After progressives turned "nevertheless, she persisted" into a rallying cry in support of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.), they have now moved onto the refrain "reclaiming my time," taken from Rep. Maxine Waters (D., Calif.).
Waters repeated those words to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin during a House Financial Services Committee hearing last week, when she thought he was stalling in his answer about responding to a letter she sent him in May. Committee chairman Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R., Texas) stepped in to explain that the time did indeed belong to Waters as a ranking member of the committee, and progressives found it to be an empowering moment of defiance in the face of male verbosity.
"As a de facto leader of the anti-Trump resistance, Waters has become a bit of a rallying point for progressives in recent months and her words to Mnuchin quickly became an internet meme among women, minorities, and anyone else who's run out of time to waste and f**ks to give," Aja Romano wrote at Vox.
Progressives have praised "Auntie Maxine" (a name that millennials have given her), shared clips from the hearing, and used "reclaiming my time" as a catchphrase. Similar to the outpouring of affection for Warren when Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) said, "Nevertheless, she persisted" in reference to her, the attention on Waters has been supportive and enthusiastic.
Since Auntie Maxine did it are we greenlit to start saying "reclaiming my time" in meetings when men interrupt us?
Asking for myself.
— Zerlina Maxwell (@ZerlinaMaxwell) July 29, 2017
"Reclaiming My Time," the story of a people. https://t.co/ZRlHNbQamt
— deray (@deray) July 28, 2017
https://twitter.com/brittanyphina/status/891987117538258944
Push Alert: Trump just—
Me: RECLAIMING. MY. TIME.
— Saeed Jones (@theferocity) July 29, 2017
Vocalist Mykal Kilgore even recorded a song in honor of Waters, titled "Reclaiming My Time–Gospel Mix" and the Washington Post hailed Waters' phrase as an "anthem."
Reclaiming My Time -Gospel Mix: https://t.co/QYvxUr9GOR via @YouTube
— Just A Man Born Black (@mykalkilgore) July 30, 2017
Maxine Waters inspires a new anthem: "Reclaiming my time." https://t.co/3FGthC9Bkw
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) August 1, 2017
https://twitter.com/BroderickGreer/status/891805592976863233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vox.com%2Fculture%2F2017%2F7%2F31%2F16070822%2Freclaiming-my-time-maxine-waters-mnuchin-meme
Waters took to Twitter to thank Kilgore for the song and praise his talent.
Wow! Headed for the Grammys. Praises and thanks! - Rep. Maxine Waters
— Maxine Waters (@RepMaxineWaters) August 1, 2017