Iowa Newspaper's Odd Idea of Truth in Endorsing Warren

The editorial board of a major Iowa-based newspaper announced just in time for the Feb. 3 Iowa Democratic caucuses that it was endorsing Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., for president.

There was nothing unusual about this — after all, The New York Times took the unusual position of jointly endorsing Warren, along with Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., last week.

What was unusual was how the Des Moines Register described her — along with all the remaining Democratic presidential hopefuls: "Each would treat truth as something that matters," the Register said in its weekend endorsement.

The Elizabeth Warren that "would treat truth as something that matters" would be the same Elizabeth Warren who:

• Benefitted professionally by claiming for decades to have Native American ancestry.
• While promoting her Native American claim, Warren co-wrote a cookbook called "Pow Wow Chow," using recipes that were allegedly lifted from a famous French chef.
• Told a voter that her children were educated in public school, although her son Alex apparently attended Kirby Hall School, a high-end Texas private school.
• Claimed to have been fired from a teaching position for being pregnant, although the school board offered her a new contract, which she declined.
• Warren also gave inconsistent statements about her mother’s reaction when she expressed a desire to attend college.

This would seem to suggest that Warren may be one of the most fact and truth-challenged Democratic presidential candidates of the campign 2020 season.

In a moment of total lack of self-awareness, last week Warren told reporters in Iowa that candidates who lie to the public are unfit for office — apparently disqualifying herself in the process.

"How could the American people want someone who lies to them?" she said, when asked if lying would preclude someone for public office. "I think that — that we just do our best out there every day, and I hope that's what happens with everyone."

The Des Moines Register’s endorsement caught the attention of Matt Wolking, President Trump’s rapid response deputy director of communications.

"The Des Moines Register says Elizabeth Warren, who lied about being Native American in order to get ahead and lied about sending her son to private school, would ‘treat truth as something that matters,’” he tweeted. “Are they idiots or just messing with us?"

The Register did, however, add a qualifier to its endorsement.

"Some of her ideas for 'big, structural change' go too far," the editorial board cautioned. "This board could not endorse the wholesale overhaul of corporate governance or cumulative levels of taxation she proposes. While the board has long supported single-payer health insurance, it believes a gradual transition is the more realistic approach. But Warren is pushing in the right direction."

Ironically, one of those "big, structural changes" — single payer health insurance, the one the Register was fine with — became the subject of yet another instance where Warren played fast and loose with the truth.

She’s been claiming from day-one that her Medicare for All proposal won’t raise middle class taxes by so much as "one thin dime." That claim was debunked earlier this month by Americans for Prosperity, a Virginia-based conservative political advocacy group.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, the independent from Vermoint, who’s also seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, and who’s also running on a socialist platform — was at least honest about the cost.

He told  Norah O’Donnell of "CBS Evening News" that he didn’t have a clue what the bill would be.

With Warren dropping in the polls, the Register’s endorsement came at an opportune time for her. "Their endorsement historically provides a 3-4 point bounce in Iowa," according to activist-filmmaker Adam Best.

The RealClearPolitics average of polls has her running third nationally, and fourth in both Iowa and New Hampshire. The New Hampshire primary is set for a week after Iowa Feb. 11.

But that may be too little, too late. Warren’s running four points behind South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg. Mayor Pete is running third in Iowa.

Perhaps if she’d been a little more forthcoming about her past, and a little less grandiose with her agenda — Warren could have done better.

But in the end it wouldn’t have mattered. She’s not going to be elected president no matter what. No Democrat will — not in 2020.

Michael Dorstewitz is a retired lawyer and has been a frequent contributor to BizPac Review and Liberty Unyielding. He is also a former U.S. Merchant Marine officer and an enthusiastic Second Amendment supporter, who can often be found honing his skills at the range. To read more of his reports — Click Here Now.