As Reid Falters, Schumer Subtly Stands in the Wings

[onehandle]

Source: New York Times

WASHINGTON — Senator Charles E. Schumer shipped $500,000 to Nevada in recent weeks to help Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader and Mr. Schumer’s political patron and close friend, as he fights for his political life.

At the same time Mr. Schumer, a New York Democrat, made out a smaller check, for $20,000, to the Democratic Party in Vermont, where the gift earned him the good will of Senator Patrick J. Leahy, even though Mr. Leahy is not believed to be in any serious re-election jeopardy. “Senator Leahy takes no election for granted and is grateful for Senator Schumer’s support,” said Carolyn Dwyer, campaign manager for Mr. Leahy.

The two donations underscore the excruciatingly delicate position Mr. Schumer finds himself in these days. He is doing everything he can to help his friend Mr. Reid fend off a challenge from the Tea Party candidate Sharron Angle and prevent the embarrassing ouster of the party leader. Yet given his own deep political ambitions and drive, Mr. Schumer is also very carefully laying the groundwork to move on a moment’s notice to try to secure the top Democratic job if Mr. Reid is defeated on Tuesday.

The situation for Mr. Schumer is further complicated by the fact that his partner in the Senate leadership and Capitol Hill housemate, Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, is also positioning himself in the underground campaign to replace Mr. Reid, though both men have made it clear they would greatly prefer that Mr. Reid return. The senators and their aides declined to comment for this article.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/29/us/politics/29schumer.html

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Senator Sharon Angle. God help us.

[depakid]

1. Durbin would be far preferable to Schumer, based on their records

Schumer would only further confirm that "they own the place."

[Freddie Stubbs]

22. Records? Schumer votes with the Democratic Caucus more often than Durbin does:

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/111/senate/party-voters/

[depakid]

28. Schumer however has been a driving force behind much of the financial legislation

going WAY back to Garn St. Germain (the root of the S&L debacle).

And he's still at it, having blocked Merckly & Levin's attempt to include the Volker Rule (speculating on risky deals with depositor's money).

[Zen Democrat]

2. I hear that Schumer would have the upper hand because he's donated to so many senators.

And when he was head of the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee he bought a lot of allegiance for just such a leadership vote.

[molly77]

3. Kind of like Rahm Emmanuel

I don't like Reid or Schumer. They are what is wrong with the democratic party...among other things.

[saigon68]

27. ah Chuckie Scummer

Yes he's really loved in this area. Another savant from N. Y.

Just wait until Tuesday--- when you see what is going to happen in my "Blue State"

[Roland99]

4. Senate Leader Franken. House Speaker Grayson.

[Dr.Phool]

5. Now there's a team I could support.

Reid ---->Schumer
Bad------>Worse

[pattmarty]

7. Not gonna happen. First and foremost both are too "new" in their jobs..................

...............second, Franken would be considered too liberal and Grayson would be considered too much of a trouble maker AND too liberal. Remember that as of now there are probably ONLY 20 Senators that you could really consider liberal and MAYBE 100 in the House. After the election this will obviously change. One liberal that is in trouble now is Russ Feingold.

[Roland99]

8. That's EXACTLY why they need to be in those positions

Get some people to tell the establishment where it can get off

[JDPriestly]

17. Grayson would really get things done.

And being the leader, having the responsibility, would give him new, challenging problems to deal with. He would still be as effective as an analyst and communicator, but his analytical and communication skills would support other Democrats.

I think Grayson would be a great choice as Speaker. He has a wonderful sense of humor and respect for people. He would be stronger than Pelosi. And I don't think he is at all as dogmatic as his rhetoric might lead us to believe at times. He communicates strength, but his views are really pretty mainstream.

Also -- and this is important. He would be third in line for the presidency and practically a life insurance policy for the president and vice president. That is really important to someone like me who lived through the JFK era.

The successors to the president should always be less attractive to the opposing party than the president. That is the strategy for insuring the safety and well being of the president.

