>>> LAST NIGHT MASSACHUSETTS SENATOR ELIZABETH WARREN HELD A
RALLY IN NEW YORK CITY TRYING TO
COUNT PEOPLE IN A CROWD LIKE
THIS IS A LITTLE LIKE TRYING TO
COUNTING DROPS OF WATER IN A
BUCKET, GOOD LUCK.
THE WARREN CAMPAIGN SAYS AS MANY
AS 20,000 PEOPLE SHOWED UP FOR
THIS SPEECH.
THIS SPEECH. IT WAS A DARNED LOT OF PEOPLE.
IT MAY BE THE LARGEST CROWD SIZE
FOR ANY EVENT YET FOR ANY
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE THIS WHOLE
YEAR
YEAR >> WARREN, WARREN, WARREN,
WARREN
WARREN WARREN, WARREN, WARREN, WARREN
>> 2020 IS ABOUT THE DIRECTION
OUR AMERICA GOES
NOT JUST FOR FOUR YEARS, BUT FOR
GENERATIONS TO COME.
AND YEAH, 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
ELSE AND DEMOCRATS CAN’T WIN IF WE’RE
SCARED AND LOOKING BACKWARD.
WE WIN WHEN WE MEET THE MOMENT
WE WIN WHEN WE STAND UP FOR WHAT
IS RIGHT
IS RIGHT WE WIN WHEN WE GET OUT THERE AND
FIGHT.
FIGHT. I AM NOT AFRAID.
AND YOU CAN’T BE AFRAID EITHER
SO IF YOU’RE READY TO FIGHT,
THEN JOIN ME
>> SENATOR WARREN LAST NIGHT AT
THE BIGGEST CAMPAIGN EVENT OF
HER CAMPAIGN THUS FAR.
JOINING US NOW FOR THE INTERVIEW
IS SENATOR WARREN.
SENATOR, GREAT TO SEE YOU.
>> IT’S GOOD TO BE HERE.
>> I KEEP EXPECTING YOU TO BE
HOARSE.
HOARSE. >> NO.
>> NO. >> YOU’RE FINE.
>> NO, I’M FINE.
>> I HAVE TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE
SELFIE LINE.
SELFIE LINE. I REALIZE YOU STAY AFTERWARDS
AND TAKE PICTURES WITH EVERYBODY
THAT WANTS A PICTURE TAKEN WITH
YOU.
YOU. LAST NIGHT AT THAT EVENT IT WAS
LIKE FOUR HOURS?
>> YEP, A LITTLE OVER.
>> I ASSUME THIS IS SOMETHING
YOU CANNOT DO FOREVER BECAUSE OF
THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT
TAKES, BECAUSE OF THE ENERGY IT
TAKES.
TAKES. ALSO I IMAGINE SECURITY
CONCERNS
CONCERNS ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT THAT?
>> NO.
>> NO. BECAUSE THIS IS HOW I SEE IT
LOOK, WE KNOW IN THIS COUNTRY
WHAT IS BROKEN
PEOPLE KNOW THIS
WE’VE GOT A GOVERNMENT THAT
WORKS BETTER AND BETTER AND
BETTER FOR A THINNER AND THINNER
SLICE AT THE TOP AND IS JUST NOT
WORKING FOR EVERYONE ELSE.
WE KNOW IT’S BROKEN, WE KNOW HOW
TO FIX IT.
WE’RE GOING TO ATTACK THE
CORRUPTION HEAD ON AND MAKE
STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN OUR
ECONOMY.
ECONOMY. WE’VE GOT TO PROTECT OUR
DEMOCRACY.
DEMOCRACY. WE KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO
THE THIRD PART IS WE’VE GOT TO
BUILD A GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT TO
MAKE IT HAPPEN
AND, YOU KNOW, YEAH, I WAS THERE
FOUR HOURS, BUT I’LL TELL YOU
WHAT, SO WAS THE LAST GUY IN
LINE
LINE AND HE’S IN.
HE’S ALL THE WAY IN THIS FIGHT
HE’S IN TO VOLUNTEER HIS HOUR,
HE’S IN TO PUT IN HIS $5 OR HIS
$25.
$25. HE’S IN THIS TO TALK TO EVERYONE
ELSE AND TO BRINGING MORE PEOPLE
INTO IT.
INTO IT. BECAUSE WHEN THINGS ARE AS BADLY
BROKEN AS THEY ARE RIGHT NOW,
WHEN WE’VE GOT THIS MUCH
CORRUPTION RIGHT AT THE HEART OF
OUR GOVERNMENT, IT’S GOING TO
TAKE A HUGE MOVEMENT
IT’S GOING TO TAKE MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE PUSHING FROM THE OUTSIDE.
