Election 2020 Open Thread: Hometown Welcome for Warren
The view outside the MA convention, where @ewarren is expected to speak later today. pic.twitter.com/KJ9r5GFAZK
— Daniella Díaz 🤠 (@DaniellaMicaela) September 14, 2019
This is significant, because traditionally the old-guard Democratic Party in our Peoples’ Republic has been very misogynistic. There’s a long tradition where only extremely ‘go along to get along’ female candidates are given the chance to rise in the party… and then when they fail to catch fire, the old bhoys in the legislature and their media enablers announce it proves Massachusetts voters just aren’t ready to vote for some broad.
These tweets are from the official convention for professional MA Democrats, and clearly the misogynists have been overpowered, at least for now.
Massachusetts Dem Party Convention is underway and there’s a bit of commotion on one side of the arena — Elizabeth Warren has arrived early to greet people pic.twitter.com/437eANB6pv
— MJ Lee (@mj_lee) September 14, 2019
At the @massdems convention, @LoriTrahanMA sings Elizabeth Warren’s praises — as Warren herself is surrounded by people wanting selfies. She’s giving a keynote address here later. #mapoli pic.twitter.com/LXrUBn8p6f
— Amy B Wang (@amybwang) September 14, 2019
Warren photo line, Springfield, MA: pic.twitter.com/hdFdiNhteJ
— MJ Lee (@mj_lee) September 14, 2019
Lots of nods to her adopted home state in Warren's speech today: "Massachusetts, seven years ago, you gave me a chance to serve as your Senator, the first woman Senator in the history of our Commonwealth." Loud applause. @massdems #mapoli
— Amy B Wang (@amybwang) September 14, 2019
Traditionally, Massholes have not exactly been receptive to candidates of color, either — and I doubt it’s a coincidence when Warren reminds the Official Party Leaders how much *that* dynamic is changing, as well:
Warren also shouts out Rachael Rollins (@DARollins) as first woman elected as Suffolk County District Attorney and the first woman of color DA in Massachusetts history.
— Amy B Wang (@amybwang) September 14, 2019
Warren: "And yes, we will pass a wealth tax." Big cheers. "That’s 2 cents on the dollar for people with fortunes worth more than $50 million. Think about that! The first $50 million, free and clear!" Jokes that she sees someone in the audience feigning relief. #mapoli
— Amy B Wang (@amybwang) September 14, 2019
Warren closes by saying "these are dark times in America… but I. Am. Not. Afraid." Emphasis on each word. "And for Democrats to win in 2020, you can’t be afraid either." Crowd chants along with her as she concludes: "This is our moment to dream big and fight hard!" #mapoli
— Amy B Wang (@amybwang) September 14, 2019
Yep. And important to note as well that it's not just the photos. People are having conversations with Warren on these selfie lines. Short conversations, mostly, but actual conversations. https://t.co/Iinn1k41Bw
— Angus Johnston (@studentactivism) September 14, 2019
(Also, she's VERY good at keeping her enthusiasm up for those conversations. She's a natural retail campaigner, and the selfie lines are a way for her to use those skills to her benefit.)
— Angus Johnston (@studentactivism) September 14, 2019
I suspect what’s being covered now as “cute” may turn out to be “brilliant.”
— Schooley (@Rschooley) September 14, 2019
Excessively friendly reminder that Elizabeth Warren showed up to fight Brett Kavanaugh’s threat to Roe v. Wade *weeks before* we met the endlessly courageous Christine Blasey Ford. She’s the real deal, folks. ✊💕⚡️ pic.twitter.com/fGTIVQTKLM
— Lauren Duca (@laurenduca) September 15, 2019
I just met Elizabeth Warren in the airport and on my life I was so excited I could barely spit it out but I said "I live in Alabama now….please save us" and she said "were leaving no one behind. We've got to do this"
MY. VOTE. IS. RESERVED FOR. @ewarren AND SO SHOULD YOURS. pic.twitter.com/vEOoRFwuRE
— 🔮🎃𝙽𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚊🦇 🧛🏽♀️ (@CPTMarvelUS) September 14, 2019
Has anyone describes her selfie line in a condescending way like that, or is this one of those fake foils social media likes to play up?
I’m going to be crying on November 4, 2020. For joy and not for sorrow, I hope.
