what do you think of Senator Carl Levin ?

[JI7]

<His early opposition to a unilateral U.S. war in Iraq and his military expertise have sparked speculation that he could be a wild card vice presidential pick by Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry or, if Kerry wins, be tapped to be defense secretary.


A knee injury from a motorcycle accident plus a college deferment kept Levin out of the military during the Korean War era. Levin traces what might seem an unlikely focus on national defense on arriving to Washington to wanting “to make a contribution in that area because I hadn’t been in the military.”

Jimmy Carter was in the White House, the Democratic Party had come to be viewed as anti-military in the wake of the Vietnam conflict and the Cold War pitted two heavily armed adversaries against each other.

Against that backdrop, the liberal Levin says he felt he could draw on his boyhood interest in world affairs to make a mark for himself as a different kind of Democrat.

“I thought the stereotype about Democrats being soft on defense or unaware of security issues was one that needed to be broken,” says Levin, who rose to be chairman of the Armed Services Committee from June 2001 to January 2003 and was appointed to the Select Intelligence Committee in 1997. “I didn’t feel Republicans should be seen as for security and Democrats aren’t, or that people who care about affordable housing or drug treatment programs couldn’t be as equally determined to find the right ways to secure our nation.”

Levin is seen as a workhorse whose intellect and dogged questions make him stand out even among the star power of the two most influential Senate committees on national defense. His flashier colleagues on Armed Services and the Intelligence committees include Republicans Warner, the ex-husband of actress Elizabeth Taylor, and former Vietnam prisoner-of-war John McCain, and Democratic icons Edward Kennedy and Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Rockefeller, great grandson of the oil billionaire.

In contrast, Levin drives a 1988 Oldsmobile, has a waistline that hints of his love of Snackwells chocolate chip cookies and, because of his efforts to disguise his thinning hair, found himself picked as having the worst hair of any member of Congress by a political Web site. >


http://www.detnews.com/2004/editorial/0406/06/a13-174464.htm

he certainly is qualified and knows his issues and he comes from a swing state with a democratic governor.

[Bozita]

1. He's my senator and I love his work

All senators and reps should be as diligent in their efforts.

[Abelman]

4. Yeah.

Also mine. A man I'm proud to have as senator.

[newyawker99]

8. Hi Abelman!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Ediacara]

2. He needs a haircut

But aside from that, I like him a lot.

[JNelson6563]

3. Levin rocks

and he was no wallflower during those dark days when votes were cast that allowed for our current situation.

Too bad so many of his Senate collegues wouldn't even support his IWR amendment that would have put some sort of power check on the usurper boy king.

He was brave and spoke up on the Senate floor. He came home to Michigan and spoke with his constituents very plainly about what was going on. He is utterly unpretentious, direct and plain spoken. I respect him greatly even when I disagree with him.

Julie

[5thGenDemocrat]

5. Yup

Both of Michigan's senators voted AGAINST the Iraq "war." As far as Levin goes, I've voted for him every time he's run and will vote for him next time, too.
John
It is now 12 days and 22 hours until FUNDAY. All Michiganians are once again encouraged to attend.

[Pathwalker]

6. Carl Levin is one of two great Senators from Michigan.

The comb-over aside,as well as his resemblence to Ben Franklin, he has been a stalwart defender of The Constitution, and a workhorse who has NOT gotten rich off his position. I admire him immensely.

[JNelson6563]

11. Indeed. I hosted brunch for Stabenow

in January. She made thousands. It was great.

Julie

[jpgray]

13. Yes. Plus, as the Daily Show notes, he is a kindly old shoemaker.

[Bombtrack]

7. We don't need any more hair jokes with Kerry already on the ticket

The guy makes James Traficant look like Jennifer Anniston. He has one bad doo.

He also has seniority in the senate as the ranking dem on Armed Services that we need at this crucial time.

[UrbScotty]

9. I love the man!

Michigan is so fortunate to have him. :D

[DrFunkenstein]

10. I Kinda Like The Ebenezer Scrooge Look...

[salonghorn70]

12. Talk of Running for President

It seems that after he was first elected, there was talk that he would run for President some day and that the Oval Office was his ambition. To the best of my knowledge, he never seriously considered a run. Anyone know why?

[ISUGRADIA]

16. Was that Levin or Riegle?

I cannot remember Levin ever being mentioned as someone who had a desire to be president in the books I have read. I may have missed something though.

His fellow Senator from 77 to 95, Don (?) Riegle had talked about and wanted to be President from his first days as a Congressman. Chances of that died with the Keating 5 (or was it 6?) scandal in the early 90s.

[salonghorn70]

18. Riegle

You know, now that you mention Riegle, I think that I was wrong. You are right, I think it was Riegle that I was thinking of.

[cyclezealot]

24. A former Michiganian here.

Yes, it was Riegle..Recall,Riegle was first a Republican from Flint..He split with Nixon over the VietNam war. Riegle wrote a book before becoming Senator...In it, he expressed interest in becoming president... What ever happend to Sen. Don Riegle..Had a great regard for him...Still involved in Michigan politics.
Michigan has a long line of wannabe presidents...
Romney, Riegle, G.Mennen Williams even had notions of it..Did he not set in motion an exploratory committee for prez.in 1960?

[Skinner]

14. One of the most decent and smart people in politics.

There's nothing flashy or slick about Carl Levin. He is an incredibly decent person who works his ass off and is smart as hell. His brother Sandy is the same way, but thinner and with more hair. :)

I worked on his campaign back in 1996, which is where I met my wife.

One of the highlights of my professional life was playing the role of his Republican opponent during debate practice. I got the job because I was his campaign research director, so I knew more than anyone else on the campaign about his record and his opponent's record. I was just a 25 year old kid, playing the hard-right-wing attack dog against a sitting senator. I couldn't believe it. I was nervous as hell, but it was a huge thrill. I even drew a little blood when I hit him with a zinger about health care reform.

[PVnRT]

15. Personally, I like him

But I don't think he would make a good VP pick. The GOP is already going to have a field day painting Kerry as some out-of-touch ivory tower New England liberal, the last thing they need to do is put another guy on the ticket who they can paint the same way.

[Hippo_Tron]

17. Problem is that we need good people like him in the senate...

And I have a feeling the Kerry campaign is convinced that they need a southerner.

[NWHarkness]

19. I'm a double Levin man!

Carl is my senator, Sandy is my congressman. I've worked for them both and will again.

[Bread and Circus]

20. I've met him....he has a HUGE comb-over !

hahahahaha!

It's amazing. Better than trump.

[mzmolly]

21. I Love Levin!

:hi:

[TexasSissy]

22. Don't know him.

[Upfront]

23. Great Man

He has done a great job for our nation, not just Michigan. He has my vote for anything he wants to run for.

[fujiyama]

25. Good guy

He'd make a great VP and would definetely cement MI.

However, I think we'll win MI anyways. Plus, we need guys like him in the senate.

[globalcitizen]

26. a mentsch

and a munchkin - I even like the combover!