MANCHESTER, NH — Three days before New Hampshire’s Primary Day, Sen. Elizabeth Warren was at Manchester Community College Democrats firing up her supporters just before they headed out to knock on doors and try to convince people to vote for the Massachusetts senator.
She really didn’t have to say much to draw cheers from the partisan crowd, who applauded every chance they got.
“Are you ready to go out and knock some doors and do a little democracy?” she asked to the crowd’s cheers.
Her pep talk generally reflected her stump speech — focusing on ending political corruption, canceling student loan debt and making America one of equality and a place where “our children don’t fear getting shot at school. An America where we don’t have a President who embarrasses us every day and who doesn’t take children away from their mothers at the border. An America that reflects a good people because that is what we want to be.”
Warren told the crowd that it was three years and one day ago when Mitch McConnell tried to silence her for “trying to block a racist nominee for U.S. Attorney.” She was objecting to Senator Jeff Sessions getting that appointment.
The Massachusetts senator was quoting a letter written by Corretta Scott King who opposed Sessions becoming a federal judge. She wrote that Sessions had “used the awesome powers of his office to intimidate and frighten elderly black voters,” according to a report in Time magazine.
McConnell interrupted Warren, saying she violated a Senate rule which said Senators cannot “impute to another Senator or to other Senators any conduct or motive unworthy or unbecoming a Senator.”
When Warren continued to speak, McConnell said, “Nevertheless, she persisted.”
Warren said that the phrase was put on T-shirts, a lot of women embroidered it on pillows and many women had it tattooed on their bodies.
She said people are starting to worry about whether Trump can be beaten and talking about what can’t be done and who can’t do it.
“They’re going to talk about it right up until we get in that fight, we persist, and we win,” she said. “That is how I will be the first woman president.”
The gymnasium was filled to capacity with two overflow areas for an estimated crowd of about 775, according to the campaign.
Camille Madon-Tasse, 24, is one of the canvassers. She is a registered Democrat of Manchester with duo citizenship —American and Canadian.
“I love her record of fighting public corruption,” said Madon-Tasse. “She has been the same person with the same values her entire life fighting for the same goals. She has a track record of being able to get the job done.”
She said once Warren beats Donald Trump, she will be able to “actually tackle corruption in Washington.”
Izzy Hessler, 19, of Pennsylvania attends Emerson College in Boston. She supports Warren because of her progressive policies which Hessler believes the country needs. “I think she definitely can beat Donald Trump and I’m excited,” she said.
There were people at the rally who just wanted to hear Warren speak.
Bruce Caswell, 73, of Philadelphia, Pa. and his wife, Carol Caswell, 72, call their visit political tourism.
“I like the details and the quality of her policies,” he said. “I was a policy analyst in Washington for a time. Hers are very good and I agree with them.”
“We’re getting closer,” on deciding on which candidate to support, said Carol Caswell. They came to New Hampshire to try and see the candidates because it is much smaller than Philadelphia, she explained, and something they’ve done in the past.
Up from Huntsville, Alabama were friends Larisa Thomason, 56, and Amanda Schenker, 60. They, too, came to see the candidates in person.
Larisa Thomason, 56, was a Bernie Sanders delegate in 2016 but she said she “wished he had not run this year.”
“I still like him. I like his ideas but we need a fresher face,” Thomason said.
Sanders, Thomason said, did his work. “Just look at everyone else’s platform, “ she said.
Schenker said if the vote were held tomorrow she would cast a ballot for Warren.