IT’S GOING TO TAKE SOMEBODY
LEADING FROM THE INSIDE TO MAKE
THE KIND OF BIG STRUCTURAL
CHANGE WE NEED TO MAKE.
>> AND THAT WAS REALLY THE PLOT
OF YOUR SPEECH LAST NIGHT,
TALKING ABOUT THE FIRE THAT
KILLED 140 WOMEN IN 1911
I WAS STRUCK BY THE PARALLEL
WITH THE START OF YOUR CAMPAIGN.
YOU LAUNCHED YOUR CAMPAIGN IN
LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS, AT
EVERETT MILLS.
EVERETT MILLS. SO YOU’VE HAD THESE TWO TENT
POLE MOMENTS, 1911 AND 1912.
IS THAT BECAUSE YOU SEE US AS
SORT OF -- THAT WAS A TIME WHEN
THE GILDED AGE WAS YIELDING THE
PROGRESSIVE ERA.
PROGRESSIVE ERA. >> YES.
>> YES. >> DO YOU SEE US IN THAT KIND OF
TRANSITION AGAIN OR IS THAT WHAT
YOU’RE TRYING TO MAKE HAPPEN
>> I SEE IT AS WE HAVE THIS
MOMENT IN HISTORY THAT IF WE GET
OUT THERE AND FIGHT, WE CAN TURN
IT AROUND.
IT AROUND. BUT IT’S NOT GUARANTEED.
IT REALLY IS ABOUT WHETHER WE
GET OUT AND FIGHT.
AND THAT’S HOW I SEE PULLING ALL
THESE MOMENTS TOGETHER
THE TRIANGLE SHIRTWAIST FACTORY,
IT IS A STORY OF POWER
IT’S ABOUT THE POWER OF THE
FACTORY OWNERS
FACTORY OWNERS WHO KNEW, THERE HAD BEEN ONE
PARADE AFTER ANOTHER, ONE
PROTEST MARCH AFTER ANOTHER.
THERE HAD BEEN PLENTY OF PRESS
ABOUT IT, ABOUT THE TERRIBLE
CONDITIONS, THE DANGEROUS
CONDITIONS IN THEIR FACTORIES.
AND THEN THE MOMENT CAME WHEN
OVER 140 PEOPLE DIED IN THAT
FIRE
FIRE WHEN FRANCES PERKINS STOOD ON
THE STREET AND WATCHED AS ONE
WOMAN JUMPED TO HER DEATH AND
THEN ANOTHER AND ANOTHER AND
ANOTHER.
ANOTHER. IN 18 MINUTES, 143 PEOPLE DIED
THEIR BODIES LYING ON THE
GROUND
GROUND THEIR BLOOD RUNNING INTO THE
GUTTERS.
GUTTERS. PEOPLE PILED UP AT THE FIRE EXIT
THAT WAS LOCKED BECAUSE THE
OWNERS WERE SO WORRIED THAT
THOSE WORKERS MIGHT STEAL A
SCRAP OF CLOTH
BUT THIS TIME THE PLAN WAS
DIFFERENT.
DIFFERENT. IT WAS TO SAY WE’RE NOT JUST
GOING TO HAVE ONE MORE PROTEST
WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A HUGE
PROTEST.
PROTEST. WE’RE GOING TO BUILD A
GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT FROM THE
OUTSIDE.
OUTSIDE. AND AT THE SAME MOMENT WE’RE
GOING TO HAVE SOMEBODY LEADING
IT FROM THE INSIDE
AND THAT WAS FRANCES PERKINS
SO THINK ABOUT THIS.
1911, YOU KNOW WHAT SHE DOES
FOLLOWING THIS FIRE, SHE GOES TO
WASHINGTON -- TO ALBANY.
SHE’S 30 YEARS OLD
SHE GOES TO ALBANY
REMEMBER, WOMEN CAN’T EVEN VOTE.
>> SHE COULDN’T VOTE AT THE
TIME.
TIME. >> SHE COULD NOT VOTE.
SHE SHOWS UP AND SHE LEADS THE
FIGHT FROM THE INSIDE.
SHE GETS APPOINTED TO A
COMMISSION, THEY CHANGE THE
RULES AROUND FIRE.
BUT THAT’S NOT ENOUGH.
SHE GOES FROM FIRE SAFETY TO THE
LABOR LAWS, AND NEW YORK STATE
REWRITES ITS LABOR LAWS TOP TO
BOTTOM
BOTTOM ROOSEVELT BECOMES GOVERNOR, THEN
ROOSEVELT BECOMES PRESIDENT.
