Democrat Warren takes step to challenge Trump in 2020

[webfact]

Democrat Warren takes step to challenge Trump in 2020

By Doina Chiacu

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) delivers a major policy speech on "Ending corruption in Washington" at the National Press Club, Washington, U.S., August 21, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, a liberal firebrand who has taken on Wall Street and traded barbs with Donald Trump, on Monday became the most prominent Democrat to announce a challenge to the Republican president in 2020.

 

Warren said she had formed an exploratory committee, which will allow her to begin raising money to compete in what is expected to be a crowded Democratic primary field before the November 2020 presidential election.

 

She said on Twitter she would announce her decision on whether to run early in 2019.

 

Warren, 69, a senator from Massachusetts since 2013, became one of Trump's fiercest critics during the 2016 presidential race and they have continued to exchange biting insults during his presidency. Trump mockingly refers to her as "Pocahontas" because of her claim to Native American ancestry.

 

Warren has denounced Trump as an "insecure money grubber" with a platform of "racism, sexism and xenophobia" while Trump has described the former Harvard Law School professor as "goofy" and a "lowlife" with "a nasty mouth."

 

On Monday, Warren released a video in which she outlined her vision of a path to opportunity for all Americans and charged that the U.S. middle class was under attack from corporate interests. She later elaborated on the theme in an exchange with reporters outside her Cambridge, Massachusetts, home.

 

"America's middle class is getting hollowed out and opportunity for too many of our young people is shrinking," she said. "So I'm in this fight all the way. Right now Washington works great for the wealthy and the well connected. It's just not working for anyone else."

 

The Democratic presidential field could eventually include Senators Kamala Harris, Corey Booker, Kirsten Gillibrand, as well as former Vice President Joe Biden. Julian Castro, President Barack Obama's housing secretary, formed an exploratory committee this month.

 

Warren welcomed the "strong and growing group of Democrats" making arguments similar to those she is making, saying: "That's how we build a movement. We do it together."

 

In searching for a candidate to run against Trump, Democrats will grapple with the tension between the party's establishment and progressive wings that flared during the 2016 primary with Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent who ran under the Democratic banner.

 

A Warren candidacy can expect opposition from Wall Street. In the U.S. Senate, she has been a strong voice on financial issues and a self-described defender of the ordinary American against powerful interests.

 

RESTRICTING BANKS

Following the 2007-2009 global financial crisis, Warren emerged as a leading critic of Wall Street and continues to advocate for stiffer regulation and oversight, including reinstating a rule that would separate banks’ retail business from their riskier investment banking activities.

 

Warren, a member of the Senate Banking Committee, has fought the Trump administration's efforts to weaken post-crisis financial rules, going as far as to attack moderate Democrats who backed a May rewrite of the 2010 Dodd-Frank reform law.

 

In a September interview marking 10 years since the financial crisis, Warren was asked about breaking up big banks. "Oh yeah," she told the New York Times. "Give me a chance."

 

She also has opposed the administration's efforts to undermine the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an agency she helped create, and has pressurized the Federal Reserve to take a tough line on scandal-hit lender Wells Fargo <WFC.N>.

 

Many of Warren's policy positions have focussed on economic inequality. She recently offered legislation calling on the U.S. government to manufacture generic drugs to reduce their cost. In 2017 she joined other senators in a proposal to extend the federal Medicare health insurance programme for seniors to include everyone.

 

Warren's 80 percent name recognition does not translate into actual support, said University of Virginia professor Larry Sabato said.

 

"Some Democrats swear by her and love her blunt style, while others are put off by her and fear she’d lose to Trump," he said. "Warren has a lot of convincing to do," adding the same is true of many other Democratic contenders.

 

Warren will begin campaigning soon in some of the states with early presidential nominating contests, a person familiar with her plans said.

 

Trump had not responded several hours after Warren's announcement but Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel dismissed the senator as "another extreme far-left obstructionist and a total fraud."

