Elizabeth Warren Seeks to Revive Senate Campaign

[alp227]

Source: NY Times

After a month of floundering, Elizabeth Warren, the embattled Senate candidate in Massachusetts, gave a feisty speech here on Saturday as she sought the endorsement of the state Democratic Party in the race against Senator Scott P. Brown in November.

“It’s a long way from Ted Kennedy to Scott Brown,” Ms. Warren said as she addressed the roughly 3,500 delegates to the state convention and invoked the name of the lionized Democrat whose death in 2009 led to the special election in which Mr. Brown won the seat.

She also dismissed the controversy in which her campaign has been mired for more than a month — whether she unfairly claimed American Indian ancestry to advance her academic career.

“If that’s all you’ve got, Scott Brown, I’m ready,” she declared to cheers. “And let me be clear. I am not backing down. I didn’t get in this race to fold up the first time I got punched.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/03/us/politics/elizabeth-warren-seeks-to-revive-senate-campaign.html

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. She'd better get this heritage question resolved quick.

It's become a real distraction.

[naaman fletcher]

10. It's not so much the question..

EVERY candidate has some instance where they BS'd their resume or something. It is how she is handling it, or in her case, not handling it. Look, she embellished her resume. fine. Why are we still talking about this? We are talking about this because she gave weak answers that only raised more questions.

The issue her being a political novice, and the DNC needs to send in some advisors.

In this age of rampant corporate greed beyond anything we have ever seen, she is one of the few bright spots in our political future and I'm gravely bummed about this.

[yellerpup]

16. Almost everyone in Oklahoma has NA heritage

of some sort. If your family was counted in a census in Indian Territory and was living there prior to the Land Run (1889) they were most certainly Native Americans displaced from some other part of the country. Whites had to have written permission to be there--however, because I.T. was outside the jurisdiction of any law enforcement except tribal laws, it was a 'safe haven' for those of any color who were outside the law. Warren probably grew up like every other Oklahoma kid and heard tales of her Cherokee heritage from her family. Many eligible families did not sign up for the final Dawes Rolls accounting of tribal citizens in advance of the distribution of land allotments, a program invented by the federal government, because they didn't want to be classified as Indians. Considering the history of government betrayal of the indigenous people of this continent, I really can't blame them. The first NA got the vote in 1926, for instance. Anyway, I'm sure she is part-Cherokee but unless her family signed up on the Dawes Rolls, she would have no way of qualifying for tribal membership. No matter how 'the controversy' shakes out, it means nothing. Except, as you say, a distraction. I'll trust her to steer the debate back to issues.

[JDPriestly]

18. Right. Lots of Americans are of mixed ancestry, but their ancestors did not want to admit it.

This was especially true for those of us with mixed ancestry, but also can be true for people, for example, with German ancestry. People who had German or Japanese ancestry were very suspect -- Germans during WWI and WWII and the Japanese, of course, during WWII.

It was much worse, much harder for people with, say a grandmother whose mother was Cherokee. Indian heritage was not always viewed as an advantage. And if it was on the mother's side, no one had to admit it. That's just the way it was.

Children hear the stories and that is all they have to go by. The legal records do not always tell the full story.

[yellerpup]

27. The legal records do not always tell the full story....

That sums it up very well. People did have many different reasons to be cautious. There were internment camps before the Removal and trust in the government was not strong. Many feared they would be counted as 'free persons of color' and be subject to frivolous laws.

[OKNancy]

23. My 4th or 5th great grandmother is a Ross

I can't remember exactly. My mom always insisted we had no Indian heritage, but after she spent many hours doing our genealogy, lo and behold there she was. I don't know exactly how she was related to John Ross but she was considered 100% Native American.
I used both terms above ( Indian and Native American) because around here, most everyone says "Indian".

So I agree, if a person has a long history in Oklahoma, there is probably some Indian heritage. Most people don't really understand that the eastern Oklahoma Indians were not on reservations, but just an everyday, normal part of the communities.

[yellerpup]

30. To find your Ross ancestor must have been exciting.

I know that in my search, the more I learned, the more I wanted to know. Hope you can find your grandmother on the family tree some day. When I sometimes meet members from non-Oklahoma tribes here in NY, I am astounded by what they tell me what happens on reservations and they are equally shocked when I explain that there never were reservations in Indian Territory or in the state of Oklahoma.

