Yes, this thing is making the rounds. (hat tip to l-t c)
One of the things that tends to annoy me is when Democratic politicians suggest that they have a much harder time making their case to the electorate because their positions are so much more nuanced than those of the right wingers. Sometimes this is true, but for the most part it reflects bad messaging, usually do to a lack of conviction by said politician, compounded by poor thinking, and a habit of trying to muddle messages so as not to offend.
Elizabeth Warren illustrates here how to make a punchy and persuasive case as to 1) why we have had a burgeoning deficit; and 2) why it is appropriate for successful business people to be taxed in a progressive manner. She speaks with conviction and with impeccable logic, in short, clear, declarative sentences -- there is no "on the one hand this, on the other hand that nonsense", no attempt to blur where she stands, and a respect for the intelligence of her audience. It's really well done. And if you're going to lose, this is the way to do it -- while actually standing for something.
I was skeptical about Warren's prospects initially -- she is an outsider in a state that has a pretty parochial streak in its Democratic politics. But watching her interact here, she strikes me as someone who can really connect with voters.
If she can continue to do this sort of thing, I think she has a pretty good chance against Scott Brown, a guy who is going to have a difficult time countering her plain spoken ways given his need to try to campaign as a Republican in a very blue state during a presidential election. If Perry is the Republican nominee, I think Brown will go down.