 

Trump's use of Pocahontas, a 17th century Native American woman associated with the British colony in Jamestown, Virginia, was aimed at drawing attention to a controversy over her heritage raised during Warren’s 2012 Senate race.

 

Warren in October released a DNA analysis she said supported her assertion that she had Native American lineage.

 

Trump’s reference has drawn criticism from some Native American groups while others criticized Warren for trying to lay claim to a tribal nation.

 

(Additional reporting by Michelle Price; Editing by Bill Trott)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-01-01

[Jingthing]

Happy new year.

So it begins.

The epic righteous quest to evict Individual-1 from the white house (unless impeachment, resignation, criminal indictment/conviction, or cheeseburgers don't have the same effect before election day). 

Let the best whatever democrat win!

Who is that?

Difficult question.

Is it Warren? At this point, I don't think so but she has a better chance than most of the prospective candidates at this point. 

 

Quote

 

For Democrats, the race to 2020 will be unlike any seen in modern times

Anyone who has paid close attention to past Democratic presidential nominating campaigns should strike what they know from their memory bank. Old rules and previous assumptions aren’t likely to be worth much. What’s ahead for the Democrats will be unlike any nomination battle in recent years.

 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/for-democrats-the-race-to-2020-will-be-unlike-any-seen-in-modern-times/2018/12/31/c01a8d8a-0d15-11e9-8938-5898adc28fa2_story.html

[quandow]

I can't stand Trump, but he will eat her lunch. She's a typical weather vane, old white guy politician.

[TopDeadSenter]

She will never get past having used her pretend Cherokee heritage(which was proven to be a lie as per her DNA result fiasco) to further her career. Cultural appropriation is a big deal these days. This is unfortunate as she is my 2nd top choice to run against Trump in 2020. The first being Ocasio-Cortez. This is going to be the best electoral pounding ever.

 

"Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel dismissed the senator as "another extreme far-left obstructionist and a total fraud."

 

Amen.

[Joe Mcseismic]

Lets hope other Republicans run against Trump. Kasich would be good. Seems like a fairly level-headed guy.

I think 2020 will be like 2016, it's the Democrat's election to lose and if they nominate Elizabeth Warren, they'll lose again.

[Chomper Higgot]

16 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

She will never get past having used her pretend Cherokee heritage(which was proven to be a lie as per her DNA result fiasco) to further her career. Cultural appropriation is a big deal these days. This is unfortunate as she is my 2nd top choice to run against Trump in 2020. The first being Ocasio-Cortez. This is going to be the best electoral pounding ever.

 

"Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel dismissed the senator as "another extreme far-left obstructionist and a total fraud."

 

Amen.

Nobody is going to ‘run against Trump’.

 

Trump is toast.

[quandow]

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Nobody is going to ‘run against Trump’.

Trump is toast.

Quite the contrary. Trump has some frightening voodoo mojo that enables him to say and do outlandish things and his supporters eat it up. ANY other human being who had said the things during the primaries as Trump did about Senator McCain would have been an INSTANT outcast, yet we see where THAT went, and Trump says and does similarly embarrassing/abhorent things DAILY. There are a number of Republicans who have stated publicly how Trump needs replacing and some are "exploring" the possibilities of running in the Republican primaries - Mitt Romney for one, John Kasich for another, and the list is growing. Understand there is NO ONE on the planet who hates Trump more than I, and I hope in my heart of hearts he is taken out in handcuffs, the sooner the better, but don't underestimate him, blight on the face of politics as he is.

 

[OneMoreFarang]

How many people predicted that Donald would be POTUS? Very very few.

Everybody thought American voters would not be so stupid to vote for such an unqualified moron.

But 62 million voted for him!

And he is POTUS and many still support him.

And nobody can say Trump somehow changed to the better when he became president.

 

Will those 62 million somehow wake up and decide from now on they will make rational decision? I have my doubt.

So how can rational thinking people predict who irrational people will vote for?

[bendejo]

Checked the online news this morning.  The Louis CK stuff got higher priority than her announcement.

