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‘She Checked the Box’: Scott Brown Jabs at Elizabeth Warren for Native American Claim in First Debate

Sep. 20, 2012 11:49pm Jason Howerton

FILE - These 2012 file photos show incumbent U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., left, and Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren, in Boston. (Credit: AP)

Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) questioned Harvard Law Professor Elizabeth Warren’s character in their first televised Senate debate on Thursday, slamming her for claiming to be Native American and “checking the box” when she applied for faculty positions at Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania.

“I think character is important,” Brown said. “As you know, I think what you’re referring to is the fact that Professor Warren claimed she was a Native American, a person of color. As you can see, she is not.”

He continued: “That being said, she checked the box. And she had an opportunity actually to make a decision throughout her career when she applied at Penn and Harvard, she checked the box, claiming she was a native American, and, you know, clearly she’s not.”

Brown added that he had no proof that it was her deceitful application that got her “ahead” in her academic career, however, he called on Warren to release her faculty records to put the matter to rest.

Warren completely sidestepped the issue at first.

“I think that Senator Brown is a nice guy, and that what this race is about is about the issues,” she said, then attacked Brown’s voting record.

Warren then explained that when she was growing up she was told stories about her Cherokee Indian heritage but never asked for “documentation.” She also said she never used her “Native American” heritage to get into school and the universities that hired her didn’t know about her heritage until long after they hired her.

“This is about family. I can’t — and won’t — change who I am,” she added.

Watch some of the lively televised debate below:

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Comments (126)

54smom
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 1:09am
Rino or socialist , yikes what a choice. Sorry MA. Ya gotta go with the rino.

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- Sosorryforyou
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 11:02am
  Scott Brown’s comment, “As you know, I think what you’re referring to is the fact that Professor Warren claimed she was a Native American, a person of color. As you can see, she is not.”, is one of the most ignorant, and racist comments I have read in a long time. To make an assumption that you can always tell a person’s heritage just by their appearance is extremely naive and arrogant.
  
  Report this comment
- 13th Imam
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 11:25am
  The question is, Is She Cherokee?? The Real World answer is No. Your Saul Alinsky crap Fails Again
  
  Report this comment
- JRook
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 12:59pm
  similar to brown this report would rather focus on a rather insignificant item rather than brown’s policy stances or his record. the fact is warren took him to the cleaners on areas of substance.
  
  Report this comment
- anomnomnommm
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 2:00pm
  @SOSORRYFORYOU
  
  I completely agree – I watched the debate last night and I cringed when I heard that. That is the definition of racism.
  
  Report this comment
- 13th Imam
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 2:02pm
  As usual JCROOK loves the Socialist point of view.Just another TAKER.Go Figure
  
  Report this comment
- Independent4233
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 5:39pm
  Anybody that would vote for a sleezeball like her deserves what they get.
  
  Only in Mass, Calif or NY could anybody that flaky get elected.
  
  After re-electing the airhead manslaughterer for so many years, Mass should be disqualified from having representatives in Congress.
  
  Report this comment
- oinia
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 7:03pm
  @sosorry, anomnom
  
  Crying “racism” over this type of comment is the hallmark of intellectual desperation. 2012 is the year of the ubiquitous race card – correlated with the year of the worst American President running the worst campaign during the worst economic “recovery” in the midst of the worst foreign policy meltdown — ever.
  
  Your faux outrage fails to distinguish your race card from the 800,000 others that have already been played this campaign cycle. They don’t mean anything anymore, guys.
  
  Report this comment
- Sosorryforyou
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 7:57pm
  @ONINIA
  
  I’m not one to use the race card but if you don’t think his comment was racist, then you don’t know what racism is. For one person to imply that another person isn’t of a claimed heritage just because they do not physically have the characteristics that are associated with said heritage is the epitome of racism.
  
  Also, it’s laughable to claim that Pres. Obama has the worst campaign when Romney’s campaign has been continuously mocked even by those in his own party this week! LOL
  
  Report this comment
- jdtanker
  Posted on September 22, 2012 at 8:45am
  It’s not Racism! It’s just the truth. She’s not Cherokee but she claimed to be Cherokee. PC has got to go in this country.
  
  Report this comment
- SolitudeBliss
  Posted on September 22, 2012 at 10:25am
  I dislike both of these candidates but I must say what Brown said was NOT racist. Warren is not a person of color (regardless of genetic makeup) she is WHITE. It doesn’t matter what mix I am, my COLOR is WHITE. God, you people read Wayyyyy too much into things.
  
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conservatype
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 12:50am
When she loses, I will do a rain dance……….

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- PATTY HENRY
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 3:17am
  Probably the winning comment of the night! :) I’ll join you in the RAIN DANCE!
  
