiased & fair…
“….or is he too dumb (stupid} to understand that. No wonder CNN’s ratings (MSNBC’s also) have gone down the tubes – and will stay there until they bring credibility back to the newsroom,” Trump continued. “Don’t hold your breath!”
Trump also quoted GOP Senator John Kennedy from Louisiana.
“The lesser of two Socialists is still a Socialist!” Trump tweeted.
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—Highlights from the first night of the second Democratic debate
—Detroit happily steps into role of political HQ as Democrats gather for debate
—How to watch round two of the Democratic debates for free—even without cable
—Abortion, reparations, Israel: Topics to watch during second Democratic debate
