The senior Senator from Massachusetts visited the set of Real Time this Friday and failed to take the bait when offered a million dollar donation if she won the Democratic 2016 nomination by host Bill Maher.
Maher spoke to Warren about a variety of subjects, including what it's been like working in the Senate now that the Republicans have taken over, and the fact that even though their rhetoric has changed, they aren't willing to actually put their money where their mouths are and do anything that will improve the lives of the working class, such as raising the minimum wage or getting college tuition costs under control.
He wrapped things up by trying to persuade her to throw her hat into the ring for 2016, but didn't have any more luck than the groups that have been trying to get her to run for some time now: Bill Maher tries to talk Elizabeth Warren into running for president with $1 million donation offer:
“There is one candidate who, if they got the nomination,” Maher said, before his audience’s applause interrupted him. “If you were the candidate and you choose to run, I will find a way to give you $1 million dollars. So does that change your thinking at all?”
Maher made his pitch hours after Buzzfeed published an interview in which the host said he would not offer Hillary Clinton that large of a donation, calling her “too hawkish.” The audience actually cheered so loudly at his offer to Warren that Maher had to stop to address them.
“I said if they got the nomination,” he clarified. “I’m not made out of money, and I might have to take a job as an Uber driver.”
“I’m not running for president,” Warren replied, deflating the crowd. “But I do want to say this when we do talk about money: I get it about money, and I get it about what’s happening with Citizens United. But there is another half to this: on the other side, we may not have the money, but we have our voices.”
Both Warren and Maher expressed concern over the effects of the Citizens United ruling on modern politics — particularly on the Republican side, where billionaires like Sheldon Adelson seemingly hold court over potential contenders.
I'll be happy to see her stay right where she is fighting for all of us. I'd vote for her if she ran, but don't blame her for not wanting to go anywhere near that three ring circus.
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