Elizabeth Warren, on Fire in Nevada

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

“FINISH HIM!” read tweet after tweet after Elizabeth Warren’s opening verbal volley against Mike Bloomberg, echoing the video-game edict from the fighting game Mortal Kombat that precedes a graphic evisceration of one’s opponent. While the Massachusetts Senator didn’t reach to her right and rip out Bloomberg’s spine, her piercing account of his past sexist remarks set a tone for her mission for the night.

Warren wasn’t merely on the stage to remind voters in Nevada and nationwide of a candidate who press and party alike had prematurely dismissed after only two contests. She revealed precisely why her style of politics may be best suited to handle the ultimate competition of 2020: taking on and defeating Donald Trump.

In that respect, Bloomberg isn’t so much a primary opponent for Warren as he is practice. Indeed, he differs with Trump on a number of policy points, including guns and the environment. However, the two tycoons have much in common, including past predilections for racist public policy and sexual harassment lawsuits. For Warren, who made rhetorical lemonade out of “nevertheless, she persisted” when Mitch McConnell directed his acidic barb at her three years ago, her very first opportunity to face Bloomberg directly had to leave a mark.

“I’d like to talk about who we’re running against: a billionaire who calls women ‘fat broads’ and ‘horse-faced lesbians,’” Warren said, referring in the latter remark to a 1990 booklet of “actual quotes” from Bloomberg compiled by a former colleague as a birthday gift. She clarified that she wasn’t speaking about Trump, but about the man to her right, the once-again Democrat who with those remarks alone presented a liability in a general election against Trump. She drove the point home by saying, “Democrats are not going to win if we have a nominee who has a history of hiding his tax returns, of harassing women, and of supporting racist policies like redlining and ‘stop-and-frisk.’ Look, I’ll support whoever the Democratic nominee is, but understand this: Democrats take a huge risk if we just substitute one arrogant billionaire for another.”

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/political-commentary/elizabeth-warren-955377/

[guillaumeb]

1. She was brutal in her dissection.

Money cannot buy everything.

[PatrickforO]

2. LOL, yeah that was great. It really was.

My whole family watched the debate and my wife was actually cheering when Warren roasted Bloomberg about the harassment NDAs.

Warren really is an awesome human being. I'd like to see her win NV. Don't know if that will happen, but I'd like to see it.

Just an aside: my son and I are both well versed in issues and political wonks. My wife is not as well versed simply because it stresses her out too much, but she is familiar with the issues. My daughter has been apolitical and watched the debate not really knowing any of the candidates, their histories or who to root for (I'd say she's like most voters in that).

Anyway, at the end of the debate, she said, "I really like that blonde woman. Who is she, Warren?" THAT is how well Elizabeth did during the debate - she convinced my daughter, 31, mother of two, divorced, good job in the financial services industry, to support her candidacy. THAT is what I'm talking about about Warren being able to beat Trump.

The Pocahontas thing? My daughter and millions of millennials like her will hear that, kind of tilt their heads in a quizzical way and then go back to listening to Warren, whose policies make sense.

Oh, and on edit: My son, my wife, myself and my daughter all came out of the debate liking Warren and Buttigieg the best. We also felt Klobuchar could beat Trump as well, but Buttigieg had her on the ropes and really rattled, which didn't look good. Bloomberg seemed to us to be just trying to buy the election, Biden and Bernie are good but we need some new blood - younger and/or female. This debate was the most entertaining of the Democratic debates, as well. I'll bet Warren and Buttigieg won in the estimation of independent voters who may have watched.

[MoonlitKnight]

3. Don't be surprised by a strong showing in NV

Even with the early voting. She was likely the second choice on many ballots. So a strong showing on caucus day could see a lot of those votes come into play as other candidates are not viable.

[bucolic_frolic]

4. Warren was remarkable

Swiftly delivered, calm, cool, matter of fact, no hesitation. You couldn't even call her approach preachy, over-the-top, gratuitous, or loud. Trump will be orange jello if she takes that approach to him.

Candidates have skills, plateaus, barriers. I think Warren really broke through to a new level last night. It echoed Obama's campaigning in the speed of mind and confidence, the rapid synthesis of thought, the unpretentious demeanor. It is characteristic of someone who knows they are doing the right thing, who says what they truly believe.

I thought Biden showed glimpses of spark, and Bernie was his usual theoretical self, but light on specifics. The rest were bogged down with negativity.