NYMag‘s Daily Intel has the text of Professor Warren’s “classy” exit note to her colleagues at the newborn Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (” … I leave this agency, but not this fight. The issues we deal with — a middle class that has been squeezed and business models built on tricks and traps — are deeply personal to me, and they always will be. I will cheer as you open a new chapter in our ongoing push for a strong and independent CFPB. You can realize the vision of a 21st century government that holds law-breakers accountable and that enforces basic rules that make markets work honestly… “).
A one-page interview, “38 Minutes with.. Elizabeth Warren” is in NYMag‘s August 1 print edition:
… One problem is that the CFPB is not likely to get a director anytime soon. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has announced that he’ll filibuster any nominee until the agency is given a board designed to veto anything the CFPB might want to do. When I ask for her reaction to McConnell’s demand that it be made “more accountable and transparent to the American people,” Warren whips her head around, incredulous.
__
“Oh, excuse me? Accountable?” she scoffs. “He wants this agency to be more accountable to the banks. He wants us to have a funding stream that will give the banks lobbying power over this agency. And the second thing he wants with this five-person board, he wants bankers running this place.”
__
This is the kind of biting, no-apologies criticism that has so endeared Warren to her supporters, who have in turn fanned speculation that she may soon run for Senate, against Republican Scott Brown of Massachusetts. But she is circumspect when asked directly about a potential run, as all Washington stars learn to be, telling me only, “I need to get back to Massachusetts”—a line she’s been using a lot the past few days. When pressed again, she repeats, “I need to go home.”
__
Instead, Warren points to a shallow vase full of stones given to her this morning at Nancy Pelosi’s regular breakfast for new congressional Democrats, who would love to see her live to fight another day. “On Monday, when someone asked what I was going to do,” Warren explains, “I said, ‘Look, I’ve always done three things: I’ve taught school. I’ve worked on middle-class economic issues. And I’ve thrown rocks.’ ”
__
And now? She smiles, nudging her new ammunition. “I plan to go back, teach school, work on middle-class economic issues, and throw rocks.”
Keep throwing those rocks, Ms. Warren!
robertdsc-PowerBook
Best of luck to her. Glad she was around doing what she did.
Brachiator
Rocks are best thrown from an advantageous position. I hope that Warren runs for the Senate.
jefft452
so he want the board to be elected by the voters?
oh, right, silly question
nedward
I’d like to see interviews with her in Topeka Mag or Houston Mag or Phoenix Mag. Outside of the blue Northeast she doesn’t exist.
Litlebritdifrnt
This is my response to a comment in the open thread below, I hope someone can enlighten me.
“Wait, what? Capehart is gay? Why didn’t I get the memo?”
scav
@nedward of the state:
1) the innertubz and national media, how do they work?
2) in re possible local election in NE, who are Topeka/Houston/Phoenix Mags to opine about anything? c’est-á-dire, Elections, how do they work?
Sophist(from droid)
@ jeff
“The American people” is a Republican term of art. Just like the “all men” in “all men are created equal”, you know what it’s supposed to mean.
lamh34
@Litlebritdifrnt:
Seriously, it was soooo NOT obvious…lol!
Litlebritdifrnt
@lamh34:
Well I always thought of him as a bit “sweet” if you will excuse the expression but it had never occurred to me that he was gay, I mean never. Not that there is anything wrong with that of course but I just thought he was geeky in a “science and chess club” type of way. I shall have a whole different view of him the next time I see him on Morning Joe. I may have been totally clueless of course but I never recall him being specifically called upon to comment on “DADT” or “DOMA” negotiations or even having an opinion on them, which one would assume he would be uniquely qualified to comment on. Whenever they talk about those topics they always call upon Choi who is still pissed off cause he never got his fucking Pony.
nellcote
Capehart is like Anderson Cooper gay. Everybody knows but nobody talks about it. The media version of DADT.
cathyx
@nellcote: Anderson Cooper is gay?
El Cid
Bunch of immature Warrenbaggers. The real world isn’t like that. Harrumph.
patrick II
@cathyx:
Yeah, but I haven’t had the heart to tell my wife yet.
cathyx
@patrick II: No kidding. That’s a serious disappointment, not that there’s anything wrong with it, just disappointing to this straight woman. Next thing you’ll tell me is George Clooney is gay, but I’ll warn you, I’ll kill you if you tell me he is too.
Litlebritdifrnt
@patrick II:
LOL
(completely inane LOL because I can use the reply button)
scav
@El Cid: snort, given the comment placement, the world isn’t like gay? Harrumph indeed!
lamh34
@cathyx: my aunt in NOLA loves Anderson Cooper cause of his Katrina coverage, but yeah, she was so hurt when I told her he was gay. you would think he was really here boyfriend…lol
MacKenna
This comment on a cbc thread says it all
Raven (formerly stuckinred)
He’s also the sole heir to the Vanderbilt fortune.
