There's an old joke about the predictable stages of success in Hollywood when some bright new talent breaks onto the scene and starts to attract attention among producers and directors and buzz in the fan base. Here is the progression of the career of a new star-
For our example, let's say her name is Eliza Walnut:
Phase 1. Who's Eliza Walnut?
Phase 2. Have you heard about Eliza Walnut?
Phase 3. How about Eliza Walnut?
Phase 4. Get me Eliza Walnut!
Phase 5. Get me an Eliza Walnut type!
Phase 6. Get me a young Eliza Walnut!
Phase 7. Who's Eliza Walnut?
If we were to relate this parable to the effort to draft Elizabeth Warren, I would venture that we are at Phase 4 - Elizabeth Warren has burst onto the political scene, made a name for herself as a new player with charisma and has introduced her version of what populist politics should be with her take no prisoners rhetoric.
This has touched a responsive chord with the public - We want Elizabeth Warren! We want to see more of her! We want her to run and say more things that need saying in the public arena that have been stifled for too long. Elizabeth Warren has created a market for Elizabeth Warren by filling a void in the marketplace.
Sadly for all of us, despite creating the demand for her brand of politics, Elizabeth Warren appears to be opting out this go-round. But what is interesting is that the early production tasks for her movie continue to move forward, even though she has not agreed to star – there are any number of “Draft Elizabeth Warren” movements, some large and some small. Apparently there are even people moving into Iowa and New Hampshire setting up an apparatus in the unlikely event she should decide to run.
Iowa is on the front line of the draft-Warren movement, a $1.25 million effort funded by the liberal groups MoveOn.org and Democracy for America, which have chosen the country’s first caucus state as a cornerstone for their push.andSenator Elizabeth warren's 'No' doesn't deter draft supporters in Iowa
“I’m excited to join activists all across the Granite State to ensure we live up to our proud tradition of defying expectations, upsetting conventional wisdom, and picking presidents by working to bring Sen. Elizabeth Warren and her populist progressive vision for our country into 2016’s first-in-the-nation primary,” Mr. Ehrenberg said in a prepared statement.What does this all mean? In my opinion it means that there are the beginnings of a movement. All the people who want Elizabeth Warren Populism are uniting in spirit and some in the flesh. They define themselves as Elizabeth Warren Democrats. Our only problem is that Elizabeth Warren will not herself join the movement she has inspired.
What to do?
Well in Hollywood, in the example I opened this diary with, if they were unable to sign Eliza Walnut for the lead, the producers move along to Phase 5 and look for an Eliza Walnut “type”. We should follow their example and do the same.
Folks, if we can’t have Elizabeth Warren this time around, that is no reason to abandon the passion and commitment and rejection of the status quo she has ignited and come to define. These really are desperate times and the same old tinkering around the edges is not going to prevent the a large percentage of Americans from swirling the financial drain
The market for a Hillary Clinton alternative has been established. The desire for a candidate who will fight for the 99% with more than lip service is obvious, as is the need. Elizabeth Warren has established a standard, but she is not the only person in the country who can articulate both the problems and the solutions necessary.
I suggest we at least start considering alternate candidates and Elizabeth Warren “types” who can take over the lead in our movie. All of the people and the apparatus and passion of the Draft Elizabeth Warren movement can be transferred to another Liberal/Populist/Progressive who wants to lead all the millions begging for leadership. Who will step up to the plate?