In Effort to Appeal to Young People Elizabeth Warren Embarrasses Herself Again

Elizabeth Warren, Once a Front-Runner, Drops Out of Presidential Race

Ms. Warren, a senator and former law professor, staked her campaign on fighting abuse and changing the rules of the economy.

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transcript

transcript

Warren Calls Campaign 'The Honor of a Lifetime'

Senator Elizabeth Warren discussed why she decided to exit the race for the Democratic nomination, and said she was not ready to endorse one of her rivals.

"I volition not be running for president in 2020, but I guarantee I will stay in the fight for the hardworking folks beyond this land who accept gotten the short terminate of the stick over and over. That's been the fight of my life, and it volition continue to be and then." Reporter: "Will you be making an endorsement today? We know that you spoke with both Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders yesterday." "Not today, not today. I need some space effectually this, and want to take a petty fourth dimension to think a little more. This has been the honor of a lifetime. Ten years agone, I was teaching a few blocks from here, and talking about what was cleaved in America and ideas for how to ready it, and pretty much nobody wanted to hear it. And I've had a adventure to become out there and talk with millions of people. Gender in this race, y'all know, that is the trap question for every woman. If you say, 'Yes, at that place was sexism in this race,' anybody says 'Whiner.' And if you say, 'No, in that location was no sexism,' virtually a bazillion women think, 'What planet do you live on?'"

Senator Elizabeth Warren discussed why she decided to exit the race for the Democratic nomination, and said she was non ready to endorse i of her rivals. Credit Credit... Ruth Fremson/The New York Times

Published March 5, 2020 Updated Oct. 4, 2021

[Follow our live analysis of the Biden inauguration .]

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Senator Elizabeth Warren entered the 2020 race with expansive plans to use the federal regime to remake American order, pressing to strip power and wealth from a moneyed class that she saw as fundamentally corrupting the land's economic and political order.

She exited on Thursday after her avalanche of progressive policy proposals, which briefly elevated her to front-runner status last autumn, failed to attract a broader political coalition in a Democratic Party increasingly, if not singularly, focused on defeating President Trump.

Her departure means that a Autonomous field that began as the nigh various in American history — and included vi women — is now essentially down to ii white men: former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Senator Bernie Sanders.

Ms. Warren said that from the get-go, she had been told there were only two true lanes in the 2020 contest: a liberal one dominated past Mr. Sanders, 78, and a moderate one led by Mr. Biden, 77.

"I thought that wasn't right," Ms. Warren said in forepart of her firm in Cambridge as she suspended her campaign, "But evidently I was wrong."

Though her vision energized many liberals — the unlikely dirge of "big, structural modify" rang out at her rallies — it did not discover a wide enough audience among the political party'south working-class and various base of operations. Now her potential endorsement is highly sought, and both Mr. Sanders and Mr. Biden have spoken with her in the days since Super Tuesday losses sealed her political fate, though she revealed precious trivial of her intentions on Thursday.

"I need some infinite around this," she said.

And her ability to raise well over $100 million and fully fund a presidential campaign without holding high-dollar fund-raisers demonstrated that other candidates, beyond Mr. Sanders and his intensely loyal small-dollar donors, could do and so in the future.

Epitome

Credit... David Degner for The New York Times

Listen to 'The Field': What Happened to Elizabeth Warren?

We went to Massachusetts to explore how the most diverse slate of candidates in U.S. history become a contest, once more, between two men.

transcript

transcript

Heed to 'The Field': What Happened to Elizabeth Warren?

Hosted by Michael Barbaro, produced by Austin Mitchell and Jessica Cheung, and edited by Lisa Tobin and Mike Benoist

We went to Massachusetts to explore how the most diverse slate of candidates in U.S. history become a contest, once again, between ii men.

jessica cheung

How-do-you-do.

austin mitchell

Hi!

astead herndon

Hey, how are you?

austin mitchell

Buddy.

astead herndon

Yikes. What a day already. Um —

austin mitchell

Yes, what do you mean when you lot say, "What a day already"?

astead herndon

Well, we just reported that Elizabeth Warren is dropping out of the presidential race. We're here in Boston exterior of her house. Non in Boston, actually. Cambridge. Waiting for her to speak to a horde of media, both local and national.

speaker 1

We take —

speaker ii

I empathize that, but I was here earlier yous guys all jumped in front of me.

speaker 1

Considering we only found out we have to movement.

astead herndon

From The New York Times, this is "The Field." I'thou Astead Herndon in Massachusetts.

