Torpedoing any headway Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has attempted to make with the black community, her overwhelmingly white supporters repeatedly shouted down black pro-school choice protesters at a campaign event on Thursday in Atlanta.
Warren, completely puzzled on how to handle the situation, summoned freshman Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), who recently endorsed the senator, to help her address the black protesters. Warren is even caught on video asking Ms. Pressley in the heat of the situation, “What do we do with this?”
The chants from the protesters, who are reportedly part of pro-school choice activist group Powerful Parent Network, erupted while Warren was in the middle of her attempt to appeal to African American voters.
“Fighters I want to discuss about tonight are black females,” Warren said, according to Fox News. “As a white girl I will by no means fully comprehend the discrimination, the pain, the harm that black individuals have suffered just simply because of the color of their skin.”
The protesting parents started chanting, “our voice, our choice” and “our children, our decision,” while Warren attempted to continue on.
WATCH:
A protest group is interrupting @ewarren speech at Clark Atlanta University. They are chanting “Our voice, our choice.” #gapol pic.twitter.com/BYLf3EzqEy
— Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) November 21, 2019
In an optics disaster for pandering Warren, supporters of the presidential hopeful attempted to shout down the protesters.
“Warren! Warren! Warren!” her supporters shouted, as the protesters yelled that they “want to be heard.”
Warren’s speech in Atlanta is being over taken by people yelling “we want to be heard.” pic.twitter.com/6m8OaEtnNw
— Annie Linskey (@AnnieLinskey) November 21, 2019
Warren is not well-liked by proponents of school choice. The senator opposes allowing parents in poor communities the opportunity to send their children to more suitable charter schools. However, Warren sent her own son to a private school.
Again, not great optics for one the Democratic frontrunners.
According to Fox News, Warren attempted to diffuse the situation on her own during the campaign event, but to no avail.
“I know everybody wishes to be listened to,” Warren said, “and that’s a great issue.”
When the protests continued, Warren summoned Rep. Pressley, who is black, for her help.
“What do we do with this?” she can be heard asking the freshman congresswoman.
WATCH:
Senator Warren desperately needs a focus group on how to properly deal with pro-charter school protesters. pic.twitter.com/RT93rdCAhJ
— J. Virtue (@bornwithvirtue) November 22, 2019
Pressley, showing far greater leadership, took control of the situation and addressed the protesters.
“You are welcome here,” Pressley told protesters. “The senator is here to talk about the contributions, fighters like you, have made to history so in this moment, there are many people that do not know this story because we have rendered as a historical footnote in history so I am going to appeal to you to not dishonor that history.”
“We are grateful for your activism and your voice and you are welcome here and we would love to convene after this about the issue that you are here to stoke our consciousness about,” she added.
WATCH:
.@AyannaPressley is POWERFUL
I captured this clip of AP quieting protesters. Not only did she ice them, but the protesters ended up staying for @ewarren entire speech. #AtlantaWithWarren #ValueBlackWomen #BWFWarren #byCHuBBZ pic.twitter.com/ly3BmjphnP
— Kevin Banatte (@afroCHuBBZ) November 22, 2019
Earlier this month, Presley announced her support for Warren, breaking with rank with the so-called “squad.”
“This election is a fight for the very soul of our nation. Elizabeth knows how to fight and knows how to win,” the Democrat said in video statement, noted Fox News. “I’m proud to call her my senator. I can’t wait to call her our president.”