Fear not, Elizabeth Warren is electable

[BeyondGeography]

Joan Vennochi
Globe Columnist

Be not afraid. Elizabeth Warren can win the White House.

Forget she’s a woman of a certain vintage, a senator from the very blue state of Massachusetts, and before that, a Harvard Law professor identified by her employer as Native American — a cultural misappropriation for which she now apologizes. Think of her, instead, as a young girl from Oklahoma, who grew up in a family living paycheck to paycheck, and who dropped out of school at 19 to get married. Holding on “for dear life,” she managed to live her dream and become a special-needs teacher. And today, that little girl from Oklahoma dreams of becoming president.

...Yes, Warren still must win the confidence of risk-averse Democrats who are afraid of picking a loser. President Trump has so played with their heads that enough of them believe a flub-prone, 76-year-old former vice president with a lifetime of problematic votes and policy positions is their best hope. If Joe Biden could defend his record with conviction and eloquence and articulate an inspirational vision for the future, that thinking might hold up. So far, he hasn’t been able to do it.

Warren, meanwhile, has rebranded herself — from Harvard elitist who checked a box she didn’t deserve to check, to Okie dreamer. If she wins the nomination, Republicans will do their best to resurrect the old identity. But unlike Biden, she shows formidable skill as a politician and self-advocate. And unlike Hillary Clinton, she trusts her own instincts.

In the context of a vast left-tilting Democratic primary field, Warren is now wisely carving out space as a passionate progressive who’s not a Sanders socialist. That was a key part of Saturday’s mission. As she told New Hampshire Democrats, “I get that in America there are gonna be people who are richer and people who are not so rich. And the rich are gonna own more shoes and they’re gonna own more cars and they may even own more houses. But they shouldn’t own more of our democracy.”

As Warren walks the line of separating herself from Sanders’ pure socialism while trying not to alienate his fervent believers, she’s also making the case that choosing a candidate out of fear is no way to win a presidential election. “I get it. I get it,” she said in her speech. “There is a lot at stake, and people are scared. But we can’t choose a candidate we don’t believe in because we’re scared. And we can’t ask other people to vote for someone we don’t believe in.” Clearly, she was referring to Biden, considered the leading candidate because of his stubborn hold on that bible of political punditry, the polls...

More at https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2019/09/09/fear-not-elizabeth-warren-electable/Uq3mkajffwNRfqyJH0cATO/story.html

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

1. Of course Elizabeth is!! The most qualified & electable female Democratic candidate eva!

So damn proud of the campaign she's running!!


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!! or
Elizabeth & Bernie 2020!!
Either way, welcome to the revolution!!!

[DrFunkenstein]

2. Trump Won By a Fluke Roll of the Dice

As an unknown anti-establishment candidate vowing to "drain the swamp," return jobs to the auto and coal industries, and make Mexico pay for a wall.

Meanwhile, he was up against a candidate with deep, entrenched opposition and a campaign that made some significant tactical mistakes. Despite all this, Hillary Clinton still managed to get more votes than anyone in US history except Obama and only a ridiculous electoral fluke kept her from being the first woman President.

Shocked Dems continue to have PTSD about Trump, but he has never had more than 45% approval after breaking virtually every promise he made as a candidate. He continues to have a hardcore base, but he's completely alienated independents.

Meanwhile, so many people avoided voting after assuming that Clinton would win. No such assumptions exist now. Voter turnout is going to be huge, particularly if Dems have a candidate who can inspire them with passion and a clear plan for the future.

[jcgoldie]

3. I agree anti-Trump turnout will be massive...

...not so sure about the fluke roll of the dice thing... seemed pretty well orchestrated.

[BlueMTexpat]

4. Not simply a "fluke roll,"

but outright skulduggery, cheating and interference by a foreign power - among MANY, MANY other reasons.

