>>> MASSACHUSETTS SENATOR AND DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL
DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE ELIZABETH WARREN BLEW
UP HER FUND-RAISING OPERATION
SWEARING OFF CALLS TO WEALTHY
DONORS IN FAVOR, "THE WALL
STREET JOURNAL" REPORTS OF PAY
WHAT YOU CAN SEE VENTS AS A
MAJOR DEPARTURE FROM THE USUAL
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN, HERE TO
TALK ABOUT IT DEMOCRATIC SENATOR
ELIZABETH WARREN.
ELIZABETH WARREN. WHAT CAUSED THE DECISION?
>> LOOK, WE’VE GOT A PROBLEM IN
DEMOCRACY RIGHT NOW AND THAT IS
THAT MONEY HAS TOO MUCH
INFLUENCE IN WASHINGTON AND WE
HAVE A CHANCE RIGHT NOW IN A
DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY, WE’RE IN A
PRIMARY, IT’S DEMOCRATS AGAINST
DEMOCRATS TO SAY HERE’S HOW
WE’RE GOING TO DO THIS.
WE’RE GOING TO BUILD FROM THE
GRASS ROOTS.
GRASS ROOTS. WE’RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BUILD A
FOUNDATION FOR THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY THAT IS REALLY ABOUT
FACE-TO-FACE, PERSON-TO-PERSON,
FACE-TO-FACE, PERSON-TO-PERSON, NEIGHBOR-TO-NEIGHBOR PEOPLE WHO
ARE ENGAGED IN THIS CAMPAIGN.
WHETHER THEY CAN GIVE $5 OR, $50
OR THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
WHAT WE CARE ABOUT IS THAT WE
HAVE A WHOLE MOVEMENT OF ENGAGED
PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO HELP US
GET ELECTED.
GET ELECTED. NOT JUST TO THE WHITE HOUSE, BUT
HELP US TAKE CONGRESS, HELP US
TAKE STATEHOUSES, HELP US TAKE
THE GOVERNOR’S MANSIONS AND HELP
US TO HAVE THE MOMENTUM WE NEED
TO MAKE THE CHANGES ONCE WE’RE
ELECTED.
ELECTED. THIS IS ABOUT HOW WE BUILD REAL
CHANGE.
CHANGE. I’M EXCITED ABOUT IT.
>> HERE’S MY QUESTION, YOU’VE
BEEN IN POLITICS FOR A LITTLE
WHILE.
WHILE. YOU’VE JUST RECENTLY WERE RELE
RE-ELECTED.
RE-ELECTED. YOU HAVE DONE BIG TICKET
FUND-RAISERS AND PUT TOGETHER A
PRETTY GOOD WAR CHEST, $11
MILLION THAT YOU HAD AMASSED.
WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT WHAT
YOU WERE DOING BEFORE?
THIS IS THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT
NOW, WHY NOW AND WHY NOT BEFORE?
>> SO, LOOK, I’VE NEVER ACTUALLY
BEEN IN A DEEPLY COMPETITIVE
PRIMARY.
PRIMARY. I GET IT.
I GET IT. REPUBLICANS COME TO THE TABLE
ARMED TO THE TEETH.
THEY’VE GOT ALL OF THEIR DONORS,
THEIR WEALTHY, WEALTHY DONORS
AND SUPER PACS AND EVERYTHING
GOING FOR THEM.
I’M JUST GOING TO BE BLUNT.
I DO NOT BELIEVE IN UNILATERAL
DISARMAMENT.
DISARMAMENT. WE GOT TO GO INTO THE FIGHTS AND
BE WILLING TO --
>> WERE YOU TO GET THE
NOMINATION OR ANYONE ELSE, RAISE
ALL THE MONEY YOU CAN HOWEVER
YOU CAN?
YOU CAN? >> YES, BUT HERE’S WHAT I WANT
YOU TO SEE THAT’S DIFFERENT
ABOUT IT, CHRIS.
THINK ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE ONCE
WE’RE DOWN TO THE TWO
CANDIDATES.
