Elizabeth Warren hasn’t built her campaign on viral moments, but she still has them every once in a while. Last week, she lit up the internet with her amazing response to a question on marriage equality:
The transcript doesn’t do the moment credit: It doesn’t capture her dismissive hand wave at the idiocy of someone questioning someone’s right to love whomever they want, the perfect comedic timing as she paused for her punch line, or the virtual mic drop as she sauntered back to the moderator. It was next-level stuff. Every Democrat running for president can answer that question perfectly, on the policy merits. None can do so with as much fun and panache as Warren did.
But this is America, so of course some people had to clutch their pearls.
Guys, did you know Republicans are upset at her response? “It’s insulting,” said Ari Fleischer, the former spokesman for President George W. Bush. “The notion that there is only one thought that is acceptable, and if you don’t hold it there is no one on earth who should find you attractive, is insulting and demeaning.”
That’s a thing a Republican said, and a Bush Republican at that! A guy whose entire job for years was claiming you were un-American for opposing Bush’s endless wars. Also, conservative men genuinely can’t get dates. But that’s a digression. And really, of course Republicans are going to think Warren is offensive. All Democrats are to that crowd.
But of course, there are also the Democratic pearl-clutchers. Reports The Washington Post, “’It’s about telling people who don’t agree with you that they are backward by definition,’ said Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic strategist who advised Bill Clinton’s presidential reelection campaign. The line was a ‘stab’ to those who don’t agree with her, he said, and ‘it is a battle cry for men to turn out against Elizabeth Warren.’” The Post also noted, “’I’m not sure how that resonates with older African American voters, especially African American women,’ said Antjuan Seawright, a black Democratic strategist based in South Carolina. ‘I’m especially not sure what discussions might carry over to the barbershops this weekend.’”
Looking at Civiqs data, we can see exactly who might feel “stabbed” by Warren’s hilarious riposte. While our same-sex marriage question isn’t public, Daily Kos’ David Nir took a peek behind the curtain.
Among Independents, it’s 65-24%.
It’s 84-9% among Democrats.
And even among Republicans, 33% think same-sex marriage should be legal, with just a bare majority opposing, 53%. If Warren wants to insult those Neanderthals, then by all means, she should knock herself out.
But what about the trope of black voters being homophobic, and black women? It’s unfortunate that that persists …
Among 65+ black female Democrats, it’s 69-19. (Yes, there are black women independents and even some Republicans.)
Opponents of marriage equality are a shrinking, dying breed. Check out young Republicans:
Marriage equality is no longer a legit culture war battleground. If Republicans want to litigate it, then sure, we’d all love that very much. Let them sit with the 28%.
And if Elizabeth Warren, or any other Democrat, wants to laugh at the bigoted holdouts, just as good. The nation’s overwhelming majority is on their side.