Sen. Elizabeth Warren desperately needed a major win to breathe new life into her flagging presidential campaign — and scored it Wednesday night by delivering blow after blow against Michael Bloomberg, Post debate expert Karen Hinton said.
While Warren wasn’t the only candidate hitting Bloomberg during the feisty forum, she was the most effective thanks to her extensive knowledge of his history as a media mogul and New York City mayor.
“She really hammered away at Bloomberg, she didn’t hesitate,” said Hinton, a former longtime aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio. “You could tell even the audience was enjoying it,” she added.
The tough performance lends new credibility to her campaign, which has struggled to regain its footing after disappointing results in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary.
“She showed the talent that she has for really taking on tough issues and that she can take on high-powered men like Bloomberg — and Trump,” she added. “She said, ‘Don’t discount me, I’m here and I can handle these Masters of the Universe.’”
Meanwhile, the two-hour forum left New York’s last mayor badly battered by reminding Democratic primary voters about much-criticized parts of his tenure at City Hall, including his vociferous support for the controversial stop-and-frisk policing strategy.
“It’s a big loss for Bloomberg,” Hinton said. “Whatever good feelings got obtained through his money have now retreated because the other candidates ruined his reputation on stage.”
She added: “That will make people very doubtful about Bloomberg’s ability to survive it — even with a billion dollars.”
How the candidates fared:
Joe Biden: He hasn’t given up. Biden was combative and didn’t hesitate to take credit for better health care and ending stop-and-frisk. He has to keep punching, otherwise another moderate — like Bloomberg — will take his place.
Arrow: Up
Sen. Bernie Sanders: He’s got to win the swing states, and I didn’t hear those voters in his voice or see them in his body language. I have never heard them, even though I support many of Sanders’ positions.
Arrow: Down
Sen. Elizabeth Warren: She wanted to regain her lead and she did. She offered sharp policy statements and showcased her legal talents by hammering Bloomberg over his nondisclosure agreements with harassment victims.
Arrow: Up
Former Mayor Pete Buttigieg: He looks and sounds perfect almost all the time, but his blistering exchanges with Sen. Amy Klobuchar did little to dispel the notion he’s too inexperienced for the job.
Arrow: Down
Former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg: He was overwhelmed by the attacks from opponents, who hit him over allegations of sexism at his company and racially biased policing strategies as mayor. He didn’t survive.
Arrow: Down
Sen. Amy Klobuchar: In many ways, she is the best candidate we have. She was articulate, full of good ideas and tough. I don’t see any downsides for her, except she is a woman.
Arrow: Up
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