Joe Biden Stresses His Part in Elizabeth Warren’s Signature Accomplishment

Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Senator Elizabeth Warren got into a direct confrontation late in the debate on Tuesday night as the pair of Democratic front-runners compared their achievements in office and traded barbs.

Below is a transcript of part of the exchange:

WARREN: So you started this question with how you got something done. You know, following the financial crash of 2008, I had an idea for a consumer agency that would keep giant banks from cheating people. And all of the Washington insiders and strategic geniuses said, don’t even try because you will never get it passed. And sure enough, the big banks fought us. The Republicans fought us. Some of the Democrats fought us. But we got that agency passed into law. It has now forced big banks to return more than $12 billion directly to people they cheated. I served in the Obama administration. I know what we can do by executive authority, and I will use it. In Congress, on the first day, I will pass my anti-corruption bill, which will beat back the influence of money.

ANDERSON COOPER: Thank you, Senator.

WARREN: And repeal the filibuster. And the third, we want to get something done in America, we have to get out there and fight.

COOPER: Thank you, Senator.

WARREN: For the things that touch people’s live.

BIDEN: I agree. Let me — she referenced me. I agreed with the great job she did, and I went on the floor and got you votes. I got votes for that bill. I convinced people to vote for it, so let’s get those things straight too. [Applause]

COOPER: Senator Warren, do you want to respond?

WARREN: I am deeply grateful to President Obama, who fought so hard to make sure that agency was passed into law, and I am deeply grateful to every single person who fought for it and who helped pass it into law. But understand —

BIDEN: You did a hell of a job in your job.

WARREN: Thank you. (Applause) But understand this. It was a dream big, fight hard. People told me, go for something little. Go for something small. Go for something that the big corporations will be able to accept.

COOPER: Thank you, senator.

WARREN: I said, no. Let’s go for an agency that will make structural change in our economy. And President Obama said, I will fight for that, and he sometimes had to fight against people in his own administration. We have —

BIDEN: Not me.

WARREN: Good. We have to be able to make big, structural change.