Elizabeth Warren: 'When We Turn on Each Other, We Can't Unite to Fight Back'

Elizabeth Warren took her anti-Donald Trump diatribe to Philadelphia Monday, repackaging weeks of witheringly scornful comments into a relatively toned-down keynote meant to unify a divided Democratic National Convention around Hillary Clinton's nomination.

She spoke over chanting supporters of Vermont Independent Bernie Sanders to condemn Donald Trump and unequivocally tout her support for Clinton.

"When we turn on each other, we can't unite to fight back against a rigged system," Warren said, evoking a patented Sanders phrase.

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Massachusetts Representative Joe Kennedy III, a former student of Warren's at Harvard Law, spoke first to introduce her, recounting a harsh rebuke on his first day in her class.

"I never showed up unprepared for Professor Elizabeth Warren ever again," he said. "She was the toughest teacher on campus, but the wait-list for her class was a mile long."

Kennedy called his teacher today an "anchor for the voiceless and the victimized... in a sea of power and privilege," and "our nation's gut-check."

It was Kennedy's big debut before the national party, at Warren's invitation. The Senator all but ran to wrap her former student in a hug as she took the podium before thousands at the Wells Fargo Center for what was billed as a keynote address.

Warren trained her comments on tearing down Trump and building up Clinton.

"We're here today because our choice is Hillary Clinton," she told delegates, repeating three times, "I'm with Hillary."

But as the cheers subsided and Warren launched into her biography, a different chant rose up from the crowd, "We trusted you! We trusted you!"

Her task was to wield her progressive credentials to shepherd liberal holdouts for Sanders back into the fold, united behind Clinton and against Trump. It was a job rendered all the more difficult by many Sanders supporters; disappointment that relative moderate Sen. Tim Kaine, of Virginia, had gotten the nod for running mate over Warren. Even Sanders later said he'd have preferred Warren, whose name was reportedly vetted for the position, only to be passed over.

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Her speech followed a day of protests and arrests in Philadelphia, and ongoing disruption during the convention - including pro-Sanders chants during the opening prayer. Her speech was sandwiched between similar calls from First Lady Michelle Obama, and from Sanders himself.

The former candidate offered a rousing "thank you" to supporters, and a clear-cut call to support Clinton as nominee.

"Hillary Clinton must become the next president of the United States," Sanders said, spurring sweeping cheers and a smaller share of boos in Philadelphia. "The choice is not even close."

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Warren, for her part, spoke through the disruptions Monday night, not breaking stride as she honed in on the true target of her remarks: Trump.

She trashed the GOP nominee's "stupid wall that will never get built," the only "actual idea" he offered, she said.

"Look, let's face it. Donald Trump has no real plans for jobs or for college kids or for seniors. No plans to make anything great for anyone, except for rich guys like Donald Trump," Warren said.

Rather, she said, he relies on the age-old tactic of stoking racial division to protect those in power.

"Trump thinks he can win votes by fanning the flames of fear and hatred," she said. "Well, I've got news for Donald Trump: The American people are not falling for it. We've seen this ugliness before, and we are not going to be Donald Trump's hate-filled America—not now, not ever."

She closed her speech, again repeating, "We're with her."

>> Photo via Elizabeth Warren Twitter