CANDIDATES. IF THE DEMOCRATS HAVE SPENT THE
NEXT YEAR IN A PRIMARY, BUILDING
THIS THING, FACE-TO-FACE,
PERSON-TO-PERSON,
PERSON-TO-PERSON, NEIGHBOR-TO-NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, THINK OF THE KIND OF
FOUNDATION THAT WE HAVE LAID
DOWN, SO THAT WHEN WE’RE REALLY
UP AGAINST IT, IN THE GENERAL
ELECTION IT’S NOT JUST MONEY TO
FUND TELEVISION ADS, IT’S ALL
THE FOLKS WHO WILL DO THE DOOR
KNOCKING AND MAKE THE PHONE
CALLS AND ALL THE FOLKS WHO WILL
REACH OUT TO THEIR NETWORK.
YOU KNOW HOW WE’LL WIN IN 2020.
IT WILL BE BIG.
IT WILL BE PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR
DONALD TRUMP LAST TIME AROUND.
IT’S GOING TO BE PEOPLE WHO
HAVEN’T VOTED AT ALL.
IT’S GOING TO BE PEOPLE WHO SEE
A VISION, AND A WAY TO MAKE THIS
DEMOCRACY WORK, NOT JUST FOR THE
RICH AND THE POWERFUL BUT MAKE
THIS DEMOCRACY WORK FOR
EVERYONE.
EVERYONE. >> FINAL QUESTION ON THIS AND
ASK A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT STUFF
THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE
CAMPAIGN.
CAMPAIGN. A PROPOSAL YOU PUT FORWARD.
THE QUESTION IS, HOW MUCH IS
THIS RAN EITHER/OR.
THERE ARE CAMPAIGNS THAT ARE
ABLE TO BUILD BOTH A SORT OF
THAT KIND OF GRASSROOTS
FUND-RAISING MACHINERY AND
WEALTHY DONORS AND BIG TICKET
FUND-RAISING.
FUND-RAISING. WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR A
CANDIDATE’S TIME?
CANDIDATE’S TIME? WHY MAKE THIS SORT OF DECISION.
>> WELL, SEE, THAT’S THE REAL
POINT.
POINT. THE BEST ESTIMATES ARE THAT MOST
CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE ARE
SPENDING ABOUT 70% OF THEIR TIME
WITH MILLIONAIRES AND
BILLIONAIRES SPENDING IT BEHIND
CLOSED DOORS AT FANCY COCKTAIL
RECEPTIONS AND PRIVATE DINNERS
IN MANSIONS.
IN MANSIONS. LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I’LL DO.
I’LL DO CALL TIME TONIGHT.
YOU KNOW WHAT CALL TIME IS.
>> IT’S -- IT GIVES ME A STOMACH
ACHE AND I DON’T EVEN HAVE TO DO
CALL TIME.
CALL TIME. >> I AM DOING CALL TIME TONIGHT
AND TOMORROW AND THE NEXT TIME.
THE PEOPLE I’M CALLING TO SAY
THANK YOU TO I’LL CALL NOT BASED
ON HOW MUCH MONEY THEY KICKED
IN.
IN. I’LL CALL PEOPLE AND SAY, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING PART OF
THIS.
THIS. THANK YOU FOR GOING TO
ELIZABETHWARREN.COM SIGNING UP
WHETHER YOU SIGNED UP FOR 5
BUCKS OR 25 BUCKS OR 50 BUCKS
AND THANKS FOR VOLUNTEERING.
YOU KNOW, CHRIS, I’M ONLY GOING
TO COME THIS WAY ONCE.
FIRST-TIME CANDIDATE FOR
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. I WANT TO RUN A CAMPAIGN THAT’S
BASED ON IDEAS THAT’S BASED ON
PRINCIPLES THAT’S BASED ON
RESTORING DEMOCRACY AND I THINK
THIS IS A WAY TO DO THAT.
JOIN US.
JOIN US. >> TO SEGUE THAT YOU HAVE A VERY
AMBITIOUS UNIVERSE SLAL CHILD
CARE PROPOSAL YOUR CAMPAIGN PUT
OUT A WEEK AGO IF I’M NOT
MISTAKEN.
MISTAKEN. >> YEP.
>> YEP. >> SO LET’S SAY YOU VIEW THE
PROBLEM THAT PARENTS
PARTICULARLY WOMEN DO NOT HAVE
RACK SES TO CHILD CARE.
IT HURTS FEMALE LABOR FOR
PARTICIPATION AND INCREDIBLY
FINANCIAL BURDEN.
