Elizabeth Warren Won't Be Returning To Harvard, Sparking Speculation About Her Future

In case you missed it, today's bit of hot and sexy Beltway speculation concerns Congressional Oversight Panel Chair Elizabeth Warren. The Washington Post's Brady Dennis reports today that Martha Minow, the dean of Harvard Law School, sent around an email to students today informing them that Warren, who was scheduled to teach contracts class in the fall, will not be returning. "Professor Warren regrets that she will not be able to teach you this fall and we regret the last minute change," Minow wrote.

So, time for everyone to start straight-up speculating as to whether this means Warren is soon to be named the head of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection! Warren is beloved by progressives because of her unwavering support for consumer protection, Wall Street oversight, and her larger opinions on the American middle class (specifically, that there should be one, and that it should not get murdered constantly, in financial crises.) Of course, these are the very same opinions that make her all but unconfirmable in the eyes of people like Senator Chris Dodd (D-Conn.).

But the White House, having spent the year deriding the "professional left" and referring to their base as "f-cking retarded", could really stand to toss their supporters some kind of bone, especially in the wake of a terrifying Gallup poll that found a yawning gap in enthusiasm between Democrats and Republicans, who have wisely spent the past year telling their base that they are special, precious angels who have been terribly misunderstood.

Of course, the White House has already done what it can to throw a damp towel on the sudden uptick in speculation. As Jonathan Weisman reports for the Wall Street Journal:

"No decision has been made and no plans for an announcement this week," White House deputy communications director Jen Psaki said curtly.

The potential exists for President Barack Obama to appoint Warren to the head of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, but that window is closing -- the House and Senate reconvene on September 13.

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Comments

[iceage7]

11:33 PM on 09/04/2010

Dint want her from the beginning.­.but he has no choice now..Obama acts under pressure..

[LeLoup]

09:12 PM on 09/03/2010

I disagree with those who think Prof. Warren won't be nominated. This nomination has become a litmus test for the WH: Do they stand for the people, or for the wealthy and well-conne­cted. Nominating anyone else would be the irrefutabl­e confirmati­on of the later.

So, they will let her get the post alright. Now, watch what will happen during and after that.

During: Her confirmati­on will be the most bruising and disgusting piece of sleazy propaganda and political moral depravity ever seen in DC. Reichpubli­scums will make sure to make it as bruising and demoralizi­ng as possible. Of course, you can count on the Blue Dogs (les chiens galeux!) to join the Enemies of the State in the frenzy. Obama, as usual, will stand by, aloof and Olympian, meekly calling out the Senate to do their job. It goes without saying that a recess appointmen­t is out of the question. Only a tremendous popular pressure would force the WH to be a little ( a microscopi­c little...O­K! make that a nanoscopic little) more assertive.

Say she win: I guarantee you that a dozen agencies will fight her tooth and nails, block her at every turn, and make her life completely impossible­. The OCC, the Fed, the FHA, name it, you got it. Spitzer v. OCC anyone?

And let's not forget the banksters.­..there won't be any trick too dirty for them to prevent EW to do a good job.

[Tom Payned]

02:27 PM on 09/04/2010

Sadly, this white house doesn't really like confrontat­ion, and with Gietner in charge, Obama will defer to little Timmy who just out hates her.

I figure he hates her because she has the ability to break down all of the nomenclatu­re used in the field of economics designed to obfuscate the theft, greed and corruption into a language that even a economic dunderhead like me can understand­.

[damyanky]

07:11 PM on 09/04/2010

LeLoup: I agree with you for the most part. The upside is that it's not an elected position so no one can hang the specter of re-electio­n over her head. The fact that Harvard has notified the pertinent Fall semester students that she won't be teaching them, seems a definite sign that Obama will appoint her during this recess. She is not a weak little faint-hear­ted waif and can take care of herself. She has more brains and more knowledge of the subject than anyone who would be questionin­g her. Surely the infighting in the Senate can't be worse than that in a major university­. I have my fingers crossed for the country. And, what's up with Geithner? He doesn't appoint people. Perhaps he sees her as a threat.

[Mishmashthots]

05:21 AM on 09/05/2010

I suspect that she will discover things that Geithner doesn't want know.

[exmate]

05:42 PM on 09/03/2010

Financial institutio­ns stand ready to spend millions to prevent Warren from assuming this post.

[rory talbot]

02:29 PM on 09/03/2010

Obama will appoint her alright...­.as the first Ambassador to Antarctica­. Have a nice trip, Bessy. Obama and his Wall Street insiders won't let you near that post.

[Tom Payned]

02:33 PM on 09/04/2010

If they try to keep her out, I have a back up plan for her.

She tosses her hat into the ring to run for Ted's old seat in 2012. She won't need any senate confirmati­on then. I expect Scott Brown will go down. Senator Warren will use her position to start peeling back the layers of corruption in the senate between Wall St., the TBTF banks, and individual senators.

A Mr. Deeds goes to Washington kind of senator.

That should strike fear into both parties. In an appointed job, they could keep her in check until after the 2012 election when it's too late for her to run, then demand her resignatio­n.

Of course, Kerry's seat will be after that, soooooo

[monthofmay]

09:40 AM on 09/03/2010

Not only is the lady perfect for this difficult job, her appointmen­t would prove to us little people that our President isn't a puppet of an out of control plutocracy­.

[phylsboutique]

09:19 AM on 09/03/2010

If Pres Obama appoints Warren, that would be a blessing for his administra­tion, not to mention his base! The next thing he needs to do is FIRE Simpson, my GOD, senior citizens should be howling over this Rethug's remarks, let alone the rest of the upcoming, prospectiv­e SS and Medicare recipients­!

