David Corn: Elizabeth Warren Has a Plan for Winning the White House, and Right Now It's Working

[babylonsister]

June 14, 2019
Elizabeth Warren Has a Plan for Winning the White House, and Right Now It’s Working
How the Massachusetts senator engineered her surge in the polls.
David Corn
Washington, DC, Bureau Chief


Elizabeth Warren is having what political reporters like to call “a moment.” This policy maven seeking the White House has risen to third place in the Real Clear Politics national polling average of Democratic voters, trailing frontrunner Joe Biden and second-placer Bernie Sanders but surpassing Kamala Harris and Pete Buttigieg. Better yet for Warren, she placed an eye-popping second in a YouGov/Economist poll released Wednesday, 4 points ahead of Sanders. And she has been scoring well in key primary states, running second in a recent Nevada survey and essentially tying for second in Iowa and California polls. These numbers have reasonably prompted headlines suggesting a Warren surge. But this uptick is more than a serendipitous development, for Warren has become the slow-and-steady candidate, slogging along and gaining ground inch by inch. That’s how the law-professor-turned-senator and her team have always seen her—and that’s all part of her plan.

When Warren announced her presidential bid on the last day of 2018—an early entry into the fray—the commentariat consensus was that she was coming into the game with a self-inflicted injury: the DNA test she took in response to Donald Trump’s “Pocahontas” taunts that she said showed she did have (a smidgen of) Native American ancestry. A kitchen-table populist who used to sparkle with wit, smarts, and conviction on late-night comedy talk shows and who once was a Democratic idol, Warren was now portrayed as damaged goods—practically a non-starter, a once-upon-a-time golden prospect who had lost her shine. It was not uncommon to hear pundits muse that she should have run in 2016 when Warren stock was selling high. Surely, some political observers noted, she now lacked the quality most prized by Democrats: electability. Yeah, she was intelligent, sharp on the issues, and effective. (Has any other Democratic contender given birth to an agency that takes on the big banks and credit card companies?) But how could a wounded candidate do battle with Trump the Slasher?

But she persisted. (Sorry about that.) That is, Warren did have a plan. Not just a plan for this or that policy problem. She had a strategy for winning the Democratic primary and, possibly even better, a raison d’etre for her candidacy. And she and her crew knew that it was a plan that would be implemented with patience over a long haul in a super-saturated field and that it was based on a natural advantage: Democratic voters would understand why Warren was running. Unlike many of the other White House wannabes, she would not have to explain or brand (or rebrand) herself. She was, as the slogan now goes, the candidate with plans. She was an ardent champion of consumers, a foe of Big Finance rip-off artists, and a policy nerd who did sweat and understand the details—and who relished presenting polished proposals on practically anything. She would not have to devote time to introducing herself to the Democratic electorate or justifying her run for the White House—a task that burdens much of the Democratic field, including many of her Senate colleagues who have dived into the pool.

And this liberated Warren and her operation. The campaign’s strategists did not have spend time each day figuring out the rationale for her candidacy and how to sell whatever it was to potential voters. On a daily basis, she would do what she always has done and what she enjoys: talk about problems and potential solutions. This had an obvious benefit: Warren was being authentic. And her staff was freed from the burden of messaging—meaning, developing pitches until one works. (Remember the painful process Hillary Clinton’s campaign went through in this regard?)

more...

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/06/elizabeth-warren-plan/

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. Liking her more and more each day, really want her to be our nominee if Kamala isnt.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. I like her because she is authentic, what you see is what you get.

and brainy, loves policy/laws issues, from teaching at Harvard, loves educating people and uses language that we can understand when she explains something, and she knows how Washington works.
Oh, and of course she does not let herself be pushed around by the assholes in Congress/DC.

[BeyondGeography]

2. She's connecting with people

The pundits who wrote her off don’t feel the desperation that’s out there. She has lived it and has been addressing it for most of her adult life. People know the real thing when they see it. She’s standing out from the crowd because no one else comes close on the basic issue of how to restore a broader range of opportunity in this economy.

[pamdb]

4. Warren and Buttigieg

Would love to see a Liz and Pete show.

[bearsfootball516]

5. She's really, really heating up right now.

I’m close to switching my preference. My only concern is whether she can get the support in Wisconsin/Michigan/Pennsylvania to beat Trump that Biden likely would.

[demmiblue]

9. I don't think she would have a problem in Michigan.

Democratic women kicked arse here in 2018.

2016 was a one off.

[qazplm135]

6. she's on fire

but unless she knocks out Bernie or he drops out, then her rise is somewhat capped IMO.

[elleng]

26. You think her success depends on Bernie?

Not following closely, but I kind of think her issue(s) would be with VP. Biden.

AND in spite of their 'animosity,' real or not, that's a ticket I'd like to see.

[qazplm135]

28. I think they each take up too much

of the other's space and voters. So, yes. And vice versa...he has the same issue.

[Ninga]

7. I appreciate all the comment here. I believe Elizabeth Warren knows exactly what each of you

offered, and more.

She is a strategic thinker, and a terrific debater. I think that she not only has a plan for America but she has had a plan for a while, on how to win the nomination.

