Senate Democrats
are capable of learning. Last Tuesday's election taught them they probably need some help on messaging and policy, and they looked to
precisely the right person for it.
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) gained a leadership position in the Senate Democratic caucus Thursday, giving the prominent progressive senator a key role in shaping the party's policy priorities.
Warren's new role, which was created specifically for her, will be strategic policy adviser to the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, helping to craft the party's policy positions and priorities. She will also serve as a liaison to progressive groups to ensure they have a voice in leadership meetings and discussions, according to a source familiar with the role.
More proof they're learning—Sen. Harry Reid strongly supported Warren for this role precisely because of what happened in the election.
"If the ballot measure results are any indication, actual progressive policies remain popular with voters in red and blue states. I believe you’ll see a Senate Democratic caucus fight on behalf of those policies and provide the votes if and when Republicans are ready to act," Faiz Shakir, a senior adviser to Reid, told HuffPost earlier this month.
There's no one better at shaping the progressive populist message in Congress than Warren, and Congress needs it for 2016. The Democrats as a whole need it for 2016. And here is where Warren can have a real effect on the 2016 presidential campaign. Hillary Clinton is not going to run a campaign that's discordant with what the Senate Democrats—with Warren shaping the policy and the message—are running on.
There's ongoing discussion in LtPower's recommended diary.