2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumThis Voter Guessed How Old Elizabeth Warren Is. The Answer May Surprise You.
By David WeigelDETROITThe annual Netroots Nation conference, a grassroots gathering of progressive activists from LGBT to labor unions to Ready for Hillary, was a little ignored by the media last year. I distinctly remember sitting in a row of media desks during the keynote speeches by Barney Frank and Howard Dean, and seeing empty chairs outnumber the bodies of reporters by 2-to-1.
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As a skeptic of Warrenmentum (polling, reality suggest progressives are generally solid behind Hillary 2016), I finally found a reason that's keeping speculation hot. Voters assume Warren is much younger than Clinton.
"I wish Hillary would have won last time," said Irma Glaser, a 77-year-old retiree perched at the front of the stage where Warren would speak. Glaser was so pro-Clinton, actually, that she put Claire McCaskill on her "list" for daring to endorse a male candidate over the first credible female president-to-be. "But the Republicans are going to push on her age. It's been eight years, and who knows what's going to happen by 2016?" Glaser wanted Warren to run for that reasonshe's "younger." How much younger? "I don't know, but I'd guess 15 years, 20 years," said Glaser.
Other voters guesstimated that Warren was around a decade younger than Clinton. She's actually only 18 months younger, born in 1949, 12 years before the current president of the United States, and four years before the current dynastic hope of the GOP, Jeb Bush. But she just got elected in 2012, so people don't assume she's around the same age as the woman who became Arkansas' first lady in 1979.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2014/07/18/this_voter_guessed_how_old_elizabeth_warren_is_the_answer_may_surprise_you.html?
think
(11,641 posts)Warren gets raves...
djean111
(14,255 posts)You progressives - look into my eyes - you are wildly enthusiastic about Hillary........Elizabeth is almost as old as Hillary is........you are wildly enthusiastic about Hillary........
Warren has fresher ideas and is feistier - that's why she seems so much younger than Hillary.
I think enthusiasm for Hillary has peaked. There may be a dull acceptance, if there is no primary or Hillary wins the primary, but I can't see getting all excited about Hillary, she would just be better than the GOP candidate. I am not going to cheer-lead for Wall Street.
Response to djean111 (Reply #2)
DonViejo This message was self-deleted by its author.
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)Candidate either. She is involved with Wall Street also. You do not get $42 million to run in a senator without deep pockets.
juajen
(8,515 posts)However, it is obvious that the reason she appears younger than Hillary is because Hillary has vast experience in politics, while Elizabeth has barely any in comparison.
Let's face it, Hillary's life experience is daunting. I can't think of even one person who can match it. Yes, Elizabeth is brilliant; so, is Hillary. The differnce is obvious; Hillary is twenty times more experienced in political life and policy than the adorably young looking Elizabeth Warren. We desperately need her right where she is, not in a pocket that will rip her apart She has a wonderful education and work ethic, and probably should be helping dems out in the future by taking on Wall Street. I am looking forward to seeing what happens politically for her, but, she knows, as many others do, that it is way to soon for her to consider a Presidency run
djean111
(14,255 posts)There is nothing that indicates that. "Poobably" is not nearly good enough for me.
And yes, Hillary is as politically experienced as a politician can get - and she is a corporatist, and Third Wayer. I don't believe Hillary is going to do anything with all that experience except push things like the TPP.
Cal33
(7,018 posts)politician stands for?
Hillary is pro-Wall Street's money, bribery and corruption. Elect her and our
nation will continue on its way to a slow economic death.
Elizabeth is one of the not-too-many Congress-people fighting Wall Street's
sick ways tooth and nail. She's been a senator for less than 2 years, and is
already the most efficient and prominent member of the Senate. She knows
what she is doing, has great integrity and dedication, and she learns fast -- as
all extremely intelligent people do. More and more Democrats are switching
over to her. Of course, she said she isn't running in 2016 anyway.
I'd still vote for Hillary only because I'd vote for any Democrat over any
Republican. Dying slowly is not yet dead. There is still some hope left.
