Is Warren Really a Wonk?
Democratic hopeful Elizabeth Warren’s motto is “I have a plan for that.” Her reputation as an endearingly detail-oriented policy wonk is contributing to her recent surge in the polls – but is this reputation earned?
Many of Warren’s backers cite her policy specifics and her ability to explain them. “She is better than most college professors,” said John Godfrey, an academic administrator in Ann Arbor, Mich. “She has managed to do it without being a wonk. She is able to craft a narrative.”
Elizabeth Warren is a radical wonk… Issued at regular intervals, covering everything from wealth taxes to child care to agriculture, her proposals are part of a smart strategy that has helped distinguish Warren in a crowded Democratic field. They are more than that, though. They embody a new and potentially transformational approach to politics
In nearly every case where Warren is credited with some innovation, the evidence shows that she didn’t build it. She just slapped her name on it.
Nevertheless, the myth has persisted.