@Baud
That some Breitbartians haven’t yet stood in the line to later claim she grabbed and squeezed their butts is somewhat surprising.
Just to mention – the only candidates with pictures on the front page of wapo at the minute are Sanders and Biden. The media wants one of these two to win because it is the ONLY way trump has a chance – old man against old man (regardless that polls may say differently).
@Baud:
Think about it from the other direction. She’s the 3rd oldest in the candidate lineup and she doing an absolutely current thing – selfies. Not just a handshake or a picture, a selfie. Olds don’t do this, most of the time we don’t even think about it. She’s doing it, spending more time with the selfie line than in any speech. She’s identifying with the voters in a way that no one else ever has, at least in a presidential election. Mom got to shake Bill Clinton’s hand at some time back in the 90s, she never forgot that. People get to take home a picture of themselves with their candidate. They aren’t going to forget that.
@Ruckus: I have a selfie I did in the Nam!
@RAVEN: Saving Private Raven!
ETA: How is retirement treating you?
@TS (the original): Agreed. MSM’s game is a transparent one.
@Ruckus
Maybe Wilmer will start skateboarding while wearing saggerz.
:)
I stood in the selfie line last weekend at the New Hampshire convention and I will treasure the picture forever — and I am not usually someone who gets starstruck. Like most of us, I will support any Democrat — and I was favorably impressed by many of the candidates at the convention — Harris and Buttigieg weren’t a surprise, but I really liked Booker and Klobuchar as well, which I didn’t expect. All of them are so smart and thoughtful I would be thrilled to support them, and we’re lucky to have so many good choices.
But I was amazed at the level of enthusiasm for Warren — like a rock star-level two minute standing ovation. If she can continue to generate that kind of energy I don’t see how anyone can beat her.
She’s not dolng it anymore, but the description of how she managed her wardrobe while still a Senator in last year’s longread by Rebecca Traister in NY Mag completely charmed me:
That is such a mom thing to do, buy a cheap sweater and chop off the bottom. The whole piece is well worth reading if you missed it. Can’t imagine Liz Cheney wearing that. Also, too, I know a lot of people here look down their noses at chain restaurants, but I love BJ’s too. She is so freaking relatable.
@schrodingers_cat: It’s too soon to tell. I’m just kind of fooling around right now with two epic events coming up in the next 10 days or so. We went on the draconian South Beach Diet the day after I stopped working and, while I’ve lost significant weight, it sort of sucks the joy out of life! I’m sure 5 days in Louisiana will cure that! Did you see my question about Rajmohan Gandhi this morning?
Warren is speaking here in NYC at Washington Square Park tomorrow. I think I’m likely to skip it, though… that big of a crowd isn’t something I go out of my way to end up in alone.
@NotMax: Me skateboarding, 1966 LA!
@NotMax:
Just their waists would be sufficient. Or sniffing their hair.
Annie Laurie, hi, I grew up on Gardner, MA and was working later in Connecticut when I was in Boson at a region wide meeting at the end of the ‘70s. I had never seen an uglier building that the Boston City Hall and I wanted to go in and look around. One of my lunch buddies who was from Somerville said since I had pants on and not a skirt they wouldn’t let me in. I thought that she was kidding and then I was horrified.
I am so lucky to be around to see Denator Warren kicking ass. Thanks for that post. I am all in for Warren!
@Mary G: There were complaints here about Warren’s clothing choices after the debate. I love that she has a sort of “uniform.” It makes her life easier, she’s comfortable in it and it works for her. Good. I remember Barack Obama saying that he had a bunch of the same suits because it meant he didn’t have to decide what to wear. Decision fatigue is a real thing and taking one decision away (clothes) helps cut down on that.
@Ruckus:
I’m not criticizing what she’s doing. But that tweet made it sound like there were people looking down on it, and I have never come across that.
@NotMax: I replied to you in the previous thread about the ‘art pain’ scale.
@Major Major Major Major: Isn’t he the third presidential candidate to call for that? Castro, Harris, now him. Have I missed others?
@raven: I did and I responded too. I didn’t know Raj Mohan Gandhi was in Illinois right now.
@Major Major Major Major: If I lived a little closer (it’s about a mile away), I would walk the baby down in the stroller and see what it’s about.
