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The Draft Campaign Elizabeth Warren Didn’t Ask For But Hasn’t Killed
The Draft Campaign Elizabeth Warren Didn’t Ask For But Hasn’t Killed
12/22/14
Elizabeth Warren isn’t running for president. But the senator’s electromagnetic pull has produced a sprawling, complicated draft effort that could define the progressive movement — and prove rewarding or risky for Warren.
...“No, no, no, no, no.”
But three weeks ago, when organizers from MoveOn.org, the largest progressive group in the country, contacted Warren’s office to let her staff know about their plan, the reply they received was neutral and dispassionate, taking some activists by surprise.
“When we gave them a heads up, they said ‘thanks’ and ‘we’ve appreciated the work we’ve done together in the Senate,’” said Ben Wikler, MoveOn’s Washington director.
The organization was about to launch a campaign to convince Warren to run for president. MoveOn officials expected support from the majority of their members — there are 8 million spread across every state, county, and zip code. And they intended to spend at least $1 million on the effort, opening offices and hiring staff in New Hampshire and Iowa, the states that begin the presidential nominating process every four years.
After MoveOn announced the project, Warren reverted to her go-to line. A spokesperson reiterated Warren’s pledge to serve a full Senate term. And her staff circulated audio from an event in Boston, where Warren told reporters again that, no, she isn’t running.
Still, organizers working on the campaign to draft Warren — who has become an avatar of the party’s progressive flank — found it significant that she didn’t go further.
“The response was just ‘OK,’ not a statement up or down,” said one progressive operative involved in the campaign. “If Warren or her team had been dead set against a draft from a big movement player like MoveOn, there was an easy way to make that clear.”
“It would have stopped it dead,” this person said. “MoveOn would not have done it.”
http://www.buzzfeed.com/rubycramer/the-draft-campaign-warren-didnt-ask-for-but-hasnt-killed#.guEZL0gM8
12/22/14
Elizabeth Warren isn’t running for president. But the senator’s electromagnetic pull has produced a sprawling, complicated draft effort that could define the progressive movement — and prove rewarding or risky for Warren.
...“No, no, no, no, no.”
But three weeks ago, when organizers from MoveOn.org, the largest progressive group in the country, contacted Warren’s office to let her staff know about their plan, the reply they received was neutral and dispassionate, taking some activists by surprise.
“When we gave them a heads up, they said ‘thanks’ and ‘we’ve appreciated the work we’ve done together in the Senate,’” said Ben Wikler, MoveOn’s Washington director.
The organization was about to launch a campaign to convince Warren to run for president. MoveOn officials expected support from the majority of their members — there are 8 million spread across every state, county, and zip code. And they intended to spend at least $1 million on the effort, opening offices and hiring staff in New Hampshire and Iowa, the states that begin the presidential nominating process every four years.
After MoveOn announced the project, Warren reverted to her go-to line. A spokesperson reiterated Warren’s pledge to serve a full Senate term. And her staff circulated audio from an event in Boston, where Warren told reporters again that, no, she isn’t running.
Still, organizers working on the campaign to draft Warren — who has become an avatar of the party’s progressive flank — found it significant that she didn’t go further.
“The response was just ‘OK,’ not a statement up or down,” said one progressive operative involved in the campaign. “If Warren or her team had been dead set against a draft from a big movement player like MoveOn, there was an easy way to make that clear.”
“It would have stopped it dead,” this person said. “MoveOn would not have done it.”
http://www.buzzfeed.com/rubycramer/the-draft-campaign-warren-didnt-ask-for-but-hasnt-killed#.guEZL0gM8
15 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
No one is, it's still early. I find it interesting she didn't just say NO through her staff when they contacted her and told them what they were doing.
This is what I think as well, just from listening to her in interviews. And its why she's seeing what MoveOn can do, how involved people will be. Because this is the ONLY thing, a strong grassroots movement, that will beat the multi-million$ already raised by Clinton's sponsors.
I've only read about her book, excerpts, but I'll download it tonight on my Kindle. Thanks for the recommendation! 