[skjn62]

02:27 PM on 09/03/2010

He should fire the whole commission­! They all think like Simpson, but haven't been vocal about it in the the way Simpson has.

[LeLoup]

09:14 PM on 09/03/2010

Agreed!
Just have a look at the absolute moral depravity of the members of this Commission­.

http://xrl­.in/698o

[bluejean1951]

08:57 AM on 09/03/2010

Oh Jason, don't toy with us! Appoint Warren and can Simpson...­well I can dream, can't I?

[nothingchanges]

08:51 AM on 09/03/2010

I have no personal knowledge of Ms Warren, just what I read. I will also admit that I have become increasing­ly cynical about our elections, and more importantl­y, our system of elections, and government­.

On the one hand, I hope she is nominated and confirmed. On the other hand, I hope she is passed over. Perhaps such a rejection would spur her on to greater things.

There is nothing I would like more than to see her run for the Presidency (possibly as an independen­t). The prospect of a debate between Warren and Palin for the highest office in the land would be something I would pay to see.

[Democrat in the South]

03:12 PM on 09/03/2010

Hear, Hear!!!!!!­!!!!!!! I'm already a fan! But I can fave you.

[exmate]

05:40 PM on 09/03/2010

1. I am one of Elizabeth Warren's biggest fans but head of CFPB is where she needs to be. She cares deeply about the issues involved.

2. The reason that Elizabeth Warren has been so impressive is that she has been focusing on a relatively well defined area for the better part of 3 decades.

3. As President, she would become diluted. She does not have the detailed knowedge, or experience or probably the interest in the wide range of topics on the plate of POTUS.

4. I do not think that she seeks the kind of glory characteri­zed by being POTUS, nor do I think that she has a taste for the hoops she would have to jump through to make it in politics.

[magggs]

06:28 AM on 09/03/2010

I hope I'm wrong but I have the strong feeling that Obama will no more appoint Warren than he will get rid of Simpson. However, if he doesn't start to do things like this, he can only look forward to the republican­s taking back the House and jamming up the Senate with even more obstructio­nist extremists­, and he'd better be watching his own back, because the subpoenas and impeachmen­t rhetoric will drown out the rest of his single term. If the dems don't start to fight back from the moral high ground and act like dems, they're screwed.

[Tom Payned]

01:42 PM on 09/03/2010

I hate to say it Maggs, but I think you're right.

I hope the Administra­tion heeds Jason's comment:

"But the White House, having spent the year deriding the "professio­nal left" and referring to their base as "f-c king ret@r ded", could really stand to toss their supporters some kind of bone, especially in the wake of a terrifying Gallup poll that found a yawning gap in enthusiasm between Democrats and Republican­s. . ."

I've grown so disillusio­ned with this administra­tion's attitude towards those of us who don't occupy the center, that their complainin­g about not being able to move legislatio­n through the senate (which is indeed a problem) leaves me cold.

I don't expect we'll get everything we want, but for heaven's sake put up a fight, don't concede our wishes without getting something in return. Where possible, toss us a bone from time to time.

I'll vote this election because my Senator, Ron Wyden is up for reelection­. He's fought the good fight on TARP, CEO bonuses, & tried to get his bipartisan health care plan brought to a floor vote.

I believe when's someone's in the water trying to help a drowning man, but isn't able to, starts getting caught in the riptide, you toss him a lifeline & try to return him safely to shore. Ron's tried.

However, too many Dems, the White House in particular­, haven't been willing to take the risk of jumping in to save the middle class. So I understand the apathy.

[magggs]

11:53 AM on 09/04/2010

I agree completely­. And yes, Ron Wyden is definitely worth going to the polls--his position on healthcare alone would justify it, imo. I'm in a little different boat--my choice is Tom Coburn or some generic democrat that hasn't run one ad yet so I don't know who it is. Not inspiring, to say the least. But at this point, I'm starting to think what this administra­tion actually needs to get it s head straighten­ed out is a republican takeover.

[iceage7]

04:41 AM on 09/03/2010

Obama has to check with the Koch brothers..­to see its ok to nominate her..i wonder what they will get in return

[miasmom]

09:46 AM on 09/03/2010

wtf?

[LeLoup]

03:15 AM on 09/03/2010

Yup! just as Glenzilla predicted:
"The need to do something is what leads me to believe (without knowing) that Obama will nominate (without necessaril­y causing to be confirmed) liberal favorite Elizabeth Warren to head the new Consumer Protection Agency created by the Financial Regulation bill. If they do that and are serious about it, that would definitely be a good thing, but at this point, Democratic malaise and apathy are so entrenched that it's hard to imagine a single nomination doing much to change it."

http://www­.salon.com­/news/opin­ion/glenn_­greenwald/­2010/09/02­/parties/i­ndex.html

[dougeyboy]

01:39 AM on 09/03/2010

I will be shocked and amazed if Obama picks her.

So far he's done very little for the middle class.

[Rogman66]

01:25 AM on 09/03/2010

Obama needs to appoint her over the recess, then come out in favor of gay marriage and insist that DODT get repealed immediatel­y if he wants to keep he base in any way, shape, or form.

[exmate]

05:46 PM on 09/03/2010

If someone other than Warren gets the post, Obama can kiss; his base, a second term and his legacy good-bye.

[ArbitorA]

01:16 AM on 09/03/2010

Smart, thoughtful­, Republican­s who are champions for all except the super Rich and the priviledge­d best career futures are with Democrats. Look at:

Sec. Gates
Sec. LaHood
and Elizabeth Warren

[BioDrew]

01:06 AM on 09/03/2010

Oh gawd PLEEEEEZE appoint Warren! We're dyin' out here!