For the sake of Massachusetts, let’s hope that Elizabeth Warren gets better than this.
She was always a mildly underwhelming candidate, clutching her talking points like they were a satchel of gold — millionaires and billionaires, a level playing field, big oil. As deft as she was at slogans, she was never so good at answering questions, which was odd for a person of such experience and substance.
Comments
The ants in their pants pundits have risen again. Prof Warren is Senator Elect not the present Senator. The issues to be voted on before January belong to Scott Brown. It is his opportunity to show how "bipartisan" he can be by preventing filibuster gridlock on what needs to be done. He should be asked if he will vote the will of the people of this Commonwealth and the nation. It is not Democrats that have been obstructing assurance of desired American values but the alternative reality Republicans. When Elizabeth Warren goes to Washington and raises her hand to be sworn in, gets a lay of the legislative landscape, that is the time to weigh in on legislative priorities. The questions she was asked pertain to the lame duck session and she has no influence over that. In the arena of the hurried news cycle that makes more mistakes than it should or overreacts to out of context statements it brings us poor government. During the campaign Prof Warren stated the social values that need addressing and will turn it into legislative action at the right time. In the meantime the pressure should be on Sen Scott Brown to understand what his defeat means. He should use the time left to him to exercise his legislative duties accordingly. It will give him a chance to truly show he is for us. I believe Sen Elect Warren was extending a courtesty to those who must finish their term responsibly doing the people's work on their own merit.
Well said, oetkb...the media need to remember that our representatives needn't blab away just because a reporter needs a nifty quote for the next morning's newspaper.
The ants in their pants pundits have risen again. Prof Warren is Senator Elect not the present Senator. The issues to be voted on before January belong to Scott Brown. It is his opportunity to show how "bipartisan" he can be by preventing filibuster gridlock on what needs to be done. He should be asked if he will vote the will of the people of this Commonwealth and the nation. It is not Democrats that have been obstructing assurance of desired American values but the alternative reality Republicans. When Elizabeth Warren goes to Washington and raises her hand to be sworn in, gets a lay of the legislative landscape, that is the time to weigh in on legislative priorities. The questions she was asked pertain to the lame duck session and she has no influence over that. In the arena of the hurried news cycle that makes more mistakes than it should or overreacts to out of context statements it brings us poor government. During the campaign Prof Warren stated the social values that need addressing and will turn it into legislative action at the right time. In the meantime the pressure should be on Sen Scott Brown to understand what his defeat means. He should use the time left to him to exercise his legislative duties accordingly. It will give him a chance to truly show he is for us. I believe Sen Elect Warren was extending a courtesty to those who must finish their term responsibly doing the people's work on their own merit.
Well said indeed, but why wasn't Warren the one to say it?
Don't get me wrong, I'm the steriotype that voted for her or rather, against Brown once he showed his true colors, but Brian is on the right point even if OETKB is too.
She had to ask an aide "Can I say that?" she has zero experience and it's shows, we elected a Senator that will go to Washington and basically just do as she's told. The women decided it was more important to get a represenative that will protect their reproductive rights.
No, the state decided. Scott was found to have not represented his constituents apart from the ones with money andthe ones who voted for him.
No, the state decided. Scott was found to have not represented his constituents apart from the ones with money andthe ones who voted for him.
"she was far better than the other option" ??? Hardly, and only in the bleeding blue state of Massachusetts. Openness and honesty? Hah.
Yes...it would have been better if she simply stated mouth-breathing Democratic bromides that would simply anger anyone who voted for Brown! She's got to work with McConnel and Inhofe and other Tea Party types. Do you really want them to hate her more than they already do?
Brian - why do all of you press types care about style. She represents all of those who did not vote for her as well as her base. Did you really want to see a mouth-btreathing liberal who would simply further anger Brown voters? Unlike the other polished politicians you have seen, she was not raised as a candidate from birth.
Maybe she needs a TelePrompTer.
"I only said I wanted to help the lower and middle classes, I never said I wanted to mingle with this riff raff. Quick, get me back to Brattle Street!!" EW. Senator Elect
This comment has been removed.
The press is upset because she acted like Bill Belichick: she gave you nothing but simple answers.
Usually politicians are long winded. She is right to the point. It is refreshing.
Have no fear folks. Sen. Elect Warren is just keeping the Kennedy seat warm for the next Kennedy. She will do what she is told to do.
Please don't speak for me, Mr. McGrory. I value succinctness. You should try it.
So during an "easy" press conference she doesn't elaborate enough on whether or not she'll have a diverse staff and she's being disrespectful? 36 hours after winning and months before she is sworn in and she is letting us down? How about we reserve some judgement for when she actually, you know, has the job.
She's not a professional politician. She hasn't been doing this ALL her life. Let her warm up to the job. She must be overwhelmed by the magnitude of the victory that she has acheived. I for one will reserve judgement on her and look at her actions during her time in office. I'm sure she will grow into the position more than Mr Brown ever did. And in six years I'm sure you'll have a raft of accomplishments to point to as she gets reelected.