Pisces
(5,599 posts)cheering her on in 16!! I would love to have her be the first woman President. Enthusiasm hasn't even begun to rev up yet.
djean111
(14,255 posts)to choosing a president. I have worked for fantastic women, I have worked for women who stabbed everyone else, men and women, in the back in order to get ahead. I learned to COMPLETELY discount gender, and just go by deeds. THAT, to me, is women's lib, feminism, etc. I am 68. I worked through the years when women were treated horribly in the workplace. Guess what? Equality, to me, is considering candidates for the presidency on deeds, not on genitalia. That is equality to me.
Also - if women are so easily led by just having another woman run of office - why didn't we all sweep Palin into office? because, judged as a person, she was totally unsuited for the job.
I supported Hillary in 08, by the way. Voted for her, here in Florida.
Then I got educated about the Third Way and such. That is what is important to me, not gender.
Sorry. Hillary being a woman is no more a slam dunk this time than it was last time.
Oh, and why didn't you support her and her womanhood in 08? You thought Obama would be a better candidate, right? Why was gender not important to you then, but all-important now?
Anyway, Warren is a woman - how come Hillary is the only prospective candidate supposed to generate enthusiasm based on her gender? For me, Hillary is a corporatist, a Third Wayer, and I am not interested, much less enthusiastic.
Pisces
(5,599 posts)woman with the best chance to win. I did think Obama was a better candidate than Hillary in 08. He was vocal in
not supporting the Iraq war as well as well ahead of the subprime debacle. He had a lot more charisma and I definitely
think he had a way better chance in 08 to win. Hillary gets my support now. Warren has stated over and over again
that she is not running. You 3rd wayer, naysers just don't want to listen.
No one is a slam dunk, but you are wrong about the mood of the country. We are ready for a woman President., and all her dirty
laundry has been aired and diffused, there is nothing standing in her way except herself and unintentional missteps.
Good luck with your third way agenda. I want a democrat to pick the next 2 or 3 Supreme Court Justices, therefore I will go
with the better odds.
djean111
(14,255 posts)I also do not really have confidence in Hillary's judge-picking.
Good luck to us all.
I would steer clear of assigning wishes for a woman president to a whole country.
Personally, I don't really care about the gender.
Pisces
(5,599 posts)be a major achievement. I have zero confidence in a Republican's judge selection. The Supreme Court should
be foremost in everyone's mind when thinking about the possibility of a Republican president. But that is just a pragmatic
view. I am sure your have your purist litmus test to qualify your candidates.
DFW
(54,397 posts)I don't get to discuss her much back where I live because no one there has ever heard of her, but I have never met an American interested in national politics who wasn't at least vaguely aware how old she is.
We can thank the Republicans and their Reagan worship cult for the fact that they can't whine about 70-ish presidents being too old to assume the office of President.
GeorgeGist
(25,321 posts)and Dave Weigel's got a column.
SheilaT
(23,156 posts)Hillary Clinton does that it's almost hard to believe.
I've been known to say that I think Hillary is too old to run for President. But Warren is not very much younger. I'm actually about half way between the two women in age. I'd vote for Warren and she looks to me as if she'd have the stamina and what all to be President for four or eight years. Not Hillary.
Some people age better than others.
Chan790
(20,176 posts)If she's the nominee, I'll vote for her.
I cannot make the same promise about Sec. Clinton. I would have to weigh my Working Families, Green, and Socialist options. (If CT had a DC-Statehood party, I'd have to consider them too.)
(Chan790: A liberal, not a Democrat.)
Jamaal510
(10,893 posts)EW looks older than HC. I think that both her glasses and her grey hair make her look older.
If anything, I was shocked at how old HC is when I found that out. I would've guessed that she is in her mid-to-late 50s, but I was wrong.
customerserviceguy
(25,183 posts)she will never be able to. She can't afford to wait for a couple of Hillary terms to be over with.
My prediction? She knows this, and if Hillary wins (I think she will) Warren will look to make herself a presence in the Senate. If Hillary loses (and I don't see how) then 2020 is still a possibility.
madinmaryland
(64,933 posts)We all saw what happened to joementum:
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)republicans have a lot to fear from D Leaders, Ds have a lot of great people!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Warren