Democratic strategist Paul Begala is questioning President Joe Biden’s decision to cancel student loan debt for millions of borrowers.
During a segment on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday, Begala criticized the plan even as he labeled himself a progressive.
“I want to help folks. But I think this is terrible policy,” he said. “[The] politics of it we saw. Tim Ryan is in a tough race in a tough state, and he can’t stand this idea. Sen. [Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)] is all for it — she’s not exactly from a swing state.”
He went on to note that it’s not just Republicans who are against the plan, but “good Democrats” are as well.
“What is my party doing with this? I think they’re not helping the people that we’re here to help, which is poor people and underprivileged communities,” Begala said.
He added, “And they’re not helping their politicians who are running.”
Watch the video below:
Former top Clinton advisor Paul Begala blasts Biden's student loan debt bailout:
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 28, 2022
"What is my party doing with this? I think they're not helping the people that we're here to help, which is poor people and underprivileged communities." pic.twitter.com/s86uHqNpye
Biden shared his plan to cancel student loan debt for millions of borrowers last week.
But while some progressives praised it, it was met with fierce criticism from conservatives. And even some Democrats have spoken out against it.
Begala, a strategist for former President Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign, has previously criticized the idea of student loan cancellation.
During a segment on HBO’s “Real Time” in May, host Bill Maher suggested that such a move would likely be a “loser issue for the party that is trying to win back the working class.”
“We who didn’t go to college and didn’t benefit from that are gonna subsidize you to get your degree in gender studies and sports marketing and all the other bulls***,” Maher said.
Watch the video below:
Watch Bill Maher and Paul Begala slam student loan forgiveness.#RealTime pic.twitter.com/WNwKTUT8Vk
— Bob Brigham (@BobBrigham) May 7, 2022
Begala seemed to agree with Maher’s argument as he joked, “We Democrats have a lab, two labs actually, secret labs — one in Berkeley and one in Brooklyn — where we come up with ideas to completely piss off the working class, and it’s working wonderfully.”
He added, “Somehow, in my lifetime, the Democrats have gone from being the party of the factory floor to being the party of the faculty lounge.”