Two More Years
The Democratic Senate leadership is going to be announced in a matter of minutes, and it's likely to be another good day for Chuck Schumer. Schumer told me last week that he would "likely" accept Harry Reid's request that he stay on as chair of the committee to elect Senate Democrats through 2008.
--Jason Horowitz
UPDATE: It's done. Schumer is now the Vice-Chair of the Democratic Conference -- the third-highest ranking Democrat in the U.S. Senate -- and still head of the DSCC.
Here's part of his statement:
"As a member of the new Democratic leadership, I will have a voice in our policy decisions, our legislative priorities, and the direction of our party. We must make sure the middle class has a strong voice in Washington and there are some very concrete things we can get done for them right away, like restoring the $4,000 college tuition tax credit, and allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices."
Schumer was also promoted to Chair of the Joint House-Senate Economic Committee (JEC).
Does this mean we get more or fewer Sunday press conferences? I'm thinking more.
Schumer has close ties with Lieberman. He said Lieberman is - the conscious of the senate - during a campaign in which Lieberman took a senate seat from a Democrat. Their loyalty to the DP is questionable. We know the Independent Lieberman is for the war, Schumer, does not say much about it, which leads me to believe he is for it. Schumers rise should be worrisome to Democrats who are looking sooner that later way out of the Iraq.
Thank you. Please remember to exit stage left now -- the Friends Service Committee meeting is over there, just a few more steps down the pier...
Oh, cmmon, 6:45; Hillary has been as much for the war as Lieberman (they both criticize only its "execution") and yet you don't question her loyalty to the DP. And Schmumer was much more critical from the get-go, and yet you question his DP loyalty because of his "friendship" with Lieberman (whom he did not support over Lamont_? Isn't this guilt by association?
Sorry, I meant 4:49. And by the way, I am not completely for Schumer either. I would like to see if he - in the interest of protecting the middle class - is willing to take on the banking industry and reopen that onerous Bankruptcy Code.