Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg accused frontrunner Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT) and newcomer former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg of not being true Democrats during the primary debate in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
Taking it one step further, Buttigieg called both men the most "polarizing figures" on the stage.
"And most Americans don't see where they fit if they've got to choose between a socialist who thinks that capitalism is the root of all evil and a billionaire that thinks money ought to be the root of all power. Let's put forward somebody who actually lives and works in a middle-class neighborhood in an industrial midwestern city. Let's put forward somebody who's actually a Democrat," Buttigieg said.
"Look — we shouldn't have to choose between one candidate who wants to burn this party down and another candidate who wants to buy this party out. We can do better," he added.
"If speaking to the needs and the pain of a long-neglected working class is polarizing, I think you got the wrong word," Sanders replied to Buttigieg, before going on to bash the former mayor for taking money from wealthy donors.
"First of all, my campaign is fueled by hundreds of thousands of contributors," Buttigieg shot back. "You're not the only one who cares about the working class. Most Americans believe we need to empower workers. As a matter of fact, you're the one who is at war with the Culinary Union right here in Las Vegas."
Bloomberg was heavily targeted during his first debate appearance, with the candidates going after him for "buying" his way onto the debate stage to his "stop and frisk" policies while he was mayor.
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