Litlebritdifrnt
@cathyx:
Pretty much the same thoughts I had about John Barrowman, BTW has anyone (other than John) been following the new Torchwood on Starz? Really creepy premise, and while the RWNJ viewers might like the idea of never dying, I am sure that their heads asploded at the sight of the very graphic gay sex scene simulcast with a bi-racial sex scene. Jeebus, it’s almost as bad as HGTV.
lamh34
@cathyx:
Clooney…hmmm. Georgous women as GF…check. One mysterious failed marriage where the ex-wife never speaks of said marriage…check. Over 40 (almost 50 right?) Confirmed bachelor…check. Exotic pet instead of childrend…check.
Wow, hate to break it to ya, but…
Mr Stagger Lee
Elizabeth Warren in 2016!!!! That is if we aren’t under Christian Military dictatorship by then.
lamh34
@Litlebritdifrnt: Oh, I’m watching Torchwood, and I’m loving it. The bit that I love the most involves the medical consequences of no one dying.
I hear though that the ratings are ok, but not spectacular. I’m just hoping it last longer than one season.
Litlebritdifrnt
@lamh34:
It is a fascinating premise is it not? SPOILERS! This last episode where they crushed the Tea Party lady in the car and right there in the center of the crushed car was that blinking eye. EWWWWWWWWWWW I suppose noone has ever really thought about the consequences of beating death. There was a line, which Rex’s hotty doctor said something to the effect of “people will be reduced to cicalas” in that they will continue to age but never die, their cells breaking down again and again but their brains or their life going on. At what point does a pile of dust cease to live? I too am loving the series, and I hope that they will make another.
MikeJ
@lamh34: I forgot that they were doing it for merkin tv. I’ll have to see if it’s on ondemand.
Any of the old characters besides Capt Jack (who will get you by tonight, and take you to his special island)?
lamh34
@MikeJ: Gwen is there, and other than the first 2 episodes, Reece has been there. Other than that, that’s it. Still there is all kinds of references to the BBC version, Cap’n Jack uses “Owen Harper” as an alias once and some of the gadgets from BBC series are used.
SiubhanDuinne
Elizabeth SMASH!
Frankensteinbeck
@Mr Stagger Lee:
No, I want Nancy to run in 2016. After 8 years of a black president, a woman president would give the remaining Republicans strokes. Plus, they’d assume she’s an idiot. The same woman who regularly kicks their asses in House maneuvering. They can’t help themselves.
Raven (formerly stuckinred)
Franken “The saving from the draw down in Af-Iraq is used in Reid and Ryan”.
cathyx
@lamh34: I’m going to hyperventilate, I think. That still doesn’t confirm it, though. Taking a deep breath. Breathe….
Trollenschlongen
Elizabeth Warren will NOT run for senator from Massachusetts. The White House will see to that. She’s much too shrill.
It is interesting that all the reasons she is so awesome are likely the same reasons Obama didn’t nominate her to head the agency she created.
So very, very interesting.
PeakVT
@Frankensteinbeck: I like Pelosi and think she’s a good legislative leader, but she’ll be 76 by 2012 and 2) I don’t think she’s smooth enough to be an executive candidate.
Litlebritdifrnt
@MikeJ:
Mike episodes 1-4 are on Starz on demand in my area right now.
ruemara
@Trollenschlongen: for a sidelines commentator, you seem unaware of her own statements on why she is not nominated.
Cain
@Trollenschlongen:
He did nominate her.. it got stuck in congress who wouldn’t do anything so she dropped her name out. Obama wouldn’t give her free free rein to create the agency in the first place if he didn’t support her.
Cain
So it looks like Congress is still stuck on this debt ceiling nonsense.
The only good thing might be that I can afford Apple stock if it falls hard.
hildebrand
Gah! I just spent a few precious minutes reading comments over at TNR – when did that place turn into PUMA central? Oh, that’s right, it was a John Judis piece. Never mind.
By the way – Trollenschlagen, did you happen to notice that even Warren recognized that she would never, not in a million years, not even if the Republicans had their brains transversed, even get to a vote? You don’t think that maybe she (and the folks in the White House) realized it would better for her to keep in the game by going the Senate route?
JPL
@ruemara: nice smackdown…
I love the reply button btw.
PeakVT
@cathyx: LoL. It seems to me that Clooney spends way too much time being seen with women – well beyond what is needed to create a plausible cover story – to be gay.
Emerald
The Elizabeth Warren Rap: New Sheriff
JPL
It appears that Scotty supports the Reid plan and doesn’t plan to filibuster. I wonder why…hmmmm. Could it be the sweet smell of a true supporter of the middle class is considering running?
Run Elizabeth run.
lamh34
@PeakVT: Actually, Clooney’s not seen with that many women. From what I recall, he’s actually been in relatively long-term relationships with a few women. Not burning through ladies…
cathyx
@PeakVT: Thank you so much.
JPL
lamh34 @ 20…whatever..but I’m willing to try the Bachmann plan to convert him if it is true. Send him over..
edit..and I’ll use god’s name also, too..like in oh, god..
scav
Rhys, not Reece (minor quibble, I needed to release some nerdish pedantry) — but isn’t the plot about no death sorta Owen writ large (with some Bo/Jack echos)? That isn’t to say that there aren’t interesting issues that only occur at the larger societal scale.
