• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The rise of 'conspicuous waiting': The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line

2

Tim Cook signed off on his final Apple earnings call with a warning about a ‘100-year flood’ in memory chip pricing

3

He worked 100-hour weeks to save a nearly bankrupt boat company. At 83, he’s just turned down $400 million for it—and gave it all to charity instead

1

The rise of 'conspicuous waiting': The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line

2

Tim Cook signed off on his final Apple earnings call with a warning about a ‘100-year flood’ in memory chip pricing

3

He worked 100-hour weeks to save a nearly bankrupt boat company. At 83, he’s just turned down $400 million for it—and gave it all to charity instead
MPWMost Powerful Women

Why the Silencing of Elizabeth Warren Is a Gift that Will Keep on Giving

Claire Zillman
By
Claire Zillman
Claire Zillman
Editor, Leadership
Down Arrow Button Icon
Claire Zillman
By
Claire Zillman
Claire Zillman
Editor, Leadership
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 8, 2017, 12:54 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

On Tuesday night, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell cut off Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) as she spoke against Sen. Jeff Sessions’ nomination as attorney general, accusing her of breaking Senate rules.

“The senator has impugned the motives and conduct of our colleague from Alabama,” McConnell said, referring to Warren’s reading of past statements against Sessions by figures like Coretta Scott King. He then set up a series of roll-call votes on Warren’s conduct that resulted in a rebuke of Warren that was passed with a party-line 49-43 vote. The measure will keep Warren from speaking during the remainder of the debate on Sessions’ nomination.

McConnell’s move was extraordinary rare and wholly unnecessary in Republicans’ quest to get Sessions confirmed. Prior to Warren’s speech, Sessions’ confirmation was not in jeopardy — and it still isn’t following the Tuesday night episode. The only benefactor of the rebuke is Warren herself as the incident will provide more fuel to the already-blazing firebrand.

Subscribe to The World’s Most Powerful Women, Fortune’s daily must-read for global businesswomen.

“I am surprised that the words of Coretta Scott King are not suitable for debate in the United States Senate,” Warren said after the motion. She then retreated from the chamber to a nearby room where she read King’s speech in full on Facebook live. The stream garnered at least 5.2 million viewers.

Immediately, the hashtag #LetLizSpeak began trending on Twitter. The poetic phrase McConnell had used to admonish Warren —”She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.”—was slapped on merchandise and picked up as a rallying cry for supporters who used the tagline to promote the accomplishments of other female pioneers like Rosa Parks, Susan B. Anthony, and Malala Yousafzai.

Political commentators joked that McConnell had essentially made an in-kind donation to Warren’s potential 2020 presidential bid by silencing her Tuesday night. Even Matt Drudge, conservative commentator and editor of the Drudge Report, criticized Republicans for the move.

https://twitter.com/DRUDGE/status/829318413109575680

 

Warren’s name was tossed around as a Democratic contender in the 2016 presidential contest, and she was immediately thrown into the 2020 mix following President Donald Trump’s surprise win in November. The rebuke Tuesday night will help Warren win over liberals who have been frustrated by her committee vote in favor of Ben Carson’s nomination for secretary of Housing and Urban Development. The episode will also resonate with female voters—it was, perhaps, the ultimate example of ‘manterrupting’—and could help her with African American voters since Warren was cut off while reading a letter from a civil rights icon, during Black History Month, no less.

All told, the campaign ads for Warren’s re-election bid in 2018—and maybe the 2020 race—based on the gagging essentially write themselves. The senator’s office did not immediately return a request for comment on how the rebuke will factor into her reelection bid.

It will, no doubt, be a boon for Warren’s fundraising, which was already on a tear in late 2016 following Trump’s win. Her campaign took in $5.9 million from January 2015 through the end of 2016, including $1 million in the period from October 1 through the end of December. What effect her silencing in the Senate has on fundraising won’t be discernible until her campaign’s next quarterly filing with the Federal Election Commission.

