[Thank you, Niko House, for drawing my attention to this very interesting exchange, “a very entertaining back-and-forth,” indeed.]
Colbert: “Why do you think that THE PEOPLE — why do you think he (Bernie) has got, while not the majority of the support in the Democratic Party, right now, he’s got the plurality, to use that twenty-cent word…?”
Christie: “Because he’s one of the only people up there who’s actually talking about ideas.”
Colbert: “Elizabeth Warren talks about ideas.”
Christie: “No, she doesn’t.”
Colbert: “Yes, she does!”
Christie: “No!”
Colbert: “She talks about all the same ideas that Bernie talks about!”
Christie: “No! No, she used to talk about all the same ideas, then she backed off of it. And now everybody doesn’t like her. Because the people who are the real progressives don’t think she’s genuine, anymore. And the people who are the moderates don’t trust her. So, she’s in No Man’s Land.”
Precisely right…
As a “progressive,” Sen. Warren has greatly damaged her brand and given many of her former supporters grave doubts about her character, allegiances, and priorities.
In terms of policy proposals, Sen. Warren remains one of the top three candidates in this race, along with Sen. Sanders and Rep. Gabbard.
But in political terms (former New Jersey governor and emblem of corruption) Chris Christie is 100% correct: Warren is toast.
She’s dealt herself one too many critical blows already this year, thanks to her Obama/Clinton consultants. There’s no path forward for her in 2020, except damaging the progressive frontrunner on behalf of Mike Bloomberg and the establishment.
(Her less charitable critics, including myself, have suggested that that’s what she’s been after, all along.)