[cheering]

Around 12:30 on Th, Senator Elizabeth Warren came out of a side door of her house with her husband and her golden retriever and addressed the media.

archived recording (elizabeth warren)

All correct. So I announced this morning that I am suspending my campaign for president. I say this with a deep sense of gratitude.

astead herndon

It's been two days since Super Tuesday, where Elizabeth Warren's best finish was in third place, including in her home state of Massachusetts. That put her backside her campaign's already lowered expectations and made a gathering like today feel about inevitable.

archived recording (elizabeth warren)

For every single person —

astead herndon

She thanks her supporters and her staff and takes questions.

archived recording (reporter)

Senator, will you lot be making an endorsement today? We know that y'all spoke with both Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders yesterday.

archived recording (elizabeth warren)

Not today. Not today. I need some space around this.

astead herndon

And when information technology comes to why she has to drop out?

archived recording (elizabeth warren)

You know, I was told at the beginning of this whole undertaking that in that location are 2 lanes, a progressive lane that Bernie Sanders is the incumbent for, and a moderate lane that Joe Biden is the incumbent for. And there's no room for anyone else in this. I thought that wasn't right, just apparently I was wrong.

archived recording (reporters)

Senator, why do you think —

astead herndon

And on the question of gender?

archived recording (reporter)

And I wonder what the message would be to the women and girls who feel similar we're left with 2 white men to determine betwixt?

archived recording (elizabeth warren)

I know. I of the hardest parts of this is all those little girls who are going to have to wait iv more years. That's going to exist hard.

archived recording (reporters)

Senator, why do you call up —

astead herndon

She gets emotional, but there are clearly things that she's left unsaid.

But when you enquire her supporters who have come to the house to watch this speech communication, they go there.

warren supporter ane

Oh, I'm and then sad. Yesterday, I so sad I couldn't — I couldn't move.

warren supporter 2

I'thou frustrated, I'one thousand disappointed, and distressing.

warren supporter 3

I'm heartbroken that very clearly most qualified candidate is out of the race.

warren supporter four

Sadly, as well many people in this country aren't set for a woman president, which is an unfortunate thing.

warren supporter v

Very disappointed, simply I guess at that place'south never going to exist a fourth dimension for a adult female. She's my generation, and nosotros're not going to see it at present. This was our — it's non going to happen.

toddler

(CRYING) Grandma, Grandma, I wanna go habitation!

warren supporter 5

Maybe her generation. All right, nosotros gotta go. Look at this little girl looking at the doggie. She likes the doggie.

astead herndon

Today, millions of voters across six states will bandage their ballot for the ii viable Democratic candidates left: Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. What began every bit a competition with historic diversity, along racial and gender lines, has at present come up down to two men, 70 plus, both white. And every bit someone who covered senator Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren, and with Warren peculiarly, who once led in national polling, I'chiliad left to wonder how did we get hither? How did it stop up this way?

[doorbell ringing]

astead herndon

Wow. Oh, those are one of the fancy doorbells, where you can look at it with your telephone. Hello, how are you?

lyn licciardello

Hello, a party.

astead herndon

Hello, my name's Astead. I'grand a politics reporter at The Times.

lyn licciardello

Hi, nice to come across you.

astead herndon

Information technology's prissy to run across you lot.

lyn licciardello

I'grand Lyn. What did yous say your proper noun is?

astead herndon

Astead.

lyn licciardello

Astead?

astead herndon

Yes.

jessica cheung

I'm Jessica —

astead herndon

So the side by side day, me and producers Austin Mitchell and Jessica Cheung go to North Andover, Massachusetts.

austin mitchell

Should we take our shoes off?

lyn licciardello

Oh, yous don't have to.

jessica cheung

You sure?

astead herndon

To meet with a pretty typical Warren supporter, Lyn Licciardello.

astead herndon

I only have one sock on.

lyn licciardello

It's fine. [LAUGHTER]

jessica cheung

You have what?

astead herndon

I only take one sock on.

[laughter]

austin mitchell

How does that happen?

astead herndon

Her hubby Tom is at that place, too.

lyn licciardello

Tommy, will you pour h2o, please?

tom licciardello

Yes, I knew in that location was a office for me somewhere.

astead herndon

And her cousin Kathleen.

kathleen lambert

Allow me take your coats.

astead herndon

And we all sit down downwards in their living room.

astead herndon

What practice you practise?

lyn licciardello

I am a nurse, just I teach exercise now.

astead herndon

Oh, very dainty. Give me — what practise?

lyn licciardello

Oh, well, I teach a class that's about the first half is aerobic, and then at that place's some stretching and strength training. It'due south nearly an hour class at the senior center in Lawrence.

astead herndon

Awesome. How long have yous been in N Andover?

lyn licciardello

Since 1949.

astead herndon

Hm. And when did you first notice Senator Warren?

lyn licciardello

I noticed Senator Warren years ago. I think it was around 2012. I happened to be reading the newspaper ane morning. And I noticed that a congressman named Todd Akin had said a horrible thing near women and pregnancy, saying that if a adult female were to get significant every bit a result of rape, and then her body has a way of getting rid of that.

archived recording (todd akin)

It seems to me, get-go of all, from what I empathize from doctors, that'southward actually rare. If it's a legitimate rape, the female person body has means to try to shut that whole thing down.