[DrToast]

5. What a load of condescending garbage...

Yes, Warren still must win the confidence of risk-averse Democrats who are afraid of picking a loser. President Trump has so played with their heads that enough of them believe a flub-prone, 76-year-old former vice president with a lifetime of problematic votes and policy positions is their best hope.

So if you’re supporting Biden it’s because Trump is messing with your head?

Sorry, maybe she should be more concerned about Trump messing with Warren’s head. Because thus far, Warren has a pretty poor track record in that area.

[blm]

15. Like how? He has nothing on her.

Trump family cynically PRETENDED to be Swedish for years, so they could get wealthy Jewish renters. You think Warren believing a family story that they had Native American ancestry is more significant?

Trump is going to be roasted and toasted with information we have now that wasn’t known or available to the Clinton campaign in 2016.

[cwydro]

33. Thank you. nt

[BlueMTexpat]

6. The Thugs will try to tear down

ANY candidate we select as our nominee.

One reason why I support Elizabeth is that she will NEVER let anyone steamroll her.

[LincolnRossiter]

7. Lost me here.

...Yes, Warren still must win the confidence of risk-averse Democrats who are afraid of picking a loser. President Trump has so played with their heads that enough of them believe a flub-prone, 76-year-old former vice president with a lifetime of problematic votes and policy positions is their best hope. If Joe Biden could defend his record with conviction and eloquence and articulate an inspirational vision for the future, that thinking might hold up. So far, he hasn’t been able to do it.

I’m not settling on Biden. I like his philosophy of governance and respect his experience and accomplishments more than Warren’s or the other progressives’. Most people agree with me.

It isn’t that complicated.

And I’ll again go on record in saying that, barring a complete economic meltdown, Trump beats Warren (and Bernie). Handily.

[DrToast]

8. Right? Such arrogance!

The crazy thing is that she could have just as easily talked up her own candidate without that crap.

[blm]

17. Joan Vennochi always dumps on Dems, and why she dumps on Warren throughout

That piece even as she grudgingly admits that she CAN win.

Vennochi was completely evil to Gore, Kerry, everybody. She thinks her snark makes her sound smart.

[Bradshaw3]

10. You're going on record? Wow!!

With a claim the polls belie? How brave of you. You've "gone on record" before with this claim and it is just as wrong now as it was before. But thanks for making it official.

[LincolnRossiter]

13. Glad you're able to keep track.

[Green Line]

9. It's the Boston Globe

They’ve been writing puff pieces on Warren for months. And, no, she will not win the rust belt.

[Bradshaw3]

11. She will win the rust belt

Her proposals play well there.

[CTyankee]

12. Why not? What is it about the rust belt that can't like who she is and what she has to say?

First of all, define rust belt. I hear it is different places geographically. What in particular about the rust belt doesn't like what she has to say? I don't get it...

[OilemFirchen]

16. Sick and fucking tired of this "fear" mantra.

I'm not sure when it entered the electoral lexicon, but it's banal and meant to demean. It's also not true.

The media loves the emotional appeal of it, and candidates' acolytes use it with aplomb, but Democratic voters are not "afraid" of other candidates in their party's race. Their lives are not on the line if candidate A wins the primary versus candidate B. There is little substantive difference among all of the candidates in this Primary. Fear is not a factor. Disagreement, yes. Disdain, probably. Sport, likely. But not fear. The notion is ridiculous.

The only fear evidenced in the Democratic Party electorate it's that Donald Trump will be reelected. Otherwise, it's epithetical and those prone to using it should just shut the fuck up.

[blm]

18. I concur.

[BeyondGeography]

19. Ergo Biden as front runner

There’s other way to explain it, for this writer and for a lot of people looking at the race. He has been uneven at best so far.

Barack Obama used the same line in 2008, vote your hopes and not your fears. Was he being banal and demeaning?

[OilemFirchen]

22. Ergo, you just reinforced my point.

Biden's popularity may be based on fear of a Trump reelection, but efforts to explain away a different candidate's poll status as trepidation is pedestrian at best. That, of course, is based upon your ridiculous assertion that it's the only explicable reason for Biden's popularity. I'm embarrassed for you, TBH.