WHEN ROOSEVELT IS PRESIDENT, HE
BRINGS FRANCES PERKINS TO BE THE
FIRST WOMAN TO BE A CABINET
SECRETARY.
SECRETARY. SHE’S SECRETARY OF LABOR
AND HERE’S HOW YOU SEE IT.
ONE VERY PERSISTENT WOMAN BACKED
UP BY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AND
WHAT DO THEY GET DONE?
SOCIAL SECURITY, THE MINIMUM
WAGE, UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE,
THE END OF CHILD LABOR, THE VERY
EXISTENCE OF THE WEEKEND, THE
RIGHT TO JOIN A UNION.
IT WAS A TRANSFORMATIVE MOMENT
THAT TOOK TWO THINGS, THE FIGHT
FROM THE OUTSIDE AND THE FIGHT
FROM THE INSIDE, THE LEADERSHIP
FROM THE INSIDE.
WE HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY NOW.
AND TOO MANY PEOPLE SAY IT’S
JUST TOO HARD, WE CAN’T DO IT.
BUT THINK OF IT THIS WAY
HERE IN AMERICA, WE’VE ENGAGED
IN BIG STRUCTURAL CHANGE BEFORE.
WE DID IT THEN
THE SUFFRAGETTES THAT WERE TOLD
TOO HARD, GIVE IT NOW, RIGHT
THE FOOT SOLDIERS IN THE CIVIL
RIGHTS MOVEMENT, TOO HARD, GIVE
INNOW.
INNOW. THE EARLY UNION ORGANIZERS, TOO
HARD, GIVE UP NOW.
THE LGBTQ ACTIVISTS, PAIRBARELY
DECADE AGO, TOO HARD, GIVE UP
NOW.
NOW. BUT THEY DIDN’T GIVE UP.
THEY GOT RGANIZED, THEY BUILT
GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT, THEY
PERSISTED AND THEY CHANGED THE
COURSE OF AMERICAN HISTORY
>> HOW DO YOU MAP THAT MODEL OF
SOCIAL CHANGE, OF BIG STRUCTURAL
CHANGE, AS YOU SAY, TO AN
ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN FOR
PRESIDENT?
PRESIDENT? FRANCES PERKINS WAS NOT RUNNING
FOR PRESIDENT, SHE DIDN’T HAVE
THE RIGHT TO VOTE WHEN SHE WAS
DOING THESE THINGS
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS NOW ARE
ABOUT PARTISAN MOBILIZATION AND
THEY ARE ABOUT COMPETITION IN
THE PRIMARY BEFORE YOU EVER GET
TO THE GENERAL
HOW DO THOSE THINGS MAP
TOGETHER
TOGETHER >> I THINK IT’S THERE, BECAUSE I
THINK THAT’S WHAT THIS MOMENT
IS
IS I THINK THE REASON 20,000 PEOPLE
SHOWED UP LAST NIGHT IS 20,000
PEOPLE ARE NOT ONLY READY FOR
CHANGE, THEY ARE SO READY FOR
CHANGE THAT THEY’LL SHOW UP AND
GET IN THE FIGHT
THEY ARE SO READY FOR CHANGE
THAT THEY’RE SAYING CALL ON ME,
I WILL BE PART OF THIS
THAT’S WHY I SAY THIS IS OUR
MOMENT
MOMENT AND WE CAN’T SPEND IT AFRAID
WE CAN’T SPEND IT UNDER THE
COVERS
COVERS WE CAN’T SPEND IT NIBBLING
AROUND THE EDGES OF WHATEVER IS
BROKEN
BROKEN WE HAVE TO USE IT AS THE MOMENT
TO ROOT OUT THE CORRUPTION, THE
MOMENT TO MAKE SOME BIG
STRUCTURAL CHANGE, JUST A COUPLE
IN THIS ECONOMY, TO STRENGTHEN
THE RIGHTS OF WORKERS, GIVE
UNIONS MORE POWER, MAKE IT
EASIER TO JOIN A UNION, PASS
THAT TWO-CENT WEALTH TAX SO WE
CAN INVEST IN OUR YOUNG PEOPLE
AND CANCEL STUDENT LOAN DEBT AND
PROVIDE UNIVERSAL CHILD CARE AND
PROTECT OUR DEMOCRACY.
WE MAKE THOSE CHANGES AND THEN
WE’VE GOT A GOVERNMENT THAT
DOESN’T JUST WORK FOR THOSE AT
THE TOP, IT’S A GOVERNMENT THAT