[OKNancy]

31. my mom has actually found her

and her name, but to tell the truth I just haven't bothered to make her get her stuff out and look at it.
Her husband just died last month and that is what sparked the genealogy talk. Before he got sick, they did take a trek up to somewhere in the far northeastern part of the state looking for her grave. They didn't find it.
My mom has been doing genealogy work for a number of years, but spent most of her time on the Kirkpatrick side because there are lots of records.

LOL - yes I have had the same experience when talking to out-of-state people.

[yellerpup]

32. That must have been a rewarding moment

for your mom after all her years of search. It was a breakthrough well earned. I am lopsided in my genealogy studies, too. I started with the Cherokee side and discovered so much history that I don't plan to ever stop researching it and writing about it.

[Mass]

2. Well, she just won the nomination at the MA Democratic convention with more than 95% of ballots.

Seems her campaign is going well.

Now to the next stage: beat Scott Brown.

[karynnj]

36. That is impressive

So, no primary or only one name on the ballot? It really suggests that the party is VERY VERY much behind her that the other candidate failed to get the needed votes to be on the ballot.

I guess that also means that Democrats waiting for the primary will endorse her soon and help her make her case.

[PSPS]

3. LOL. "Seeks to revive" "floundering" "controversy" -- gee, I wonder which side the media is on.

[DavidDvorkin]

5. No kidding. That's pretty blatant.

[unblock]

8. "neck and neck" or "floundering"? doomed over the ethnicity of a great-great-great grandparent?

[protect our future]

9. Similar spin is suddenly happening

in my big-city rag as well. I'm in Missouri.

[underpants]

24. That was what I thought too - I read that they were neck and neck--- MSM is stealing her thunder

[Purveyor]

26. You think she is getting it bad, just google news on Obama Jobs Election. I don't even dare post

the stuff here as I don't want to 'take the heat'.

Thank god it is just the first week of June.

[Nye Bevan]

42. Yep. NY Times is such a right-wing rag (nt)

[Marrah_G]

4. I don't believe her campaign is floundering

I think she will win this race. I think most people in MA have realized that Brown is a smarmy little richman who wants to be President someday and will say anything to get there. I don't think they will fall for his average joe driving an old pickup truck routine again.

Elizabeth's latest commercials are wonderful and really speak to the people.

[DavidDvorkin]

6. Intrade has it at 53.9% for "Democratic candidate to win"

And 50.5% for "Republican candidate to win"

[karynnj]

37. I wonder if they passed Statistics 101?

[DavidDvorkin]

43. It's not an either/or choice

People bet separately on the two outcomes, so there's no reason for the numbers to add up to 100%.

[slackmaster]

7. I'll definitely not be voting for her

I live in California.

[BootinUp]

15. lol nt

[karmkay]

20. O.K.,

you're excused.

[BlueCaliDem]

39. Hah! eom

[newblewtoo]

11. It appears the media

strategy is to publish as much dirt as possible then ask her to defend herself from the old "when did you stop beating your wife" line of questioning. The last one I saw was all about her statement that her parents eloped being a lie. Then they came out with a story about her buying and flipping homes. She is not getting an easy ride from the Boston media which treats politics as a blood sport. How are things in the western part of the state, anyone out around Springfield?

[JDPriestly]

19. What do they say about Romney's buying and destroying companies?

Buying and flipping homes improves the general quality of housing in an area. Buying and destroying companies destroyed the economy in our country.

[BlueCaliDem]

40. MUMs the word in corporate media. They're all on the attack of Obama

and Meh Romney, much like McCain, is getting a free ride.

[cali]

12. Warren won't have a primary opponent. She got 95% of the convention votes

so DiFranco won't be on the primary ballot.

[Flatpicker]

13. Not

Floundering, but the focus has been lost due to the nationality question.

The DNC should send in someone to help advise her in this campaign. She needs to get the initiative back from Brown.

[mother earth]

14. A WTF moment, because I don't see a floundering candidate, screw the Indian heritage BS, this woman

is a gift to the state of MA, and Brown doesn't stand a flippin chance...Warren has shown herself to be a true patriot against the
oligarchy and Wall St. MSM would have us believe otherwise, she's hero status, IMHO, I cannot fathom any one else taking Kennedy's spot...Brown was just another tourist and his American Idol drama for his baby girl spoke volumes. (Edited to add: wah-wah-wah, cryin baby fool for baby girl losing AI. wah-wah-wah.)

I'm from MA & I approve this message....Elizabeth Warren for Senator, because anyone else would be lame and more of the same.

Sorry, Scottie, you were only a stand in....Elizabeth Warren is the real deal.

[MannyGoldstein]

17. Warren's in big, big trouble

With five full months left in the campaign, she's only in a statistical tie with the incumbent.