You know if we had elected Martha Coakley 2 and half years ago, she would have gotten it right away. She would have given you the whiz bang press conference. She was another champion of the people. But then Massachusetts as well as the rest of the country was smitten by the shiny new prattle of tea party and confused style over substance
Perhaps you failed to notice that Elizabeth Warren is not the Senator from Massachusetts, Scott Brown is. He will be casting some very important votes in the next couple of months and my hope is that he and she will have some "discreet" conversations and explore how each of them can benefit the citizens of the Commonwealth in the most effective way. When Mr. Brown became Senator Brown the seat was vacant. He could say what he wanted to say without a care in the world. I respect her for respecting the fact that she is the senator-elect and Scott Brown has to be respected as the sitting Senator. It will not be easy for either one of them but they need to talk and understand each other over the next crucial months and, if it is possible to do so at all, to do so quietly.
This comment has been removed.
Great time Boston Globe to notice maybe she isn't what she is supposed to be.......
Brian weren't you a big supporter of Warren - why change after election day ?
hah, took the Globe and Martha Coakley a few years to catch onto Tim Cahill spending tax payer money to advertise his campaign. Had to leave him in to be the spoiler so Deval could win first.
hah, took the Globe and Martha Coakley a few years to catch onto Tim Cahill spending tax payer money to advertise his campaign. Had to leave him in to be the spoiler so Deval could win first.
You got what you wrote for-enjoy for the next 6 years
Mr. McGrory: Welcome back to the practice of journalism.
I am afraid that you have it right. What we are seeing now is more of the reason she was kicked out of the agecy she created - -not only the Republicans but also all of the Deomcrats were sick to death of her.
Congratulations to Prof. Warren for winning election. That is an awe-inspiring accomplishment, period. But you can just look at her acceptance speech, and the way she barked "NO"! at her cheering supporters to quiet them, to see the real human being behind the "hammered by billionaires" root. She makes John Kerry look like Ronald Reagan.
Now she will never, ever be voted out. This is kind of a sad day for us, the chumps who voted her in. Too bad there was not a columnist or two around to tell us more about her when we had time to decide. Not that I am bitter. Say hi to your rooster for me.
I meant the hammered by billionaires" talking points. I don't know what "root" means above or why I typed it.
She is holding the seat for Joe Kennedy - she will return in 6 years and go back to Harvard - we will then have Senator Joe :(
This is what happens when you elect a rookie to a high level office. We finally had a great, bi-partisan senator and you and other liberal voters kicked him to the curb. We are stuck with her now and the state is once again a laughingstock. Hold on to your wallets.
HE WAS NOT NOT NOT NOT bipartisan. You guys live in fantasy land. He was bought sold and owned by big oil and any other big corporation behemouth that GOUGES us and PROBABLY you unless you are part of the 1%. He will NEVER if Democrats stay vigilent see high office again. Let him run for dog catcher of Wrentham!
How could he be bi-partsan at all when he signed the Norquist pledge early on?
I won't accept any criticism of Senator Warren. for god's sake the woman just took office. Where the economy is concerned she probably needs to speak softly but WILL carry a big stick. I have NO DOUBT NONE whatsoever she will work against the big money interests, big banks and big corporations trying to hoard all the cash and leave nothing for the 99%.
Leave the woman alone I say, and let her do her job. She just got to there... SHEESH!
Leave her alone? Are you serious? She has spent tens of millions of dollars and invaded my home with calls and advertising begging and pleading for this focus. She won and therefore now has our full attention. BTW, she's not even "there" yet. My Senator is closing out his term with the aplomb that I would expect of anyone on the public stage.
OMG, Ms Rosen, you forgot to take your meds, once again, this morning. Or perhaps your understanding of our election laws are different than what they actually are. Warren is officially a "Senator-elect" and she has not taken office yet. She, like every other elected politician will lose her backbone (what little she has left from her battle with osteoparosis) when she confronts the financial corporations. Just ask Brooksley Born, the former CFTC Chairwoman, what caused the the financial crisis that we are in. It was a Republican controlled House & Senate and a Democratic President, Bill Clinton, that enacted the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000 that permitted outright gambling in the financial markets. The Act received overwhelming bi-partisan support and coupled with Barney Frank's oversight of Fannie & Freddie, we are in financial ruin. Your hatred for the 1% is clearly misdirected.
McGrory asserts that Warren was "better than the alternative" (i.e. Scott Brown). Really? Well, I guess we're going to find out if this over-caffeinated, hectoring schoolmarm really is a better alternative than the high-integrity, hard-working, respected, admired, accomplished, truly bi-partisan Senator whom she'll be replacing soon. As it stands now, a woman who has spent her life in faculty lounges and wagging her finger at other people seems mighty uncomfortable with answering even the softest questions. It's almost as if a woman who campaigned as a mouthpiece for the Democrat machine, parroting tired, narrow, cynical talking points built around contraception, class warfare, and the 'big banks', is suddenly discovering that she now needs to speak for people other than single women and the poor souls in Brockton and Lynn who are waiting for the next Kennedy to save them. And, on the basis of the fact that she deferred to the governor on a question about defense spending, she may need to be educated on what Senators actually do, too. She's likely to be a dismal Senator, mainly because she'll probably annoy the living daylights out of her colleagues within one month. Of course, that won't matter to the fools who elected her. The rest of us will have to console ourselves with the fact that she'll be fun to watch.
