Senator Elizabeth Warren revealed that she was drinking a Michelob Ultra during an Instagram Live video on New Year's Eve in 2019. The video, which was filmed in her kitchen, received mixed reactions, with some on Twitter saying she was pandering to a younger audience. Warren defended the video, stating that it was a way to invite people into her home and have a conversation about what's going on. The choice of beer also sparked some ridicule, with some questioning whether it was an attempt to appear more relatable or likable.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Name of Senator | Elizabeth Warren |
Beer Brand | Michelob Ultra |
Beer Description | "The club soda of beers" |
Beer Type | Bottled beer |
Beer Characteristics | Low-calorie, low-flavour, sensible beer |
What You'll Learn
Sen. Warren's beer of choice is Michelob Ultra
In the video, Warren can be seen in her kitchen, announcing, "Hold on a sec, I'm gonna get me a beer," before exiting the frame and returning with a bottle of beer. The video received mixed reactions, with some critics calling it a cringe-worthy and ham-handed attempt to convey down-home authenticity and appeal to younger voters. However, others, including linguist Ben Zimmer, have come to Warren's defence, arguing that her phrasing was typical of the speech of those who grew up in Oklahoma, where she was raised.
Michelob Ultra, with its low-calorie and low-flavor profile, has been described as "the beer for carb-counters, cautious diabetics, and people who want to let one single strand of hair down after a busy day." It is a sensible choice for those who want to unwind without getting drunk, as it would take approximately 73 bottles to affect your speech. The beer is also heavily associated with fitness and health, as it is the brand that sponsors every marathon, triathlon, and 5K fun-run in America.
So, while Sen. Warren's Instagram Live video may have sparked debates about authenticity and likability, her choice of beer, Michelob Ultra, is undoubtedly a popular and strategic one for those seeking a light and refreshing beverage.
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She called the beer the club soda of beers
Senator Elizabeth Warren's Instagram Live video of her drinking beer on New Year's Eve sparked a range of reactions, with some critics seeing it as an attempt to convey down-home authenticity. During the livestream, Warren said, "Hold on a sec. I'm gonna get me a beer," before stepping out of the frame to get a bottle from her fridge. This phrasing, known as a "personal dative," is a grammatical feature associated with southern and Appalachian dialects, including the region where Warren grew up.
Warren later revealed that her beer of choice was Michelob Ultra, which she jokingly referred to as "the club soda of beers." This description may be fitting, as Michelob Ultra is known for being low in calories and flavour. It is often seen as a beer for health-conscious individuals who want a drink without the high carbohydrate content of other beers.
The senator's choice of beer and her phrasing during the livestream sparked debates about authenticity and likability. Some critics saw it as an inauthentic attempt to appeal to younger voters, while others defended her choice as a genuine reflection of her background and personality.
Warren herself defended the video, stating that it was a way to invite people into her home and have a chance to talk about what's going on. She emphasized that her campaign was about the people who work hard and play by the rules, wanting a government that supports them.
The "beer moment" highlighted the challenges faced by politicians, especially those from more privileged backgrounds, in connecting with voters from diverse regions and backgrounds. It also sparked discussions about the role of social media and the scrutiny of a candidate's personal choices, such as their preferred beverage.
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The Instagram video was criticised as an attempt to appeal to younger voters
On New Year's Eve 2018, Senator Elizabeth Warren broadcast an Instagram Live video from her kitchen, in which she drank a bottle of beer. Soon after, she announced her exploratory committee for a potential 2020 presidential run. In the video, Warren says, "Hold on a sec. I'm gonna get me a beer", before exiting the frame and returning with a bottle of beer, which she reveals is a Michelob Ultra, "the club soda of beers".
Others criticised Warren for her "inauthentic" language, with one commentator stating that her phrasing seemed to "drive home the awkwardness of the moment". However, linguist Laurence R. Horn notes that the use of the pronoun "me" in this context is a "personal dative", a non-standard use of a pronoun that refers back to the subject, and is most associated with southern and Appalachian dialects of English, including the region where Warren grew up.
Despite the criticism, Warren defended the video, stating that it was a way to "invite people into [her] home" and have a conversation about what's going on. She added that her campaign is about the people who work hard and play by the rules, and want a government that is on their side.
