Got this via A Siegel on Huff Po:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/a-siegel/senate-ds-getting-warm-an_b_247420.htmlhttp://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/climate-change/dems-angry-with-reid-dorgan-for-playing-footsie-with-swift-boat-billionaire/Apparently, Pickens has been invited to speak at the Senate leadership lunch with the Democratic Policy Committee (Dorgan is chairman of this).
Specifically, Dems are grumbling that Senators Harry Reid and Byron Dorgan have been too willing to play footsie with T. Boone Pickens, the notorious Texas oil billionaire who spent millions bankrolling the Swift Boat Vets’ attacks on John Kerry and has recently gotten lots of ink for his wind energy proposals to reduce dependency on foreign oil.
...
“This guy spent millions smearing our 2004 nominee and endorsed Mccain over Obama,” the aide groused. “T. Boone has done his part to set back the environmental movement and we shouldn’t be giving him the royal treatment. He bankrolled the most expensive smear in campaign history and we’re standing in line to kiss his ass. We don’t need him, he needs us, and we’re building this guy up into something he’s not and never has been.”
I wonder whose aide that is. Regardless, the whole situation stinks.