Warren turns 'cougar' accusation into a talking point for her college debt plan

Sen. Elizabeth Warren turned an unfounded personal attack into an opportunity to promote her college debt forgiveness plan.

Earlier Thursday, a hapless conservative activist named Jacob Wohl advanced an unfounded claim that Warren — who has been married to fellow Harvard law professor Bruce Mann for 38 years — had been involved in an affair with a young Marine. The accusation was rebutted within minutes by reporters, but the Warren campaign chose to have some fun with the claim that she was a “cougar,” or a woman who pursues younger men.

“It's always a good day to be reminded that I got where I am because a great education was available for $50 a semester at the University of Houston (go Cougars!),” tweeted out Warren along with an image of the Houston Cougars logo. “We need to cancel student debt and make college free for everyone who wants it.”

Warren introduced a plan to eliminate a portion of student debt, depending on income, in July. Under Warren's plan, borrowers who have $100,000 or less in gross household income would receive up to $50,000 in forgiveness. Every $3 of income over $100,000 would reduce the cancellation amount by $1. Those making over $250,000 would not be eligible.

A sign questioning if Sen. Elizabeth Warren is a cougar in Arlington, Va.(Photo: Alexander Nazaryan/Yahoo News)
A sign questioning if Sen. Elizabeth Warren is a cougar in Arlington, Va. (Photo: Alexander Nazaryan/Yahoo News)

As Warren has risen in the polls, she’s gained more attention from Republican strategists who thought she had been buried by President Trump’s racist “Pocahontas” attacks on her claim of Native American ancestry. Two national polls this week showed Warren leading former Vice President Joe Biden, who has been the frontrunner since entering the race.

“Elizabeth, Pocahontas,” said Trump at a Medicare event turned campaign rally Thursday. “When I used to hit her, I thought she was done. But she came back from the ashes. Now I’m gonna have to do it again because I don’t see Sleepy Joe making it.”

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