Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein pulled rank Friday when a group of kids tried to school her on climate change.
After the group sought her support for the Green New Deal, the 85-year-old senior senator from California let them know she wasn’t about to be bossed around by a bunch of youngsters.
“You know what’s interesting about this group?,” Feinstein said, in an interaction that was captured on video. “I’ve been doing this for 30 years. I know what I’m doing.
“You come in here, and you say it has to be my way or the highway. I don’t respond to that,” Feinstein continued. “I’ve gotten elected, I just ran. I was elected by almost a million-vote plurality. And I know what I’m doing. So you know, maybe people should listen a little bit.”
“You come in here, and you say it has to be my way or the highway. I don’t respond to that.”
Sunrise Movement, an organization that describes itself as wanting to “stop climate change,” shared a clip of the exchange on its Twitter page Friday.
“This is how @SenFeinstein reacted to children asking her to support the #GreenNewDeal resolution — with smugness + disrespect. This is a fight for our generation’s survival. Her reaction is why young people desperately want new leadership in Congress,” the tweet with the video said.
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The video begins with the group explaining that they wanted to present a letter to Feinstein and ask her “to vote yes on the Green New Deal.” It then cuts to a shot of the group standing before the U.S. senator from California, expressing their request.
Sunrise Movement@sunrisemvmt
This is how @SenFeinstein reacted to children asking her to support the #GreenNewDeal resolution — with smugness + disrespect.
This is a fight for our generation’s survival. Her reaction is why young people desperately want new leadership in Congress.
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In response to their request, Feinstein informs them that “We have our own Green New Deal.” And then came the point where Feinstein drew the line.
The sides then devolve into a back-and-forth until someone reminds Feinstein that they are “the people who voted” for her and part of her job is to hear their concerns.
“How old are you?” Feinstein asks.
“I’m sixteen. I can’t vote,” the girl replies.
“Well, you didn’t vote for me,” the lawmaker retorts.
In another portion of the video, Feinstein is heard telling the kids that she’s “trying to do the best” that she can, “which was to write a responsible resolution.”
“Any plan that doesn’t take bold, transformative action is not going to be what we need,” a female in the crowd says.