lyn licciardello

And my eyes merely flew open up, and I said, oh my god, this homo is in our Congress. I was flabbergasted, and I said to my husband, who is that woman? There was a — at the aforementioned time, I was non happy with Scott Brown, who was our senator at the time.

archived recording

He doesn't stand up for women's reproductive rights and economic security. He co-sponsored legislation to allow employers deny women coverage for nascence control or even mammograms. He had ii opportunities —

lyn licciardello

And I said, who's that adult female that's going to run confronting Scott Brown? I heard that a woman is going to run confronting Scott Brown.

archived recording (elizabeth warren)

I'grand Elizabeth Warren. I'grand running for the U.s.a. Senate. And before y'all hear a agglomeration of ridiculous attack ads, I want to tell y'all who I am. Like a lot of y'all, I came up the hard style.

lyn licciardello

And I said, I take to practise something to assistance her get elected.

archived recording (elizabeth warren)

But Washington is still rigged for the big guys, and that's gotta change. I'm Elizabeth Warren, and I approve this message, because I want Massachusetts families to accept a level playing field.

astead herndon

Then Lyn becomes a volunteer for the Warren Senate campaign.

lyn licciardello

I was always on board with Elizabeth right after that.

astead herndon

Why do you think you felt so drawn to Elizabeth Warren?

lyn licciardello

Because in many means, she's me. She'due south me. She has the same feelings that I have. She's actually very close to my age. She has a wonderful way of kind of looking into your heart and heed. She'due south interested in you. She's interested in the people.

archived recording (elizabeth warren)

Hello, I'grand Elizabeth Warren. It's very nice to come across yous.

speaker

I'yard going to vote for you.

archived recording (elizabeth warren)

Wonderful, say that over again. Fabulous. Nosotros're here for the chicken. [LAUGHTER] Good to meet you. I like your shirt. Very handsome.

lyn licciardello

Elizabeth has that heart. And, she's brilliant.

archived recording (elizabeth warren)

And despite the odds, you elected the start woman senator to the country of Massachusetts. [Cheering]

astead herndon

How did it feel? I hateful, she wins the race, apparently. How did that feel?

lyn licciardello

Oh, my god.

Information technology was and then exciting. I still tin can't say that without crying. Information technology was and then exciting.

astead herndon

Then then, in 2016.

lyn licciardello

Well, I was for Hillary. Hillary, I was very invested in having Hillary be president. She had all the qualifications. She was more than qualified than everyone who's e'er been president, in my opinion. But considering she was a adult female, I knew it would be difficult. Only I still thought she could win.

astead herndon

Did y'all know people or did you hear people say, I won't vote for Clinton because she'southward a woman?

lyn licciardello

Non similar that. But here'due south what I did hear. I was talking to a adult female who was kind of a stranger, only nosotros were chatting. And nosotros were talking about politics and about how nosotros feel nigh certain things. So I guess it was like immigration, climate change and things similar that. And this woman was on board with all of the Democratic ideals. And then I mentioned Hillary Clinton, and she said, "Oh, I detest her." And I said, "Really? Considering she'south the 1 who stands for all of these things that we're talking almost." "No, no. I can't stand her." I said, "Well, why don't you like her?" "Oh, I have no thought." I said, "Is it because she's an aggressive woman? Is she too ambitious? Is she also loud? Does she limited herself as well much?" And her respond was, "No. I don't know why." So like a infinitesimal later, I mentioned Elizabeth Warren. She said, "Oh, I can't stand her either." And then I was like, "She agrees with you nigh everything! All the things that you're saying you believe in, she is promoting." "No, well, I tin't stand her." So, I know. I mean, I've been a woman my whole life. So I know very well that that is the reason. Even women will vote against women, because they're women.

archived recording (joy behar)

There are people out at that place who have this idea that you're not trustworthy, that they don't like you for some reason. What is that about, in your stance?

archived recording (hillary clinton)

You know, Joy, evidently I've thought a lot nearly it, considering I don't like to hear it.

archived recording (joy behar)

Yep.

archived recording (hillary clinton)

So I need to figure out what'southward behind it. You know, I am perhaps a more serious person, a more than reserved person than is in the public arena these days. And so I call up people so say, "Well, she's serious. She's reserved. Can I really like her?"

archived recording (joy behar)

Only what is inauthentic? What'southward inauthentic mean?

archived recording (hillary clinton)

I don't empathise that. I don't sympathise that. Considering I've been pretty much the aforementioned person my entire life, for better or worse, right?

archived recording (joy behar)

Mm-hm.

lyn licciardello

Clinton losing made a difference. Clinton losing did get in harder for me to remember that a woman could win.

astead herndon

And then this yr, when Elizabeth Warren announces that she'due south running, Lyn has mixed feelings.

lyn licciardello

I honey that people were getting to know her all across the country.

archived recording (elizabeth warren)

How-do-you-do.

archived recording (raelyn)

Hi, my name'south Raelyn.

archived recording (elizabeth warren)

Hullo, Raelyn.

archived recording (raelyn)

I was wondering if there was always a time in your life where somebody you really looked upwards to perhaps didn't accept you every bit much and how you dealt with that?

archived recording (elizabeth warren)

Yeah.

