Elizabeth Warren: 'I'll Survive' Scott Brown's 'Jabs'

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren shrugged off Sen. Scott Brown's (R-Mass.) comments on her physical appearance Thursday.

"I'll survive a few jabs from Scott Brown about my appearance," she told reporters Thursday in Quincy, Mass.

Warren answered a question in a Democratic debate Tuesday on how she paid for college. "I didn't take my clothes off," quipped the Harvard Law Professor, referring to the fact that Brown posed nude for Cosmopolitan in 1982 to make money. She added that she went to a public university, took out loans and had a part-time job.

Brown appeared Thursday on Boston radio station WZLX, where the disc jockey asked him for a response to Warren's comments.

"Thank God," he said, laughing. "You know what, listen: Bottom line is, you know, I didn’t go to Harvard, you know, I went to the school of hard knocks, and I did whatever I had to do to pay for school," he said. Warren did not attend Harvard -- she graduated from the University of Houston, a public school, and later graduated law school from Rutgers, a public university in New Jersey. Brown graduated from Tufts University and Boston College Law School.

Brown's office released statements from two female Republican U.S. Senators in support of him. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) said in a statement published in Politico, "It’s inappropriate to make light of his personal circumstances, or to disparage or belittle him for the decisions he made to improve his life. Scott is one of the best guys to work with in the Senate, and I am proud to call him my colleague."

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said, "It’s wrong to mock anyone who had to make hard choices to overcome tough obstacles." She added, "His story is no different than millions of Americans who are doing everything they can to make ends meet."

Brown's campaign manager, Jim Barnett, wrote in an e-mail, "It’s elitist of Professor Warren to look down at the decisions Scott Brown made to put himself through college and rise above the circumstances of his life. Scott has fought and scraped for everything he’s got."

Brown, who won a special election in 2010, remains locked in the polls with Warren.

Comments

[DianaLynn1967]

02:01 AM on 10/15/2011

Wow. I misread this. At first, I thought it was Warren who posed for Cosmo--but just didn't take her clothes off (like she'd been modeling or something.)

This is funny. Because you know that if it had been Warren who had posed nude to make money, she would never have heard the end of it, and probably would not be taken seriously in any capacity today.

[CharlieTuba]

05:57 PM on 10/13/2011

My first exposure to Warren was when she was a guest on the "The Daily Show." Both my wife and I thought she is one smart cookie.

[TheKurgan9]

12:59 PM on 10/11/2011

Why can Elizabeth Warren still be working and collecting huge money from Harvard ($384,000/year for teaching 2 classes a semester LOL - yeah, hard work) while she is campaigning for Senate? If she worked for Harvard Pilgram she would have to resign.....seems a little hypocritical....she should have to resign if she wants to run.

$384,000/year for teaching 2 classes a semester - no wonder college is out of reach for so many.....and she preaches about helping the middle class? Yeah, she is a prime example of why college costs are forcing more and more of our kids to have to forego college. Her husband is also a prof. there too...Maybe he makes as much....$700,000/year is hardly midle class. So do you all think that she makes too much? Should she have to take a pay cut?

[mari2JJ]

08:14 PM on 10/11/2011

Go to college and earn a degree and start teaching instead of just bad mouthing someone who did finish college and get prepared to teach. Do not just whine. Get ready to do it and then go do it if it bugs you that much!

[mari2JJ]

05:46 PM on 10/13/2011

Each school has a right to set their own rules and having done so, Warren is free to follow the rules of her institution. I guess you would like to infringe on the rule making of independent institutions just to coincide with your political ideas.

[TheKurgan9]

12:54 PM on 10/11/2011

“"Warren answered a question in a Democratic debate Tuesday on how she paid for college. "I didn't take my clothes off," quipped the Harvard Law Professor, referring to the fact that Brown posed nude for Cosmopolit­an in 1982 to make money. She added that she went to a public university­, took out loans and had a part-time job."

When Warren was asked how she paid for college she first responded with "I didn't take my clothes off" referring to Scott Brown who modelled in college. If you read the question - the question was asking Warren how did SHE pay for college - NOT how did Scott Brown pay for college. Warren's response was rude and irrelevent­. How she should have answered the question was how SHE paid for college period. The fact that she didn't take her clothes off was a wise crack and a jab...she jabbed first. The part of "I didn't take my clothes off" was completely unnecessar­y because the question had nothing to do with that. Shame on her....typ­ical bully, when the start a fight and then get punched in the mouth they start crying. Nobody can defend her response. The question was NOT - "Can you compare how you and Scott Brown paid for college?" If that was the question then maybe you all who defend her by saying that she just answered a question would have some validity. Askyourself was the "I didn't take my clothes off" response necessary? Noitwasn't”

[mari2JJ]

05:50 PM on 10/13/2011

She did answer by saying she did not take her clothes off. Fair game in a political campaign. Of course, so was Brown's retort. But both, sort of silly. Both were free to reply bu saying what they said. It is called the right to free speech!

[TheKurgan9]

03:36 PM on 10/14/2011

I said that she answered the question....with an answer that has nothing to do with how SHE PAID FOR COLLEGE! The question wasn't "How DIDN'T you pay for college?" The woman is clearly a passive aggressive person and of course the mainstream media wouldn't dare call her on it.

[LyleORoss]

11:15 AM on 10/10/2011

Scott has had to fight for everything he has. He fought hard to enrich Wall Street, and they've rewarded him handsomely. Now Scott's rich, and he is still working hard for the investment bankers.

[bigkay]

10:05 AM on 10/10/2011

Don't worry about Scott Brown, get yourself a pickup truck or a Harley,leather jacket,, a make-up artist, the news media will hang on your every word. & keep it simple they don't understand economics.

