So the GOP won’t have Harry Reid to crap on after 2016. Well, Reid is an older guy, and he almost lost an eye falling off an exercise-cycle recently, so you can hardly blame him for wanting to retire to whatever godforsaken tumbleweed farm he hails from.
But this is truly the end of an era. Reid could be frustratingly cautious at times and combative when warranted. Overall, Reid played the shitty hand he was dealt pretty well. It can’t have been easy playing opposition leader to a pack of rabid psychopaths.
He was fortunate to win his last election and almost surely would have lost had the GOP not nominated a drooling loon (the “chickens for checkups” lady was the SANE one in that primary) to oppose him. What are the chances the Dems can hold his seat?
The article linked above says Chuck Schumer is Reid’s most likely successor. That sucks. Schumer is way too cozy with Wall Street, and he’ll make a shitty standard-bearer if the Dems focus on income inequality in 2016, which they absolutely must.
Thoughts?
[H/T: Valued commenters Raven and Mustang Bobby]
Bobby Thomson
I’m starting to get very pessimistic about the Senate.
max
Thoughts?
This sucks.
max
[‘We need Harry.’]
msdc
I would say the Dems’ chances of holding that seat are much better in a presidential election year, but somehow we managed to fuck that one up in 2012.
JMG
Durbin is second in command, and the Senate tends to follow protocol in such matters. Way too early to worry about Senate control. That’s up to HRC and whomever the Republicans nominate.
shortstop
Durbin would be far better than Schumer.
Sherparick
I will look forward to hearing about possible candidates in Nevada. The current Republican Governor had been popular, but going along with the Tea Party agenda of current loony tune legislature may be an example of people of Nevada electing the Government of their choice giving them those Tea Party policies good and hard. Lots of middling and less people in Nevada meet the classic definition of “low engagement” voters and this really hurt in the last (2014) election.
Schumer unfortunately will be careful to protect Wall Street (New York City’s biggest industry after all) and unfortunately will be loathed to see any difference between the United States and Israel regarding on foreign policy issues in the Middle East.
debbie
Between this and connecting Karl Rove to Grover Norquist and the Muslim Brotherhood, Glenn Beck will be positively orgasmic this morning.
JPL
It’s Cliven Bundy’s chance to make a name for himself. Run Cliven run.
Baud
@msdc:
What are you talking about? 2012 was a good year for us.
Tom
I’m a constituent of Schumer. I’ve been to Dem fund raisers where Chuck tells jokes but never talks policy. Wall Street is high on his list of concerns, so he wouldn’t be popular here.
Nonetheless, I was shocked this week to receive —
Yes, shocking. But they do change when circumstances change.
richard mayhew
I think it depends on the candidate. If Sandoval, the Republican governor gets in, then it is a lean GOP seat. However, the thing that we have to remember about 2016 is that it is a Presidential electorate in a state that is becoming increasing blue (about 2% more Democratic than the nation in 2008/2012), so if there is neutral candidate quality, the state, in a Presidential year should slightly favor a Democrat.
Culture of Truth
Clinton is closer to Schumer. I’m pessimisstic about Nevada, but the GOP has a deep bench of crazy to choose from there.
Schlemazel
Schumer? Please kill me.
I understand I am not an optimist but I keep slogging along thinking this can’t go on much longer but JAY-Zeus, if this is the face of the Democratic party we are fucked for another generation.
I think I should start a business building guillotines – that could be a growth industry if we stay on this path
EDIT: @Tom:
ok, thats encouraging at least but actions will speak louder
Omnes Omnibus
@Schlemazel: The Senate Majority/Minority Leader isn’t meant to be the face of the Democratic party. It is a job for a vote counter/arm twister type.
Yossarian
I always liked Reid, but there’s something to be said for the Majority Leader going to someone who really doesn’t have to worry about razor thin reelection battles — so from that perspective, either Schumer or (preferably) Durbin would be a good choice.
Betty Cracker
@Yossarian: Great point.
raven
He says it has nothing to do with his injury.
