The Daily - Anatomy of a Warren Rally

Episode Date: September 20, 2019

With crowds that are said to number 15,000 to 20,000 people, Senator Elizabeth Warren’s campaign events frequently dwarf those of her Democratic rivals. This week, we experienced the growing phenomenon that is the Warren rally. Guest: Thomas Kaplan, a political reporter for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading: Ms. Warren, running on a message of sweeping change, is solidifying her place in an exclusive club of presidential candidates who have become crowd magnets.At her campaign events, Ms. Warren’s speech is only the first act. Act Two? The selfie line.Back-to-back rallies by Ms. Warren and President Trump laid out competing versions of populism that could come to define the 2020 presidential campaign.

Tom? Hey, how you doing? That's okay. Nice to meet you. So on Monday, I left the New York Times office with Daily producer Claire Tennesketter. Can you tell me where we're walking? So we're heading out of the West 4th Street station. We took the subway down to Washington Square Park

in the heart of NYU's campus in Greenwich Village. It's an iconic park in Manhattan filled with students, musicians, dogs, people streaming through at all hours of the day. It's hosted political rallies over the years, hosted protests. I think this is where we're supposed to go in. And on Monday night...

Thank you. Elizabeth Warren! Come she was going to give one of the biggest speeches of her presidential campaign so far. Elizabeth Warren is here, folks. She's been drinking our water. She may even have gone to the Starbucks that you attend. Elizabeth Warren is in New York City, folks. She's here. This is not a prank.

From the New York Times, I'm Michael Barbaro. This is The Daily. Today. It's hard to ignore the size of her crowd With crowds of 15,000 to 20,000 people Originally scheduled at the Wamuu Theater, this town hall grew three times the anticipated size Her campaign events frequently dwarfed that of her Democratic rivals Today in Seattle, Elizabeth Warren saw one of the largest crowds of her campaign to date.

Thomas Kaplan on the growing phenomenon that is an Elizabeth Warren rally. It's Friday, September 20th. Ask me about Elizabeth Warren. Hey, Michael. Hey, Claire. So I just arrived in Washington Square Park. It's about 5.45. Music is really loud.

I entered to 9 to 5 Dolly Parton now we're transitioning this event is like interestingly constructed around this iconic New York City landmark of the

Washington Square Park Arch and there's an American flag in the middle of the arch, and these two vertical blue Warren sides on either side of the arch. And just a lot of people milling around, some marijuana smoke, not going to lie. So, Tom, the reason we were interested in going to Senator Warren's rally is because for weeks now, we've been hearing that her crowd sizes are getting bigger and bigger and that there's something unique about these events. And when we think back to 2016, we know that Donald Trump's rallies were at the center of his appeal and in the end, kind of at the center of his victory. And the question has always been, could a Democrat match that in 2020?

And it's starting to feel like possibly Elizabeth Warren's rallies are beginning to accomplish something like that and that you have to be there and attend it to kind of understand why. Yeah, that's right. I've been covering Elizabeth Warren's campaign and going to her rallies for months. And over that time, they've grown bigger and bigger. But beyond the size, they've kind of taken on a life of their own. They have their own rituals, their own vocabulary. They have their own traditions.

It's almost as if they've become something beyond a political rally. They've really become a defining feature of her presidential campaign. Okay, so then the official program gets underway. Mi nombre es Maria Martinez y soy parte del equipo nacional de organizadores con la campaña presidencial de Elizabeth Warren. There are these introductory speeches by a pretty diverse group of women.

And then there was this moment that kind of struck me where it almost felt like the priest talking to everybody in a church. I'm going to give you all a minute. I really want you all to talk to each other, get to know each other. This person on stage asks everybody in the crowd to turn to the person next to them and

introduce themselves, just like they do inside church. There was almost like an insistence on civility. Yeah. All right, everyone, let's bring it back in. And it's something we've seen throughout her campaign. I mean, reporters always try to bait candidates into criticizing their rivals. And she is very careful to avoid that. very careful to avoid that.

And I think that kind of attitude you can see at her events and in her crowds as well is very much in keeping with the way she has approached her campaign. Without further ado, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren. Okay, so after these introductions and that church moment,

Warren takes the stage. Yeah, and she comes on stage in this sort of triumphant moment to begin her speech. Both hands are up in the air. It's like a full body wave. He's very energetic. It's a sort of very vigorous entrance. Warren is on stage wearing a purple jacket. Waving vigorously.

And then... Okay, behind the podium to begin this speech. Hello, New York! And the first thing she does is make clear why she chose this location. I wanted to give this speech right here, and not because of the arch behind me or the president that this square is named for. Nope. We are not here today because of famous arches or famous men. And she says, we're not here because of men at all. We're not here because of men at all.

