Why is BLM always right about everything?

[beachmom]

Grrrrrrrrr

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/20/AR2010052000759.html?hpid=topnews

Democratic New York senator Chuck Schumer is poised to become majority leader

By Jason Horowitz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, May 20, 2010; 5:00 AM

On Mother's Day, Chuck Schumer delivered two commencement speeches upstate, flew back to Brooklyn to eat dinner with his wife, mother and daughters and at 7:38 p.m. toted a briefcase into his midtown office for the political ritual known as the Sunday press conference. Picking his way through a line of television cameramen, he joked: "It's like football. No holes. Can't get through," then settled into his habitual spot between a lectern and a ratty blue curtain.

"The Times Square car bomb should be a wake-up call for the administration," Schumer said into a bouquet of microphones, demanding that President Obama increase New York's share of antiterrorism funding. "I'm going to pursue that legislatively."

During his three-decade legislative career, Schumer, 59, has developed a reputation as a razor-elbowed, shamelessly self-serving, media-addicted political monster. He is also arguably the single most effective lawmaker of his generation.

Now, with confidant Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) hanging on to his seat by a thread, the Brooklynite is nearing the goal line of his long game. Succeeding Reid would make Schumer the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in American history and, more important for the uber-competitive politician, the first among peers. Schumer has thrust himself into the center of issues ranging from jobs to immigration to Supreme Court hearings, but as that momentum has carried him into a more intimate arena where popularity matters, the grating architect of the current Democratic majority has become noticeably more collegial. Perhaps not coincidentally, his colleagues see him as the front-runner to be their leader.


I don't even LIKE Harry Reid, but damn, I hope he can hold onto his seat. Schumer has radical views on Israel and has publicly reprimanded the President on that issue. Schumer is also in bed with Wall Street. His supposed fight for the public option was a craven pander to the netroots, while behind the scenes he did little to keep it in. It will be just very bad all around if he is majority leader. He has repeatedly stabbed Kerry in the back, who btw, has never wanted to be majority leader or even a whip. Maybe if Obama gets re-elected and Hillary resigns as SoS (which is pretty standard -- usually SoS's stay on for one term only), Kerry can get that job. Because having to deal with Schumer will make life a whole heckuva lot less fun, I can tell you.

[MBS]

1. Schumer is a total slimeball.

Oh, I hope this doesn't happen.

[Mass]

2. Reid campaigned to become majority leader over Daschle before Daschle was beaten.

So I have no sympathy for him being treated the same way.

I dont like Schumer because he is an opportunist and somebody who only acts in reaction to something, but he is not the only one campaigning. Durbin is fighting the same fight, using the same tools and I am not sure we should count him out because Horowitz wrote a puff piece.

[karynnj]

3. I hope you are right and that Durbin wins

Seeing that this is voted on by the caucus, I would hope they would consider two things.

1) Schumer has always been willing to stab people in the back and is smart and aggressive. Now, given all of that, shouldn't there be a pile of legislation he used those skills and cut throat aggressiveness to pass? I haven't seen it.

2) Part of the function of the majority leader - and one that Reid does at best a mediocre job at - is being a top spokesperson for the Senate leadership. Where Reid is rather unimpressive, Schumer is distinctly unlikeable and unappealing. Durbin is always articulate and pleasant. He seems a nice, guy next door. Who is the better face of the party.

(I still remember the never confirmed rumor that Kerry had wanted Durbin, but was pushed by the party to take the media and party beloved egomaniac Edwards. I don't know if that would have won - but Ohio is likely culturally more similar to Illinois than to NC and with Durbin, you could have made the point of two people with very solid resumees.)

[Mass]

4. I have no particular clue one way or the other, but from what I've read,

Durbin is not conceding the fight. He is active in races, which will create loyalties.

This said, I see the Horowitz puff piece as a sign that Schumer has an advantage with the media, contrarily to the low key style of Durbin. But I guess that Durbin has the advantage of being close to Obama.

[JI7]

6. i think Durbin being from the same state as Obama would hurt his chances

to become majority leader.

i just hope Reid wins and stays there even though i'm not that big a fan of him. but i really don't want schumer.

[beachmom]

5. I am not talking about him campaigning for the job, just the prospect

of him having that job, and how every action he has taken in the recent past has been such a transparent craven pander to very gullible people.

I like Durbin better. He's actually far more liberal and principled than Schumer. But ideally, Reid wins his race. He shepherded through HCR, and although I'm mad at him about the immigration bruhaha, politicians doing the right thing should be rewarded with re-election, especially over an opponent who thinks a good health care system involves bartering with chickens.

[karynnj]

7. True

The fact is that in a hyperpartisan Senate, Reid got the stimulus, this financial reform, healthcare and the buget through.

As to Reid as a majority leader, compare his success with Mitchell's from 1993 - 1995. Mitchell is very highly regarded as majority leader and as a diplomat. Mitchell had 57 Democrats, but he had far more "good" Republicans, so the difference is a wash. I suspect that, after all the spin in the media, at some point people will notice that a significant amount of landmark legislation passed. If climate change passes, and maybe even if it doesn't, as well these two years might be second only to FDR's first two years in their importance.

The fact that this is done with most of the media cheerleading the tea party shows the focus and determination that Reid had to have. I know Pelosi deserve huge credit, but it is Reid who succeeded with the harder piece.