Schlemazel
@Omnes Omnibus:
So Ried is never dragged out by the GOP as a scarecrow? I know they have a “better” one in the tall dark stranger in the White House right now, but Harry and Nancy are made to represent the Dems when convenient. As noted in the original post Chuck can be tied to the people benefitting from GOP policies to the benefit of the GOP better than others. Most people in DC a while can be tied at some level but Schumer more so
In order to win back the white middle-class we are going to have to break with the DLC and Schumer is the wrong way I think
Schlemazel
@Yossarian:
In the old, polite, days both parties had a “gentlemen’s agreement” not to target each others leaders. This ended when the GOP went after Daschle in SoDak. It used to be a positive to have a leader in a marginal place like SD or NV but you are right. We probably need someone from a solid safe seat butt there is a down side to that as we can’t unload them either probably if the need arose.
debbie
Pity Reid didn’t double-dog dare McConnell to do the same thing.
MomSense
@Omnes Omnibus:
I think the job becomes whatever the person holding it decides. I do think that George Mitchell became the face of the Democratic party especially as Iran Contra was heating up and more of the public became aware of Reagan’s cognitive difficulties. He put a calming, competent, and honest face forward which was a bonus.
Omnes Omnibus
@Schlemazel: The GOP will turn any Dem into a boogieman for their own purposes. Dems shouldn’t worry about that. They should elect the person who will do the best job of vote counting and arm twisting. And, if that happens to be Schumer, I am fine with it. Fuck giving GOP scare tactics a vote in the Senate Democratic Caucus.
Belafon
To win back the white middle class you’ll have to do a lot of going after minorities. These people still think you’re going after their guns.
Rekster
I like me some Patty Murray please!
Schlemazel
@Omnes Omnibus:
I understand your point and don’t disagree.
So then we are left with “will he push liberal policies or will he carry water for the monied interests?”
The Gray Adder
@Tom: Maybe that’s because his base is in New York City.
MomSense
@Omnes Omnibus:
Durbin is definitely more of the workhorse. Schumer is the epitome of showhorse. Now if he were offered a reality tv show about vote counting and arm twisting then I’m sure he could be persuaded to take on that personality.
msdc
@Baud: Not in Nevada, where we lost a quasi-open seat (recently vacated by a scandal-plagued Republican) even though Obama won the state by nearly 7%.
Betty Cracker
@Omnes Omnibus:
That’s an excellent point as well. Reid is a soft-spoken, elderly Mormon, and the GOP acts as if he’s the love-child of Satan and Karl Marx. They’ll demonize whomever takes on that role.
MomSense
@Betty Cracker:
That sounds like the perfect description of Putin but the GOP love him.
Hmmmmm.
ThresherK
@Schlemazel: I remember when Tom Daschle was the oogedy-boodgedy figure. Fortunately he is not in the Senate any longer so we were spared another 6 years of the terror of Foxfkers chanting “SouthDakotaValues”.
shortstop
@MomSense: This.
Keith G
First of all, congratulations Harry. You have been and are an able public servant. I hope you get to enjoy as long a retirement as possible in good health. Please go write a detailed memoir. I would buy it.
As far as what this implies for the future of the Democrats in the Senate, I’m not sure anybody can say. I would like to see a discussion here sometime about what is the future of political parties in our society.
Germy Shoemangler
@Omnes Omnibus: True. Remember what they say about the mild-mannered business-friendly centrist President Obama. They talk about him like he’s Fidel Castro.
Speaking of Cuba…
Just saw this. Photo of Ted Cruz in 1994, cigar-smoking hipster Harvard student:
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/03/throwbackthursday-ted-cruz-bush-supporter-thespian-closet-liberal/
Omnes Omnibus
@MomSense: I am not really concerned about the person’s style – only his/her effectiveness. I think that either Durbin or Schumer would be able to do the job. My only real point above was that worrying about GOP lines of attack against whoever Reid’s successor might be is counterproductive at best.
Redshift
Just to be clear, he didn’t fall off anything, he was injured when an elastic exercise band snapped and hit him in the eye. It really was a freak accident, not an “old person” thing.
(I’ve used those exercise bands before, and I have several I need to throw away, since they’re old enough to be in danger of doing the same thing.)
MomSense
@Omnes Omnibus:
I guess I would say that your description of arm twister and vote counter is the job description of the whips (both majority and minority). Durbin is really good at it.
Steve
Can’t he just leave now?
shortstop
@Keith G:
Hmmm, I recall seeing and participating in that very topic here on multiple occasions.
Betty Cracker
@Redshift: Damn, really? Poor Harry!
Yatsuno
And suddenly the computer wants to work normally. Huh.
Harry decided to go be a grandpa. I wish him well. And maybe he has someone back home in mind to throw his weight behind.
shortstop
@Redshift: @Betty Cracker: The same thing happened to me, but the (temporarily) injured part was a boob, not an EYE. The poor guy.
