CNN panel accuses Warren of elitism for not holding elite, private fundraisers


Thursday's Democratic debate saw Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sparring with South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg over high-dollar campaign donations, and scrutiny of Warren's position followed her to the spin room.
Though she has held closed-door fundraisers in the past, Warren pledged not to woo wealthy donors with private events and other special access in her primary race, a policy she says she'd continue in the general election, and has rejected outright contributions of more than $200 from executives at certain finance and tech companies. "I saw what it is that [such donors] expect in return," she told a skeptical CNN panel after the debate.
"I don't sell access to my time, so whether you give me $5 or whatever is the maximum, I'm not spending my time doing call time; I'm not spending my time doing private conversations," Warren said, arguing not that billionaires' money is somehow tainted, but that it shouldn't be permitted to shape her campaign. She pushed back on the suggestion that this is, ironically, an "elitist" purity test, saying she'd never ask fellow Democrats to "unilaterally disarm" in a race against a Republican but does plan to hold her own candidacy to a higher standard.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Read The Week's Ryan Cooper on why that standard should be widely adopted for Democrats to escape the big money stranglehold.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Bonnie Kristian was a deputy editor and acting editor-in-chief of TheWeek.com. She is a columnist at Christianity Today and author of Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community (forthcoming 2022) and A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What It Means to Follow Jesus Today (2018). Her writing has also appeared at Time Magazine, CNN, USA Today, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, and The American Conservative, among other outlets.
-
5 low ratings cartoons about the Late Show cancellation
Cartoons Artists take on early warning signs, the Gen Z stare, and more
-
Connie Francis: Superstar of the early 1960s pop scene
In the Spotlight The 'Pretty Little Baby' and 'Stupid Cupid' singer has died aged 87
-
Crossword: July 26, 2025
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
Trump executive order targets homeless
Speed Read It will now be easier for states and cities to remove homeless people from the streets
-
Columbia pays $200M to settle with White House
Speed Read The Trump administration accused the school of failing to protect its Jewish students amid pro-Palestinian protests
-
Florida judge and DOJ make Epstein trouble for Trump
Speed Read The Trump administration's request to release grand jury transcripts from the Epstein investigation was denied
-
Trump attacks Obama as Epstein furor mounts
Speed Read The Trump administration accused the Obama administration of 'treasonous' behavior during the 2016 election
-
Trump administration releases MLK files
Speed Read Newly released documents on the 1968 assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did not hold any new revelations, King historians said
-
Japan's prime minister feels pressure after election losses
Speed Read Shigeru Ishiba has vowed to remain in office
-
President diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency'
Speed Read The vein disorder has given Trump swollen ankles and visible bruising on his hands
-
'Bawdy' Trump letter supercharges Epstein scandal
Speed Read The Wall Street Journal published details of Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein