Still, Warren, who is publishing a new book in April, came out on top thanks to McConnell’s inability to stop himself while he was ahead.
McConnell’s inadvertent rallying cry is already being sold on t-shirts these days in the US.
Warren said that the Republicans can shut her up but they can’t change the truth. The efforts of the Republicans on Senator Warren actually galvanized the Democratic base. Weeks after the women’s marches around the country turned out droves of anti-Trump protesters, Warren had given those women a new rallying point.
Adding fuel to the backlash, supporters noted the apparent hypocrisy that Warren’s male colleagues were able to read the letter uninterrupted.
Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico read the letter to enter it into the congressional record and Sen. Jeff Merkley was allowed to read from King’s letter, though he couched his remarks as only reading portions of the letter and with the context to be in line with Senate rules.
Senator Mitch McConnell defended invoking Rule 19, a rarely used chamber regulation that prohibits senators from impugning each other.
McConnell said that Warren was warned and was given an explanation but she still persisted. It couldn’t have come at a better time for Warren, who is up for re-election in 2018.