Elizabeth Warren takes credit for Occupy Wall Street: Smart move?
Vying to defeat Sen. Scott Brown, the liberal hero says she's not just an OWS supporter, but one of its intellectual founders. Republicans pounce
While many Democratic politicians, and even a few Republicans, have tepidly embraced Occupy Wall Street, progressive icon Elizabeth Warren has gone further, taking some credit for inspiring the protest movement. "I created much of the intellectual foundation for what they do," Warren, who's running to challenge Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) next year, tells Newsweek's Samuel Jacobs. And "Warren's boast isn't bluster," Jacobs notes, citing her decades of academic research on consumer debt and bankruptcy, along with the Wall Street–battling work she did setting up President Obama's consumer protection bureau. But is aligning herself with Occupy Wall Street really a winning electoral strategy for Warren?
Warren's claim will alienate voters: Warren is "probably right" in claiming that she laid the groundwork for Occupy Wall Street, says Tina Korbe in Hot Air. But that's hardly something to brag about. "Republicans have already begun to point out that, by tying herself to the Occupy Wall Street protests, Warren risks backlash from ordinary voters who decry the impolite manners and more extreme tactics of the protesters." As the Occupiers veer deeper into rowdy class warfare, those risks only grow.
"Elizabeth Warren: I provided the intellectual foundation for Occupy Wall Street"
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
This is a winning argument for Warren: Republicans plan to bring Warren down by painting her as one of the "99 percent," says David Dayen at Firedoglake. Well, "good luck with that!" Most Americans are fed up after 30 years of being "brutalized" by predatory banks, and Warren really was a pioneer in seeing that and explaining what went wrong. I doubt the GOP's normal "loony left"–blue collar "culture war game" will work this time, especially "in, er, Massachusetts."
"Republicans attack Elizabeth Warren for favoring Occupy Wall Street..."
Smart or not, this battle has just begun: "Wow, this is going to be good," says Greg Sargent at The Washington Post. The early tussling over OWS in the country's highest-profile Senate race is just a preview of what's to come. "National Republicans are placing their bet" that cultural populism will beat Warren's economic populism among key working-class and independent voters — and Warren is "making the opposite bet." Who's right? Time will tell.
"It’s on: Republicans slam Elizabeth Warren for embracing Occupy Wall Street"
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'The House under GOP rule has become a hostile workplace'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
The Shohei Ohtani gambling scandal is about more than bad bets
In The Spotlight The firestorm surrounding one of baseball's biggest stars threatens to upend a generational legacy and professional sports at large
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Feds raid Diddy homes in alleged sex trafficking case
Speed Read Homeland Security raided the properties of hip hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Xi-Biden meeting: what's in it for both leaders?
Today's Big Question Two superpowers seek to stabilise relations amid global turmoil but core issues of security, trade and Taiwan remain
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Will North Korea take advantage of Israel-Hamas conflict?
Today's Big Question Pyongyang's ties with Russia are 'growing and dangerous' amid reports it sent weapons to Gaza
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published