Posted on 11/29/2006 7:30:08 AM PST by George W. Bush
Dem win lands Schumer a whole new role
November 27, 2006
A staple Republican tactic for several years has been to get Chuck Schumer on television. His whiny New York accent exhaling liberal dogma was music to GOP ears. Yet, his omnipresence on TV since the midterm elections has not been cause for Republican jubilation.
That's because Schumer, for once, has not been talking -- just beaming. In every televised tableau of victorious Democrats, Schumer's smiling face has been positioned beside the next House speaker or Senate majority leader. He deserved the place of honor for his paramount role, as head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, in achieving a Senate majority that nobody expected.
Because of his soaring ambition, Schumer had been in danger of becoming a comic figure and the subject of a cliche: the most dangerous place to be in Washington or New York is caught between Schumer and a TV camera. But far from the attention hog or reflexive liberal he often has seemed in a 32-year legislative career, Schumer at the DSCC was a coolly pragmatic decision-maker. He far outdid his Republican counterpart, Sen. Elizabeth Dole, in fund-raising, recruitment and strategy.
After easily winning Senate re-election in 2004, Schumer considered a race for governor of New York as integral to his dream of becoming the nation's first Jewish president. But state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer stood in the way, and Schumer instead agreed to head the DSCC.
Of the three Senate election cycles, 2006 was easily the most hazardous for Democrats. Far from achieving the net gain of six seats needed to take control, Democrats were in danger of losing seats in Nebraska, Florida, West Virginia, Washington, Minnesota and North Dakota. Schumer, using his New York connections, raised $23 million from the metropolitan area alone. For the first time, the DSCC outraised the National Republican Senatorial Committee in both years of the election cycle. As of mid-October, the DSCC had outspent the NRSC, $94.6 million to $70 million.
Ending the old DSCC practice of sending money to safe incumbents, Schumer said to donors: "I've told Ted [Kennedy] and Hillary [Clinton] that they're getting nothing." He stressed fund-raising for Democratic senators from states carried by President Bush. Early war chests built by Senators Ben Nelson in Nebraska, Bill Nelson in Florida and Robert Byrd in West Virginia frightened off serious contenders.
While Dole was striking out in recruiting, Schumer successfully prevented the retirement of incumbent Democrats, which had led to many losses in 2004. He also displayed pragmatism in candidate selection. Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell told Schumer he would not want the best candidate against Republican Sen. Rick Santorum because state Treasurer Bob Casey Jr. was pro-life and pro-gun. "If he can win, I don't care," Schumer replied. He also took the unusual step in the Virginia primary of endorsing Jim Webb against liberal stalwart Harris Miller.
Fund-raising and recruitment have been traditional duties for DSCC chairmen, but Schumer also entered the realm of overall strategy. Here, too, he contradicted his image of the panting ideologue demanding a litmus test for judicial nominees. He pressed Democratic candidates not to flatly oppose extension of the Patriot Act, but to work for a bipartisan compromise. Earlier, he threatened to cut off funds to Democratic candidates if they crippled each other in bloody, negative primaries.
While Schumer takes credit for helping make the Tennessee Senate race competitive, the DSCC at the end pulled the plug on Democrat Harold Ford Jr. on grounds money could be used more effectively elsewhere. The endgame strategy of concentrating on Montana, Missouri and Virginia produced a Democratic majority.
While he agreed to continue heading the DSCC in the 2008 cycle, Schumer's role in his party's leadership was enhanced. Majority Leader Harry Reid (by tradition, chairman of the Democratic conference) created the new role of conference vice chairman for Schumer. He no longer is the GOP's favorite television personality.
May his whinyness, liberalness and arrogance not decline, but accelerate. Yes, let's see him push his liberal moonbat ideas some more on TV. Yes, we need his nutty eminence, like Charles Rangels, just so we never forget what the dems truly stand for.
BTW. Saw the Article on Don't Draft my Daughters in the American Spectator - Skewers Charlie but good. 4 LOL!
"....After easily winning Senate re-election in 2004..."
And WHO is to BLAME for this? Mmmm?
Blame the GOP for Giving UP on states like New York! and others!
One thing about the Dems-- They go after EVERY STATE!
EVERY VOTER! regaurdless of being RED or BLUE !!
The GOP and Rove GAVE UP !!
In marketing--a company advertisers NOT just in areas where there goods sell well--but in other areas JUST TO KEEP THEIR COMOANY BRAND and name IN the publics memory!
Dems KNOW this--Reps just LEARNED this--in a very hard way!
I am not too worried. Chuckie the Pig will be back to his old nasal-whining-liberal-bleating-gungrabbing-NewYawk self any day now. You can dress up a pig, but it's still a pig.
You can count on the MSM to push him into it. His behavior is just too slimy a video feed for them for them to pass up by egging him on.
The trouble with Politicians when they go to far to the right or to the left is that MSN may not let them "reposition" themselves as easily as the past. :)
He also looks a lot like Nostralitis Waxman. If that is not a pig look-alike I don't know what is.
As detestable and dispicable as Schumer is, he has been prety smart in his role as DSSC chairmen and especially when it comes to political strategy where he outclassed the Rove and the Republicansn this elections. He is dangerous, Republicans have to get smart and toughen up for the 08 elecions.
A moderate Republican in another forum around 6 months ao claimed Schumer was doing a hell of a job as DSSC chairman and set to deliver the senate to the Dems. I did not believe him then, but the results of Dems winning the senate shows this man is smart.
As slimy and machine oriented politician Schumer is , you know these types are one tough nut when it comes to politics and dangerous. Dems outclassed the Republicans on strategy, this is an area where Republicans use to do well. Republicans need to wisen up and sharpen their tactics.
They did NOTHING for Faso in New York. I won't send them a nickel more until they clean up their act. I'm sick of politicians.
Charles Schumer... Reminds one of a cross between a mob lawyer and a used car salesman, without the charm or fasion sense.
Mark
Schumer isn't smart, he's brilliant. He bet us every step of the line in 2006. And unless we come up with another plan, he's going to do so again in 2008. Schumer's going to be fielding strong challengers not just in expected states (think Minnesota, Colorado, New Hampshire), but believe it or not also in deep red territory like Mississippi, Idaho, Texas and South Carolina. We're probably going to lose seats in 2008 (we're defending twice as many seats as the Dems), but if Schumer does as well in fundraising and candidate recruitment in '08 as he did in '06, we could lose a lot.
Heh-heh.
Schumer is the very bunghole of a donkey's rear end.
Fundraising prowess probably only helps when your candidates aren't unpopular with voters.
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