At Campaign Rally, Warren and Clinton Prove a Strong Duo, Blast Trump

In what could be a foreshadowing of the Democratic ticket come November, Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts appeared onstage with Hillary Clinton at a rally Monday morning–the first official campaign event of the 2016 race–where she extolled Clinton’s virtues, slammed Donald Trump, and inspired liberal passions over the potential for a historic, all-female Democratic ticket. “I’m ready. Are you ready for this?” Warren asked the cheering crowd of 2,600 at the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Standing behind a lectern featuring Clinton’s “Stronger Together” slogan, Warren ticked off Clinton’s achievements as a “fighter”–for children, for women, for families, for health care, for human rights, and “for those who need her most.” The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee stood to the side, smiling and clapping. The two seemed a natural fit, like they’d been at each other’s side for years. The chemistry leaves Democrats, especially the party’s liberal wing, wondering: Might Clinton choose Warren as her running-mate this fall?

According to a recent Bloomberg Politics poll–of the vice presidential candidates floated around so far by the Clinton camp–the Democratic electorate would like to see Warren hold that mantle by a wide margin. 35 percent of those surveyed chose Warren as the preferred vice president to Clinton, with Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) in second with 17 percent, and Housing Secretary Julian Castro in third with 12 percent. Of course, the VP seat is not filled based on the desires of voters, and there is no guarantee Warren would accept a VP invitation if one is extended her way. Steps are being taken, however, as she is currently being vetted by Clinton campaign lawyers, and is expected to be subject to a closed-door interview with Clinton in the near future. And according to aides who spoke to The New York Times Monday on condition of anonymity, Clinton will select her VP with the fall Senate elections on her mind.

Irrespective of her future as the Democratic Party’s potential second in command, Warren spent nearly 20 minutes on Monday playing two roles that would certainly come in handy for a Clinton running-mate: a champion of Clinton and a trasher of Trump (“You want to see goofy? Look at him in that hat,” she said). Warren spent the first half of her speech running through personal anecdotes about her siblings and parents, highlighting her middle-class upbringing and working-class values. And of course, she painted Clinton, a “granddaughter of a factory worker whose going to make it all the way to the White House,” with the same brush, while tackling the Trump issue with vigor and venom.

“She knows what it takes to beat a thin-skinned bully who is driven by greed and hate,” Warren said of Clinton, eliciting boos from the crowd at the mere mention of “Donald Trump.” “She knows you beat a bully not by tucking tail and running, but by standing your ground and fighting back.” Calling Clinton a survivor of 25 years of “right wing attacks,” the Massachusetts senator–who will be up for re-election in the fall–offered full support: “most of all she has a good heart, and that’s what America needs.”

Just before Clinton took the stage to reciprocate Warren’s supportive words, the crowd erupted in chants of “Hillary! Hillary!” Warren joined them for a brief moment. Soon, perhaps weeks from now, we will know if Warren will continue rallying the troops, administering jolts of support at rally events, or play an even larger role in November.

Alec Siegel

Alec Siegel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. When he’s not working at Law Street he’s either cooking a mediocre tofu dish or enjoying a run in the woods. His passions include: gooey chocolate chips, black coffee, mountains, the Animal Kingdom in general, and John Lennon. Baklava is his achilles heel. Contact Alec at ASiegel@LawStreetMedia.com.