@Baud: I’ve mostly seen people make fun of her for calling it a selfie line when for the most part it is actually a line where you get your picture taken together by a third party, which politicians have been doing for a long time and we have a name for already!
@Yarrow:
I hadn’t heard. Good to know.
@PsiFighter37: I’m sure it’ll be great, I just think the crowd might get to me. That’s NYU after all.
@Major Major Major Major:
Ugh. I bet she also says clip instead of magazine.
@TS (the original):
What kind of Stockholm Syndrome must the media suffer from, what with the way Trump has treated them?
@TS (the original):
Is the caption, “Old Men Yell At Clouds.”?
@Major Major Major Major: have you seen the CNN clip this morning when he called Beto out on buying back guns. I think he may have done a little damage to himself with his last comments.
@Yarrow: Beto and probably the others
@Baud: Cole made fun of her for it the other day actually
@RAVEN:
Always a man ahead of his time!
@NotMax:
Please. I just ate.
@Major Major Major Major:
The clip/magazine or the selfie line?
@TS (the original): they’re leading in the polls, what do you expect them to do? Ignore them? Fer fucks sake every other article about Biden is about either something he mangled in speech, or his weak-ass debate performance, or what a weak ass frontrunner he is. Or maybe we’re reading different versions of the WAPO. The one thing I don’t see is any indication that they’re propping him up.
@NotMax: The local Bernie fanatics are so exhausting and offensive. They are holding ALL the 2016 grudges that I do not care about. Someone liked a Sarah Silverman tweet and shared it to a local pro-Warren group, and the Berners are all complaining about how Silverman wronged him in 2016. I told them that I did not realize the pro-Warren group was the petty grievances against minor celebrities group, and someone said that their experience with the way Silverman treated Sanders was like PTSD. I just cannot with these offensive self-absorbed fools.
@waratah: looks like he said that calling for gun confiscation plays into Republicans’ hands or something?
@Mary G:
That is my point above, she relates in a way that almost any one gets, sees and understands immediately.
@Starfish:
I hold grudges against them, so I can’t complain.
@Baud:
Absolutely.
I didn’t take it as negative, just a point. And it’s a good one because she is so, as Mary G says, relatable. And probably even far more to most women than men.
@Yarrow: Amy K wore a dark suit to the first debate, So did everyone else except Warren, who in her red jacket in the middle looked like a Broadway lead in front of the chorus. Last week Amy wore a copy of Warren’s black top and pants, with a bright green jacket. Imitation, flattery, etc.
@Baud: I want to passive-aggressively leave zucchini on their porches, but I did not grow zucchini this year. I am not actually that great at growing vegetables. The cherry tomatoes did really well though.
@Major Major Major Major: @Baud: I’ve seen pictures of folks doing selfies with her . In a formal setting you probably get a choice.
@schrodingers_cat: I think he’s been on the faculty for some time.
@Baud: misuse of the word selfie.
@WhatsMyNym: yeah, but it’s still just a rebranded rope line.
@Ruckus:
I don’t relate to anybody, so it’s harder for me to see.
@Major Major Major Major: at the very end he said at least Trump and Mitch were talking about it now. Like Beto has probably ruined it.
@Major Major Major Major:
Cole should stick to the Martha Stewart stuff.
@Baud:
That was worth a giggle. OK maybe a snort.
@waratah:
Awesome, they’re both wrong
Since the football haters run deep here I thought I’d include this tidbit about Georgia fans and the Arkansas State coach.
Governor Cuomo has taken emergency action to ban flavored e-cigarettes, which makes my cannabis oil vape cartridges smuggled from California more legal than a mango Juul pod
I think I’d still like an explanation from her about why she stayed in the Republican party long after the southern strategy was exposed. Cheering for a few black female elected officials doesn’t cut it.
I also want (saying this again) her to explain why and how she believes (if she still does) that the DNC rigged the primary for Hillary. I feel like she hand-waved away all of the hard work AA women put into her campaign.
@PsiFighter37: How’s it going?
@glory b: She’s also going to have to deal with her appearing/disappearing Native Heritage. And since she’s also of the mindset that Obama didn’t help people economically, so that’s why they went for Trump, her wonkism is not going to appeal to those folks. So, that’s going to be interesting if she earns the nom.
