But the point of Warren’s latest media blitzkrieg isn’t to win the midterm elections. Nor is it really about the specific policies she’s flacking. She knows they have no chance of becoming law this year, and she knows the party’s trajectory isn’t likely to change at this point, no matter what.

What Warren is doing is putting herself in a very public position to say, “I told you so.” This is like me telling you that if you really want to be a billionaire, you have to sell all your possessions and invest the money in ethereum. You’re never going to be a billionaire, but at least this way, I can forever say that it’s only because you didn’t listen to me.

You’d have to presume Warren is setting herself up for another presidential bid in 2024, perhaps whether Biden seeks reelection or not. (She’ll turn 75 then, which these days makes her almost old enough to be taken seriously.)