  Report this comment
- blownaway
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 3:36am
  “Fifi said to Don the baker
  Can you show me how to bake another bun, Don,
  And I’m still sittin’ with my next door neighbour sayin’
  Where’d you get the gun, John?”
  
  ~sorry… I couldn’t resist the Guess Who temptation!
  
  Report this comment
- OLDPAINT
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 7:36am
  I’d like to jump the both of them and miss. Wouldn’t be on my baby though. (Remember what happened to Indian Larry?) An ice racer works for me. More than once.
  
  Report this comment
needmoinfo
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 12:40am
I don’t understand why I have to prove I am Cherokee but no one questions that I am Scot, Irish, English, Scandinavian, Swiss, French, German, Welch, Dutch, etc. No one in my family ever applies for anything do to our Cherokee heritage. What benefits they have to offer should go to the truly needy. Anyone who takes charity or for instance foreign student loans should return that money when they become rich and famous. If you don’t give back your luck will desert you. Obama only takes so he is doomed for a downfall.

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- Buddynoel
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 3:42am
  She used fake heritage to get herself into a school she didn’t deserve to be part of. Basically, she cheated the system because she knew the school would have to bow to a quota. Manipulation, cheating, extortion and immoral behavior makes her imminently qualified for the US Senate.
  
  Report this comment
- lessoneleg
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 4:56am
  Because dufus, in North America we give preferred rules of Native Status to American Indians. They don’t get questioned like regular citizens of countries crossing international borders, or pay taxes on goods & services.
  And no Native Band of Indians United States or Canada has Ms.Warren listed past or present any Warren through Mothers background or Fathers heritage any historical record of First Nations existence.
  So I guess she will have to discuss this with the Talking Willow Tree.
  
  Report this comment
- ogacct
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 11:49am
  Checking a “minority” box get’s you preferences. But what I dont understand is why I dont get an Irish-American box. I’m just as much Irish-American as most African-Americans. I get lumped in with all the “other” white’s, making “us whites” the majority. If we Irish-Americans, as well as the “other” whites were allowed to celebrate our diversity, like the “minorities” are allowed to do, we would all be minorities and then there could be no preferential treatment. We would all just be, dare I say it, Americans.
  
  Report this comment
- guntotinsquaw
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 2:53pm
  Lessoneleg…” They don’t get questioned like regular citizens of countries crossing international borders, or pay taxes on goods & services.”
  
  REALLY??? So I can quote you when I demand a refund of the $24k I wrote to the IRS last year and I’ll be sure to not pay taxes on any goods I buy, currently I pay 10% on goods. Where do people come up with these ideas?
  
  Yes, we pay taxes and yes, we have to have an American Passport just the same as any other American. No, Warren is not one drop!
  
  Report this comment
- Marine25
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 4:20pm
  Elizabeth Warren has an IQ of 174. But the best school’s in the world only wanted her because she checked the native American box.
  
  Report this comment
mdmike1
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 12:39am
“The people who hired me didn’t know. Two dozen people were interviewed and they didn’t know.” You know what that means Ms. Warren, YOU’RE A GOOD LIAR! YOU HAD THEM ALL FOOLED!|
YOU CHECKED THE F-ING BOX!

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cookcountypatriot
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 12:23am
shes so soft and well spoken…kinda hikey and all american…lol the only way to trust our sweet aunt liz is for her to RELEASE HER RECORDS!….AND PROVE IT

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steveh931
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 12:23am
Massachusetts, do us all a favor and keep Elizabeth home.

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1proudAmerican
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 12:22am
I really doubt she didn’t use her “Native American” heritage to get into schools. I also doubt that checking that box on her college loan applications didn’t give her more money toward school. People say that soon caucasians will be a minority. Will we then be awarded more financial aid like minorities do now? I HIGHLY doubt it!

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- USAMama
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 2:23am
  I just heard a stat the other day that last year Hispanics in America had a higher birth rate then whites. So by the time my white 10 mo old daughter grows up she will be a minority.
  
  Report this comment
repairsea
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 12:16am
The federal government has minority recruiters for schools, employment and colleges that get paid big bucks to find those who will check the box. It is about money. We need to stop identifying people by race and rather by the capability. I write my congress about this all the time. I am more Cherokee than her with proof and I would never check that box because it is degrading to imply I can’t get a degree or job without it. It is disgusting. Again, it is about the money.

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- BLAZINGPRIDE
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 11:07am
  I am of indian decent, but i always check off 2 to 3 different race
  
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- castaways
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 1:54pm
  Thank you, You are absolutely correct!
  
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Tafel1
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 12:12am
Good character leads to Good policy

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lassiegirldawn
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 12:10am
She knows how to sidestep a question just like obummer. If her employments records show she checked THE box, she is a liar and a cheat, just like most of the bums we have in politics right now.