@glory b:
It took me a long time to get over the rigged primary stuff, but she only said it once in response to a question, and to my knowledge, has never repeated it. Since she’s running such a strong campaign, I decided to give her a second chance.
https://wnyt.com/politics/dem-presidential-candidates-call-for-kavanaughs-impeachment/5493235/
I really like Elizabeth Warren. Sure, she’s got some issues, but all the candidates do. No one is perfect. I still think her wonkiness is better suited to the Senate.
@JPL: Much better! We had a night nurse interview today, and aside from scolding us a bit about diaper rash (that is our biggest failure to date, it seems), the best takeaway was that we were being too lenient in swaddling. She hates it and loves using her arms and legs to kick, but with a pacifier in while we do it, she is much more abiding, and the 3 times we have done a much tighter swaddle, she has passed out like a light shortly thereafter. It’s a bit of a luxury, but since I am going back to work after next week, and my wife has her own high-powered job to go back to in a few months, we do need to get it right and indulge in what feels a little bit like a luxury.
A Hoops fan eh?
Like a good Saturday at the Old Firm?
Have a go at the ‘Gers?
I’m with ya, as Celtic sing “you’ll never walk alone.”
@Major Major Major Major:
And if that doesn’t work, expand the SC to at the very least 11 seats, even though 13-15 would be more to my liking. (eta and do some court packing of our own.)
PS to say that I’ve not really thought this court expansion thing out, but damn, as it stands now, they’re killing us!
@PsiFighter37: I’m pleased to hear that. My son and his wife both work and that’s why they bought the Snoo.
He’s fortunate that the company he works for allowed him to take whatever time was necessary, and hers a major diy store gives 3 months, but would have extended it because of her C-section if necessary. Enjoy the baby because you will be surprised how fast they develop in the early days.
@HumboldtBlue:
I don’t know where my loyalty should lie, between Celtic and Rangers: Celtic have YNWA, but Rangers have Stevie G.
@Jay: I saw that earlier and laughed out loud.
@Amir Khalid:
It’s a no-brainer for me, Celtic all the way (historical/cultural/socialist reasons). I’m just glad I don’t have to regularly watch SPL.
@raven: That diet is terrible! It works, really well but it can drive you insane. A colleague of mine said it made him want to mug someone for an English muffin.
@JWR: Because the Parliament prorogation case in the UK is heading to their Supreme Court I’ve learned they have 12 judges (well, a President and Deputy President and 10 Justices) but not all of them get used on every case. I don’t know how they select which ones hear cases.
@Ruviana: I heard that! The worst part is that I’ve lost a good bit more than she has (we knew that was the deal) and it makes it harder.
eta We are now eating the spectacular ricotta dessert!
@debbie: Just plain weird – or else they really hate the thought of the US actually having a government for all of the people.
@RAVEN:
Looks like CTE has been conclusively debunked! Take THAT, medical science!
@Raven: But don’t you have to add some artificial sweetener to make the ricotta dessert? Those are terrible for you.
@Ruckus: and of course they’ll post the selfie on social media so SPW gets more good publicity. It’s brilliant and seems so obvious now that she’s doing it. Why don’t the other candidates? I guess it takes too.much time and energy when they have to make those endless phone calls to big donors.
@Baud: Caption “Which candidate attacked the most during the debate”
Wilmer is pointing at Biden
@raven:
I’m not strictly on a South Beach diet but am close to that. I have lost weight and it stays off as long as I stay on it. I don’t mind it much but then I have no sense of smell and my sense of taste is not much better. Which is normal as your sense of smell gives a lot of information to what we assume is the sense of taste. It does take a bit of transition and acceptance. Less than I thought it would.
@Chyron HR: life’s a motherfucker isn’t it?
@johnnybuck: The headlines are ALL positive. Whether the article is or not – who knows, I look at the headlines & in most instances leave.
And the reason they are leading – coverage and name recognition.
@Raven: Enjoy adding some back in Louisiana!
ETA The ricotta dessert is great! I still make it sometimes.
@Yarrow: I stopped them all about 6 months ago (after my stroke) but it that bit of dessert kills me come and get me.
@Ruckus: We’re talking about the long term too. Not eating white stuff seems like the ticket.
@Mohagan: Don’t even need the last snide tag.
It takes a lot of energy, and it takes a lot of time, and on a campaign trail both are in terribly short supply.