Put plainly, polls reflecting electability are a small component of a very early perspective. Come time for the General Election, voters will not decide whatsoever based upon that factor.

Your Obama quote, BTW, is ridiculously misdirected.

[BeyondGeography]

24. Says the poster who states "fear is not a factor" in how candidates fare in the 2020 race

Or any political race for that matter. Right back atcha on the embarrassment front.

[OilemFirchen]

25. Fear of other candidates will not decide this Primary.

That is the discussion, right?

It's really that simple, and stating such is not embarrassing in the least.

[betsuni]

36. Thank you.

[mysteryowl]

20. Of course she is!

[warmfeet]

21. Well,

I am voting for her, regardless.

She is the best candidate.

I will be proud to vote for Elizabeth Warren.

[PatrickforO]

23. I absolutely agree!

Warren will be a fine candidate and a really good president. If she's elected we have a very real chance of making the improvements in this country that we've needed to make for decades.

[kozar]

26. I agree, but can I make my point?

Without malice, Biden knows the WH and how it works,, he can step in day 1 and start fixing, I truly believe as in my previous posts,, that Warren or Harris should be VP. Biden serves his 4 yrs ,and then the VP takes over. they can step in after 4 years and take control. Our country is in peril,,can we look at long picture and agree from there? Don't put the cart before the horse right now because Trumpeter sucks so bad,, let's take our steps


Koz

[ecstatic]

27. The thought of trump taking another 4 years is terrifying for me but

I think of my support for Warren as kind of standing my ground against a bully. Yes, it's scary as hell, and my opponent is twice my size, but I'm not backing down.

[MadDAsHell]

29. It's telling that his 76 years is an issue but her 70 years isn't. nt

[Andy823]

30. Of course she is electable

So are Harris and Klobuchar. Three great women who can all beat trump and fix the mess he is going to leave us.

[MasonDreams]

31. One thing that I know, but have not read, that may possibly help Warren.

And I would like to help, any progressive first then any blue will do. I am white or mostly white? ( not appearence identifiable?) w/o pedigree or whatever. Folks like me from N. Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Oklahoma (or at least some of them) were told when they were young that they had some Cherokee ancestry. Until I was 55, no one told me (and they knew) that I had some German in me. My Mom told me I was English, Cherokee, and I don't know what else and that I should NEVER let anyone tell me I wasn't American or less American than anyone else. We all want to belong, to be at home, and to be accepted.
I knew several people who were proud of being a little Cherokee and rightfully so. The Cherokee intermarried with surrounding tribes to make peace, and there
are many other reasons. They learned from us, and we should've learned from them. USA would have been better off with a Cherokee President instead of Jackson. My neighbors growing up were the Olaf's (Swedes), Berhen's(Germans), Borns(Dutch), and the Curtises(Scots). They had their tribes mine was mutt.

I guess my point is that a kid believes his parents and his/her parents are just doing their best to raise an American kid. My Mom is not as Cherokee as she was told she was and I might be more German and less whatever? Don't know, don't care.
It is all about who you are, not where you came from, or how nice your sun tan is.

And for the record, all you pure breds need to diversify your gene pool. Us mutts are genetically superior and prettier too, like Muhammed Ali.

The last paragraph was an attempt at humor. I do not believe Sen. Warren should be judged harshly and the Cherokee should adopt her. She will make them proud.

[highplainsdem]

32. Yawn. Another clueless opinion piece from a Warren supporter insulting Biden supporters

by suggesting we're motivated by fear.

Yeah, that condescending tactic will really make any Biden supporter like Warren more...

[myohmy2]

34. +1

...

[blm]

35. You let other people's comments determine who deserves support?

I don’t. No matter how condescending some Biden supporters here have been, I am too fully aware of the entirety of his career and his backstory and would never let their nagging approach sway me from supporting him now or down the road.

Dishing it out is better than taking it for some, eh?