An Exclusive Interview with Elizabeth Warren

Warren Talks about Wall Street, A Border Wall and Scott Brown

By: Tom Duggan – April, 2012

Professor Elizabeth Warren is one of two Democrats seeking their party’s nomination to square off against incumbent Senator Scott Brown (R) in November.

Last month she toured portions of the Merrimack Valley including a new solar farm at Mann Orchards in Methuen, where they Valley Patriot got a chance to interview the candidate.

Valley Patriot: “You are running against an incumbent Senator, Scott Brown.It’s very hard to beat an incumbent.  What is your game plan to try and convince the voters of Massachusetts to change their mind after they put Scott Brown in the first time?”

Professor Warren: “You know, I know this will be tough.  I am not only against an incumbent; I am against an incumbent who had 10 million dollars running when I did not have a dime.  So, he has lots of money and all of those benefits that come from being an incumbent.  All I can say is: Aren’t we out there talking about working families across this commonwealth every single day?You know, that’s what I’ve spent my life working on, America’s middle class is getting hammered and for me, this is a question of “who’s side do you stand on?”  Scott Brown has been judged by Forbes Magazine as one of Wall Street’s favorite Senators.   I guarantee, that is not an award I would ever receive.” 

Valley Patriot:  “Is Wall Street bad?  Are bankers bad? Are rich people bad?”  

Professor Warren:  “Of course, not!  But, the question about whether or not they should have special subsidies and special privileges, I think is a real problem.  Whether or not they should be insured by the Federal Government and not have to pay for that, I think that is a real problem.  There are folks on Wall Street who understand that people like Scott Brown can deliver advantages to them, certainly did, during the Dodd FrankBill.  I just don’t think that’s what the government should be working for. Right now, our government in Washington is working for those who can hire an army of lobbyists.  It’s not working for families; it’s not working for small businesses.  That is what pulls me into this race.  I don’t talk about that, every single day.”

Valley Patriot: With the looming threat of the Islamic terrorists going on in Israel and Iran right now, where do you stand differently than Scott Brown, where do you stand on the issue of Palestine and where do you stand differently with Scott Brown when it comes to National Security.

Professor Warren: “Well, you know, on the question of National Security, generally, I stand very much with Hillary Clinton and the idea that we have to use smart power, we have to use every tool in the tool box, and that means we have to use defense, we have to use diplomacy and we have to use development.”

“I think that the President has done a good job of that, he’s been out there.  You know, let’s talk about finally taking Osama Bin Laden out of the game, so I think that’s the overall approach.  When you ask about the Middle East, for me, we have a very special relationship with Israel and we understand.  We need to understand as a country how deeply threatened Israel is by Hammas, by hezbollah and now a nuclear threat by Iran. We need a stable and peaceful Middle East, that’s in the interest of the United States. 

Valley Patriot: “But, how do we get there?”

Professor Warren:“Well, that means, in part a very strong partnership with Israel and a strong Israel.”

Valley Patriot: “What about the issues of Palestinian Territories?  It seems to be the one thing that continues to generate violence in that area.”

Professor Warren: “I believe in a two state solution and that means a Jewish Democratic state and a de-militarized home for the Palestinian people. Ultimately, both of those parties negotiating with each other, the role of the United States is to support that and not dictate terms, but to make sure that we come up with the lasting solution that guarantees peace in the region and that security for Israel and that there is a de-militarized state for the Palestinians.”

Valley Patirot: “Last question, how do you plan on supporting, protecting the borders?”

Professor Warren: “I think that we need, we have been working, I think we’ve done a step-up on protecting the borders.”

Valley Patriot: “Would you favor building a wall on the Southern Border”

Professor Warren: “No”

Bernice Corpuz of WBZ radio was also present during our interview with Professor Warren. She asked Warren about the violence in Afghanistan in response to the Quran burning incident,

Professor Warren:  “You know, it was a terrible incident and I am very pleased to see the President is trying to respond in a way that I think is appropriate.  We don’t need to put our troops in harm’s way because of something like this.  I am glad to see the President working.”

Corpuz asked Warren about some of the issues she thinks are unique to this region off of the state?

“Visiting here is visiting American families.  Working families have been hammered in a lot of different ways. Someone said to me ‘My son is in his 50’s and has been out of work for almost a year.  In our conversation, I got the importance of investing in our future, so that there are still good jobs here in the United States.  We can’t just be a country that buys things.  We need to be a country that makes things and ships them elsewhere around the world.  We need to have policies that encourage manufacturing here in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and across the country and encourage more business activity here.  That’s the way we build a future.

 Transcribed by Dawn Brantmuller

 

RELATED STORIES

An Exclusive Interview with Elizabeth Warren (April, 2012) 

Photo Gallery of Warren Brown Debate

Sen. Brown To Seniors: “Your Medicare is Safe” (August, 2012)

Brown: Warren Wrong on Iran, Israel – Challenges her to “Stop Scaring Women (October 23, 2012)

Warren on Abortion Litmus Test – Methuen Officials Endorse Elizabeth Warren (October 24, 2012)