I consider that an indication of what constitutes news these days. 

My cynicism toward government and media has returned to the level it was in 1968; the waste product of digested food left by the cows is more favorable.

 

 

 

 

[keemapoot]

Nobody thinks Trump is doing more to diminish and dismantle America more than I do and I'm not even a Democrat. However, Warren running or Biden or Beta or any of this bunch cannot defeat Trump and his locked-up base if he gets through the Mueller process unscathed.

 

Democrats have to get someone or something radically different to beat this abomination. Anyone who thinks his impeachment or resignation is a lock should face reality. We all hope for the best, but you have to plan for the worst.

[Chomper Higgot]

2 minutes ago, keemapoot said:

Nobody thinks Trump is doing more to diminish and dismantle America more than I do and I'm not even a Democrat. However, Warren running or Biden or Beta or any of this bunch cannot defeat Trump and his locked-up base if he gets through the Mueller process unscathed.

 

Democrats have to get someone or something radically different to beat this abomination. Anyone who thinks his impeachment or resignation is a lock should face reality. We all hope for the best, but you have to plan for the worst.

Two points of note:

 

1. Warren announcing her candidacy is in no sense a declaration that she will be the Democrat candidate.

 

2. Warren is far more likely to become the Democratic candidate than Trump is to survive Mueller’s investigation.

[Chomper Higgot]

39 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

How many people predicted that Donald would be POTUS? Very very few.

Everybody thought American voters would not be so stupid to vote for such an unqualified moron.

But 62 million voted for him!

And he is POTUS and many still support him.

And nobody can say Trump somehow changed to the better when he became president.

 

Will those 62 million somehow wake up and decide from now on they will make rational decision? I have my doubt.

So how can rational thinking people predict who irrational people will vote for?

The majority of those who voted were not so stupid to have voted for Trump.

[EVENKEEL]

This is awesome news, I just love it. Hopefully she'd pick HRC as running mate. It's going to be a fun 2 yrs.

[howbri]

1 hour ago, Joe Mcseismic said:

Lets hope other Republicans run against Trump. Kasich would be good. Seems like a fairly level-headed guy.

I think 2020 will be like 2016, it's the Democrat's election to lose and if they nominate Elizabeth Warren, they'll lose again.

Trump in a landslide against the globalist/communist/socialists.

[keemapoot]

10 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Two points of note:

 

1. Warren announcing her candidacy is in no sense a declaration that she will be the Democrat candidate.

 

2. Warren is far more likely to become the Democratic candidate than Trump is to survive Mueller’s investigation.

I agree that the Muller investigation seems ready to drop a bombshell by about February. But, nobody can predict what this will be or the political effects yet. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

 

What the Dems need is a reverse Ronald Reagan type character who can somehow keep the democrat base, and also consolidate and capture the middle right (independents and traditional republicans). Trump will continue to have a lock on his base, but traditional Republicans despise the man privately, even though showing party support. 

[AnnaBanana]

What is it about photographs of this woman that cause me to dislike her intensely without any really good reason?

[bristolboy]

1 hour ago, quandow said:

I can't stand Trump, but he will eat her lunch. She's a typical weather vane, old white guy politician.

If Elizabeth Warren isn't your idea of a genuine populist, someone who is extremely knowledgeable and has consistently challenged corporations, who is?

 

[Kelsall]

Asked about Warren, here is what Trump said...

[Chomper Higgot]

1 minute ago, AnnaBanana said:

What is it about photographs of this woman that cause me to dislike her intensely without any really good reason?

That is perhaps a matter for a private conversation between you and someone qualified to help you.

[AnnaBanana]

4 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

That is perhaps a matter for a private conversation between you and someone qualified to help you.

If she appeals to you, then maybe you've gotten that help already.

[sfokevin]

My feeling is if you can look past a mans bonespurs you can look past someone’s Grandparents sketchy recollections... 

[Briggsy]

13 minutes ago, AnnaBanana said:

What is it about photographs of this woman that cause me to dislike her intensely without any really good reason?

