Elizabeth Warren on Sexism in 2020 Presidential Race: ‘That Is the Trap Question for Every Woman’

“If you say, ‘Yeah, there was sexism in this race,’ everyone says, ‘Whiner.’ And if you say, ‘No, there was no sexism,’ about a bazillion women think, ‘What planet do you live on?'” Warren said

Elizabeth Warren
Scott Eisen / Getty Images

Elizabeth Warren, who ended her presidential bid on Thursday, said that to discuss the prevalence of sexism in the 2020 race was to answer a “trap question for every woman.”

“If you say, ‘Yeah, there was sexism in this race,’ everyone says, ‘Whiner.’ And if you say, ‘No, there was no sexism,’ about a bazillion women think, ‘What planet do you live on?’” Warren told reporters outside her home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. “I promise you this: I will have a lot more to say on that subject later on.”

Throughout her presidential run, pundits and challengers alike have taken aim at Warren’s “likability,” her demeanor, her intelligence. And in recent weeks, some have also questioned whether there was media “erasure” of her and her campaign.

But after a lackluster performance on Super Tuesday, Warren officially ended her bid on Thursday and explained her decision to her campaign staffers in a phone call.

“I know that when we set out, this was not what you ever wanted to hear. It is not the call I ever wanted to make. But I refuse to let disappointment blind me — or you — to what we’ve accomplished,” Warren said in her remarks, which were also shared on a Medium post. “We didn’t reach our goal, but what we have done together — what you have done — has made a lasting difference. It’s not the scale of the difference we wanted to make, but it matters — and the changes will have ripples for years to come.”

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