On Tuesday, the hosts of NBC’s Today were thrilled to have an exclusive live interview with Donald Trump’s “top agitator” and left-wing bomb thrower Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. In addition to inviting her to blast the President over his tax returns and praising her “fight” for “the middle class, the person who doesn’t seem to catch a break,” Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie made it clear they were ready for the Democrat to run for president.
Teasing the upcoming softball interview at the top of the show, Guthrie portrayed Warren as liberal champion: “Taxes Due? The White House standing firm on the President not releasing his tax returns despite earlier promises he would. As critics around the country turn up the heat....Will the White House be forced to give in? The President’s top agitator, Senator Elizabeth Warren, here exclusively.”
Moments later, Lauer joined in the hero worship: “We have a very important guest.... She will probably pooh pooh this, but some are saying now that she’s releasing a book today, this could be the unofficial start to a campaign for the White House in 2020.”
He introduced the friendly chat with Warren by hailing her as “a leading voice of the Trump opposition” and touted the title of her book, This Fight Is Our Fight.
Guthrie teed up the partisan lawmaker to hammer Trump: “Let's talk about Tax Day. The President, of course, coming under fire again for not releasing his tax returns. But his logic is pretty straightforward, ‘This was an issue in the campaign. I won the campaign. Issue over.’” Warren insisted: “No, the issue is not over.” Guthrie fretted: “Do you think he ever will?” Knowing that the liberal media would continue to push the story, Warren proclaimed: “I think that people are going to keep demanding it and they’re going to keep demanding it and making their voices heard on this.”
Freely acknowledging that Warren’s book was “all about taking the fight to Donald Trump,” Guthrie wondered if the Senator saw any “sign of improvement” in the administration following the commander-in-chief’s recent handling of various foreign policy issues.
In reply, Warren ranted about his economic policy: “What's happened since about the 1980s forward is that a handful of billionaires and bankers and folks – CEOs of giant corporations, seized our government and have made it inch by inch work better and better for those at the top and less and less for everyone else.”
Sounding like an adoring fan, Lauer applauded: “That has been your fight throughout your career....You've been reaching out to the little guy, to the middle class, the person who doesn't seem to catch a break.” However, he then pointed out: “And Donald Trump beat you at your own game, and other Democrats, in this last election.”
The host followed up by reciting Warren’s nastiest attacks against Trump and gently pressing her on whether she would be willing to work with him on anything:
In the past you’ve said all of this about Donald Trump, and there’s more. You’ve described him as “dangerous,” “unfit to lead,” “divisive,” “dishonest,” said he “embraced bigotry hook line and sinker.” And you go on and on. In November, to Rachel Maddow, you said, “However, if we can find common ground, count me in. I’m ready to put aside all that if Donald Trump will advance the kinds of policies, kinds of measures, that can be helpful.” 89 days in, Senator, which Elizabeth Warren is sitting in front of me, the one who thinks all those other things about Donald Trump or the one who wants to work with him?
He never bothered to ask if she regretted any of those comments or would apologize.
Wrapping up the exchange, Guthrie enthused: “And Senator, a lot of people will say what this book is about is launching the presidential campaign of Elizabeth Warren. Now, it’s tradition to be coy about that in Washington. But where is your mind about that right now? Are you 50/50, 80/20? Where do you stand? Are you likely to run?”
After Warren dismissed the idea, Guthrie was undeterred: “Okay, but did you say no, not likely to run?”
Lauer was already looking for a bumper sticker: “Because a lot of people are already printing up those bumper stickers for 2020 that say, ‘She was warned, she was given an explanation, nevertheless, she persisted.’”
On Monday, MSNBC anchor Andrea Mitchell and USA Today Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page fantasized about a Warren run.
Here is a transcript of the questions put to Warren during the April 18 segment:
7:11 AM ET
MATT LAUER: Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren is with us now exclusively. She has positioned herself as a leading voice of the Trump opposition and she's written a brand new book, it’s called, This Fight Is Our Fight. Senator Warren, nice to see you, good morning.
SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN [D-MA]: It’s good to see you.
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Good morning.
WARREN: Good morning.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Sen. Elizabeth Warren Speaks Out, Talks Special Election, Trump’s First 100 Days & New Book]
LAUER: Why don't we start with this congressional race down in Georgia, in the Sixth District. That seat’s long been held by Republicans. If John Ossoff can manage to win there, Senator, is it more than just a one-off? Do you see it as Democrats having a path back from a very battered state?
WARREN: I think that the real energy right now is on the Democratic side and the independent side.
(...)
GUTHRIE: Let's talk about Tax Day. The President, of course, coming under fire again for not releasing his tax returns. But his logic is pretty straightforward, “This was an issue in the campaign. I won the campaign. Issue over.”
WARREN: No, the issue is not over. He promised during the campaign that he would reveal his taxes. In fact, how many clips have you got here? He would reveal them after this, he would reveal them after that. Oh, then he’d put it off.
GUTHRIE: Do you think he ever will?
WARREN: I don’t know. But I’ll tell you this, I think that people are going to keep demanding it and they’re going to keep demanding it and making their voices heard on this.
(...)
GUTHRIE: This book is all about taking the fight to Donald Trump.
WARREN: You bet.
GUTHRIE: Yes, but in recent days he’s actually done a 180 on a host of issues. I mean, I could name them. On Putin, on China’s currency policy, the Ex-Im Bank. It goes on an on and on.
LAUER: N.A.T.O.
GUTHRIE: N.A.T.O. Do you look at that as a sign of improvement? Are you willing to give him credit for that?
(...)
WARREN: What's happened since about the 1980s forward is that a handful of billionaires and bankers and folks – CEOs of giant corporations, seized our government and have made it inch by inch work better and better for those at the top and less and less for everyone else.
LAUER: But you know, it’s interesting you say that. That has been your fight throughout your career.
WARREN: Yes, it has been.
LAUER: You've been reaching out to the little guy, to the middle class, the person who doesn't seem to catch a break. And Donald Trump beat you at your own game, and other Democrats, in this last election.
(...)
LAUER: In the past you’ve said all of this about Donald Trump, and there’s more. You’ve described him as “dangerous,” “unfit to lead,” “divisive,” “dishonest,” said he “embraced bigotry hook line and sinker.” And you go on and on. In November, to Rachel Maddow, you said, “However, if we can find common ground, count me in. I’m ready to put aside all that if Donald Trump will advance the kinds of policies, kinds of measures, that can be helpful.” 89 days in, Senator, which Elizabeth Warren is sitting in front of me, the one who thinks all those other things about Donald Trump or the one who wants to work with him?
(...)
GUTHRIE: And Senator, a lot of people will say what this book is about is launching the presidential campaign of Elizabeth Warren. Now, it’s tradition to be coy about that in Washington. But where is your mind about that right now? Are you 50/50, 80/20? Where do you stand? Are you likely to run?
WARREN: This is – no. This is not what I'm doing. This is my 11th book. My life’s work is about what’s happening to working families across this country.
GUTHRIE: Okay, but did you say no, not likely to run?
(...)
LAUER: Because a lot of people are already printing up those bumper stickers for 2020 that say, “She was warned, she was given an explanation, nevertheless, she persisted.” Okay, you're not biting. I get it.
GUTHRIE: Let the transcript reflect silence.
LAUER: Silence there. Senator it’s nice to have you here.
GUTHRIE: Thank you.
WARREN: It’s good to be here.
LAUER: Appreciate it.
