The Warren Fans Who Won't Take No for an Answer

[RiverLover]

The Warren Fans Who Won't Take No for an Answer
4/22/2015

The crowd that gathered in Manhattan on Monday was there to hear a trio of progressive activists—Zephyr Teachout, the 2014 challenger to Governor Andrew Cuomo; Van Jones, an environmental activist; and Lawrence Lessig, the Harvard professor and former Warren colleague—make the case for Warren's candidacy at an event held by Run Warren Run, another draft effort backed by MoveOn.org. This was a Warren choir if ever there was one, but the event was designed, at a moment of possible despair, to persuade the persuaders to keep up the fight.

...When Lessig took the podium to deliver the evening's main address, he made the argument that the core problem facing America in the next election is broader than the individual progressive priorities of campaign finance reform, Wall Street accountability, and reducing the income gap. Fundamentally, he said, the corrupting influence of money in politics had allowed wealthy donors to pick the nominees, if not the winners, in almost the same way that Boss Tweed did nearly 150 years ago. "America has an equality problem," Lessig said, and the person with the most credibility to tackle it is Warren. He made clear that he bore no animus toward Clinton. "In an ordinary time, I think she is the obvious choice for everything she has done and is and could be as president," he said. "But this is not an ordinary time."...

...It hardly bears mentioning that the last politician who inspired this kind of talk among progressives was Barack Obama, who took on Hillary Clinton in a Democratic primary after earlier pledging not to run. But Obama was already several months into his presidential candidacy at this point eight years ago, while Warren continues to say no at every opportunity. The gap between her lack of interest and the desperation of her backers is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. "I have no doubt she doesn’t want to run," Lessig told me after his speech. "The question isn’t what she wants to do. It’s a question of what she comes around to recognizing she wants to do." Others noted that it took a draft effort to persuade Warren to run for the Senate in 2012. "Sometimes at moments like this, reluctant leaders can be the most forceful leaders," Teachout said, without providing an example.

Beyond persuading Warren to change her mind, the goal of Ready for Warren and its allies is to put in place a campaign infrastructure and a network of grassroots supporters in the event that she does. And Ben Wikler, MoveOn.org's Washington director, said that with so much time before the primaries, it would be a mistake to "dismantle the runway" now. Bill Clinton didn't enter the 1992 campaign until November of 1991, as Warren supporters are quick to recall...

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/04/the-warren-fans-who-wont-take-no-for-an-answer/391131/

For me personally, I'm losing hope something will change & she will enter the race. There is a collective equivalent of Boss Tweed out there, pulling the strings in favor of continued corporate rule. But I will still hold a small strand of hope for a Warren run until the primaries truly gear up later in the year. Hey, you never know. Stranger things have happened.

[djean111]

1. For me, it is not so much hoping for Warren at this time, but hoping for someone

who is not a Third Way Corporatist. I don't think the folks who whine and rant about Warren banners actually get that - it is like they think that if they can just get rid of the Warren banners, everyone will climb on board their train.

[RiverLover]

2. Exactly.

I was even hoping the rumors about de Blasio entering the race were true. Anyone who is capable of communicating clearly the problems we face & the common sense, liberal solutions to them, someone genuine, would have my enthusiastic support.

There's a Third Way hit piece on de Blasio, btw, at the Daily Beast posted yesterday, so maybe there is really something to those rumors. They seem to be making a preliminary strike~

Fat Cat de Blasio vs. New York’s Poor and Middle Class
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/04/21/fat-cat-de-blasio-vs-new-york-s-poor-and-middle-class.html

The insidious BS propaganda^^^ we have to wade through!

[2banon]

4. Indeed. They don't get it. I know Warren will not run, but we need the infrastructure in place and

in play in the event Someone Else who share's the same values, policy positions, point of view and is able to articulate just as cogently and directly as she does and with the same level of authenticity and sincerity.

For instance, we do have Bernie committed, and as a Leftist I could definitely support his candidacy. I do have a couple issues that concern me but I don't want to get in to that here. .

There's also the possibility of Martin O'Malley, I loved his remarks on NPR the other day , it got my attention. but I need to learn more about his views and positions on TPP, and other foreign policy matters.

If and when Warren changes her mind, I'm right there and I'll work hard to win the primaries and general.

.

[Boomer]

3. Warren is more effective in the Senate

Warren would make one helluva president, but I'm not sure this country deserves that honor. Her adamant refusal to enter the presidential race only raises my esteem for her. The presidency is a thankless position and she's obviously sane enough to realize that.

For direct policy impact, Warren is best off where she is right now. She will get more done in a narrower scope than she could as president.

[2banon]

5. Fair point. I do tend to agree.

but IF she changes her mind, I'm right there.