[pattmarty]

18. I am not arguing the point, but as of right now Grayson and Franken.........

......don't have ANY chance of getting into the leadership. Maybe down the road if more liberals are elected (a BIG if, in my opinion), but at this time it ain't gonna happen. Look at the leadership now in BOTH Houses. Shit, look at the leadership in the White House. What we needed was another FDR, what we got is another Bill Clinton (or another Jimmy Carter). The "right" has people willing to stand up for their crazy shit, what the fuck do we have?

[JDPriestly]

21. I know that you are right, but, if it were possible, Grayson would

do a great job and probably bring opposing sides together quite effectively. I would bet that he has negotiated many a settlement and brought many a client and many an opponent to a reasonable compromise in his legal work.

People misunderstand who he is. He is first and foremost dedicated to educating the public on the issues. He is one of the few politicians who knows how to catch the attention of the voters and change their minds a wee bit, just a tad.

[pattmarty]

23. I agree.

[dmr]

30. Agree, & if we couldn't get Grayson, I'd take Anthony Weiner!

:hi:

Ah ... to dream ....

[Renew Deal]

6. Schumer and Durbin are also close friends and roomates.

Hopefully Reid is re-elected and we get a new majority leader anyway.

[davidwparker]

12. the #1 is that Reid is not majority leader. I will take that

any way I can get it.

[Renew Deal]

14. So you would prefer Sharon Angle to Reid if that's the only way to change leaders?

That's idiotic and insane.

[dmosh42]

9. With the exception of maybe 2 or 3 Dem senators...

the rest are corporation lackies without any initiative to make any bold moves. So, whoever replaces Reid will only be slightly better than any Republican, but won't be a leader for historic legislation. The very best is Bernie Sanders from Vermont, and being an Independent, won't be considered for Majority leader.

[Unvanguard]

10. There are legitimate issues with Schumer, but one good feature he has

is that he is from a strongly Democratic state, so will not be under pressure to moderate to soothe voters back home.

The House has the right idea, with a Speaker elected from a city where Obama got 84% of the vote...

[Nite Owl]

11. And Schumer would not be afraid to

take on the GOP, Durbin could be another Reid, not forceful enough to be leader.
He has problems but he is a good Senator and always has my vote.

[pattmarty]

19. Yeah, Shumer will surely take on Wall st.

:sarcasm:

[Nite Owl]

24. To a point he will

it is NY and finance is like oil or coal to us here. So much can be done, and it won't be anything drastic anyway with the WH and Congress both in their pocket. He will be better in pushing a more progressive agenda than Reid was and Durbin will be much like Reid. Personally I'd like Feingold but we don't even know if he will make it through Tuesday :(

[pattmarty]

25. Durbin was my Senator when I lived in Il more than 10 yrs ago AND............

.......he was good then as he is now. I have seen too many political bullshit things about Shumer over the last 10 yrs that have me saying "I don't think so". You seem to forget that he IS a NY Senator and Wall st IS IN NY.

[Nite Owl]

26. I'm a NYer too and can understand

how much Wall St affects the economy of our state. He's a good Senator and will go to bat for his constituents.

[davidwparker]

13. my thing with Pelosi was impeachment. The house *did*

move legislation. It just died in Reid's senate.

[Kelvin Mace]

15. Schumer's not likely to be any better

The fact that Reid may lose to a complete batshit crazy should be a major RED FLAG that his political strategies are fatally flawed.

Reid was supposed to have been a boxer. He must have been the Stuart Smalley of boxers.

[Hawkowl]

16. Fuck Schumer

He'd be no better than Reid. We need a new strategy for Majority Leader. A strategy that doesn't involve the best support money can buy.

[Demeter]

20. Schumer couldn't do subtle if his life depended on it.

Looks like Schumer spin to me.

[Wilms]

29. D L C n/t

[Le Taz Hot]

31. Oh, goodie.

We get to trade one milquetoast "leader" for another. DD SBS

[JerseygirlCT]

32. How's about Reid returns, but gives either of them the job anyway?

He's not done a very good job of it.

[Doctor_J]

33. Too bad. I would hope for Boxer or Franken

schumer belongs to Wall Street and AIPAC