Another public confrontation she had in May—this time with Trump—seemed to prompt at least a mild uptick in contributions to her coffers. On May 7, she and the then Republican-nominee sparred on Twitter with Trump calling Warren “goofy,” “Hillary Clinton’s flunky,” and “a fraud.” Warren responded, that Trump “spews insults and lies because he can’t have an honest conversation about his dangerous vision for America.” On May 7 and following two days, Warren raised $10,098 in itemized individual contributions, according to FEC filings—about $3,500 more than the previous three-day period and about $4,000 more than the same three-days period the year before.

Warren made other news on Tuesday, announcing a new book titled This Fight is Our Fight about her battle for progressive economics set for publication in April. The upcoming title is reminiscent of the book, Hard Choices, that Hillary Clinton released prior to her 2016 presidential bid.

Tuesday’s saga strengthens Warren’s progressive platform for a potential 2020 run; the question that will likely remain unanswered for months is whether that’s a position Warren wants to be in.

About the Author
Claire Zillman
By Claire ZillmanEditor, Leadership
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Claire Zillman is a senior editor at Fortune, overseeing leadership stories. 

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in MPW

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in MPW

israel
North AmericaIsrael
Most Jewish Americans under 45 get the ick from Israel, polling shows
By Giovanna Dell'Orto and The Associated PressJuly 31, 2026
9 hours ago
Meet the jet-setting fashion editor who turned a New York manicure at 23 into Nails.Inc—Despite selling for $40 million, she still wakes at 5:45 a.m.
SuccessFortune The Good Life
Meet the jet-setting fashion editor who turned a New York manicure at 23 into Nails.Inc—Despite selling for $40 million, she still wakes at 5:45 a.m.
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 31, 2026
15 hours ago
Elevance Health’s CEO started her career as a pro basketball player. Now she’s the highest‑ranking woman on the Global 500, leading a $199B giant
C-SuiteSports
Elevance Health’s CEO started her career as a pro basketball player. Now she’s the highest‑ranking woman on the Global 500, leading a $199B giant
By Sarah GlodekJuly 31, 2026
15 hours ago
The only thing more surprising than Cracker Barrel CEO’s exit may be its pick to replace her
C-Suitechief executive officer (CEO)
The only thing more surprising than Cracker Barrel CEO’s exit may be its pick to replace her
By Phil WahbaJuly 30, 2026
1 day ago
howard
North AmericaColleges and Universities
Howard University reinstates hundreds of students after mass unenrollment
By Corey Williams and The Associated PressJuly 30, 2026
1 day ago
z
Big Techearnings
Meta earnings reveal cash flow drops 91% — while Zuckerberg writes op-eds about superintelligence
By Barbara Ortutay and The Associated PressJuly 30, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

The rise of 'conspicuous waiting': The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line
Retail
The rise of 'conspicuous waiting': The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line
By Tatiana SatauaJuly 31, 2026
15 hours ago
Tim Cook signed off on his final Apple earnings call with a warning about a ‘100-year flood’ in memory chip pricing
Big Tech
Tim Cook signed off on his final Apple earnings call with a warning about a ‘100-year flood’ in memory chip pricing
By Alexei OreskovicJuly 30, 2026
21 hours ago
He worked 100-hour weeks to save a nearly bankrupt boat company. At 83, he’s just turned down $400 million for it—and gave it all to charity instead
Success
He worked 100-hour weeks to save a nearly bankrupt boat company. At 83, he’s just turned down $400 million for it—and gave it all to charity instead
By Preston ForeJuly 29, 2026
2 days ago
Costco's $14 million email settlement: Who qualifies for an up-to $500 payment and how to claim before the Aug. 24 deadline
Retail
Costco's $14 million email settlement: Who qualifies for an up-to $500 payment and how to claim before the Aug. 24 deadline
By Sydney LakeJuly 29, 2026
2 days ago
Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar
Personal Finance
Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 31, 2026
15 hours ago
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
Real Estate
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 25, 2026
6 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.