Apparently, Massachusetts voters don’t mind that Elizabeth Warren foolishly identified herself as a Native American early in her academic career–it was, apparently, a case of family pride and wishful thinking about a Cherokee ancestor. That’s good. Warren may be the best public figure when it comes to explaining the depredations of the financial industry and the need for reform. She’s in a close race with Scott Brown, whom voters see as far more “likeable” than she. It would have been unfortunate for her to lose the opportunity to make her arguments because of this silliness–and yes, this sort of identity politics is a profoundly liberal form of silliness–but I’m looking forward to hearing Warren and Brown debate these issues now.