Posted on 05/16/2006 3:27:58 PM PDT by ncountylee
WASHINGTON (AP) — The best-known members of Congress aren't necessarily the most powerful. The Democrats' last presidential candidate, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, for example, is ranked 61st in terms of clout among the Senate's 100 members, according to a new analysis.
A much junior colleague and likely competitor for the party's White House nomination in 2008, New York Sen. and former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, ranks 41st.
Both are well behind lesser-known Republican Reps. Jerry Lewis of California and Don Young of Alaska, respectively chairmen of the House Appropriations and Transportation committees and listed as the third and fourth most powerful House members.
The survey, which ranks every member of Congress based on very Washington wonk criteria — committee and leadership positions, political influence and legislative activity — puts Republican John McCain of Arizona as the third most powerful senator.
Ahead of him are Majority Leader Bill Frist, who's vying with McCain for the GOP presidential nomination in 2008, followed by Pennsylvania's Arlen Specter, the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The only Democrat to make the top 10 Senate list was Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, who placed fifth.
Among others with possible presidential aspirations, Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania was 12th, Joe Biden, D-Del., was 28th, George Allen, R-Va., was 42nd, Russ Feingold, D-Wis., was 82nd, and Evan Bayh, D-Ind., was 89th.
(Excerpt) Read more at syracuse.com ...
I found this very interesting with some surprises.
Hey Laaaaaaaaaaady!
Sorry.
re: Kerry
He has always been a lightweight in the Senate, far from influential and never sponsoring any significant legislation. Of course, with the Demagogues it's actually a good thing when they are so inconsequential, otherwise they'd be busy saddling us all with even more new programs and higher taxes, etc.
I remember well before he came out of nowhere to win the Democratic nomination as Howie Dean screamed and collapsed. Before Jan. - Feb. 2004 Kerry was considered an also-ran for the presidential nomination, in part because he was such a weak senator. Then, once the MSM and the Demagogues realized their alternatives were even worse, they turned him into some weighty statesman (in their eyes).
Oh, dear Lord. That shows where the problem is.
That's an awesome pic!
"D'aahhhh I'd just like to reserve the balance of my time so I can do an interpretive dance about immigration and talk about LAAAAYYYYY-DEEEES guffaw guffaw!"
Can anyone get the full list?
www.congress.org/congressorg/power_rankings/index.tt
Senate Top 10: Name Score Rank Sen. Frist (R-TN) 96.75 1 Sen. Specter (R-PA) 82.31 2 Sen. McCain (R-AZ) 80.94 3 Sen. Grassley (R-IA) 78.50 4 Sen. Reid (D-NV) 71.06 5 Sen. Domenici (R-NM) 69.25 6 Sen. McConnell (R-KY) 64.56 7 Sen. Stevens (R-AK) 61.56 8 Sen. Hatch (R-UT) 56.75 9 Sen. Cochran (R-MS) 54.57 10 House Top 10: Name Score Rank Rep. Hastert (R-IL-14) 97.25 1 Rep. DeLay (R-TX-22) 63.50 2 Rep. Lewis (R-CA-41) 60.57 3 Rep. Young (R-AK-AL) 55.00 4 Rep. Sensenbrenner (R-WI-5) 48.00 5 Rep. Barton (R-TX-6) 45.56 6 Rep. Thomas (R-CA-22) 42.13 7 Rep. Pelosi (D-CA-8) 41.89 8 Rep. Obey (D-WI-7) 40.00 9 Rep. Regula (R-OH-16) 38.38 10
And let keep the Dems out of the top ten for as LONG as possible too.
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