The Democratic National Convention asked former self-identifying Cherokee Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) to participate in its Native American Caucus meeting on Tuesday, drawing laughs and dismay from critics on social media before reportedly pulling the plug on the event’s livestream chat.
Warren famously exploited her claims of having indigenous ancestry throughout her career, before taking a DNA test in 2018 that revealed she is a scant 1/1024th Native American. The debacle earned her the nickname “Pocahontas” from President Donald Trump.
What are the details?
Ahead of the afternoon meeting, former Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (D), promoted the event on Twitter, writing, “I’m excited for the DNC Native American Caucus meeting today. Please join @Deb4CongressNM, @sharicedavids, @ewarren, and me (and whole bunch of other good folks) today!”
I’m excited for the DNC Native American Caucus meeting today. Please join @Deb4CongressNM, @sharicedavids, @ewarren, and me (and whole bunch of other good folks) today! https://t.co/LLcjb6ZQJR
— Peggy Flanagan (@peggyflanagan) August 18, 2020
Several Twitter users made jokes about Warren being selected, with one asking Flanagan, “Will @ewarren be speaking for 1/1024% the amount of time the actual Native Americans will be speaking?” Others called the DNC’s move offensive, and a number of self-proclaimed Democrats also questioned the decision to feature Warren.
One person wrote, “Let me preface this by saying I am voting for Joe Biden. But, with that said, how is it nobody at the DNC recognized the optics of @ewarren coming anywhere near the Native American Caucus? Perhaps what happened was overblown. But, why poke that bear?”
Sure enough, clips of Warren speaking to the Native American Caucus began to be released online, showing her touting Democrats work for “Indian country” and expressing her gratitude for being asked to participate in the panel.
Elizabeth Warren just spoke at the DNC Native American Caucus Meeting pic.twitter.com/7VoIYpwmBO
— jordan (@JordanUhl) August 18, 2020
But according to an account claiming it rallied folks to troll the DNC’s Native American Caucus, the livestream chat function was disabled early as people weighed in on the event…..
After people started commenting about Elizabeth Warren participating in the Democrat convention's Native American Caucus meeting, the DNC disabled the chat on the livestream. https://t.co/dmKspu4M2K
— Matt Wolking (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@MattWolking) August 18, 2020
Story cited here.
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