DES MOINES, Iowa — Speculation and jokes spread across social media after a camera caught Sen. Bernie Sanders brushing off billionaire activist and fellow 2020 Democrat Tom Steyer at an event celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The two were caught in an awkward exchange at the event in Columbia, South Carolina, on Monday, which left many guessing what they discussed.
Actor Adam Baldwin joked that Steyer, 62, was once again trying to tell Sanders, 78, “hi” after an embarrassing first attempt after last week’s Democratic debate in Des Moines, Iowa.
Steyer: “I still just want to say hi, Bernie.”
Bernie: “No.”
Steyer: “Sorry.”https://t.co/ZpoC3vXCXa
— Adam Baldwin (@AdamBaldwin) January 20, 2020
Steyer’s and Sanders’s post-debate encounter came after a tense moment between the independent Vermont senator and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, during which the latter accused Sanders of calling her a “liar on national television” because he denied allegations that he said a woman could not win the presidency.
During their exchange, Steyer stood to the side and, afterward, attempted to tell Sanders “hi.” The senator, however, brushed Steyer off and walked away.
Other Twitter users weighed in on what Steyer said on Monday that caused Sanders to push him away again.
steyer: so…heh…that whole “billionaires shouldn’t exist” thing….you’re not including *me* in that, right?
bernie: yeah, good. ok.pic.twitter.com/BEm0499uiN
— jordan (@JordanUhl) January 20, 2020
Bernie Sanders truly is America. pic.twitter.com/0rkKpagRAo
— Brett Banditelli 🚫✂️ (@banditelli) January 20, 2020
increasingly clear that the sole reason steyer ran was to become friends with bernie https://t.co/AlhRVHqlq1
— Ashley Feinberg (@ashleyfeinberg) January 20, 2020
Tom steyer just sayin hi again https://t.co/gNifN9lTx4
— broti gupta (@BrotiGupta) January 20, 2020
Bernie doesn’t just talk the Billionaires Shouldn’t Exist talk. He walks the walk. https://t.co/XwP3Uef7sU
— Kyle Cooke (@KyleACooke) January 20, 2020
Sanders’s team later welcomed Steyer’s interest in the candidate. Ohio Sen. Nina Turner, national co-chairwoman for the senator’s presidential campaign, spoke to reporters at a Vice News forum on minority issues in Des Moines and addressed Steyer’s repeated attempts to greet Sanders.
“Mr. Steyer is fond of the senator, obviously, and he likes to say hello. We need more of that in politics,” Turner said. “I think it’s fine that Mr. Steyer wants to do that. It lightens the mood. I think it’s fine for him to say ‘hi’ to the senator, and the senator, he says ‘hi’ back.”