And she says, we're here because of some hardworking women. And then she launches into this story of a horrible fire that took place near Washington Square Park. The story of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. Here's what I want you to hear. It was March 25th, 1911. It's a Saturday. And at about 4.45 in the afternoon, people walking through this very park looked up and saw black smoke billowing into the sky.

People were trapped. The fire department's ladders couldn't reach high enough up in the building. And as people on the ground stood in shock silence, a woman jumped. Ultimately, 146 people died, most of them women. Everyone knew about these problems, but the fat profits were making New York's factory owners rich, and they had no plans to give that up. And this became sort of a defining event that ended up leading to changes in workplace safety. The tragic story of the Triangle Fireland is a story about power. She tells this story at the beginning of the rally to make the point that the way to fight corruption, the way to bring about big structural change, as she calls it, is for people to band together. That's the point. Right, so this serves as a prologue to the main event of her speech, which is all about corruption today.

Right. Now when you see a government that works great for those with money and connections and doesn't work for much of anyone else, that's corruption, plain and simple, and we need to call it out for what it is. And it's this idea that really is at the center of her campaign, that corruption permeates the political system. Americans are killed by floods and fires in a rapidly warming planet. Why? Because huge fossil fuel corporations have bought off our government.

Americans are killed with unthinkable speed and efficiency in our streets, in our stores, in our schools. Why? Because the gun industry has bought off our government. Right, and listening to this, I felt like I finally understood the kind of unified theory of the Warren campaign, which is that no matter what issue you care about, it is connected to this baseline problem, in her telling, It is connected to this baseline problem, in her telling, of corruption, of entrenched forces, of lobbyists, of the revolving door in Washington. And that's her basic diagnosis of what ails the United States. And it's what animates her campaign. That's exactly right. It all comes back to this sort of central broken system that, in her view, needs to be fixed.

Right. I found myself thinking that the most successful candidates always do this. They create an umbrella message that is highly digestible and kind of punchy. You know, make America great again, right? Except in her telling,

it's kind of make America less corrupt. I guess the difference from Trump is what Warren says next. Yeah. What she says next is... I got a plan for that. I have a plan for that. And she has lots of plans on all sorts of different subjects.

Universal pre-K for every three-year-old and four-year-old in America. She has a plan for universal child care. And to make public college tuition free. She has a plan on housing. My plan respects the rights of Native Americans to protect their lands and be good stewards of this earth. The list goes on and on and on and on. I want to talk about how the crowd reacts to those plans, because I don't think I've ever experienced so much rapturous applause to the word plan. Yes, this is something that has become kind of a trademark of her campaign.

She says, I have a plan, and people burst into cheers. I mean, people literally buy T-shirts that say, Warren has a plan for that. I remember turning to you at a certain point, and you accurately predicting that the crowd was about to break into one of the most unexpected chants I've ever heard at a campaign rally. Two cents! Two cents! Two cents!

Which is two cents, two cents, two cents. Yeah, so this was when Warren brought up her wealth tax, which is one of her best-known policy proposals. Yes, that is a two-cent tax on fortunes over $50 million. And it's that plan that would make some of her other big ideas possible. The money from the wealth tax would pay for universal child care, it would pay to cancel student loan debt, and it would pay to eliminate tuition at public colleges.

Just two cents. Two cents, two cents, two cents, two cents. And it's a pretty wild thing to see, to see a crowd chanting about a tax rate. Right. It's kind of become, to go back to the Trump comparison, Warren's build the wall. Yes. Warren, Warren, Warren, Warren, Warren! Warren! Warren! Near the end of the speech, Warren does something kind of interesting.

She addresses the question of electability head on. 2020 is about the direction our America goes. She does. She says... There's a lot at stake in this election. There's a lot at stake in this election, and I know people are scared. But we can't choose a candidate we don't believe in just because we're too scared to do anything else. Don't choose a candidate because you're afraid. Don't choose a candidate out of fear.

And Democrats can't win if we're scared and looking backward. What's that about? So that is sort of a head-on attempt to address what is the big long-term challenge or uncertainty of her campaign, which is the idea of can she beat Trump? Trump. And this is a way she attempts to make the case that, yes, you might have some hesitation, but don't overthink it. Don't make a calculation about who you think might be best on paper. Go with your heart. Go with the person you believe in. She, of course, says she's not talking about Joe Biden, but I really don't see another way to interpret that other than contrasting herself with what his candidacy represents. Right, which in her telling is kind of safety and fear, which is pretty scathing in its own right. That's exactly right.

I am not afraid. And you can't be afraid either. So if you're ready to fight, then join me. And with that message, that's how she wraps up the speech. And that felt like the end of a two and a half, three hour event that helped me understand pretty well the dynamics of the Warren campaign.