FINANCIAL BURDEN. TWO DIFFERENT WAYS TO SOLVE IT.
ONE IS UNIVERSAL CHILD CARE YOU
STAND UP AND A CREDIT FOR THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHICH LOOKS
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE PROPOSING, THE
OTHER WOULD BE JUST LIKE GIVE
PEOPLE A CHILD CARE TAX CREDIT
AND THEN THEY CAN GO OUT THERE
INTO THE MARKETPLACE AND FIND
IT.
IT. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR PATH.
>> SO I CHOSE IT FOR A COUPLE OF
REASONS.
REASONS. IT’S THE WAY TO GET REAL MONEY
INTO IT FOR EVERYONE.
THIS IS CHILD CARE.
UNIVERSAL CHILD CARE AND I
SHOULD SAY EARLY LEARNING.
IT IS AN INVESTMENT FROM ZERO TO
5.
5. IN OUR FUTURE.
AND SO IT’S ABOUT CHILD CARE FOR
ALL OUR KIDS BUT ALSO ABOUT
PUTTING THE MONEY INTO EARLY
LEARNING BECAUSE WE HAVE LEARNED
THAT NICKELS SPENT ON
2-YEAR-OLDS AND 3-YEAR-OLDS AND
4-YEAR-OLDS SO THEY’RE READY TO
GO TO KINDERGARTEN AND READY TO
LEARN, PAYS OFF MANY, MANY,
TIMES OVER THROUGH THE YEARS.
SO WHAT THIS PERMITS US TO DO IS
TO HAVE ENOUGH MONEY, ENOUGH
RESOURCES AND THEN GO STRAIGHT
INTO THE COMMUNITIES AND THE
PROVIDERS, THE NONPROFITS, THE
TOWNS AND CITIES THAT WANT TO DO
THIS AND SAY, HERE ARE THE
STANDARDS.
STANDARDS. IF YOU’LL MEET THOSE STANDARDS,
WE’LL MAKE SURE THERE’S MONEY
AVAILABLE AND, BY THE WAY, WE’LL
ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THE CHILD
CARE PROVIDERS WHO ARE TAKING
CARE OF OUR MOST PRECIOUS
RESOURCE GET PAID LIKE PUBLIC
SCHOOLTEACHERS.
SCHOOLTEACHERS. WE’LL EVEN PUT SOME MONEY IN TO
HELP THEM BRING UP THE STANDARDS
SO THAT HAPPENS.
SO THINK OF THIS, CHRIS, NOT
JUST AS COULD YOUR KIDS GET
PARKED IN FRONT OF A TV SET AND
AT LEAST BE SAFE FOR A FEW
HOURS, IT’S REALLY ABOUT AN
INVESTMENT IN OUR CHILDREN, SO
THEY HAVE THE BEST POSSIBLE
START.
START. THIS IS HOW WE BUILD A REAL
FUTURE IN WHICH NOT JUST THE
CHILDREN OF RICH PEOPLE BUT THE
CHILDREN OF EVERYONE GET A REAL
CHANCE TO BUILD LIVES THAT ARE
GOOD.
GOOD. >> THERE ARE TWO BIG SORT OF
DOMESTIC POLICIES YOUR CAMPAIGN
UNVEIL
UNVEIL UNVEILED.
UNVEILED. THIS AND THE WEALTH TAX.
A QUESTION I’VE BEEN ASKING
EVERY CANDIDATE.
EVERY CANDIDATE. LET’S SAY YOU GET ELECTED BY
SOME SORT OF MIRACLE THAT THE
DEMOCRATS HAVE BOTH THE HOUSE
AND THE SENATE, MAYBE EVEN BY A
HEALTHY MARGIN IN THE SENATE,
WHAT IS YOUR FIRST BIG DOMESTIC
LEGISLATION?
LEGISLATION? THE FIRST BIG BILL THAT
PRESIDENT WARREN MOVES.
>> ANY CORRUPTION, THE PROBLEM
WE HAVE IN WASHINGTON RIGHT NOW
IS THAT MONEY IS INFLUENCING
BASICALLY EVERY DECISION THAT
GOES ON.
