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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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Warren Wows Dem Convention in California

Warren earned the biggest applause of any of the Democratic presidential candidates who spoke to a raucous crowd gathered at the Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco.

(CN) – Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren starred in the morning session of California’s Democratic Convention in San Francisco Saturday, despite following Kamala Harris on her home turf.

Warren earned the biggest applause of any of the Democratic presidential candidates who spoke to a raucous crowd gathered at the Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco.

“Dream big and fight hard,” Warren said, offering herself as a candidate of courage to undertake “bold and structural change.”

Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. (AP file photo)

Harris and former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke also spoke to receptive audiences, but neither was able to match the verve Warren displayed or to elicit the same reaction.

Harris did distinguish herself from the other presidential candidates in demanding the House of Representatives draw up articles of impeachment.

“We need to begin impeachment proceedings and we need a new commander and chief,” she said.

The demand was notable following an appearance by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who continued to exercise restraint in her public comments regarding the potential impeachment of President Donald Trump despite a public appearance by Special Counsel Robert Mueller last week wherein he refused to exonerate the president.

The crowd hollered the word “Impeach” loudly at several points during Pelosi’s brief talk at a couple of points drowning out her words.

Warren also stayed away from the impeachment debate in her speech, although she has repeatedly made it known she favors impeaching Trump based on Mueller’s findings.

But Saturday morning, Warren listed the problems the country continues to encounter under Trump’s stewardship, including exploding student debt, a lack of access to high quality healthcare, gun violence and housing issues.

“This country has enormous problems and they are all connected to one thing, power that is concentrated in the hands of the wealthy and well-connected, who help themselves at the expense of everyone else,” the senator said.

Warren said she would pass anti-corruption bills and institute a wealth tax to help pay for progressive initiatives while accusing her fellow candidates of nibbling at the edge of problems.

“When candidates tell you political calculation comes first before real change they are telling you they will not fight for you,” Warren said.

But O’Rourke and Harris both cast themselves as fighters as well.

O’Rourke, who used his speech to emphasize immigration issues, touted his ability to take a progressive message through a red state like Texas.

“I led the largest grassroots effort in the history of our state,” O’Rourke said.

The congressman also started out his speech talking in Spanish and told the audience that if elected president, he would “end the chaos that Donald Trump has created at the U.S.-Mexico border.”

Harris also spent most her time hitting Trump, saying his tax package, his claims to pass better healthcare and even his attempt to build a wall represented a litany of empty promises and distractions.

“Remember when Trump said he would help working families?” Harris said. “Instead, he gave away a trillion dollars to the one percent.”

The first three presidential candidates are a preview of what is to come as a full slate of contenders for the Democratic nomination will speak during the convention. In fact, only former Vice-President and front-runner Joe Biden has elected to sit out the convention, electing instead to campaign in Ohio.

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Categories / Government, National, Politics

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