My mother and I had very unlike views of how to build a future. She wanted me to marry well.

And I really tried, and information technology only didn't work out. But I too know it was the right affair to do. And sometimes, you just gotta do what's right inside. You gotta have care of yourself first and do this. Give me a hug. [APPLAUSE]

lyn licciardello

And it was a pleasure for me to come across that, although I was a petty flake worried.

archived recording 1

In the wake of her tertiary place finish in Iowa and fourth identify finish in New Hampshire, Warren said, "My task is to persist." But persisting and winning are two very different things.

archived recording 2

Senator Elizabeth Warren, she came in 5th place in South Carolina.

archived recording 3

Elizabeth Warren trailing in fourth place in Nevada.

archived recording 4

I think the biggest question that Elizabeth Warren has to answer is, where does she win?

astead herndon

Lyn voted early in Massachusetts for Senator Warren. Only in the days leading up to Super Tuesday, she's questioning her vote and wondering if she did the right thing.

lyn licciardello

But I didn't experience — I didn't feel bad that I had already voted for her at all, considering like she said, vote with your heart. And she was my heart.

jessica cheung

Did you know anyone personally in your life who were for Warren and then jumped ship?

lyn licciardello

Yes, my cousin Kathleen.

astead herndon

Raising her hand.

kathleen lambert

Yeah, actually as soon every bit Buttigieg and Klobuchar backed Biden — and I was kind of waiting to encounter how it all shook out a picayune bit — I voted for Biden considering we have to stop Sanders, in my opinion. But I would have voted for Warren, because I voted for Hillary.

astead herndon

Every bit Kathleen is talking, Tom nods and raises his manus.

austin mitchell

Yeah, did you heighten your mitt, also?

tom licciardello

Me too. Yeah, yeah.

Yep, actually every bit the sole old white guy in the room, I, too, did vote for Biden, though I love Elizabeth Warren, and she would take made an extraordinarily wonderful president.

astead herndon

By the fourth dimension Massachusetts was voting, if she looked more electable, if she was a forepart-runner, you all would have stuck with her?

tom licciardello

Aye, yous bet.

kathleen lambert

Absolutely, yeah.

astead herndon

Did you lot see when she — plain when she comes out and talks at her house, did yous run into that?

lyn licciardello

Oh, aye. I was hither in the living room. I was in my ain living room listening to it, watching. And aye, I cried through the whole thing. It's heartbreaking.

astead herndon

Practice you think something she said that day that stuck with you or maybe acquired you to feel that emotion?

lyn licciardello

Well, ane of the things was that, you know how she talked near the pinkie swear that she does with the piffling kids? The start time I met her, which was way back when, before she was elected senator for the beginning time, she was doing that with little girls that were there.

jessica cheung

What is the pinkie swear? What is she promising girls?

lyn licciardello

She says that girls tin can be president. She gets right downwards to their level. She gets right down to their heart level and talks to the girls like that.

astead herndon

The race is now down to ii guys, afterward starting with such a various field, gender ratio, all of that. How does information technology feel for it to be down to ii men, when you lot had four women senators at the start, all of whom you liked?

lyn licciardello

I know. Information technology'south sick, isn't it? [CHUCKLES]

You know, it was almost inevitable. I retrieve people pan — not panicked, merely I recollect that people are very, very concerned that we have to crush Trump.

astead herndon

Simply why does the feeling of "need to beat Trump" then translate to men? Then you lot're saying, I think a lot of people are scared, I think a lot of people only want to beat Trump, and that'due south why it came down to 2 men. What is necessarily male person near those qualities?

lyn licciardello

Because at that place are so many people in the land that simply would non vote for a woman, similar that adult female that I was talking about before. And we really feel the need to prevail this time, especially.

astead herndon

So the idea that a adult female candidate is a gamble because of other people's or the country'south sexism?

lyn licciardello

Aye, that's how I feel. It'southward a terrible thing to have to experience, but I do feel that fashion. Right now. I don't recollect it's always going to be similar that, but I think it's the fashion it is right now.

[music]

jessica cheung

All right.

austin mitchell

Thank you. You can go skiing now.

lyn licciardello

Oh, skillful. I'yard sorry you tin can't come with us. That was too bad.

jessica cheung

Tell united states where y'all're going.

lyn licciardello

Warren, Vermont. [LAUGHS]

It's very funny, because nosotros have our ski place right next to our daughter and son-in-law in Warren, Vermont. And our son-in-law's parents alive in Warren, Rhode Island.

laughter

astead herndon

A Warren household to the cease.

lyn licciardello

Yes.

astead herndon

It's one voter's view that sexism is what consumed the Elizabeth Warren campaign. And certainly that'south ane that's popular among her near die-hard supporters. But I'm wondering, is this the view inside her own campaign? Practise they call up that the barriers that gender placed on them were too big to overcome?

