Reid Wants Warren in Senate Leadership

[KoKo]

Senate Democrats want to enlist a progressive firebrand as a member of their leadership: Elizabeth Warren.

The incoming Senate minority leader, Harry Reid, is engaged in private talks with the Massachusetts freshman to create a special leadership post for the former Harvard professor, according to several people familiar with the matter. It’s unclear exactly what the new job would entail — but luring the populist liberal into leadership could inject fresh blood into a team reeling from significant midterm election losses.

Adding Warren, Democrats say, would bring in a nationally known name who could help sharpen the Democratic message as it goes toe-to-toe with the new Senate Republican majority. The move would likely be viewed favorably by an increasingly liberal caucus.

But elevating Warren could also be seen as an indication that the new Senate Democratic minority is less interested in bipartisan compromises than the White House or Senate Republicans.

The position may be unveiled at a closed-door Senate Democratic Caucus meeting on Thursday. At that meeting, Reid — along with his chief deputies, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Chuck Schumer of New York and Patty Murray of Washington state — are all expected to be elected, respectively, to the top four posts in the new Democratic minority. Montana Sen. Jon Tester, a second-term Democrat, is expected to be named chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, sources say.

Reid, however, could face some ‘no’ votes from Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, who won’t say whether they will back Reid and have been critical of his hard-nosed leadership style. Other Democrats, including West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, both declined to endorse Reid in separate interviews on Wednesday.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/11/elizabeth-warren-harry-reid-senate-leadership-112847.html#ixzz3IxEUqKtR

[polichick]

1. Hoping to discourage her from running, perhaps?

[Art_from_Ark]

2. That's my guess

[KoKo]

4. Don't know... Supposedly he wants to re-energize the Dem Party...

but, it could be to keep his Minority Leadership position....curry favor with Left Dems who are very angry.....or what you say. Supposedly he wants to create a "5th Seat" according to one news report for Warren. Interesting McCaskill is against it.

[Le Taz Hot]

11. That's exactly it.

The problem for the Vichy Dems is that she's smarter than all of them put together which means she saw this coming months ago. Now, if she WANTS a leadership position, it will be the first leadership we've seen from the Democrats in 40 years and that's not a bad thing either. Especially if Bernie Sanders considers a presidential run.

[polichick]

21. You're right; she is smarter. I'm sure leadership hopes...

she will recommit to staying in the Senate. No doubt she'll do what she wants.

[pampango]

13. If the offer is real, it would give her a more high-profile position to spread a liberal message.

I don't see how that would discourage her from running.

Obviously, there is the risk that they could try to control and silence her. I suspect she is too smart for that. If it is offered and if she accepts, I expect it to be a positive move for progressives.

[Ykcutnek]

14. By shining a bigger spotlight on her?

This has more to do with the success of progressive ballot measures in states where Democratic candidates lost by big margins.

Not every move in politics is nefarious.

[hrmjustin]

3. Sounds like a good idea! She would bring a fresh and progressive view to the leadership.

[Tatiana]

5. I don't believe for a moment that they really want her in leadership.

So they want to elevate the same lady who complains about and exposes their corporate masters? I do believe they know Warren has a following and want to make sure she doesn't get other ambitions.

She's a smart woman. I trust she'll make a good decision. Hopefully she doesn't sell out. We have so few true public servants left.

[Oilwellian]

7. Yes, my first instinct was...

this is a third way attempt to reign Warren in.

[Oilwellian]

6. Schumer, Durbin & Murray are all Third Way

and support cuts in Social Security. Warren is in for a battle with these vipers.

[Le Taz Hot]

12. Actually, I think Schumer, Durbin & Murray

are all in for a battle should Warren get a Leadership spot.

[Oilwellian]

15. One can hope

I don't see much changing until the Third Way Dems are no longer in leadership positions.

[Le Taz Hot]

16. And the only way that is going to happen is a strong challenge

from the Left. Elizabeth Warren is an excellent place to start, though, personally, since the Senate is already lost and not likely to be regained in 2016, she might as well run for president.

[DetlefK]

8. "indication that the Democrats are less interested in bipartisan compromises than the Republicans."

I'm sorry. I'm having a case of partial amnesia right now. I can't remember how the Republicans showed interest in bipartisan anything.

[Zorra]

9. But what if she's totally incorruptible? nt

[closeupready]

17. Then, as in other Third World states, she will be kicked to the curb.

Figuratively, but if she won't play ball with crooks, then she represents a danger to the DC status quo, and they will find a way to push her out.

[JeffHead]

10. She's already a leader in my book.

Warren and Bernie Sanders and maybe Sherrod Brown are the only ones worth listening to anymore. I'm sorry but this damn pipeline vote today has totally turned me off to most Dems. The party is starting to leave us progressives behind and she's about the only one trying to pull them back.

[closeupready]

18. K&R - while I'd prefer to see her run for president,

I like watching her rise in the ranks as people are taking her seriously.

[jwirr]

19. I admire her very much but I have always wanted her to stay in Congress (like Ted Kennedy did)

because she is a leader in economics and I do not see anyone else who can use their power to correct our mess. I would assume that giving her a leadership appointment in the appropriate committee would only increase her power.

We need real leadership in Congress to help President Obama. I just pitty her that it is when we do not have control. Good luck Elizabeth. We need your help now more than ever.

[belzabubba333]

20. cause he knows we're pushing to get rid if him