MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle accused Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) on Wednesday of trying to silence one of the "most influential women in politics today" when Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) delivered a blistering speech against President Trump's attorney general nominee, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R., Ala.).
McConnell interjected when Warren began to read a 30 year old letter written by Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King Jr.'s widow, that opposed Jeff Sessions. McConnell said Warren was violating Senate Rule 19, a regulation that prohibits senators from impugning each other.
"It's part of the gentlemanly order to shut down and silence one of the most influential women in politics today?" Ruhle asked.
Former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele brushed off the question, saying that Republicans "breathe this fight" every day with Warren, and that it has nothing to do with her being a woman.
He added that debacles with Warren make for great drama in Washington, D.C. for reporters.
"It's great Washington drama. It's great for reporters. The setting up a fight with Elizabeth Warren in the Senate: good. It works for the base. It works for Donald Trump. If Elizabeth Warren wants to start to throw down her gauntlet for 2020, bring it on baby. We are ready for that," Steele said.
Steele then praised Warren for being savvy and going to Facebook Live, where she attracted nearly 6 million viewers while she finished her speech.
Ruhle acknowledged that Steele made a great point, and reflected on her time working on Wall Street for 15 years and how Warren was their biggest enemy.
"It's about Elizabeth Warren. It's not about a white man or a woman. It's about Elizabeth Warren. You said it. Wall street, the playground that you played on, doesn't like this woman. It's not because they don't like her as a woman or don't like Coretta Scott King," Steele said.
"They don't like what Elizabeth Warren stands for and what she promotes. That's what this is about. This is not about her being a female. This is about the senator from Massachusetts and her politics, period," he continued.
Ruhle noted that Sen. Tom Udall (D., N.M.) read the King's letter on Wednesday to pick up where Warren ended on Tuesday night before McConnell cut her off.
"Can you only use Rule 19 once?" Ruhle asked. "Because how come Tom Udall, who happens to be a white man isn't getting shut down?"
Steele and Washington Post writer Chris Cillizza both argued that Warren was more well-known and contentious compared to Udall, and that it had nothing to do with gender.
Warren's appeal to continue speaking on Tuesday night after McConnell cut her off was shut down by a Senate party-line vote 50-43.