She's far behind, and she's out of time.

[RBInMaine]

34. You ARE just being sarcastic, right?

[BlueCaliDem]

41. Manny doesn't much like Warren, I believe.

He's written a similar post elsewhere and he wasn't being sarcastic.

[MannyGoldstein]

44. Sarcastic, but perhaps too dry.

I love Warren. She fights for working Americans.

[MannyGoldstein]

45. Yes, sarcastic! Nt

[BlueMTexpat]

21. The headline sucks. nt

[CBHagman]

22. I feel as though I've landed on another planet.

Some dude who posed naked gets elected to the Senate, where he can help enable an obstructionist strategy by a regressive and downright mean-spirited GOP, yet the focus is on the Democratic candidate's heritage?

The GOP is good at controlling the image of Democratic candidates, and the media generally goes along with it (See "Al Gore claimed to have invented the Internet&quot . Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Let's hope Warren comes out swinging.

[Bigredhunk]

25. They (rw) Always Control The Message

They have some dumb/cutesy little talking point (Gore-internet...Kerry-flip-flop...Obama-teleprompter or expensive vacation...etc...). The media is far too happy to run with it. It works beautifully on their (rw) entire voting block. I've never seen such sheep in my life. They all repeat the same talking points (just like their candidates do). It doesn't matter if it's ridiculous or proven false, it's simple and it works...so they keep saying it. We never end up talking about issues. It ends up being: Obama is a celebrity, Saul Alinsky, Rev Wright...a bunch of crap that has no bearing on anything.

I've never understood why their side is so in the tank on those things. I think that's why it's easy to call them nazis. They all go along. On the left, there's more independent/critical though. Or maybe we're just disorganized, IDK.

[onehandle]

28. If Obama voters get their ASSES to the polls, unlike 2010, and vote down ballot...

...Elizabeth will be elected easily.

[backscatter712]

29. Dear New York Times: Your concern is noted.

Seriously, who's buying this right-wing spin-doctoring?

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

33. I want to hear her speaking clear and plain about the issues,

no more being nice, then she will win.

[RBInMaine]

35. She needs to GET THE HELL ON OFFENSE and STAY THERE ! Quit Fuckwadding around !

She and her team need to start thrashing the shit out of fuckface Cosmo Naked Man in a BIG way RIGHT NOW, take the gloves off, and start SMASHING the living CRAP out of him and PUT HIM on the defensive. CHRIST DEMOCRATS. LEARN HOW TO WIN A FUCKING A CAMPAIGN !

[Mr.Turnip]

38. Do these people even read pollls?

She doesn't need to revive anything, this native American crap is something NO ONE CARES ABOUT, all the polls have shown this. All it is is Brown trying to move the campaign away from his heavily Republican Senate record.

Warren has been in a statistical tie with Brown for sometime now, all this stuff has not hurt her numbers at all, she continues to be in a very strong position for a challenger to be at this point in time.

[mother earth]

46. “And let me be clear. I am not backing down. I didn’t get in this race to fold up the first time I

got punched." Standing proud, Elizabeth Warren, a true leader!!!!

[scribble]

47. This is

just obnoxiously silly.

The NY Times is inventing a story where no story exists.

Look for it. The corporate media (especially prestige media companies like the NYT) invent carefully-worded silliness like this all the time, to keep you distracted.

Elizabeth Warren is on track to win. She is candid, sincere, and full of articulate indignation. She only needs to give peppery speeches full of the truth about Wall Street, Bankers, Consumer protection, Republicans and Scott Brown. She'll win in a walk. The New York Times doesn't want to cover that story, because they tilt toward Wall Street to about the same degree that Scott Brown does.

... but quiet meetings with small groups of voters won't do it for her. Ms. Warren MUST continue to give public speeches and make news.

sc

[Jack Rabbit]

48. Oh, for Pete's Sake. It is established that she's part NA

If this story is still dogging her it's because the "librul" media is keeping it alive.

[AJTheMan]

49. This is the state that Ted Kennedy represented for decades

Massachusetts elected him for decades. One of his main issues was reforming healthcare. It is interesting that Massachussetts voters decided to discontinue that legacy and instead go with Scott "41st vote against healthcare" Brown. I can't really blame Massachusetts, though. From what I hear, Martha Coakley ran a poorly led campaign. She was given the Democratic Party nod of approval and she wasted her chance. She could have easily been senator now had she just tried.

[DavidDvorkin]

50. Intrade has her at 55% to win the seat

So I guess she revived it.