One of the wealthiest and most politically polarizing figures in the real estate world has taken a wisecracking potshot at another wealthy and politically polarizing figure in the real estate world.
According to a Time magazine report, Berkshire Hathaway chief Warren Buffett fired a barely disguised dig at Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump yesterday during an Omaha campaign stop for Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton. Buffett praised Clinton for being “very, very smart” before having mischievous fun over Trump’s penchant for self-congratulatory accolades.
“And there are plenty of other candidates—well, not too many others—who are probably as smart,” Buffett said, eliciting laughs from the campaign rally crowd. “In fact, one talks about every five minutes how smart he is. And incidentally I went to Wharton, too, and I left after two years to go to the University of Nebraska.”
Buffett took his comments further by knocking the full Republican field by comparing them to old-time nonsense comedy.
“I’ve listened to all Republican debates,” Buffet claimed. “I used to love Abbott and Costello. I mean, I’m reliving my youth: Vaudeville was never this good.”
Buffett, who made his first public presidential endorsement with Clinton’s campaign, has previously lobbed mild remarks at Trump—most recently in October, when he questioned Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan by publicly stating, “America’s great now.” Trump had no immediate comment on Buffett’s latest comments, but a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee responded on behalf of the full party, albeit with a jab at Clinton rather than Buffett.
“Campaigning with the third richest person on the planet is an odd way to communicate that she understands and cares about the needs of millions of Americans still struggling in the weak Obama economy,” the spokesperson said.
