I don't understand all the hostile talk about Senator Elizabeth Warren's announcement to form an exploratory committee to test the waters for a run for the presidency.

Everyone who follows politics knew that Massachusetts' senior senator was going to run for president in 2020. She was a little coy during her re-election campaign in 2018 against Republican Geoff Diehl. She was overwhelmingly re-elected by the people of Massachusetts and we all knew she was running for president when we voted in 2018.

I voted for Diehl, but not because I held it against Warren that she was running for president. I wrote during the election that I thought it was counterproductive to criticize Sen. Warren for being on the short list of Democrats who were considered capable of running for president in 2020. I have never held ambition against anybody. And being considered a viable candidate for the presidency is an asset for any candidate running for re-election to Congress or a governorship.

Elizabeth Warren is a serious candidate with a base of support in the Democratic Party. She has built up a financial donor base that is committed to her and inspired by her. The people who have supported her have always viewed her as a candidate for the White House. With all due respect, they aren't going to be shaken off the Warren Wagon by a few negative columns by the media.

Most of the people involved in Republican and Democratic Party politics have more experience and fresher information than the folks in the media. Who do you think we call to find out what is happening in the real world of elections? Trust me when I tell you the people donating their money and their time to the Warren Wagon are fully committed to their decision. So are the people who are in the fight for Biden, Harris, Booker and Bernie.

The Democrats in the early states are going to decide who is their champion to take on Donald Trump and the Republican Party in 2020. The race for the nomination is going to be long and interesting. There will good days and bad days, and as Jimmy Buffett says "going half mad days" for all of the candidates during the race for the nomination. I'm looking forward to the contest.

Counting out Elizabeth Warren at this point is like counting out Donald Trump in 2016.

Chris McCarthy is the host of The Chris McCarthy Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Contact him at chris.mccarthy@townsquaremedia.com and follow him on Twitter @Chris_topher_Mc. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. 

More From WBSM-AM/AM 1420