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 Facing stiff opposition to the trade deal from sections of his own
Democratic Party, Obama launched a personalized criticism of
Warren's efforts to lead the fight against giving the administration
"fast-track" negotiating authority.
It was an approach that appeared to elevate the Democratic senator
from Massachusetts, already a favorite of the party's left wing for
her work on consumer protection and Wall Street reforms, and
energize her supporters.
On Wednesday, the day after Senate Democrats at least temporarily
blocked debate on the fast-track trade bill, the White House was
forced to respond to charges the president was sexist in calling out
Warren by her first name.
In an interview with Yahoo News last week, Obama had referred to
Warren as "Elizabeth" while accusing her of political grandstanding
and being "absolutely wrong" on trade.
Warren has not responded directly to the president's comments.
By stoking a personal battle with Warren, Obama risks making her a
more dangerous rival in Congress, giving her more clout to push the
president and 2016 Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary
Clinton to the left on issues such as income inequality, minimum
wage hikes and efforts to rein in Wall Street.
Republicans, unlikely political bed-fellows with Obama on the trade
deal being negotiated with other Pacific Rim countries, pounced on
the chance to highlight the Democratic Party feud.
Democratic opponents of the pact, who argue it could be used to
undercut Wall Street reforms while weakening U.S. regulations, said
the Obama vs. Warren rivalry had raised public consciousness on
trade.
"The president miscalculated in making this about Elizabeth Warren,
that backfired badly. It only served to raise awareness of the issue
and drive people away from his position," said Chris Kofinis, a
Democratic strategist who has worked with labor unions opposed to
the pact.
"It never makes sense to make these kinds of issues personal," he
said.
In the Yahoo interview, Obama said Warren's arguments "don't stand
the test of fact and scrutiny."
'A POLITICIAN'
"The truth of the matter is that Elizabeth is, you know, a
politician like everybody else," Obama said. "She's got a voice that
she wants to get out there. And I understand that."
After the Senate vote on Tuesday, Ohio Democratic Senator Sherrod
Brown implied Obama had disrespected Warren and been sexist in
calling her out by her first name "when he might not have done that
for a male senator. Perhaps I've said enough."
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"I think that the president has made this more personal than he
needed to," said Brown, a staunch critic of the trade deal.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest denied sexism played a role in
Obama's comments, noting Warren used to work in the administration
and the president had a personal relationship with her.
He told reporters that Obama had often called senators, both male
and female, by their first names in public.
Earnest said he believed Brown would eventually offer an apology for
his remarks. Brown did not immediately embrace that suggestion.
"I don't want this to be personal either way," Brown said on MSNBC
when asked if he had an apology for the president.
After Tuesday's setback, Senate negotiators managed to strike a new
deal on Wednesday that would set up a vote on "fast-track" trade
authority with worker assistance provisions, along with votes on two
other trade bills sought by Democrats.
The fast-track authority is a key to the administration's ability to
finish the 12-nation trade pact, a centerpiece of Obama's agenda for
the final two years of his presidency.
But Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, a staunch Obama foe
who has joined with him on the trade issue, was happy to highlight
the Democratic divisions exposed by Obama's criticism of party
liberals.
"It's President Obama who says the far left’s arguments don't 'stand
the test of fact and scrutiny,'" McConnell said. "It's President
Obama who says the far left is just ‘making stuff up.’ And it’s
President Obama who warns the far left about 'ignoring realities.'"
(Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Stuart
Grudgings)
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