elizabeth warren macarthur genius grant foundation

Elizabeth Warren paid by Harvard University as he campaigns for U.S. Senate seat now held by Scott Brown.

The Boston Globe reported that the GOP has asked Harvard to stop paying salaries of law professors, suggests that doing so gives the impression that the institutions of the Ivy League supporting his candidacy.

Brown is considered one of the weakest Republican for re-election in 2012. Warren, one of several Democrats running, are encouraged to seek office by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and other leading Democrats.

Warren, best known for helping launch Obama President of Finance Bureau of Consumer Protection, teaching contract law twice a week. Globe reported that he paid $ 350,000, $ 182,000 plus royalties and consulting fees, before he lost last year to take leave to join the Obama administration.

Harvard is tax free and legal entities can not "participate or intervene in" any political campaign for office. University policy is a political duty to inform a teacher or staff member can participate in the campaign as long as they do not do or say something "in the context of their work" or to Harvard "a real or apparent authorization. "

Warren spokesman Kyle Sullivan e-mail us this statement:

Elizabeth has always loved teaching, dating back to his days as an elementary school teacher. He took his responsibilities to the students at the university and he was seriously fulfill its commitments in accordance with all relevant legislation.

Warren told me camp events occur in Andover, Massachusetts last month, and you can read the transcript of the blog Atrios. The essence is that Warren denies allegations that asking a bit rich to pay more taxes "class war" by pointing out that did not become rich in America in isolation.

For the record right by Steve Benen, some Democrats could make the case for basic social contract that is quite effective. And this comes from someone who only started seriously campaigning a few weeks ago. So he could have plenty of room to grow.

This is why I think this video is very important. As I wrote the other day, the nomination of Warren can test the limits of electoral populism is really in a way that few other Dems are willing to venture. Here we see the beginning of it - it is the candidate who starts with his own voice.

Republicans plan to paint a Harvard elitist liberal Warren - this refers to him as "Professor Warren" - because they believe him to win over white blue-collar kind of in places like South Boston that help power Scott Brown upset victory.

But as this video shows, Warren is good to make the case for a sustainable economy in a simple, down-to-earth terms. Although the background as a teacher, he sounded like he told me. He comes across as a regretful and strong, there is no indication of the type of defensive often hear from other Democrats when they talk about issues relating to taxation and economic justice. This is exactly what such a national Dems about Warren. For all I know, Republicans could use its embrace of high-end and the other tax increases Obama's policies, bio (he comes from outside the state) and work to persuade blue-collar and white he is just pointy-headed liberal taxes and fees.

But the video shows that it is not so easy to do that. Competition can be a true test of whether voters can be won by the class-based populism straightforward and shameless.