'Are you saying I'm dumb?': Klobuchar hits back at Buttigieg in bad-tempered Democratic debate
Former mayor taunts rival over forgetting name of Mexican president
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar hit out at fellow Democratic candidate Pete Buttigieg during a bad-tempered debate in Las Vegas after he criticised her for having forgotten the name of the Mexican president.
Ms Klobuchar was challenged on having been unable to name Andrés Manuel López Obrador in an interview.
When she admitted that she had forgotten his name but insisted she was across the details of important foreign policy issues, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana – who performed strongly in the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary – turned on her.
Mr Buttigieg said: "You are staking your candidacy on your Washington experience.
"You're on the committee that oversees border security, you're on the committee that does trade – you're literally part of the committee that's overseeing these things. And you're not able to speak to literally the first thing about the politics of the country to the south."
Smiling and shaking her head, Ms Klobuchar eventually interrupted, saying: "Are you trying to say that I'm dumb? Are you mocking me here, Pete? I said I made an error. People sometimes forget names. "
The senator said her rival – a fellow centrist – was "basically saying I don't have the experience to be president" before saying she had passed more than 100 bills.
She added: "I am the one – not you – that has won statewide in congressional district after congressional district. And I will say, when you tried in Indiana, Pete, to run, what happened to you? You lost by 20 points."
It was the latest clash in the most heated of the Democratic debates so far.
It began with Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren attacking Mike Bloomberg, the billionaire former New York mayor who was appearing at his first debate.
She said: "I'd like to talk about who we are running against. A billionaire who calls women fat broads and horse faced lesbians. And no I am not talking about Donald Trump. I am talking about Mayor Bloomberg.
"Look, I'll support whoever the Democratic nominee is, but understand this, Democrats take a huge risk if we just substitute one arrogant billionaire for another."
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments