ANAHEIM, California—Mention of 2016 Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has been noticeably absent from California’s 2015 Democrat convention as the party faithful flocked to the Saturday speech from Senator Elizabeth Warren, considered by many a Clinton alternative.
The RunWarrenRun crew made their presence known. Bernie Sanders supporters showed up with volumes of flyers and banners touting their candidate.
But crickets when it came to the candidate that has been made out as the de facto nominee, Hillary Rodham Clinton. It’s been over a month since Hillary announced her candidacy for President, and she continues to evade answering media questions. Breitbart Senior Editor at Large Peter Schweizer’s book Clinton Cash has come out since her announcement and still no reply to the myriad questions thrown around in the media leaving nothing but postulation as to what she might answer if she actually spoke.
But at the California Democrat convention, leagues of elected officials are speaking to crowds of the Democrat faithful, and Warren definitely played to her audience. Cheers came as she gave a shout out to the union crowds.
“I am very grateful to Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer,” Warren declared. She expressed a great debt of gratitude to Congresswoman Maxine Waters and the woman she called the “once and future leader” of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi. “Nancy is caught in the worst sequel ever of groundhog day,” she said. Warren hit on the main Democrat talking points, slamming Republicans and potential 2016 nominees. She left none to little doubt as to whom she will support for U.S. Senate to replace Barbara Boxer; it will be her long time ally, California Attorney General Kamala Harris.
Warren hit on the millionaires and billionaires of Washington saying, “The game is rigged.” Interestingly enough, Clinton would be a millionaire in Washington if she were elected. Warren said, “It’s not working for America’s families, and we’re here to change that.”
As if on cue, the crowd booed at Warren’s mention of former President Ronald Reagan and his tenure as governor of California. She then proceeded to lambast Republicans, claiming they go after seniors and students. She made time to bash Jeb Bush over comments on Baltimore and teachers, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker over education fiscal reform, and fellow Senator Rand Paul over comments on minimum wage. She offered these as examples of Republican leadership and said they portray a crushing of opportunity.
Warren asserted that the 45 years leading up to 1980 were a Democrat era and grew finances 70% for 90% of Americans, while she called the 1980-2012 time period the era of Republican economic ideals, one that grew the top 10% of Americans’ fortunes and none of the 90%. Of course, 13 of those 32 years, she cited, were eras of Democrat Presidents Clinton and Obama and began with Jimmy Carter.
She also seized the opportunity to bash President Obama’s priority Trans-Pacific Partnership, a salient topic at the convention.. That’s the deal that has had Senator Mitch McConnell and House Speaker John Boehner working so intimately with the President. McConnell has called the relationship between himself and the President, the new “odd couple.”
Warren declared, “We need people who share our values.” It was sounding more and more like a Hillary candidate isn’t one that falls in line with their “values.” She went on to say, “This next election is up to you, it’s up to the people in this room, because you are the heart and the soul and the living spark of the Democrat Party. You are the ones who will make the change happen.” She closed by saying, in part, “I truly believe if we fight for our values, we will win.”
Follow Michelle Moons on Twitter @MichelleDiana
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