[MoonBeamWatcher]

12:50 AM on 10/14/2011

bigkay . . . isn't that McSamez claim . . . "I don't understand finances" and never would have gottenout of Yale without Admiral grampa's pull opppppps, that was GW's daddy. meant ta say ANNAPOLIS.

[DaniFoxy]

10:01 AM on 10/10/2011

It's not like he is the first congressman to show the world his wiener. I think the two of them should have a nude mud wrestling match.

[NDeeZ]

09:11 AM on 10/10/2011

I think the bigger story is, he successfully labelled her a "Harvard elitist," without challenge and bereft of facts.

Says a lot about his party that you can
A) bald-faced lie and nobody calls you on it, and
B) imply that an education at one of the country's premiere schools is a bad thing...

...and further, that kind of cavalier misrepresentation of the facts is so commonplace nobody even notices any more.

[OldBear]

09:55 AM on 10/10/2011

Interesting to note that Ted Kennedy was a Harvard College graduate as were all his bothers but Warren is teaching not socialing. Poor elitist tag. She has made it on brains

[markie G]

04:15 AM on 10/10/2011

scott brown posed for playgirl because his ego couldnt resist it, and the opportunity, enticement, and proper amount of compensation presented itself

i'm sure little scotty would have made his way thru college had it not

[OldBear]

10:05 AM on 10/10/2011

It is not relevant to his political career-this all smoke and mirrors. Let’s get back to the political debates and the needs of the people.
It seems campaigning has turned into a Carnival right down to the side show. And yes the TEAClowns are all over the arena.

[mari2JJ]

08:22 PM on 10/11/2011

Actually if you think posing nude is NOT relevant to his run for Congress, well, I really do have moral issues with you. I definitely do not want a Senator with a bare torso hanging out on some blog that could show up and my grand kids look at it and think that it is OK behavior. No thanks! As a Republican, aI do not find that behavior acceptable and that is for sure.

[theshadowdo]

09:53 PM on 10/09/2011

From her biography, it appears that Elizabeth Warren graduated from the school of hard knocks too, and worked her butt off to achieve the accomplishments she had achieved. As a woman who also worked her way through college, and as many other women of our age can attest, I will say that women - to this day - have had to work twice as hard to achieve half as much as men. As such a woman, it seems remarkable that Elizabeth Warren has remained close to her roots and loyal to her upbringing. On the other hand, Scott Brown seems to have become a member of the 'good old boy' group of men who, regardless of their past, feel privileged to be able to nod, nod, wink, wink, at inappropriate slurs, or to tell jokes at the expense of women or blacks or Native Americans or any other group that is not WASP. The sad part is, these men don't even realize how sexist and racist and petty and historically out of sinc and small they appear to be - with or without their clothes. What a shame.

[mercedes1947]

03:07 AM on 10/10/2011

Ya know Warren landed the first blow ... "Well, I didn't take my clothes off ", is punch. Do I like his comeback, abso-mundo NO!

What I am not seeing here is any acknowledgement of Warren's - what sounds to me like she thinks that his centerfold is unacceptable - opening salvo.

We should applaud his gaffe - it will (Mostly), hurt him.

[theshadowdo]

10:14 PM on 10/10/2011

absolutely!

[grnmtnkate]

08:29 PM on 10/09/2011

Yes, and I am sure these same women would be defending a woman who took her clothes off in order to pay for her tuition. NO WAY!

[theshadowdo]

03:04 AM on 10/10/2011

It is a travesty for anyone to feel as if they are forced to take their clothes off to pay their bills because they believe that there are no other avenues. This is the point.

[grnmtnkate]

01:29 PM on 10/10/2011

Actually, you just nailed it. It is indeed.

[MmeFlutterbye]

08:18 PM on 10/09/2011

Brown: Thank God," he said, laughing. "You know what, listen: Bottom line is, you know, I didn’t go to Harvard, you know, I went to the school of hard knocks, and I did whatever I had to do to pay for school," he said.

You did whatever you had to? Give us a break, Scott. If Elizabeth Warren had made a comment like that ... well I don't want to even imagine the ugly spinn-off you'd have given that remark. She's waaaaay above your level.

[HorsemanM1]

08:17 PM on 10/09/2011

She pulled a knife on him, he took it and Scalped her.

Lets stick to the issues instead. Better for the electorate. no ?

[liv4evr]

12:25 AM on 10/10/2011

He didn't scalp her, he scalped himself.
Showing his true sexist colors.
He sounds like he's in junior high, "you know"?

[Bike Commuter]

12:51 AM on 10/10/2011

Funny. I replied with almost the same thing before yours posted.

[mari2JJ]

08:25 PM on 10/11/2011

That sort of crack will cost him women's votes as well as men's votes. He just mucked his chances.

[Bike Commuter]

12:46 AM on 10/10/2011

He made a comment that a junior high school student would make. That isn't "scalping" anyone except himself. Brown isn't running for student council. The way that people put themselves through college is a real subject. ChiIdish comments about looks are not.

[Okey Umez]

07:46 PM on 10/09/2011

I wonder if Susan Collins took her clothes off, to pay for college.

[markie G]

04:07 AM on 10/10/2011

i would be stunned to discover susan collins ever taking her clothes off with anyone else present in the same room....

[v98max]

07:44 PM on 10/09/2011

Half the GOP platform amounts to selectively smug righteousness against women. Suddenly, when he's one of their own, they discover the humility and restraint not to judge the stripper so harshly? Pitch, blease.

[thankgodimanatheist8]

09:11 PM on 10/09/2011

But we are better than them. Criticize them for their anti-people policies and selling our country to foreign interests and conglomerates.

Who cares how people put themselves through college or how they look.