Amy Klobuchar pushes Bloomberg to qualify for debates ‘instead of just putting your money out there’

Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota voiced her support Tuesday for seeing fellow Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg participate in the party’s primary debates.

“I’d be fine with him being on the debate stage because I think that instead of just putting your money out there, he’s actually got to be on the stage and be able to go back and forth so that voters can evaluate him in that way,” Ms. Klobuchar said during an interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

Mr. Bloomberg, the billionaire former three-term mayor of New York City, has steadily gained support from Democratic voters since announcing his 2020 campaign in November.

He has decided against taking money from donors, however, effectively preventing him from meeting fundraising goals required to participate in Democratic primary debates.

“I think he could have done it if he wanted to get some donors and if he wanted to be on the ballot in the early states, but he didn’t want to do that, so that means you have to wait until the Super Tuesday time,” Ms. Klobuchar added. “I don’t know when that debate is scheduled, but there better be one.”

Mr. Bloomberg’s campaign did not immediately return a message requesting comment.

Bloomberg, the candidate’s eponymous media outlet, reported last week that he has spent more than $250 million on political advertisements since launching his bid, dwarfing the amount spent by other Democratic candidates who have qualified for the debate stage.

In an op-ed published this month, Mr. Bloomberg indicated he would take part in a primary debate if the Democratic National Committee changes its criteria to compete.

“I hope the DNC changes its rules — I’d gladly participate — but I’m not going to change my principles,” Mr. Bloomberg wrote for CNN.

Ms. Klobuchar is not the only 2020 candidate to call out Mr. Bloomberg’s lack of participation, meanwhile.

“Mini Mike Bloomberg doesn’t get on the Democrat Debate Stage because he doesn’t want to — he is a terrible debater and speaker. If he did, he would go down in the polls even more (if that is possible!),” President Trump said on Twitter this month.