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FaithfulFriend
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 12:08am
Native American’s didn’t build anything either.

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Dmony
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 12:05am
Honkey

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- 13th Imam
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 6:57am
  Donkey
  
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blackyb
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 12:05am
She is just full of smoke screens.

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- cloudsofwar
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 7:11am
  is that a indian joke? smoke signals. very good.
  
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RJJinGadsden
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 12:04am
Now, that is funny. In the beginning it was Warren who was tooting her own horn about being part Native American. Now that she has been caught in that lie by so many different persons and organizations, the race is now about ‘issues.’ Shoot, look at Brown’s voting record. Much of it goes against the mass of the Republicans who are in the senate, and he tends to vote with the Democrats anyway. But, we do need him there with that “R” by his name. Even a RINO is better than a Democrat, just not by much.

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OlefromMN
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 12:03am
How do they feel about the national debt? I give not a rat’s behind if she is a Cherokee anymore than I care to hear about his heritage as long as they are meeting the requirements to run for their respective office.

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- Rickfromillinois
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 6:53am
  I don’t care about their heritage either, but I do care about their character and someone who has consistently falsely claimed minority status obviously has a problem with her character. If she checked the box saying that she was Native American when applying for a job, she did so because she believed that she would gain some type of advantage because of it.
  
  Report this comment
mharry860
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 12:01am
I am, but the history is really sketchy. I don’t think I ever asked enough questions to get the answer. I absolutely hide from the sun, but every summer I get that color. It’s beautiful actually, but the sun is your enemy. The kicker is I’m also German, English, French, so I’m just a mutt.

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blackyb
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 12:01am
These liars all seem to think it is a game here in this country to win for a party. These people are playing games or they are so stupid as to be notfit for being in power positions. These people who are promoting this liar in office for another term are as sorry as he is or they would not promote him. There is nothing good that can be said for this man. This man is nothing but a a mockery to this country and all that is good and decent.

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KINGRUDDY
Posted on September 20, 2012 at 11:59pm
He sucks he is a RINO, but never vote for her, she is a communist advocate. Not a hard decision and will need to get him out next time.
Wake up America!!!

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- DiscerningOne
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 12:40pm
  All y’all dumping on Scott Brown because he’s a RINO (which he *is*) are missing the point…
  
  I’ve lived here in Mass for over 30 years now. I was one of 7, yes SEVEN, R’s in my town before I moved to a different one that is somewhat more balance. This is the reddest, of red states… the *best* we’ll ever do here *is* a RINO…
  
  It may sound/feel good to say “we’ll replace him next time”, but we’ll never, NEVER replace him with someone more to the right/conservative side. It’s the way it is. As long as he caucuses “R”, and supports the important filibusters (which he does and has), it’s all we can hope for….
  
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BOstinks
Posted on September 20, 2012 at 11:59pm
She’s just like Barack. He didn’t know it would ever matter when he applied for that college money as a foreign student. It was easy money and what did it hurt. Just one little lie who could that possibly hurt other than the real foreign students that needed help. If Lizzy is willing to lie about her “tribe” what else is she willing to do to get ahead?

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Verceofreason
Posted on September 20, 2012 at 11:59pm
That all ya got, Scotty. Still on the ‘Indian’ thing.
Couldn’t you slip in the Obama ate dog, somewhere.
What about problems facing real Americans every day?

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- OneTermPresident
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 11:17am
  Your support for a liar hasn’t gone unnoticed, nor did it with Obama… another well known liar. Stand for something or fall for anything.
  
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Wool-Free Vision
Posted on September 20, 2012 at 11:56pm
Funny, I would have thought Warren’s problem was finding someone else to check her box.

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- razhunter100
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 6:29am
  dam funny
  
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blackyb
Posted on September 20, 2012 at 11:56pm
Any person who claims to be a Democrat and votes for Obama is going to hell for being what he is, all of it. Many Republicans, are going to hell too, they just do not realize it, but there will have to be some of those who will make it for they are standing up for God, at least. This world is in sad shape and it will not be long before all these liars and murderers are standing before judgement.

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zoro51
Posted on September 20, 2012 at 11:55pm
shes DEMENTED in all her was caliming shes this NO shes that NO WAIT im now this and that.. NO THROW THIS OLD BAG OUT NOW end it shes UN AMERICAN… n has a LEFTISTS AGENDA in her ehart

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phrogdriver
Posted on September 20, 2012 at 11:55pm
She won’t change who she is?

That’s unfortunate.

If she could change into a capitalist, she might actually win.

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DarkJello
Posted on September 20, 2012 at 11:54pm
She “can’t and won’t” try to become a better, more honest human being. Very sad.

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