Elizabeth Warren’s ultimate objective, of course, is to be the Democratic nominee and defeat Trump. In order to do that, she must first dominate her lane, which is also occupied by Bernie Sanders. How can she hurdle the Bernie roadblock?
Personally, I think America will be better off if she is the standard bearer for the left, so here is some unsolicited advice:
- DON’T BOTHER WITH THE SANDINISTA STUFF: At some point, either Trump or the more centrist candidates are going to start talking about Bernie’s embarrassing lefty past in earnest, but Warren should avoid that, because Bernie’s millennial supporters couldn’t care less.
- CAPITALIST RHETORIC, BUT SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PLANS: Older voters aren’t comfortable with Bernie’s “socialism.” Make the point over and over again about being a capitalist reformer, while proposing new social programs that will appeal to millennials.
- OUTFLANK BERNIE TO THE LEFT, WHERE POSSIBLE: If you want to win over Bernie’s core voters, you have to outbid him. For purposes of the primaries, it doesn’t matter that these proposals are never going to become law; it’s the intent that counts. That is the genius of the unconstitutional and unworkable wealth tax proposal.
- KEEP THINGS PUNCHY AND SIMPLE: It will be essential to explain complex plans in simple terms at the debates.
You may have observed that Warren is already doing most or all of these things. I agree; that’s why she’s climbing slowly in the polls.