Yatsuno
@MomSense: Nothing personal, but so is Patty. Plus her seat is as safe as they get.
MomSense
@Yatsuno:
I would love Patty to be the Dems leader in the Senate. Perfect choice. Durbin is a great whip and I don’t think Schumer would be a good choice at all.
shortstop
@MomSense: I’m not actually stalking you despite appearances, but THIS again.
OzarkHillbilly
@MomSense: Please excuse my ignorance but I am not on a first name basis with all 100 US Senators. Patty who?
MomSense
@shortstop:
Ha!
Sorry about the boob injury, btw. I’m giving up those bands. Yikes.
shortstop
@OzarkHillbilly: Murray.
raven
@OzarkHillbilly: Murray.
MomSense
@OzarkHillbilly:
Murray!
shortstop
@MomSense: You just have to replace them before they lose their elasticity.
What?! I’m talking about the BANDS.
MomSense
@shortstop: @raven:
All together now.
MomSense
@shortstop:
Of course you are.
HAHAHA!
shortstop
I have a male friend who was astounded that I can, at any time, name all the women in the Senate. Only a guy (but certainly not all guys) would think that was somehow remarkable.
ETA: Among politically interested/engaged people, I mean.
OzarkHillbilly
@shortstop: @raven: @MomSense:
Thankyou, and Thankyou and THANKYOU!!! ;-)
Violet
I’m sad he’s not running for re-election but I understand why.
Betty Cracker
@shortstop: Crossing “buy exercise bands” off the to-do list…
debbie
@Yatsuno:
Boy, give her the job and get Nancy back her gavel. How many heads would explode?!?
Omnes Omnibus
@MomSense: That is true. I may be basing my view of the job a little too much on LBJ.
mai naem mobile
I really like Reid.I think he’s underappreciated. Pity he couldn’t hang on for one more term when the demographic changes really kicked in for the Dems. Glad it’s Durbin and not Schumer.
MomSense
@debbie:
All the right heads if you know what I mean.
debbie
@MomSense:
Oh, I do!
debbie
@mai naem mobile:
He’s very unappreciated, but he’s demonstrated you don’t need to be loud, red-faced, and bombastic to win a junkyard fight.
Tree With Water
If memory serves, Shumer supported the Bush-Cheney war. Forget that he’s the senator from Wall Street, which is bad enough. His judgement stinks. The democratic rank and file should deny anyone a leadership role who supported the unleashing of the Iraq War.
feebog
I predicted this in a thread the other day. Dens will need to step up their game to hold this seat.
Keith G
@shortstop: Hmmm. Maybe so.
Political parties as we now conceive of them in the US are a nineteenth-century construct that, although changed a bit for modernity seem woefully inadequate for dealing with the political realities that have evolved in this society. While the concept is convenient, the execution seems to be becoming more and more impractical. YMMV….as always.
shortstop
@Keith G: Could not agree more. The big question, as always, is how to effect meaningful change.
Renie
@Tom: Are you saying you got that from Schumer?
Waldo
Goodbye, Mr. Chips.
fuckwit
Please FSM no Schumer!
Not only is he a douchebag, a media addict, a hothead, and totally in the pocket of Wall Street, but I’ve come to believe that the right person to lead the Senate Dems is someone from a purple rectangular western state. This is due to the nature of the Senate to be biased towards rural states.
The political issues most Senators face are far different from the ones that a Senator from New York faces.
Reid pissed me off until I understood how crafty and shrewd– and tough– he was. Will miss him indeed.
Turgidson
@msdc:
Eh, Heller was popular and plays a good moderate on TV (even though he’s hardly that), and Shelly Berkley was not a great candidate. She underperformed Obama by like 90k votes in a small state, if I remember correctly (and still only lost by a few thousand votes). A more interesting Democratic candidate should be able to do better than that.
A better candidate with Hillary at the top of the ticket (and not Mittens at the top, mobilizing the Mormon vote to unprecedented levels) and, hopefully, Reid’s battle-tested and effective campaign brawlers running the turnout operation can win the seat if Sandoval isn’t the GOP candidate. It will be close and nasty, though. And if Sandoval is the GOP candidate, forget it. Guy is made of teflon.
WaterGirl
@fuckwit: I think you need someone whose seat is secure, and a purple state does not seem to be a place where you will find that.