I’m willing to wager all the other candidates’ managers were scoffing at the use of the lines at every single event. Sure, you do them at the big ones, but you control the access in some way even then because time and energy and oh god help us what about that fan with contagious disease number 5 who just had to get this once in a lifetime chance.
Honestly, I’m still amazed at her doing this successfully. Not that it isn’t brilliant, but if you’d asked me if any candidate /could/ do it to this degree I’d have said no.
@Mohagan:
As someone up thread reminded us there have been rope lines for ever, but selfies with you phone, that’s relatively brand new. It throws a whole new context of being part of the people out there and she does it till there is no one left. That is a big deal from the standpoint of candidates rushing to the next site. This makes it a lot more personal and that will probably make a huge difference in the long run. No more suits and ties, standing behind a barrier spending 4 seconds with each person. It has just become a more personal day with someone who could be president. You have a picture on your phone, you carry that with you every where, every day. You can show it and talk about it to your friends, compare even.
It’s brilliant that she’s the first to do this and in a manner that shows her personality right up in your face. Her age says one thing to someone like me, her actions say another.
@raven: It makes me feel awful. I did South Beach and know that ricotta dessert. I had to buy Splenda to make it work. Boy did my stomach hurt.
I’ve done South Beach and other low carb things. I’m okay for about three months and then I start to feel bad. Worst sinus problems I’ve ever had doing it. Went away when I added carbs back in. I have a friend who swears by no carb/keto type diet. She’s lost a lot of weight and kept it off for like five years now. She loves it.
@Raven:
Yeah, white is a bad lack of color. And often a bad lack of character. I’m very light tan for just that reason.
@TS (the original):
And now they don’t have pictures of any candidates, it’s not a very good metric.
@Yarrow:
I think that it works if you are extremely careful to get enough of the right carbs. You have to or you will feel sluggish and tired all the time. It’s like everything else, anything over done can kill you eventually, anything underdone isn’t good either. It’s always the over and under that gets you in the end. Also I didn’t just dive into it full bore. So it takes longer to lose the weight but it also doesn’t feel so intense right off the bat. Really, it’s just healthy eating no matter how you slice it. And we aren’t all that used to that in this country.
@Amir Khalid: I’d say that unless you have a dog in the underlying fight, staying clear of that question entirely is the best option.
Biden allies are talking some stupid shit about Warren’s electability:
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/09/15/joe-biden-elizabeth-warren-massachusetts-electable-1494580
Personally, I’d take Warren over Biden in a heartbeat and hope she can wrap up this nomination asap.
I may have said this already here, but I took a selfie with a full-sized cut-out of Warren at an outreach table. Ima go see her tomorrow in Washington Square Park.
I still want to hear an explanation from Warren about staying in the Repub party for so long, when the appeal to racial anxiety (that’s what I’ll call it) was clear.
Also, what ruemara said.
Love you guys, but none of her fans here want to address this.
If she’s as smart and informed as she seems to be, how did she not see this? If she did, why was she okay with it?
@PsiFighter37: Isn’t it fascinating how swaddling has come back into fashion!
@germy: Altho’ if it *had* happened, I can only say that it would only make me hold American Pharaoh in higher esteem than I already do.
@glory b: This ThinkProgress piece is about the best (though too short) piece I’ve seen.
Wikipedia:
I have no special insight, so I’ll resist the urge to try to explain her actions back then or try to read her mind. Her proposals about supporting HBCUs and housing and all the rest seem to be pretty strong now, but they don’t tell us about the past.
My $0.02.
Cheers,
Scott.
I think Warren would make the best President out of the bunch. I still think Harris has the electability edge, though.
@PsiFighter37: Check out this Miracle Suit. My twin grand kids (who live with me) are nearing 4 yo now, but my grand son was not such a good sleeper when a baby. This worked better than swaddling. The suit is stiff, and the arms can’t flail.
@Another Scott: Just for the sake of the argument, when did John Cole switch parties?
@KSinMA: Halloween 2007.
Cheers,
Scott.
@KSinMA: There are an awful lot of ex-Republicans who post and comment on this blog. I notice the zeal if the convert in a good number of them. Is it also the case with Warren? I really don’t know.
@KSinMA:
when did John Cole switch parties?
Terri Schiavo/Katrina, IIRC.
That would make it 2003 – 2005.