Sen. Elizabeth Warren is defending a recent exchange with an angry dad on the campaign trail by likening him to an irrational critic during the creation of social security.
The presidential hopeful’s college loan forgiveness plan came under the microscope this week when footage of a Jan. 12 in Iowa spread across Twitter.
Ms. Warren told a potential supporter of her Democratic campaign that he would not be reimbursed on college payments for his daughter as the financial slate for millions of others is wiped clean should she occupy the White House.
“I saved my money,” the father said in footage seen hundreds-of-thousands of times on Twitter. “I worked a double shift working to get extra money. You’re laughing at me. That’s exactly what you’re doing. We did the right thing, and we get screwed.”
Last night, a father who saved for his daughter’s college education approached @SenWarren and challenged her proposed student loan forgiveness plan.@TonyDokoupil asks the senator for her response: pic.twitter.com/jLUXPqChC6
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) January 24, 2020
Ms. Warren appeared Friday on “CBS This Morning” to defend her position.
“There was a video that surfaced, a lot of people are talking about it today,” CBS’ Tony Dokoupil said. “It’s of a father who approached you at an event and said, you know, it’s not fair, ’I saved for my daughter’s college education and now you’re talking about forgiving and helping out all the people who didn’t save.’ For Americans who are in that father’s position, who felt they did the right thing and you’re bailing out those who didn’t, what’s your response?”
“Look, we build a future going forward by making it better,” Ms. Warren countered. “By that same logic, what would we have done? Not started social security because we didn’t start it last week for you? Or last month for you?”
“Are you saying ’tough luck’ to these people, senator?” Mr. Dokoupil replied.
“No,” the Democrat said. “What I’m saying is there was a $50 [per] semester option for me [as a college kid]. I was able to go to college and become a public school teacher because America had invested in a $50 a semester option for me. Today, that’s not available.”
Last night, a father who saved for his daughter’s college education approached @SenWarren and challenged her proposed student loan forgiveness plan.@TonyDokoupil asks the senator for her response: pic.twitter.com/jLUXPqChC6
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) January 24, 2020
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.