Hillary won! Here are some instructions, I think. Let's give it up again for Elizabeth Warren! And why this is becoming kind of a phenomenon. But it's actually after the speech is over that this thing happens that feels like it really starts to unlock what is different about these events. And I'd heard about it a little bit from you, but it was a thing. from you, but it was a thing. Right. The speech at the event,

that's really the first act in a two-act production. The second act being, of course, the selfie line. That's right. We'll be way back. I know y'all are very excited for this part. Selfie line time.

All right, so. Okay, so on Monday night, the speech ends, and there are crowds of people who stay in the park, thousands of people, and they kind of make their way toward the stage. They want to stay for a selfie. And if you're one of those people, you start looking around and thinking,

wow, this is going to take a really long time. This line is extremely long. I mean, there must be... There's 1,000 people on this line still. She will have taken selfies with 2,500 people, right? Yes, it's insane. How early do you guys have to be at school tomorrow? 8 o'clock. And we have so much homework, but it's worth it.

Yeah, I'm probably just going to not finish it and then like email. Email my teachers, yeah. Because this is more important. And you see Elizabeth Warren. She kind of gets herself situated. Her staff gets organized. How long have you been waiting? We've been waiting since this talking ended.

We got right on line. But we're worried that if we leave the line now, the next event will be even bigger, and then we won't get our chance, right? This selfie thing has been happening the whole campaign, going back to the start. It used to be small, but as war and rallies have grown, it's gotten way more complicated. They've just made a public announcement that everybody will get a photo, which is sort of inconceivable. So on Monday, they make this announcement, sort of like at an airport, like pre-boarding. Please let families with children to the front of the line first.

Children, families, they get to go up front so they don't have to wait as long. How long are you willing to wait in this line? Four hours. From now? Great. Good thing you've got your own set of keys. How far do you guys live? People start settling into the line.

They start striking up conversations with people around them. That's your attempt to keep people awake? Yes. They're chanting, playing games, getting to know each other. Can you tell me what you guys are just doing? We're playing Time's Up. Wait, is that what it's called? Heads Up, Heads Up.

She's not good. She's not good. And it seems like everyone is happy to wait. So you're the last man to get a selfie with Elizabeth Warren? I'm holding down the end of the line. Are people still joining? Yeah. Lots? Yeah, absolutely. I'm holding down the end of the line. Are people still joining? Yeah. Lots?

Yeah, absolutely. I'm surprised. Right, I remember talking to a guy and asking him, like, how long are you prepared to wait in this line? He was like, well, like, I kind of plan my night around it. My kids are out tonight. My spouse is, like, out with friends. And, like, I'm going to give it two and a half hours.

I'm prepared to wait. At another point, there was a guy who suddenly had a pizza box under his arm. And it was like, did you order that pizza into the line? That's not something you see at most campaign events, that's for sure. But people are committed and devoted and want to get their selfie. I'm so excited! How do you feel? I'm excited.

There you go. And then make sure if you can turn your flash on the front line. And what is Warren saying to all these people if she's actually saying something to everybody?

We're going to do it together. Ready? One, two, three. That's going to be our strong women get it done picture. We love you so much. So it depends. She's giving a lot of hugs, get it done picture. We love you so much. So it depends.

She's giving a lot of hugs, shaking hands. What'd she tell you? She said that to win the election, she'd need help from girls named Irene. And then what did you pinky promise? To help her. When little girls come up to her, she does a pinky promise with them. And you get a good photo? Uh-huh. Can you show a good photo? Uh-huh.

Can you show me the photo before? I know you're ready to go to sleep. Let's see, did they get the pinky promise on this one? Is that the one you want to frame on your wall? Uh-huh. We were talking about it. She's like, can I get a selfie? With some people, she has longer conversations. But with these giant crowds, these selfies have to go pretty quickly still she tries to have a personal moment with each person saying things like hi i'm so glad you're here i'm glad you're here thank you thanks for being part of this. Stay in this fight.

I have to be at work at six in the morning but I'm here. All right. Good to see you. Stay strong. And it goes on and on

and on and on. All right. Glad you're here. You're amazing. One, two, three. Stay in this fight. We do it.

Good to see you. My friends and I are quitting our jobs and joining you. Thank you so much. Madam President, it's my honor. Love, Terri. Thank you. She's not taking a break. At one point, she's handed a coconut water.

She downs it. Stay hydrated. That's it. The teacher's love. And just keeps smiling, shaking hands, and taking pictures. Thank you. Ready, one, two, three. The teacher's love. And just keep smiling, shaking hands, and taking pictures. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Thank you. Working families. Yes. All right. Working families. Working families. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Tom, help me understand, like, exactly what's motivating everybody here. exactly what's motivating everybody here. So I think Elizabeth Warren connects with a lot of people, inspires a lot of voters, and they want this personal interaction with her, and they're willing to wait for it. Oh!