GOES ON. SO WHATEVER BRINGS YOU TO THE
TABLE TO SAY I CARE ABOUT WHAT’S
HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON, WHETHER
IT’S CLIMATE CHANGE THAT’S
BEARING DOWN ON US, WHETHER OR
NOT IT’S STUDENT LOAN DEBT THAT
YOU CAN’T PAY, WHETHER OR NOT
IT’S HOUSING THAT’S UN
UNAFFORDABLE, WHETHER OR NOT
IT’S CHILD CARE, WHETHER OR NOT
IT’S A CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
THAT WORKS GREAT FOR THOSE FOR
PRIVATE PRISONS OR PRESCRIPTION
DRUGS, EVERY ONE OF THOSE
CROSSES THROUGH THE INTERSECTION
OF THE INFLUENCE OF MONEY AND
WHEN YOU’VE GOT A GOVERNMENT
THAT IS WORKING GREAT FOR THE
RICH AND THE POWERFUL AND NOT
WORKING FOR ANYONE ELSE, IT’S
CORRUPTION.
CORRUPTION. AND WE NEED TO CALL IT OUT.
SO, I’VE PUT TOGETHER -- IT’S A
BIG BILL BECAUSE IT’S A BIG
PROBLEM.
PROBLEM. BUT IT HAS THE FEATURES WE NEED
TO JUST BEAT BACK SOME OF THE
INFLUENCE OF MONEY.
IN LOBBYING AS WE KNOW IT, A
FORCE THE UNITED STATES SUPREME
COURT TO FOLLOW ETHICS DOOR.
STOP THE REVOLVING DOOR BETWEEN
WALL STREET AND WASHINGTON.
>>> EVERYBODY WHO RUNS FOR
FEDERAL OFFICE HAS TO PUT THEIR
TAX RETURNS ONLINE.
WE’VE GOT TO MAKE THIS
GOVERNMENT WORK AGAIN FOR
EVERYONE.
EVERYONE. BECAUSE WE GOT TO MAKE THIS
COUNTRY WORK AGAIN FOR EVERYONE.
AND IT STARTS BY REDUCING THE
INFLUENCE OF MONEY AND
INCREASING THE INFLUENCE OF THE
VOICES OF PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THIS
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. THAT’S THE KIND OF CAMPAIGN THAT
I BELIEVE IN AND THAT’S -- THIS
IS MY CHANCE TO GET OUT THERE
AND FIGHT FOR IT.
>> THAT’S A STRAIGHTFORWARD
ANSWER, ADMIRABLY SO.
SECOND QUESTION I’VE BEEN ASKING
EVERYONE, THE FINAL ONE AND I’LL
LET YOU GO, THE PHILADELPHIA FIL
JAY ENSLEY THINKS HE SHOULD GET
RID OF IT.
WOULD YOU CONSIDER ENDING THE
FILIBUSTER IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
>> SO I ALREADY HAVE A RECORD ON
THIS.
THIS. BACK WHEN THE REPUBLICANS WERE
BLOCKING EVERYTHING THAT WE WERE
TRYING TO DO, DO YOU REMEMBER
BACK IN 2013 AND 2014, MAN, I
WAS ONE OF THE ONES OUT THERE
FIGHTING TO BEAT BACK THE
FILIBUSTER AND WE DID.
WE CHOPPED THE FILIBUSTER BACK A
LOT.
LOT. YOU MAY REMEMBER, THEY NOT ONLY
WERE BLOCKING JUDGES, THEY WERE
BLOCKING THE HEAD OF THE
CONSUMER FINANCIAL POE TEKDZ
BUREAU AND BLOCKING THE NLRB SO
WORKERS WOULDN’T HAVE A PLACE TO
GO TO HAVE THEIR COMPLAINTS
HEARD WHEN THEIR EMPLOYERS BROKE
THE LAW AND I WAS ALL FOR IT.
MY VIEW ON THIS IS, EVERYTHING
STAYS ON THE TABLE.
WE CAN’T LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE
THE REPUBLICANS DO WHAT THEY
WANT LIKE THEY GOT RID OF THE
FILIBUSTER FOR THE SUPREME COURT
AND THEN WE TURN AROUND AND AS
DEMOCRATS SAY, OH, WE’LL PLAY BY
SOME SET OF RULES THAT ARE LONG
PAST NOW.
PAST NOW. MY VIEW IS, IT ALL STAYS ON THE
TABLE.
TABLE. >> ALL RIGHT, SENATOR ELIZABETH