We
are beginning to wonder about the hazards of covering live events and the often
unpleasant surprises, whether from facing troops of young protesters with
ear-blasting bullhorns, at the Goodwin Series at Northeastern Illinois
University, to cover the appearance of former White House press boss, Sean
Spicer, to having beefy security guards escort us past the local men in blue at
recent Chicago Teachers Union protests; so we were delightfully surprised that
presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren would be in our own Chicago
neighborhood and within walking distance, and dutifully made our RSVP,
according to the website for her Saturday night appearance at the Chicago
Armory, less than a ten minute walk from our home.
Wariness
set in when we noticed crowds lining up outside the building on the way to the
local library, and after the drizzle began the crowd continued to grow as we
approached the line one-half hour, at 4:30 p.m., before the door’s opened, at
5:00 p.m. for Warren’s 6:00 p.m. appearance; but, again, in the name of a free
press, we soldiered on to realize that the que extended for blocks, and right
back to our doorstep.
Whether
this was divine intervention, or not, and realizing that hazarding a guess
might engender us to more than rain, perhaps even an unseasonable swarm of
locusts, we retreated to our living room sofa.
Tapping
into the unearthly power of the internet and the reports of friends, who did
make it into the Armory, we bring this report.
With
crowds swarming amidst the patriotic bunting, Warren was introduced by the
indefatigable U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky
who gave a thundering endorsement of Warren, as only she can do, with more
energy than seems warranted for a tiny lady, and who gave the candidate a much
needed shot in the arm, as she, in recent Iowa polls trailed behind our
neighbor to the South, Mayor Pete Buttigieg.
As
the Chicago Tribune reported, “Schakowsky is the
first woman in Illinois’ congressional delegation to endorse a presidential
contender and becomes Warren’s most significant endorsement in the state to
date. Previously, U.S. Reps. Bobby Rush and Danny Davis, both of Chicago,
backed California Sen. Kamala Harris for the Democratic presidential
nomination.”
“But
I am here this evening, and so honored to be here, to not only introduce but
for the first time endorse the woman I believe will not only be the best
president, but the woman that I believe is the most likely to lead us to
victory in 2020 — my candidate, Elizabeth Warren,” she intoned.
Gaining
support in the Heartland, but most of all, emphasizing her protection for
working families is familiar Warren territory, as is her formidable energy that
belies her 70 years.
Fulling
embracing “bread and butter: issues, she noted, “When I was a girl, a full-time
minimum wage in America would support a family of three,” said Warren, 70.
“Today, a full-time minimum wage job in America will not keep a mama and a baby
out of poverty. That is wrong.”
For
many who reside in the Edgewater neighborhood, where the Armory is located, the
message may have been more of persuasion, since the median income is over
$46,000, and where its white majority, totaling 63 percent, hold a bachelor's
degree, or higher, (56 percent), and whose increasing gentrification, has
dwindled the number of black and brown residents to 16 percent, or less.
It
also may have to do with reclaiming her lead in the polls; while in early
November she was behind Joe Biden, she then took a descent, especially in Iowa,
as previously noted, and a need to drill down on progressives - but especially
to chip away at Pete’s supporters: white, college educated, and older voters,
many of whom line Sheridan Road, just east of the Armory.
Reiterating
her claims to decrease the power of corporations, and Big Pharma, she noted
that they hold “power over their employees, power over their customers, power
over the communities where they’re located and power over Washington."
In
response, she said, “We need more power in the hands of workers.”
This
is a populism theme that reached its apex in the 2016 election, but has been
reshaped by Warren, and to an extent, by her rival Bernie Sanders.
“We
have a government that works great for giant oil companies that want to drill
everywhere, just not for the rest of us who see climate change bearing down
upon us,” Warren said.
The
light brush with climate change was a surprise to some who felt, “disappointed
that she did not speak more about this,” said one observer, a longtime
supporter of climate change, and the necessity for a plan to conquer it.
“And
when you see a government that works great for those with money, it’s not
working so good for anyone else. That’s corruption pure and simple, and we need
to call it out,” she added.
Needing
to gain further truck with progressives, especially those, that she might need
to siphon from Sanders, Warren, previously, “in September endorsed Marie Newman of LaGrange in her primary
challenge for the Southwest Side and suburban congressional seat held by
eight-term Democratic Rep. Dan Lipinski of Western Springs, a social
conservative,” added the Trib.
Within
the liberal demographics of Edgewater, the senator’s message, may also have
been extended to a strong progressive voter base, if the size of Saturday’s
crowd is any indication; and, certainly her campaign seems to have done its
homework, in its choice of areas..
Missing
from Warren’s well-honed message was any mention of the lack of affordable
housing in Chicago, and a growing homeless problem across the U.S. that has
increased to 16 percent in Los Angeles alone.
While
one can lead to the other; and, despite, or perhaps because of Edgewater’s
growing gentrification, less than one block away from Schakowsky’s office, the
homeless are picking through the garbage cans, including our own, and
retrieving near empty milk cartons, food scraps, and worn out shoes.
Warren’s
support of a minimum wage increase to $15.00 an hour is admirable, but some of
her supporters and critics are wondering if she will pick up this piece of what
is, by all appearances, an earnest social capital campaign.
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