can we all agree? Senate minority leader from SAFE STATE?

[PretzelWarrior]

none of this bullshit about some moderate from Montana that's gonna get picked off in his next election. I want someone like Clinton or Kerry or Kennedy or anyone who's gonna win their seat in a landslide no matter how many times they offend or piss off the chimp.

[seraph]

1. Need to look in North East or Left Coast. (nt)

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. A safe seat AND

a strong voice for liberal causes-we must define ourselves, and our social/moral conscience.

[PurityOfEssence]

3. Absolutely. How do you feel about Chris Dodd?

We can't have someone who's always looking over his/her shoulder; we need someone who can stand up to the onslaught that's coming.

Junior's already said that he's moving aggressively on his agenda, so that should sober us all up in a hurry.

[seraph]

8. I think Chris Dodd is a great choice. (nt)

[eriffle]

4. Robert C. Byrd

He's done it before, bring him back and let him kick ass!

[Hippo_Tron]

7. He's also against gay marriage and he's also very old...

I like him, but he's a no go.

[TahitiNut]

23. You couldn't find a more conservative Democrat than Byrd.

(Notice that I didn't say neoconservative before anyone breaks a blood vessel.)

[eriffle]

28. read his book, losing america

I will be happy to loan it to you if you pay for postage. We lost the moral issue debate. Sorry. Abortion is not going to be outlawed. Roe v. Wade may be overturned, but then it would be up to the states to decide. They don't have the votes to get a constitutional amendment banning abortion in the senate, house, or in the state legislatures. Back to Byrd, we need to work on getting people to vote their own interest. Byrd would be a strong voice for the middle class and the poor. Just because Byrd is personally conservative, he is a constitutional stickler and won't let anything jepordize it without a fight.

[Bjornsdotter]

5. Durbin or Feingold n/t

[MoonAndSun]

6. Absolutely, we need someone who is not looking over their

shoulder and not being afraid to speak truth to power. Definitely need someone from a safe blue state.

I'm not sure about Kerry, how much of a megaphone would he have since he is now considered a loser. Hillary would attract a lot of attention, but she is such a lightening rod for the rightwing wackos and the media.

What about Boxer? She seems safe in California.

[Art_from_Ark]

19. From a "safe blue state"

It is ironic that Arkansas, in the middle of that ugly sea of red, re-elected its senior Senator by a wide margin, thus maintaining its record of having had only one repub Senator since Reconstruction-- and a one-termer at that.

How many other states can make that claim?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

9. Agreed. No more Daschles. Seconded and carried by unanimous voice vote.

Next topic. Heh.

[Blasphemer]

10. YES - please

It never made any sense to have someone from a heavily red state who was constantly "watching his back". It serves no purpose. I don't know who the best choice is but there are certainly enough options from safe states that we don't have to make the Daschle mistake again.

[Hippo_Tron]

11. Durbin is the best guy for the job...

Unless he wants to seek national office.

[fairfaxvadem]

12. Look to Illinois...Durbin

With Obama as the jr. senator, Illinois covers it for us. Mid-West, Solid Dem with blue collar creds and blue collar neighbors, some are blue and some are red, with Chicago as the money/urban center, and had the sense to elect that "tall, skinny kid".

Durbin has the right persona, good speaker for Dems. Safe seat, and Obama is the future.

No California (and it's my home state), no NY, no Mass. Not right now.

Time to rethink everything.

[PretzelWarrior]

13. I like your thinking. BTW. what does a Senate Minority Leader do?

?

[fairfaxvadem]

16. He is "supposed" to be the leader of the opposition.

As majority leader, they set the agenda for what gets on the Senate floor, basically controls what gets discussed.

As minority leader, you play chess and look to "checkmate" every chance you can. Think "supreme court", as a good example.

They still don't have 60 seats. We can stick our feet out and still trip them up when we need to.

But you have to want to play hardball and do end-runs with these guys, so you need someone who can really focus and plan for that.

Daschle either couldn't or wouldn't. I've never been able to tell.

[cali]

14. Let's Get This Straight:

It's a done deal. Harry Reid of Nevada is going to be the next Minority Leader. Chris Dodd was on CNN and said he wasn't goig for it, and that Reid is likely the next ML. We've been screwed again: An anti-choice Senator, "who works well with the republicans"

[seraph]

15. I can't believe the DNC is buying into this

reach across the aisle shit.

[yardwork]

25. Republicans don't play well with others

It's pointless to try.

Kerry needed to have a lot more support on the Senate and House floor decrying the lies that bushco put out daily.

We need a Senate Minority Leader from a safe state. The DNC needs to do this.

[The Backlash Cometh]

17. Amen

[ObaMania]

18. After last night...

there are no safe states. You think '00 and '04 was a bone-job? Just wait to see what these whacks do in '08.

[PretzelWarrior]

20. Well, until then...I think there are some reliably BLUE states:

NY, MASS, CONN, RI, IL, CA.

[TahitiNut]

21. I see no reason Kerry shouldn't be Minority Leader of the Senate.

As an independent (dedicated) non-partisan, it disappoints me to see Democrats beating around the Bush and running away from their candidate before the final tabulations are even made, as though he contracted Instant Leprosy. If that's the kind of support partisans give someone who lost to a tremendoulsy inferior candidate with a no-holds-barred campaign that's been running Full Steam since September 11, 2001, then the Democrats deserve the demise of this nation along with the Reichbots.

[PretzelWarrior]

27. whatever. he conceded. public relations-wise...he has no option

involving some version of counts and recounts, etc. What part of "IT's OVER" don't you understand?

This thing really is done. NOt because we wouldn't figh if we could...but because they aren't contesting anything anymore.

Having said that, if Kerry wants the job of Sen Minority Leader, it is no problem with me. It would be interesting to see him HEAD to HEAD with BUsh and Frist on divisive issues.

[TahitiNut]

29. Perhaps you inferred something I didn't imply, giving rise to a rant.

Nowhere did I suggest contesting the election. When I refer to "beating around the Bush" (notice the capitalization?) and "running away," I'm referring to the castigation of Kerry, the "blame game," and the avoidance of mention of his name as a logical choice for Senate Minority Leader. Is it somehow assumed that someone who received more votes than any Democratic Presidential candidate in history is somehow not qualified for the position?

[PretzelWarrior]

31. no....I just didn't mention him because he may have other aspirations

than presiding over the upcoming clusterfuck in the senate.

[pstokely]

22. well Reid won't be up again until 2010

nt

[yardwork]

24. Oh yes! Daschle (bless his heart) was no help at all.

[angee_is_mad]

26. makes sense

to me. Someone who's able to work for what is best for the party and not be afraid of retribution from the pukes.

[gardenista]

30. Kerry. nt

[ibegurpard]

32. I would definitely agree with that

but it looks like they're going to go with Reid. I have nothing against Reid, too conservative for me, but, again, how effective can he be if his seat is always in danger?

[Quetzal]

33. Here is my list

of potential Senate Minority Leaders

Feingold (Wisconsin) - Hell, even the Bush voters in Wisconsin love him.

Boxer (California) - Just beat the shit out of Bill Jones

Durbin (Illinois) - Liberal and very knowledgable on many issues

Clinton doesn't seem like a good choice to me.

[meow mix]

34. barbara boxer =)

they hate her lots, and shes safest in existance i bet =p