Elizabeth Warren is about to have her first live audition as Donald Trump’s chief public antagonist.
The Massachusetts senator will make her debut on the 2016 campaign trail Monday morning alongside Hillary Clinton here, where she is expected to deliver fiery criticism of Trump and attempt to highlight sharp contrasts between the two parties’ presumptive presidential nominees.
Warren’s decision to be an active surrogate is a significant political win for Clinton. Clinton’s hard-fought battle against Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary spotlighted her struggle to win over liberal factions of her party and Warren’s formal backing earlier this month signaled an important stamp of approval.
Monday’s first joint appearance of the two is also likely to further fuel speculation about Clinton’s deliberations over a vice presidential pick. Sources say Warren is among the handful of Democrats that the Clinton campaign is scrutinizing as it prepares to choose a running mate ahead of the convention next month.
Trump preempted the event with a dig at both Warren and Clinton.
“Crooked Hillary is wheeling out one of the least productive senators in the U.S. Senate, goofy Elizabeth Warren, who lied on heritage,” Trump tweeted, avoiding his previously used nickname for Warren, “Pocahontas,” when referencing a 2012 controversy over how she characterized her Native American heritage.
Elected to the Senate in 2012, Warren is one of Congress’ most outspoken critics of Wall Street and advocate of stringent financial regulations. The former law professor rose quickly to national stardom and holds powerful sway among progressive activists.
Warren’s massive liberal fan base crafted a national campaign to recruit the populist senator to run for the White House — a request that she repeatedly declined.
Now, the liberal firebrand is poised to seize the national platform and emerge one of Trump’s most potent adversaries.
Over the last few weeks, Warren has delivered a stream of attacks against the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. She has charged that Trumps’ campaign is built on “racism, sexism, and xenophobia” and slammed the candidate as “a small, insecure, money-grubber.”
Trump has delighted in hitting back, labeling Warren “goofy” and calling her “Pocahontas” — a reference to the political controversy surrounding her past description of her Native American heritage.