When most of your neighbors look like fools it may be time for self-assessment.
Noonzer likes to critize Warren but when he comes to recommending Brown he should think about it a little more. She brings to the Commonwealth a great deal of experience in Washington and in the U.S. She has appeared before the Supreme Court and appellate courts several times (not representing just corporations but seeking to protect the interests of individuals as well--a fact that Brown incorrectly described in his campaign. Compare that to Brown who has worked at closing some real estate transactions from his home for some banks he mostly refused to identify and otherwise got his income from working for the state or the federal government. Brown: traded in his interest in MA for a higher office with the Maryland national guard; has already gotten himself a job in the Pentagon working for the general in charge of the national guard; has forgotten that people don't regard seven days in Afganistan as a real tour of duty; was "truly bi-partisan" only when he knew it wouldn't cause him any problem with his GOP senate members. If noonzer thinks that big banks aren't a problem and that voters don't recognize that they were much of the cause of the Great Recession he needs to think again.
Gosh Brian, it must really stink when a politician answers each question and then stands ready for the next one. Especially when those questions are either unremarkable ("how do you feel about the number of woman who were elected"), silly ("will your staff be diverse") or premature ("how do you plan to vote on the fiscal cliff"). She elaborated on her answers to the first; really, how does one answer the second without alerting the reporter to the fact he/she has asked a really stupid question ("of course I intend to have a diverse staff you twit"? Or how about "no, I plan to have all older, smart, well educated women just like me"?) or the final one, which conveniently forgets that we have a senator at the moment who is in office over the next crucial two months, who will be the one actually voting and with whom she must work. Good Lord, you guys in the media just really need to get over yourselves sometimes.
For the sake of Massachusetts let us hope that the political commentators cut Senator-elect Warren a little slack. She isn't a Senator yet, must wait for two months to exert any influence on what the Senate does during that time, has to deal with the issue of what committees to be named to and a whole lot of other issues. Why try to give her a hard time after her having spent the better part of year achieving the result that is so important to this state.
IMHO, the questions that she was handed yesterday were utter "softballs". I think that's why the press was so horrified and spent so much time on them last night and again today. The hardest question she had to deal with was the one regarding defense spending and I'm fairly certain my 14 year old son would have hit that one into center field.
Professor Granny sold voters a bill of goods that she solves problems with regulations. . . and blatherall . . . as she does at a Harvard Law classroom.... Her being tired and 'discrete' says something about the expectations her arch-liberal base can have for her. . . She's going to be an antimilitary, antibanking, antimale, discriminating malaprop once she gets sworn in. . . Barry the O didn't name her to head a new commission in Washington because he wanted her as a vote for his agenda in the Senate. . . Somebody in Barry's entourage was a pretty smart strategist . . . Maybe Granny can take over for Susan Rice (the less than proud and far from credible U.S. Ambassadress to the United Nations) as Barry's discretress in chief. . .
You got what you deserve. She doesn't need you anymore or the people who voted for her. She is an eleitist. This is a perfect example of why she wasn't confirmed for the consumer post in D.C. Her behavior is perfectly consistent with the know it alls from Harvuud. Let's just see how bipartisan she will be in the Senate.
I was going to post my own comment but this one is even better that what I had teed up. I hope the professor/Senator elect understands the metaphor "be careful what you wish for". She will get less starting leeway than Bobby Valentine the day she takes the peoples seat. Pair her sometimes shrill, sometimes vapid responses with her inexperience and we are in for some rough days. Yes, I was a sore loser for a solid 24 hours. Now I'm even more motivated to ensure that we are well represented. Yesterday's press conference was an utterly embarrassing event that only serves to reaffirm that she was the wrong choice. RD
As anyone who was paying any attention at all knows, she was only available to run for the Senate because the Wall Street fat cats are terrified of her.
This is what happens when you don't give the press an easy column for the next day.
I didn't vote for her, and I certainly understand she is probably exhausted and even a bit nervous about the new responsibilities. However, I would have thought somebody who just spent 14 months of public speaking nearly every single day and facing cameras and microphones would be a lot more at ease after the election.
Of all her comments the one that puzzled me the most was "I was a lot more discreet as a candidate than I was in real life."
I don't know Elizabeth Warren that well, but I would imagine that, in real life, she was intelligent enough to stay on the issues with Brown when every inclination was to call him out on misinformation, lies, half-truths and utter fabrications, not to mention fantasy. That's just my opinion. Please don't dig up the heritage and hair things again: leave that to Donald Trump.