Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz borrowed a line from President Donald Trump’s playbook Wednesday with a zinger aimed at Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
The possible 2020 contender, appearing on Fox News Channel with host Dana Perino, criticized Warren — herself a presidential candidate — for accusing him of wanting to maintain “a rigged system” to benefit the elite despite previously asking him to support her U.S. Senate campaign.
A partial transcript is as follows:
DANA PERINO: So, somebody else who pays a lot of attention to the stock market is Elizabeth Warren, and she had something to say about you and Michael Bloomberg last night. She said “Billionaires like Howard Schultz and Michael Bloomberg want to keep a rigged system in place that benefits only them and their buddies. And they plan to spend gobs of cash to try and buy the presidency to keep it that way.” She says, “Not on my watch.” What do you say to that?
HOWARD SCHULTZ: I found that so offensive. First of all, Elizabeth Warren doesn’t know me. I mean, I started from nothing. I’m self-made. Isn’t that the promise of America that regardless of your station in life or where you come from, you can be successful in this country? I also think it’s ludicrous. Elizabeth Warren, a number of years ago, knocked on my door and asked me for money when she was running for the Senate, so it’s somewhat duplicitous, isn’t it?
PERINO: Did you donate?
SCHULTZ: No, I did not.
PERINO: She didn’t make the sale.
During the 2016 election, then-candidate Trump repeatedly mocked his Republican primary rivals who had sought campaign donations before heavily criticizing his candidacy.