Thing about Nancy is she may be better off or more effective where she is, rather like LBJ. Poor ol presidenting has to be a little above the fray whereas I’m thinking she’s better off down in the thick of things with her big hammer, the herding people into small offices and orchestrating dramatic moments on the floor. She’s a sheepdog, can pull out the scary mother using your full name voice and knows how to make cookies like a good grandmother. Having her run wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen though and she would drive some people off what little rockers they still have left to them.
cathyx
Just because a man is in his 50’s and is single doesn’t mean he’s gay. There are some men who prefer to play the field. If I didn’t want to have children, I’m not sure I would even consider marriage. And maybe that’s George Clooney’s take on it. And there have been no sightings of George with other men in compromising situations. Ok, now I feel better.
nellcote
I hope to see Boner hand that big gavel back to Nancy in 2012.
It would be awesom if Clooney came out. Talk about yer (literally) global freakout!
Raven (formerly stuckinred)
new thread
Cain
#@lamh34:
You are a woman after my own heart liking Torchwood and others. You don’t generally find many AA who are into that kind of thing. (although I think women tend to get into those much more than men) I’ve been to many scifi convention and you hardly see an AA back in the early 90s. I alwaays thought scifi was a pasty white midwest guy thing. Even when I was there I was the only indian there. (of cousre I’m used to being the only indian anywhere.. my kind tend to stick to stereotypes it seems)
burnspbesq
Pelosi is too old to run in 2016.
Gillibrand is not.
Kane
Roll Call reported earlier this month that Elizabeth Warren is leaning towards running for the U.S. Senate next year against Senator Brown, and that she has been meeting with DSCC Chairwoman Patty Murray and other DSCC principles along with David Axelrod.
If progressives had the choice of Warren waiting on the sidelines for a confirmation that was never going to come or the opportunity to have her serve in the Senate, most would prefer to have her in the Senate. Mitch McConnell may rue the day when he decided to block Warren from confirmation.
Yutsano
@burnspbesq:
I hate you for that earworm. Not because it’s a bad idea, bu because I really have no decent counterargument. And really no better woman on the bench. An interesting Dem though in counter: Schweitzer of Montana. The man is a firebrand. And her being his veep (she like ten or so years younger than him
IIRC) would doth not sucketh either.
ruemara
@Cain: ahem, I prefer to believe that all AA and various other minorities hold secret love for teh scifi and teh fantasy. We just send reps. So me at ComicCon=2000 POC viewers. It’s like being demon possessed but with more cool swag and less vomiting.
@JPL: I don’t really view it as a smackdown. Trollensomthing is an avowed fan of politics with a jaded eyes view of participation, which would explain his dedication to commenting. Which makes his statement curious considering Warren has repeated her story on telly and print during the nomination of the current, Warren-trained and approved of CFPB head (pending confirmation).
JPL
@ruemara: So he reads red state and listens to Fox..
Eric of red state was subbing on boortz and explaining how they only needed four votes to get the cut screw the elderly act through the senate without realizing that it didn’t even needed to be filibustered. It was just tabled.
Math is hard work.
Nellcote
I heart Nancy Pelosi. So thoughtful with the gifts.
Trollenschlongen
President Obama: Perpetual victim.
I think that will make a great campaign slogan for him next year.
Trollenschlongen
Ruemara:
seriously, do you take everything that politicians say at face value? Of course not. So how does Warren saying something on television make it necessarily so?
Do you ever think they may be hiding anything, like what’s really going on behind the curtain?
ruemara
@Trollenschlongen: She’s now a suspicious politician? Which negates your previous support of her. Ok. Is her shrillness now not awesome?
OzoneR
This is really stupid, even for you. If she is just playing the political game and telling you lies to cover up other things, why do you want her in charge of an important agency anyway? this doesn’t make any sense.
MJ
@Nellcote: They should make a Nancy SMASH action figure with a kung fu grip. The Elizabeth Warren one should come with it’s own set of magic stones.
MJ
@ruemara: I agree about the black sci-fi geek thing. There are many more people of color who follow thata world than one would think. (After all, the future world has always been color blind–& AA friendly.)
So my theory is that the force is strong with AA’s, but our need to maintain street cred prevents us from coming out en mass. ;-}
Trollenschlongen
Oh come one, once sucked into the Beltway Vortex of Corruption, everyone is under suspicion. As for “shrill,” I was referring, tongue in cheek, to the MSM/WH behind the scenes assessment of her straight talk about bankers and wall street.
Why the hell do you think Obama didn’t even try to nominate her? His banker buddies find her shrill.
OzoneR
you’re tying yourself in more knots than a sheet on a sailboat.
miroslav
yes go back and teach the students how to make money and enslave themselves with debt up to their eyballs. debt is what we need thats how money makes money. without debt we wouldnt need any money circulating now woul we?