Why Warren Has a Real Shot at Winning

Progressives dearly want Elizabeth Warren to run for president, even if conventional wisdom suggests that as a populist candidate, she doesn't stand much of a chance of beating Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination. But "something is in the air," observes David Brooks in the New York Times. The Eric Garner and Michael Brown cases have raised anger on the left, and Democrats in general are moving into "opposition status" ahead of the next Congress, writes Brooks. He expects that "this aggressive outsider spirit" will only grow.

Warren taps into this combative mood perfectly. "Clinton is obviously tough, but she just can’t speak with a clear voice against Wall Street and Washington insiders," writes Brooks. In an interview with NPR yesterday, Warren repeated the phrase, "I am not running for president" three times, but she's got plenty of time to change her mind. "The fundamental truth is that every structural and historical advantage favors Clinton, but every day more Democrats embrace the emotion and view defined by Warren," writes Brooks. Click for his full column. (More Elizabeth Warren stories.)