The same twenty-four hours we met with Lyn, we headed to the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston, to Elizabeth Warren's campaign headquarters.

astead herndon

It's kind of like a warehousey building, nondescript, very on brand. There is a Dunkin' Donuts right across the street.

astead herndon

To see with someone who'south worked for the Warren campaign from the outset.

kristen orthman

I'thou Kristen Orthman, the communications director for Elizabeth Warren.

astead herndon

Equally communications managing director, Kristen's in charge of trying to all-time translate the candidate to the balance of the country, particularly through the media. And over the course of this campaign, nosotros got to know each other pretty well. Now that the campaign has ended, I'm wondering whether Kristen will speak more than candidly about what went incorrect and well-nigh what role gender specifically played in the campaign's demise.

astead herndon

Is there something unlike well-nigh planning communications and media for women politicians?

kristen orthman

Yes.

astead herndon

[LAUGHS] Yeah, in what way?

kristen orthman

I recall that there can exist more caution when you lot're working for a adult female, because you're viewing things through the lens of much more of "how volition this be perceived?" And I think I've an appreciation for the challenges of the Clinton presidential campaign probably now than I did when I first started.

astead herndon

In what way?

kristen orthman

I call back that the fact that in that location were stories when Elizabeth offset ran — there was an infamous i like the twenty-four hours she announced.

astead herndon

This is Dec 31, 2018, when Warren kickoff announced her intentions to seek the presidency.

kristen orthman

Talking most like, I think it was the likability factor, her versus Hillary. Because they were two women who ran for president, two white women who ran for president that had blond hair. I hateful, I approximate I'm non quite certain what else warranted necessarily that.

astead herndon

Then when information technology becomes clear she's running for president, how forefront of mind was gender and the need to define her on her own, outside of Clinton or whatever terms?

kristen orthman

I think when you're running for president, male, female, you lot take to be yourself. So what I was always, and what our squad and her always wanted to make sure is, you are showing what you would hope is the truest version of yourself.

astead herndon

I of the critiques of the Clinton campaign, fair or not, was that many voters felt like they never actually knew her authentic self, that there was a barrier between candidate and voter congenital up over all those years in the public eye. So Kristen and her team tried to go in the opposite direction. To distinguish Warren, both from Clinton only besides from everyone else.

kristen orthman

You know, she runs out on stage.

archived recording (elizabeth warren)

Hello, Indianola!

kristen orthman

She dances.

archived recording

[CHEERING]

kristen orthman

She stays for hours for photos.

archived recording (elizabeth warren)

So we just finished our upshot here in New York City, and I got a lot of notes and a [INAUDIBLE].

kristen orthman

She is only similar the empathetic and blithesome person that I know behind the scenes, was the person that was on a town hall stage. Or the fighter that I've also seen behind the scenes, and that many people saw, whether in the hearing room or otherwise, was the person on the debate stage. There is a vulnerability that comes with that, being a female candidate versus beingness a male candidate. I always was thinking through the risks in that, because I just knew that the "mistakes" that — I'grand using quotes, considering I don't always they were, only they were perceived as mistakes — that female candidates brand. It's similar a higher bar.

astead herndon

But to her, these risks were necessary components of running an authentic campaign.

kristen orthman

Permit'due south do the things that accept now become similar signatures, were signatures of the campaign. It's similar, well, OK, she'southward running for president to say something and do something. And then let's start doing that.

archived recording

2020 Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren is leading the pack when it comes to policy proposals.

archived recording (elizabeth warren)

So I've got a program for 3.2 million new housing units in America. I've got a programme to put $800 billion new federal into our public schools. Student loan debt, I've got a plan for that. And corruption.

astead herndon

She became known as the "I accept a plan for that" candidate.

kristen orthman

The "I have a program for that" just happened organically. Time Magazine put it on the cover, and that's when it became more of a matter. I think it happened grassroots level before that. People start talking about it, because we were doing it.

astead herndon

In that location was like a whole meme section of like, Warren plan.

kristen orthman

Exactly, that'southward what I mean. Yeah, exactly, exactly.

astead herndon

And by the terminate of last fall, Warren has crossed into front-runner status. She's leading in some national polls. Just this is also about the fourth dimension that I noticed a shift in the race.

astead herndon

The primary change from a contest to ideas, to one of merely as obsession about who can win. Do you call back that'southward truthful?

kristen orthman

I think the master campaign has always been about who can win.

astead herndon

How does that impact the women, specifically, who are running?

kristen orthman

I practise think I demand distance in order to fully formulate, but I don't think there'due south whatever question that electability was viewed through a lens that probably injure the women candidates. Because there was a perception that, after 2016, even though the female person candidate got three 1000000 more votes, is a woman not electable? And she has said before publicly that she would hear that from people in the early states. Like, "I'one thousand worried about who tin can beat Trump." But I don't remember all of a sudden in October it was like, "Oh, permit'due south make this principal most who's going to shell Donald Trump." That's what it'southward been.

