GIVES LIZ EXTRA VOLUME
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren has a dream. And Republicans are making it come true.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell should be rebuked just for stupidity. His political blunder has boosted Warren’s political fortunes more than the Huffington Post ever could. Thanks, Mitch.
The Massachusetts Democrat probably did violate a Senate rule when she read a Coretta Scott King statement slamming Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions during debate on his confirmation as attorney general. Big deal.
This is what Warren does. She specializes in giving scripted speeches using over-the-top rhetoric when her targets can’t defend themselves. Her late-night speech quoting King was political theater. Even she knew it had no actual impact on Sessions’ nomination vote. He was going to get confirmed anyway.
But instead of just ignoring Warren and letting her get a 10-second sound bite on CNN, McConnell and other Senate Republicans punished her, turning the moment into an internet sensation — complete with ready-made video. Twitter went crazy. The Democratfriendly media ate up.
Warren silenced! The male-dominated Senate shuts up a woman colleague!
McConnell even delivered a line that will look good on a Warren bumper sticker: “She persisted.”
Warren of course can speak outside the chamber all she wants, and in fact a number of women Republican senators voted to rebuke her. But no matter. The story line is that she’s been gagged by sexist Republicans.
This is a surprise home run for the former Harvard law professor. Not only is she a champion for liberal causes, but now she’s somehow a champion of civil rights and free speech. Which is a lot considering she claimed to be a Native-American minority, then refused to answer questions about it.
You might as well hand Warren the 2020 presidential nomination right now. Bernie Sanders must be kicking himself for not pulling off this stunt. The rest of Warren’s Democratic colleagues couldn’t buy this kind of publicity. Poor Ed Markey couldn’t get arrested on the Senate floor if he tried.
But give Warren credit. Just like Donald Trump, she has expertly capitalized on the anger most Americans rightly feel toward Washington and the establishment. And nothing screams the establishment more than the U.S. Senate and its antiquated rules.
The Senate’s punishment of Warren is in fact the kind of thing that put Trump in the White House. He would be smart to send out a tweet supporting her.
“Senate is SO WRONG! Stupid rules! Sad! #LetLizSpeak.”
So congratulations, Senate Republicans. You walked right into Warren’s trap, and cemented her as a Democratic hero.
And get ready to be watching that “She persisted” clip for the next four years.