Oh, my God! I talked to one woman a few months ago after she met Warren in the selfie line. She told me that brief interaction was one of the highlights of her life. It was just like an amazing feeling. Like I just started jumping like a little kid. Seriously, like I love her. I'm excited. I saw you the moment you saw her.

And she said, we're going to make it. We're going to make it together. And I think people feel that they're part of a movement. They're part of something bigger than just going to a political event, cheering for a candidate. And by waiting in the selfie line, by getting that picture, by having that brief interaction, they are sort of claiming their place in that bigger movement. And it means a lot to people. And what are you going to do with your photo?

I am going to put it on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram. And for the Warren campaign, this is strategic. This is something that is extraordinarily useful to have all these people who get their picture taken with Elizabeth Warren and then go post it on Facebook, post it on Instagram. And what do you hope happens after you share it? Why share it? Because we need to know that she will be the president. And spread the word about her campaign. And that's super valuable for a campaign to have that kind of organic advertising among

voters. And it's something they've really kind of leaned into as a point of distinction with other candidates. it's something they've really kind of leaned into as a point of distinction with other candidates. So the argument goes, the typical presidential candidate, they give their speech, they leave, they go to some closed-door ritzy fundraiser with a bunch of rich people. Instead, she stays at her events. She meets everyone who wants to stay and meet her and takes pictures with them. And that contrast between what you might expect from a candidate and what you see with Warren, I think is something the campaign

has really embraced. So it feels like the campaign has come to understand that the selfie line may be just as important as anything else that happens in the rally, and that you can see that in the way that they're approaching this. Definitely. Time is a precious commodity for a presidential candidate, and Warren is spending an awful lot they're approaching this. Definitely. Time is a precious commodity for a presidential candidate, and Warren is spending an awful lot of time doing this. Uh-oh. Street cleaners. Oh, man.

Your laptop's away. Are you done, done? I'm sort of done. I'm probably going to do one more, like, layer of polishing later, but I'm almost out of battery. Are you really going to stay? I think I'm going to to do one more layer of polishing later, but I'm almost out of battery. Are you really going to stay? I think I'm going to stay until the end. I am definitely getting slightly softer in my resolve.

Okay, so it's like 11.20. I'm tired. I'm going to go home, Tom. I'll see you at the next Warren rally. Sounds great. Get some sleep. So in the end, to get everyone their selfie, it took almost four hours. this. Fight, fight! Fight, fight!

Fight, fight! Fight, fight! As I left, I was starting to think that this is the thing that people talk about when they talk about the Elizabeth Warren rally as a phenomenon and that it begins to help explain her entire candidacy. Getting big crowds and having these big, exciting events doesn't necessarily translate into winning in Iowa or New Hampshire or winning at all. You can look back at Howard Dean. You can look back at Bernie Sanders in 2016. Right, huge crowds.

Right. And having a big crowd, who knows what that translates to months from now when people start to vote. And a big crowd in New York, by the way, what that means in Iowa, people can speculate about that. But it certainly is distinctive what she's doing. And if she goes on to become the Democratic nominee, it will have had a lot to do with how she's approached these rallies. Tom, thank you very much. Thank you. After Warren's rally in Washington Square Park, President Trump challenged her campaign's estimated crowd size of 20,000 people without citing evidence and said that, quote, anybody could attract a major crowd in New York City.

We'll be right back. Thank you. House, and congressional Democrats. The complaint apparently involves a promise made by President Trump during a conversation with an unidentified foreign leader, which was deemed alarming enough by the Inspector General for the Intelligence Community to notify Congress of the complaint's existence. But the acting director of national intelligence, Joseph Maguire, a Trump appointee, has refused to turn the whistleblower's report over to Congress. That prompted the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff, to subpoena Maguire to appear before his committee to explain his actions. And. committee to explain his actions. And.

So exactly how many times have you darkened your skin with makeup in an act that you have yourself described as racist? I shared the moments that I recollected, but I recognize that it is something absolutely unacceptable to do. And I appreciate calling it makeup, but it was blackface. And that is just not right. On Thursday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged multiple occasions on which he dressed in brownface and blackface, a racist caricature that could now endanger his re- reelection campaign. It is something that people who live with the kind of discrimination that far too many people do because of the color of their skin

or their history or their origins or their language or their religion face on a regular basis. And I didn't see that from the layers of privilege that I have. And for that, I am deeply sorry, and I apologize. Trudeau, an outspoken liberal, apologized for the incidents. But his rival in the campaign, Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer, called it evidence that Trudeau is not who he says he is. The 1619 series with Nicole Hannah-Jones will return with its final episode in two weeks.

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