Posted on 08/03/2006 12:24:22 AM PDT by peggybac
Rep. Charles Rangel, a senior Democrat in Congress and the dean of New York's congressional delegation, said Wednesday he'll retire if the Democrats don't retake control of the House this year.
"I'm a poker player and I've had good hands all night long. This is all in," Rangel said in an interview. "I would not put everything on the table if I thought for one minute we would lose."
Rangel, ranking Democrat on the House Ways & Means Committee, is 76 years old and has spent 35 years in Congress. The Democrats need to gain 15 seats in the 2006 midterm election to retake control of the House _ a victory that would return Rangel to the chairmanship of the powerful committee.
"Hell, if we don't take back the House, then the Democrats would go down in history, saying that there's no group in the world that can grab defeat from the jaws of victory," Rangel said in an interview Wednesday. "It just seems like America is so frustrated and fed up like I am and if she's not, then I may have to say maybe it's me."
The Washington Post reported in Wednesday's editions that Rangel would leave Congress if the GOP retained control of the House. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said she was with Rangel at a Harlem church on Sunday, and he never mentioned the possibility of leaving Congress.
"That was news to me," said Pelosi. "We're counting on winning, and we're working very hard in that regard. And when we do, he'll make a great chair of the Ways & Means Committee."
Bye Bye Rangel
Sounds like a twofer to me....maybe even a threefer.
Semper Fi
I would say this is good news, but I'll bet it's like all those liberals who had promised to move to another country if Bush won. They are all still here, tragically.
They are frustrated at you Charlie.
This is Rangel seeing the writing on the wall and going "it ain't worth another 2 years out of power."
Charlie, you've been called.
Crossing my fingers this is true, and hoping he's not going to pull a Baldwin!
Correcto.
There are some spookie scenarios with a Dim house takeover. That is the main reason they will lose.
Chuckie Wrangle - Ways and Means Chairman
Pelosi - Speaker
Conyers?
Who else?
yitbos
Maybe the democrats should unite behind him. They all should retire if they lose!
The Dems will NOT gain the majority and Charlie will NOT retire.
Bookmarking. Gonna need this in a few months.
Nancy, you mean he would come back as a chair? Like a chair that everyone sits their butt on?
Pigs will fly over the Empire State Building before Charlie Rangel voluntarily leaves Congress.
Rangel is:
1) A Democrat
2) A liar
Don't expect him to keep his word.
If Statement 1 is true, then Statement 2 is redundant.
Why wait, Chuck?
Charlie Rangel suffers delusions of signifigance.
Pelosi and Rangel = vinegar and oil.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.