Jeff Smith: Can Elizabeth Warren avoid an elitist reputation?

I know academics. I’ve worked with academics. And Elizabeth Warren is no typical academic. She’s grounded where many academics are theoretically-oriented, direct where most academics are wordy and circuitous, unpretentious where many academics are impressed with themselves and their own pedigree.

Scott Brown is clearly charismatic and formidable. But Warren’s no Coakley, too good to shake hands with the common folk. She’s a gritty working-class girl made good. And having lived through Coakley she has a playbook of what not to do.

I think that the toughness, candor, and populist passion that turned off some D.C. elites will play quite well with independent Massachusetts voters. It will be a great race to watch.

(Cross-posted, with permission of the author, from Politico’s Arena)