Massachusetts senator and 2020 presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren charged up Democratic donors in Boston at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) IWillVote fundraising gala in the Seaport District last night.
“We need big ideas that can be the lifeblood of our party so that people know exactly who and what Democrats are willing to fight for,” said Warren. She cited her success at coming up with “big ideas” by discussing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an agency based off of her ideas.
Warren talked about the criticism she was met with in the early stages of pitching the idea for the agency that would watch out for consumers in D.C. “They said don’t even try. Big banks will fight you, lobbyists will fight you, big money will fight you, Republicans will fight you, even a bunch of Democrats will fight you. You will never get it passed,” said Warren. She finished the story by telling the 200-person audience that Barack Obama signed the agency into law in 2010. “Big structural change doesn’t come easy but it was the right thing to do,” she said.
Warren also argued that the Democratic party needs to fight harder for the big ideas they come up with. “When you give up on a big idea, then you are giving up on the people whose lives would’ve been changed by those ideas, and those people are already in a fight,” Warren said.
She explained that people going broke due to health care, getting crushed by student loan debt, getting stopped by police or denied the right to vote due to their skin color all are already “in the fight.”
Warren also appealed to her Democratic audience by discussing her steps at getting Democrats elected during her reelection campaign last year, stating “I supported 130 Democrats running for congress and over 30 senate candidates. I also got in the fight to help almost 20 gubernatorial candidates.” She was met with a standing ovation when she brought up the fact that she either raised or gave more than $11 million dollars helping Democrats get elected.
Other speakers at the gala were Vice Chair of the DNC Michael Blake, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healy and DNC Chair Tom Perez, all of whom were quick to jump on the latest news from Washington. Following Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s announcement earlier in the day that lawmakers will now be working quickly to draft the articles of impeachment, all of the speakers took time to praise Pelosi’s leadership. “Where would we be without Nancy Pelosi?” said Blake in his impassioned speech about the future of the Democratic Party.
“We do thank God everyday for Nancy Pelosi as our Speaker of the House,” said Perez. The DNC Chair also took time to thank Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healy saying that she is “one of the best attorneys general in the U.S.”
In the audience was Enes Kanter, a Turkish Boston Celtics player and critic of President Erdogan. He received recognition for his bravery in speaking out against Erdogan. “[Kanter] understands that silence can be deadly, and we can’t have that silence. Thank you for what you stand up for, you are an inspiration,” said Perez.
Marie Murray, 62, a retired high school guidance counselor from Charlestown came to the gala with her good friend who is very involved in the Democratic Party. “I really enjoyed hearing from Michael Blake, he was so young and fresh and empowering. He gives me hope for the future of the party,” Murray said. When it comes to the 2020 election, Murray said she is still unsure of who she is going to support.“Anyone but Trump,” she said.
After taking a few selfies with the guests, Warren talked to reporters. Warren explained that she was not surprised in hearing that former Speaker of the House John Kerry endorsed Joe Biden as they have been close friends for a long time. “After the primary, Democrats will come together,” she said.