astead herndon

I would largely agree. Certainly, electability has never been far from mind for most Autonomous voters. Simply as more and more people tuned into the race, particularly effectually this time in the belatedly fall, it shifted its tone. Policy ideas took a dorsum seat to that electability question. And the candidates who had most clearly articulated their path to victory started to rise, while Elizabeth Warren started to fall. This coincided with rival candidates like Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar increasingly casting Warren's campaign as out of impact with the mainstream Democratic Political party and a existent full general election hazard. And so to respond to that scrutiny, the Warren campaign tries to reposition itself as a unity candidate, someone who tin can actually bring all sides together.

astead herndon

In that location's sometime during the unity candidate phase, where I did experience similar it was unlike from the fight that nosotros had heard earlier.

kristen orthman

Mm-hm.

astead herndon

How do you foursquare those 2 versions that we did meet just this year?

kristen orthman

I mean, I think y'all can both — unity doesn't mean not fighting. I never didn't think she was herself.

astead herndon

Take united states of america into argue prep, for example. Like, are you sitting there thinking, "We have to bundle a candidate, and there are concerns most how she'll exist perceived if she attacks too much or attacks likewise little." Similar, how much is gender a business concern as y'all are thinking well-nigh the big national combative moments?

kristen orthman

Mm-hm. Y'all know, I don't desire to make a big statement saying it'south easier for men to attack than women. I exercise call up that there are probably greater consequences to a failed assault by a female than a failed attack past a male. Because patently she had a debate performance a couple — two debates ago — where she doing some level of contrasts with Mayor Bloomgberg.

laughter

astead herndon

Understatement of human history.

archived recording (elizabeth warren)

I'd like to talk nigh who we're running against — a billionaire who calls women fatty broads and horse-faced lesbians. And, no, I'm not talking about Donald Trump. I'm talking well-nigh Mayor Bloomberg. Democrats are not going to —

kristen orthman

She was really strong. She was tough, and she was dynamic.

archived recording (elizabeth warren)

Democrats take a huge gamble if we just substitute one arrogant billionaire for some other. This land has worked —

kristen orthman

They were contrasting with each other, and I call up overall, it was agreed upon that she did well in that exchange.

astead herndon

Only this came in Nevada, later on 2 straight disappointing finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire.

astead herndon

I mean, if nosotros're just going to have Nevada, I feel like that is a reason to ask why then and non previously? Were you all in rooms saying, "Well, we tin can't attack yet"? One of things I remember from the second this campaign started was the way that supporters were so eager to meet her cutting down the Bidens and the Bernies and everyone else. It really didn't get that payoff until Nevada.

kristen orthman

Mm-hm.

astead herndon

Why?

kristen orthman

So I similar reject the premise of your question, because I think that you can be both advocating for yourself and creating contrast in ways that are non — that don't always need to exist how it happened in Nevada.

archived recording (moderator)

Senator Warren, what did yous think when Senator Sanders told y'all a woman could not win the ballot?

archived recording

[LAUGHTER]

archived recording (elizabeth warren)

I disagreed. Bernie is my friend, and I am not hither to try to fight with Bernie. Merely look —

kristen orthman

At present, some would say near — and this is what I heard frequently from reporters — "Oh, you guys are doing subtle contrasts. People don't get that. People don't know that." I don't necessarily agree with that. I think that y'all're always looking at the bar of how do we balance advocating for yourself and your ideas versus contrasting with other people.

jessica cheung

You characterize Warren every bit contrasting with Bloomberg.

kristen orthman

Yes.

jessica cheung

Others might characterize that as she was attacking Bloomberg or going after Bloomberg.

kristen orthman

Yep.

jessica cheung

And I wonder — yep, I wonder if in your part, you're choosing your words carefully, because you know that male person politicians are treated differently or characterized differently than female politicians.

kristen orthman

I very specifically used the word "contrast." And so you are correct that I was specifically choosing those words. That was your question, right? Yeah.

astead herndon

In that location is a prevailing view from Warren supporters that gender was the foremost reason that she wasn't successful in this race. Do you share that feeling?

kristen orthman

You think that'south a prevailing view?

astead herndon

Yes, definitely.

kristen orthman

I just think I probably need more time to recollect about it. And I'yard non trying to not reply your question. I think that at that place were — what she said yesterday effectually, similar, at that place were basically 2 ideological, I think she called them poles. We could call them lanes. That'due south non necessarily genderized. That is an ideological reason. And so I think electability, the idea of electability, was the other reason. Now, the idea of electability through the optics of, "can a woman win"? Certainly, that'south gender. And I would add that information technology wasn't only "can a adult female win?" It was, can a non-white or non-male candidate win?

astead herndon

For that last betoken, information technology seems as if, and then, this kind of place that we've ended, with two people on the ideological poles, both of them beingness white males, was that inevitable?

kristen orthman

I mean, possibly.

I don't know.