[Mme. Defarge]

11. I have long admired her

and the way she is conducting her campaign has my attention.

[xxqqqzme]

19. I agree! I was hoping

she would run so she has had my support from day 1.

king con has made a mess of this country on all fronts. She is smart about the damage and how to repair it.

[DownriverDem]

8. My fear about Warren

is that this country is not ready for a woman president. It drives me crazy, but that is where we are at right now. I would love to see a Biden/Harris ticket. Harris would then be seen in a national leadership position. She would be aligned to be the next President. All that matters is winning the Electoral College and beating trump. These times are so serious, that we can't take a chance on a candidate that can't win the Electoral College. Experimentation is not where we need to be right now.

[demmiblue]

10. That's complete bullshit.

But you keep doing you.

[Mme. Defarge]

13. Given that a woman with considerable political baggage

won the popular vote in 2016 in spite of running a god awful campaign, and given the @metoo moment we are now in, along with the Republicans’ assault on legal abortion, I think Senator Warren, who is impressively prepared and focused, might have a formidable advantage as a presidential candidate.

[Politicub]

21. Women have been told to play second fiddle for ages. The country is ready.

Does it really drive you crazy? What drives me nuts is the mystical belief that Biden will sail into office because he’s a man and “the safe choice”.

Why not Harris/Warren or vice versa? The sexism is getting tiresome.

If we want to change things we need to change ourselves and our attitudes.

Electability is a spurious argument this early in the process. Many early front runners have fizzled out.

Warren is not relying on the soft metric of a daily poll. She has been putting the pieces for her plan in place for the past year. It is working. Would you prefer she drop out and get back to her knitting?

Experimentation, indeed.

[MrsCoffee]

24. Maybe in another two hundred and fifty years they will stop being afraid.

[treestar]

27. I was just thinking that a female VP would be a good ice-breaker

Get people used to the idea. Thank the gods it was not Palin!

[qazplm135]

29. oh fuck off

with that bullshit.

Seriously. Fuck. off.

[demmiblue]

31. Co-signed. n/t

[BlueWI]

30. So we're Democrats, champions of anti-sexism,

but it's ok to advocate against the standard bearer being a woman, because it's the wrong time?

All right then.

[sheshe2]

12. K&R

[colsohlibgal]

14. Imagine The Contrast!

From Trump to Warren. Dumb to smart. Man to Woman. Not knowing how to close up an umbrella and knowing, etc.

She’s lived real life with real problems. She is brilliant.

I think why not her.

You never know things can change drastically....but right now the ones with the best shot are her, Biden, Kamala Harris, Mayor Pete.....and likely 1 or 2 more coming out of the pack.

Whoever it is you would like to think he/she should stomp Dirty Donnie.....if not I fear for the USA.

[cannabis_flower]

20. I think..

If Elizabeth had been on that stage with Trump in the debate where it looked like Trump was stalking her, she would have turned around and given him a look, as if to say, back off Buster!

[Doitnow]

15. No great plan will work anywhere if McTurd is still head of the Senate. Not to forget that.

[crazytown]

16. The Ground Game

"The political press noted her campaign had a high burn rate, meaning it was racing through the money it was bringing in. But Warren and her aides opted to invest early in the ground game. The Daily Iowan recently reported that Warren had more than 50 paid staffers across the Hawkeye State—the most of any campaign—and has “hosted a plethora of small organizing events” since early this year. Other campaigns have also raced to put up a grassroots operation in the kick-off states, but Warren got there ahead of most."

[PatrickforO]

17. Yes, I really, really like Warren.

I like Pete, too, but Warren...well we need somebody in after Trump that has a real plan - lord knows we'll need one. It will take at least a decade, maybe longer, to clean up the mess Trump has made. He and his wreckers. And McConnell - let's not forget the traitor McConnell.

[Politicub]

18. She oozes authenticity and charisma

I think she surprises many people when they have a chance to hear her speak.

[rusty quoin]

22. Well, no one seems to hate her. That's a big plus.

[democrank]

23. Elizabeth Warren is such a terrific candidate.

She’s so genuine, so smart.

[Ligyron]

25. Warren definitely has the right ideas and policy proposals.

If we could get them enacted things would turn around in this country about as fast as possible. Or at least stop going downhill about as fast as possible. I doubt if any of our other candidates would disagree in any significant way in regards to what needs to be done.

I just hope we can convince the majority of Americans to agree. Or at least enough of them in the right places to produce a government that represents the interests of the vast majority of our populous instead of just 5%. It's absolutely astonishing how the GOP has convinced so many of them to vote directly against their own interests.

We need a candidate who can explain things to them in ways they can understand and I can't think of anyone better than Elizabeth Warren to accomplish this.

[colsohlibgal]

32. She Has A Legitimate Chance

Heard Donnie Deutsch say last night that he thought she would lose 47 States for defending Socialism. I think non Trumpsters understand she is just talking about a more equitable tax policy and not giving a blank check to Banksters and the Military Industrial Complex.

We shall see. Millennials are pretty liberal. It may be smarter to play to them than working class males.