Probably undiagnosed misogyny. Any woman with authority, particularly over you, would cause you to have this reaction with your condition. Watching Fox News will exacerbate the symptoms.

[mikebike]

59 minutes ago, bendejo said:

Checked the online news this morning.  The Louis CK stuff got higher priority than her announcement.

I consider that an indication of what constitutes news these days. 

My cynicism toward government and media has returned to the level it was in 1968; the waste product of digested food left by the cows is more favorable.

Progressive candidates like Warren will never get any positive coverage from establishment news media, who are currently promoting Biden/O’Rourke on the Dem side as their establishment, keep everything the same, heroes, with no polling to support their enthusiasm. They, as always, are attempting to drive, and frame, the race on their terms and narrative, not the will of the people.

[keemapoot]

1 minute ago, mikebike said:

Progressive candidates like Warren will never get any positive coverage from establishment news media, who are currently promoting Biden/O’Rourke as their establishment, keep everything the same, heroes, with no polling to support their enthusiasm. They, as always, are attempting to drive, and frame, the race on their terms and narrative, not the will of the people.

You are largely right, and many experts predict that Bernie would have defeated Trump, but Hilary was installed and locked in. This is a very difficult place for the Dems, because, unlike Trump, who was able to consolidate this block, the dems have a much harder task of pleasing a range of social liberals, progressives, and at the same time, recapturing the center and attracting the center right. You could say almost impossible, whereas Trump found common themes of lower middle class white anger, fear and angst to capitalize on.

 

What Trump has done is redefine the battleground. Nobody needs to be concerned anymore about anyone outside of their base, so long as that base can keep you in office. The days of inclusive politics are long over.

[lannarebirth]

1 hour ago, bendejo said:

Checked the online news this morning.  The Louis CK stuff got higher priority than her announcement.

I consider that an indication of what constitutes news these days. 

My cynicism toward government and media has returned to the level it was in 1968; the waste product of digested food left by the cows is more favorable.

 

 

 

 

 

Never understood the appeal of Louis CK or Elizabeth Warren. One makes some good observations which are insightful but not particularly funny while losing the battle with his own perviness. And the other has no original ideas, is a " me tooer", if she can attach herself to somebody else's winning idea, and then stabs that person in the back in furtherance of her own weak candidacy. I see no comeback for either of them.

[NanLaew]

2 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Cultural appropriation is a big deal these days.

Tell that to DJT and his not infrequent reminders of his maternal Scottish heritage. He never mentions his dad's German origins or acknowledge the silver spoon that he got from him.

[Nyezhov]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Will those 62 million somehow wake up and decide from now on they will make rational decision? I have my doubt.

So how can rational thinking people predict who irrational people will vote for?

In the view of the 62 million who voted for him, will the 65 million who voted against him

somehow wake up and decide from now on they will make rational decision? I have my doubt.

So how can rational thinking people predict who irrational people will vote for?

 

PS: The Dems need to put up a moderate, fiscally conservative, strong on defense, non PC centrist to win.

[lannarebirth]

16 minutes ago, keemapoot said:

You are largely right, and many experts predict that Bernie would have defeated Trump, but Hilary was installed and locked in. This is a very difficult place for the Dems, because, unlike Trump, who was able to consolidate this block, the dems have a much harder task of pleasing a range of social liberals, progressives, and at the same time, recapturing the center and attracting the center right. You could say almost impossible, whereas Trump found common themes of lower middle class white anger, fear and angst to capitalize on.

 

What Trump has done is redefine the battleground. Nobody needs to be concerned anymore about anyone outside of their base, so long as that base can keep you in office. The days of inclusive politics are long over.

 

The days of the "Independent" swing voter, however, are not.

[NanLaew]

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.)

[Becker]

I sincerely doubt she will emerge as the Dems' front runner but whoever it will be let's hope he/she will no run against the man-child.

If all things go well he will be removed from office this year and handed an orange jumpsuit. What a wonderful year 2019 could turn out to be!