[music]

astead herndon

Yep, nosotros'll see you afterwards.

jessica cheung

Bye, we'll meet you afterward.

astead herndon

It'southward so hard to get people — I think this is true. I hateful, peculiarly being a male reporter asking women nigh sexism, you need people to — similar, oh, were you thinking near this, then? Merely that's not really how biases work, correct? Like, does she say "dissimilarity" and non "attack" because of sexism? Maybe. But it's so deeply pervasive that it's not something you actively think about every bit you're doing it. And I feel like that makes sometimes the reporting claiming difficult, because yous're asking these candidates, similar, wasn't that sexist? Wasn't that racist? Wasn't that blah, blah, blah. And information technology's like, maybe? I retrieve in that location were a lot of challenges in the race, and ideology was 1, proper noun recognition is i, fund-raising is i, and sexism and gender pervades all of those things. And does it ascertain all of those things? Mayhap it informs all of those things is a better fashion to put it, just you know, how do you at present?

archived recording (elizabeth warren)

Gender in this race, you know that is the trap question for every woman. If you say, yep, there was sexism in this race, everyone says "whiner." And if you say, no, there was no sexism, about a bazillion women remember, what planet practice you lot live on? I promise yous this. I will have a lot more to say on that subject subsequently.

archived recording

Senator, advice to your supporters right now looking for a candidate. What is your communication to them?

[music]

michael barbaro

For an update on the economic fallout from the coronavirus, which triggered historic declines in global fiscal markets on Monday, listen to "The Latest." You can find it on "The Daily" feed or by searching for "The Latest" wherever you lot listen.

That'south it for "The Daily." I'1000 Michael Barbaro. Encounter you tomorrow.

Ms. Warren's political demise was a expiry by a thousand cuts, not a dramatic implosion simply a steady pass up. In the fall, most national polls showed that Ms. Warren was the national pacesetter in the Democratic field. By Dec, she had fallen to the edge of the top tier, wounded by an October debate during which her opponents relentlessly attacked her, particularly on her embrace of "Medicare for all."

She invested heavily in the early states, with a ground game that was the green-eyed of her rivals. But it did not pay off: In Iowa, where she had bet much of her candidacy — she had to have out a $3 meg line of credit before the caucuses to ensure she could pay her bills in late January — she wound upwards in a disappointing 3rd place.

Ms. Warren slid to 4th in New Hampshire and Nevada, and to fifth in South Carolina. By Super Tuesday, her campaign was effectively over — with the final blow losing her dwelling house country, Massachusetts.

The California results strikingly laid bare the demographic cul-de-sac her candidacy had become equally Ms. Warren struggled to win over voters across college-educated white people, in particular white women. She was poised to win delegates in only a handful of highly educated enclaves: places like San Francisco, Santa Monica and West Hollywood.

Though the campaign failed to generate the widespread backing necessary to win the nomination, Ms. Warren retained a core of fierce loyalists dedicated to her promise of wholesale change.

Her selfie lines were filled with well-wishers — immature girls seeking her trademark pinkie promise ("I'm running for president because that'due south what girls practice"), cutouts of Ms. Warren's likeness, and tattoos of her adopted slogan: "Nevertheless, she persisted." When her staff gathered Thursday, many were clad in freedom green, the color her entrada adopted to symbolize its togetherness.

"One of the hardest parts of this is all those little finger promises," a visibly emotional Ms. Warren said, describing the "trap" of gender for female candidates.

"If you say, 'Aye, at that place was sexism in this race,' everyone says, 'Whiner!'" Ms. Warren said. "If y'all say, 'No, there was no sexism,' about a bazillion women call up, 'What planet do you live on?'"

Image

Credit... Ruth Fremson/The New York Times

Before her exit, Ms. Warren accumulated the 2d-largest number of Democratic delegates of any adult female to run for president in history, behind simply Hillary Clinton, the 2016 nominee.

The party'south left lane is now clearer for Mr. Sanders. His supporters and other progressives have spent the last two days gingerly reaching out to Ms. Warren'southward orbit and plotting in private conversations virtually how to keep the two liberal standard-bearers aligned.

In Jan, Mr. Sanders and Ms. Warren clashed in a securely personal way after she confirmed a report that in a private meeting before the campaign began, he told her he believed that a woman could not win the White Firm in 2020. During a debate, Mr. Sanders strongly denied having made the remark, and Ms. Warren confronted him onstage subsequently, accusing him of calling her a "liar." Relations have been chilly since.

In her telephone call with Mr. Biden, Ms. Warren revealed so little of her endorsement plans that a person familiar with the call remarked on her "great poker face."

Ms. Warren arrived on the political scene in the aftermath of the 2008 fiscal collapse and shot to stardom with her indictments of Wall Street and unfettered capitalism.

In 2016, some progressive organizations mounted "Run Warren Run" campaigns and Mr. Sanders floated her as a possible challenger to Mrs. Clinton, only Ms. Warren declined to run.

