The right-leaning Wall Street Journal editorial board said it was probably Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s goal all along to be reprimanded by Republicans in the Senate as a way to boost her own profile ahead of the 2020 presidential campaign.
The paper said in an editorial published Wednesday night that Warren anticipated a confrontation with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell when she delivered a lengthy speech Tuesday on the Senate floor attacking Jeff Sessions, who has since been confirmed as attorney general.
“Warren isn’t a victim, even if she enjoys feeling she is, and Republicans aren’t trying to get her to ‘shut up,’ as if that’s possible,” said the Journal. “She knowingly broke protocol and said Mr. Sessions was ‘racist’ and prosecuting ‘a campaign of bigotry,’ among other gross, false and personal insults that Democrats now feel entitled to hurl. Our guess is that Ms. Warren wanted to be punished so she could play out this political theater.”
While giving her speech Tuesday night, McConnell abruptly interrupted it and accused Warren of breaking Senate rules by impugning Sessions’ character. The Senate voted in agreement and Warren was forbidden from making further marks in debate over Sessions’ confirmation.
Warren continued her speech outside the Senate chamber and streamed it live on Facebook.
