Elizabeth Warren makes post-election debut and it's... awkward

Was she nervous? She shouldn't be -- she just got done running a campaign for the U.S. Senate that brought her national attention.

Whatever was on her mind, Massachusetts Senator-elect Elizabeth Warren was something of a deer in the headlights Thursday when she joined Gov. Deval Patrick for a press conference at the State House:

A jittery U.S. senator-elect Elizabeth Warren gave one-sentence answers, ducked questions and even passed one on to Gov. Deval Patrick in an awkward first press conference since the election.

Warren spoke for a total of less than four minutes during the 11-minute press conference — the rest was taken up by Patrick and reporters’ questions.

After being asked her first question — how she’d protect defense spending — Warren was silent as she turned to Patrick.

“Defense spending is you,” Patrick prodded Warren.

“Oh, that’s mine,” Warren replied. ]...]

When she did respond, the answers were often brief.

How does she feel about the high female voter turnout and the election of women in New Hampshire?

“I’m glad,” she said.

Is it surprising?

“I’m glad that the women turned out to vote, it meant a lot,” said Warren.

Asked what impact more women in the Senate would have, Warren punted.

“You want to try answering that?” she said, turning to Patrick, who stepped in again.