The founder of the progressive online channel “The Young Turks” criticized Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) over her economic patriotism proposal, calling the name of the plan “goofy” and an “obvious political wordplay.”
“I think economic patriotism, it’s a little goofy,” Cenk Uygur told Hill.TV’s Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti during an interview on Friday in reference to Warren’s proposal. “I mean, it’s an obvious political wordplay.”
Warren’s platform, released earlier this month, would include a $2 trillion investment over the next 10 years in green research, manufacturing and exporting green energy technology. Warren also would help create domestic demand for new American products through $1.5 trillion in federal procurement over a decade.
Uygur went on to praise Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), another progressive giant vying for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, for his embrace of democratic socialism.
“His followers don’t find that as a problem they find that as the solution,” Uygur said. “He’s not going to get cute and say ‘oh, it’s not democratic socialism anymore my consultations told me to call it something else.’ He’s just going to tell you why its the better system.”
Still, Uygur said he “really likes” Warren, calling her a “wonderful progressive candidate.”
The Warren campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Hill.TV.
Uygur’s remarks come after Sander’s gave a speech on Wednesday defending democratic socialism.
In his address, Sanders cast democratic socialism as the next step for continuing the sweeping social welfare policies that helped reshape America during the mid-20th century.
While Sanders has leaned into the label, other progressive candidates — like Warren — have attempted to distance themselves from the term.
Warren has seen her stock rise in recent weeks with a number of detailed policy proposals; Sanders, meanwhile, has seen his standing in various polls slip.
A recent survey of likely Democratic caucusgoers in Iowa conducted for the Des Moines Register and CNN found Warren in a statistical tie with Sanders after a similar poll from March gave him a 16-point lead over the Massachusetts senator. And a Monmouth University poll released on Wednesday showed Warren pulling ahead of Sanders in Nevada, the third state to vote in the Democratic nominating contest.
—Tess Bonn
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