Report from the Field: Elizabeth Warren (Jim's Take)

I've asked Jim Miara permission to share this email, describing his experience at a recent volunteer meeting for US Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren:  

Report from the field-- 

The rally yesterday for Elizabeth Warren at the Reggie Lewis Arena in Roxbury felt like a gathering of a massive church choir: We were all singing the same song and all (a thousand or so of us) were determined to harmonize.  
Chairs were arranged in a pentagonal formation in the infield of the track with a small stage in the center.

Elizabeth, diminutive, bobbing with nervous energy, like a pigeon plucking popcorn off the ground at the Public Garden, mounted the stage and slowly made a panoramic assessment of the choir.  Clearly near-sighted, she strained to take in the far reaches where I was seated.

She paused when I came into her view; the squint relaxed, her ridged brow smoothed and through her body language she announced her recognition that the road to the U.S. Senate runs through me.  

Elizabeth was introduced by an over-caffeinated Ayanna Presley, who last Tuesday won reelection – in fact was the top vote getter – in the Boston City Council race. Seemingly unaware that she was addressing the choir, Ayanna pumped up the volume and demanded an energetic response. Choir members, mostly white and middle-aged, politely, though self-consciously, bellowed out,  “Yes!” when she asked: “Are you ready to get to work?”

Elizabeth offered a hasty description of the trail she followed to the Reggie Lewis stage: She, Dad, Mom and three brothers dog paddled furiously through the early years to keep their heads above water.  She went to a public university (“Let’s hear it for public universities.” (Roar)). Had a kid at 19, another one at 22, taught special ed students, practiced law from her living room and after a number of twists and turns ended up teaching at “a fancy-pants university in Massachusetts.”  

She specializes in financial law and her outrage at the destructive manipulations that brought global financial markets to their knees compelled her jump into the public arena. She recapped the financial firewalls put into place in the 1930s (Mention of the Glass-Steagall act evoked delirious applause. It was that kind of crowd.), and described how financial manipulators and their congressional minions had dismantled these safeguards over the past 30 years. They have to be restored. Capitalism is not the villain, she said. The issues are fairness and shared values. Her campaign strategy is the same one that worked twice for Deval Patrick: grass roots.  No attack ads. Just whisper the truth into one ear at a time. Identify supporters and drag them to the polls.Jeez, she’s good.  --Jim

Join other Needham/area volunteers in support of Elizabeth Warren, on Saturday Dec. 3 at 6PM!