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The video was also criticised for inauthenticity
Senator Elizabeth Warren's Instagram Live video of her drinking a beer received criticism for its inauthenticity. The video, which was filmed in her kitchen on New Year's Eve, was seen by some as a forced attempt to appeal to younger voters and convey down-home authenticity. This perception was heightened by Warren's phrasing, "Hold on a sec, I'm gonna get me a beer," which was criticised as awkward and inauthentic.
The image of the multi-million-dollar Cambridge law professor drinking a "brewski" clashed with the image of an everyman, down-to-earth beer drinker that the video seemed to be aiming for. This attempt to connect with voters backfired, with some on Twitter calling it "cringe-worthy" and "pandering". The Boston Herald quoted Boston University politics professor Tobe Berkovitz, who said, "Elizabeth Warren seems more like a chardonnay senator than a beer senator. It’s just sort of trying too hard … and people have pretty good radar for that sort of thing."
The video also sparked discussions about Warren's "likability," a factor that has been heavily criticised as gendered. The Yale linguist Laurence R. Horn noted that Warren's use of the "personal dative" grammatical construction, where the pronoun "me" follows a verb that refers back to the subject, is most associated with southern and Appalachian dialects, including the region where Warren grew up. This phrasing may have contributed to the perception of inauthenticity, as it clashed with expectations of standard English usage.
The beer brand that Warren drank, Michelob Ultra, also came under scrutiny. Michelob Ultra is known for its low-calorie, low-flavour profile, and one commentator described it as "the beer for people who want to let one single strand of hair down after a busy day." This choice of beer seemed to reinforce the image of Warren as a cautious and calculated politician rather than the down-to-earth persona the video aimed to portray.
Despite the criticism, Warren defended the video, stating that it was a way to "invite people into your home" and connect with voters on a personal level. She emphasised that her campaign was about the everyday people who "work hard, play by the rules, and just want a government that’s on their side."
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Warren defended the video as a way to invite people into your home
Senator Elizabeth Warren defended her Instagram Live video, in which she drank a beer, as a way to "invite people into [her] home". The video, which was broadcast on New Year's Eve 2018, shortly after she announced her exploratory committee for a potential 2020 presidential run, received mixed reactions. While some criticised it as cringe-worthy and pandering to a younger audience, others, including Warren herself, viewed it as a way to connect with people and offer a glimpse into her home life.
In the video, Warren can be seen in her kitchen, reaching into her fridge for a beer, which she later revealed was a Michelob Ultra—a beer she jokingly referred to as "the club soda of beers". She takes a swig from the bottle and continues to sip throughout the video, all while discussing her political plans and interacting with her husband, Bruce, who is also in the kitchen.
Warren defended the video as an opportunity to invite viewers into her home and have a conversation about what's going on. "What matters to me is that everything in this campaign is about the people who are out there every single day, work hard, play by the rules, and just want a government that's on their side," she said. She added that she wanted her campaign to focus on the issues that matter to everyday people and to have a government that works for everyone, not just the wealthy and well-connected.
The video sparked debates about authenticity and likability, with some critics claiming that Warren was trying too hard to appear relatable. They pointed out the incongruity of a "multi-million-dollar Cambridge law professor poppin' a brewski", as one conservative columnist phrased it. However, others, including linguist Ben Zimmer, came to Warren's defence, arguing that her phrasing was typical of the speech patterns from Oklahoma, where she grew up.
Despite the mixed reactions, Warren suggested that there might be more Instagram-side chats in the future as her campaign progressed. She wanted to open her door, metaphorically, to the public and have candid conversations about the issues that mattered to them. Whether or not the video helped or hindered her likability remains an open question, but it certainly sparked discussions about the role of authenticity in politics and the challenges female candidates face when it comes to public perception.
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Frequently asked questions
Michelob Ultra.
She called it "the club soda of beers".
She wanted to "invite people into [her] home" and talk about what was going on.
Some criticised it as cringe-worthy and a failed attempt to appeal to younger voters. Others defended it as petty.
Yes, she had previously stated that her "go-to order" at Paddy's Lunch in Cambridge was "a light beer and a bag of Doritos".