Joining the 2020 race, she found a inverse political terrain. Mr. Sanders's political stock had soared after his 2016 run, giving him an immediate reward in fund-raising and name recognition that complicated Ms. Warren's electoral path.

Mr. Trump'southward election seemed to shock the Democratic base of operations into an acute focus on electability. Voters oftentimes second-guessed their electoral choices as they tried to game out which candidate would be all-time equipped to beat him.

Mr. Biden, in particular, has capitalized on this anxiety.

Ms. Warren's allies and supporters said the electability question — who would be the surest bet to defeat the president — unduly hurt female candidates afterwards Mrs. Clinton'due south unexpected loss in 2016.

"All they heard all forth was what a risk the women were," said Christina Reynolds, a vice president of Emily's Listing, a leading Democratic women's group that endorsed Ms. Warren this week, only later on Senator Amy Klobuchar withdrew.

Ms. Reynolds said that evaluation was as incorrect equally it was widespread. "The idea that that doesn't hang around the women's necks is crazy," she said.

Ms. Warren's entrada was slow to straight accost questions of electability, seeming to believe her rise in the polls last twelvemonth spoke for itself. Merely as the calendar turned to 2020, information technology was credible that the result was hobbling her candidacy as precinct captains and volunteers warned Ms. Warren that it was what they were hearing about from voters.

Ms. Warren'south reject had begun in hostage at the Oct debate, when she was pressed on how she would pay for Medicare for all and had no reply. It took weeks to particular her plan, only past and so her perceived trustworthiness seemed to have taken a hit: The candidate with a programme for everything did not take ane to finance the biggest consequence of the campaign. (Mr. Sanders, despite releasing fewer details on paying for Medicare for all, has faced fewer questions.)

When she did scroll out details, she was criticized by those on the left for compromising too much and past centrists for the sheer size of the plan. The episode captured a fundamental hurting point for her candidacy: She was too much of an insider for those enervating revolution, and also much of an outsider for those who wanted to tinker with the system and focus on beating Mr. Trump.

As the race intensified in the fall, Ms. Warren was reluctant to strike back at her opponents, even equally they undermined her image. Pete Buttigieg made deep incursions into her back up amidst educated white voters just she did not call him out in hostage until Dec, even as he flooded the Iowa airwaves with a moderate message undercutting her progressive platform.

Epitome

Credit... Ruth Fremson/The New York Times

While most campaigns used the megaphone of mass television ads to cut through the media filter, Ms. Warren's braintrust was cool to the ability of commercials from the showtime, preferring on-the-footing and digital organizing.

At times, Ms. Warren'due south entrada did not reflect the urgency of a candidacy trying to make history and promote a program of systemic upheaval that included government-run health care, complimentary public college, student debt cancellation, breaking up Big Tech, universal child care, and taxation increases on the wealthy.

But after weak finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire, Ms. Warren charged into the February debate planning to confront Mr. Bloomberg in his showtime appearance onstage. In Mr. Bloomberg, she found a rare rival she seemed truly comfortable attacking, an embodiment of the influence of money.

She slashed. He stumbled. Mr. Bloomberg would never recover. Ms. Warren'south donations surged, only her vote count did not.

She would bend a principled stand up that calendar week as well, declining to disavow a new super PAC that would air about $fifteen million in pro-Warren advertising, saying she did not desire to unilaterally disarm. The irony was not lost on her opponents: The anti-big money candidate wound upward with the biggest super PAC in the race to date.

In contempo days, Ms. Warren had taken to speaking to voters directly about their electability fears, imploring them to tune out pundits.

"Cast a vote from your heart," she said Tuesday.

In speeches over the class of her campaign, Ms. Warren sought to drag the stories of women, frequently women of color. Her last major address, in East Los Angeles on Monday, was devoted to Latina janitors who organized for better working conditions.

Aimee Allison, the founder and president of She The People, a political advancement arrangement for women of color, praised Ms. Warren for her campaign'southward intentional inclusivity. "She really comes upward as the first white candidate for president who had an intersectional politics," she said.

But Ms. Allison best-selling that pitch did not find favor in the broader minority electorate, even as it won plaudits from academics and activists.

"Black voters really were looking for a return to normalcy," she said. "It was a rejection from what was perceived equally riskier politics and a broader and more courageous political vision."

Ms. Warren'south supporters were devoted to making the party more progressive to the end. In Illinois, where Ms. Warren's campaign was scheduled to hold a post-Super Tuesday phone banking session, staff and supporters refused to cancel. They used their fourth dimension to back up Marie Newman, the local challenger running against an incumbent Democrat opposed to abortion rights.

"Our piece of work continues," Ms. Warren told her staff in the telephone call informing them she was quitting the race. "The fight goes on, and big dreams never dice."

Astead Westward. Herndon reported from Cambridge, and Shane Goldmacher from New York. Jonathan Martin contributed reporting from New York.

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Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/05/us/politics/elizabeth-warren-drops-out.html

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