Democratic presidential candidate Senator Elizabeth Warren fielded questions from Democratic and independent voters at Jackson State University in a CNN exclusive event on Monday night.
The presidential hopeful said that Washington was working great–for the big businesses and pharmaceutical companies.
“Washington is working great for the rich and the powerful—but it’s not working great for people living paycheck to paycheck,” said Warren.”I want a Washington that works for the rest of America. That’s why I’m in this fight.”
Shockingly, one of the biggest applause lines of the night came when Warren suggested that the US should remove the Electoral College.
Every vote matters. We need to get rid of the Electoral College so that presidential candidates have to ask every American in every part of the country for their vote, not just those in battleground states. #WarrenTownHall pic.twitter.com/UT3mYHXHQ2
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) March 19, 2019
Warren also addressed concerns of providing Medicare for all and whether or not that eliminated private insurance companies.
“Health care is a basic human right, and we fight for basic human rights. That means we need to protect the Affordable Care Act, bring down the cost of prescription drugs, hold insurance companies accountable, and fight for 100% coverage with Medicare for All,” said Warren.
Elizabeth Warren says she is open to multiple paths to universal health coverage: “When we talk about Medicare for All, there are a lot of different pathways. What we’re all looking for is the lowest cost way to make sure that everybody gets covered." #WarrenTownHall pic.twitter.com/3Kqjj8oqlA
— CNN (@CNN) March 19, 2019
Jake Trapper clarified if that meant she supported eliminating private insurers, to which Warren replied that it was “one way to achieve” low-cost health coverage for all Americans.
Several questions during the Town Hall also focused on race relations.
“We have to recognize the threat of white nationalism. We’ve got to call it out. As President of the United States, my Justice Department would go after white nationalists with full prosecution,” said Warren.
Senator Warren also said that it is time to look at how slavery should be discussed in the United States.
“Slavery is a stain on America & we need to address it head-on. I believe it’s time to start a national, full-blown conversation about reparations,” Warren added. “I support the bill in the House to support a congressional panel of experts so that our nation can do what’s right & begin to heal.”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren: "I believe it's time to start the national, full-blown conversation about reparations in this country." #WarrenTownHall pic.twitter.com/oYnlysG9vK
— The Hill (@thehill) March 19, 2019
When asked by Jake Trapper if the Mississippi flag should be changed, Warren stated very simply, “yes.”
Question: "Do you think Mississippi should adopt a new flag?"
Sen. Elizabeth Warren: "Yes." #WarrenTownHall pic.twitter.com/690f3A2djO
— The Hill (@thehill) March 19, 2019
Despite the applause from responses during the event, patrons attending the Town Hall were not sure Warren could pull off a win in Mississippi. Y’all Politics spoke with some of them prior to the event.
Five students, all of who claimed to be with College Republicans at Copiah Lincoln Community College in Wesson, held a quiet protest outside the event.
Courtney Ingle
