Stark booted as chair of Ways and Means

[cali]

Second Ways and Means boss ousted; Levin replaces Stark
By Jay Heflin - 03/04/10 09:57 AM ET

Rep. Sandy Levin (D-Mich.) will be the acting chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced to her caucus on Thursday.

The startling announcement comes a day after Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) appeared ready to take the reins of the committee from Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.).

Stark was the next in line for the post in terms of seniority, but some panel members recoiled at the idea of his leading the committee. Stark is known for making controversial and eccentric remarks, and in 2007 he apologized on the House floor for comments about President George W. Bush and the Iraq War.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who serves on the panel and in leadership as Assistant to the Speaker, acknowledged there had been "lively discussions" on Wednesday about the initial decision to have Stark bcome acting chairman.

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http://thehill.com/homenews/house/84943-democrats-to-continue-lively-discussion-over-ways-and-means-leadership

[mikelgb]

1. predicted right here on the DU

epic fail

[tularetom]

2. Yeah, we wouldn't want to have anybody with a spine in that position, would we

WTF is it with the Democrats that they are so afraid of anybody who actually has an opinion?

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. You wanted the guy who apologized to Bush?

How is that having a spine?

[tularetom]

12. Actually I wanted the guy who called the gop congressman a little punk

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/84829-new-ways-and-committees-chairman-has-history-of-gaffes

A link to some of Stark's greatest hits (they call them "gaffes").

BTW, I don't think he apologized to Bush. IIRC, he apologized to the families of service members for his remarks about sending soldiers to Iraq.

He may be a bit bombastic but he's a refreshing change from the nicey nicey image the Dems have gotten tagged with.

[SharonRB]

3. Sandy's my rep

He'll do a great job, and he's as clean as a whistle.

[KingFlorez]

5. He's always been sort of brash

It's not surprising they wouldn't want him to take the lead, they want to avoid having to do damage control in the future.

[Warpy]

6. I didn't think the PTB would tolerate Stark

because he's far too sensible about things. They wanted someone else they could control and there's no controlling a Congressman with the guts to admit he's an atheist.

[tekisui]

7. I was excited for about a day.

Stark would have been great.

[FarCenter]

8. Stark and Levin are both in their late 70s -- Don't we have any young leadership?

The place seems to be run by a lot of old fossils.

[AngryAmish]

11. Seniority - and W and M is run by old bulls

[frylock]

9. classic move by the party of handwringers..

and totally predictable.

[louis-t]

10. Sandy Levin is really good.

My Rep.

[DefenseLawyer]

13. Move along... nothing to see here...

Nothing to worry about, rich folks, all is well.

[howaboutme]

14. So if seniority

is no longer important what about a feeble attempt at ethnic balance and competence in leadership positions? I liked Pete Stark.

[Octafish]

15. The pukes bitch and POOF! Presto change-o. No more Pete Stark.

Gee. What the heck is a majority party to do?