Chuck, Hil losing pull in Senate

New York Daily News ^ | 11/17/02 | TIMOTHY J. BURGER

[kattracks]

WASHINGTON - The GOP's Senate takeover will freeze Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton out of power, testing the New York Democrats' political bridge-building skills in the clubby chamber.

With the defeat or retirement of colleagues, Schumer and Clinton will move up 10 rungs on the seniority ladder - but they'll become backbenchers.

With all Democrats booted from their committee chairmanships, Schumer loses a prized judiciary subcommittee chair which he used to hammer President Bush's judicial appointments. And there's a chance that Clinton, the state's junior senator, could be booted from a committee to make way for a Republican.

The Democrats will descend into the minority as soon as this week, when Senator-elect Jim Talent's victory in Missouri is expected to be certified.

That will give Republicans 50 of the 100 seats, with Vice President Cheney breaking the tie for the GOP. In January, Republicans will hold at least 51 seats.

Schumer and Clinton insisted the pain of the power shift will be softened by quirky Senate rules that give every senator key powers - and that the GOP's narrow majority will keep them relevant.

"Look, the bottom line is you'd rather not" relinquish power, Schumer conceded. "But fortunately, [in] the Senate, energy [and] hard work mean more than being in the majority."

"I don't think it'll change much at all," Clinton echoed. "The margin is still very tight and we have to build coalitions and relationships on both sides of the aisle to get anything done."

Said Sen. John Breaux (D-La.), a centrist deal maker: "Each senator has the ability to greatly influence legislation regardless of which party's in power."

Losing authority

Though it may happen, Clinton aides said it is highly unlikely she will lose her seat on one of her three committees.

This won't be known until party leaders renegotiate committee ratios following Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu's hotly contested Dec. 7 runoff in Louisiana.

However, Clinton will definitely lose the authority delegated by Democratic leaders to call hearings to scrutinize the Federal Emergency Management Agency's post-Sept. 11 aid to New York. Aides insisted Clinton's strong relationship with FEMA chief Joe Allbaugh will compensate.

Schumer, meanwhile, will immediately lose his leverage to attack - and sometimes kill - Bush's judicial nominations.

"We're going to have to pick our shots with judges," Schumer said. "I'm going to have to work hard to get some moderation on judges."

The switch is also virtually certain to postpone efforts by both senators to get better committee assignments.

Both say they've worked hard to bond with GOP colleagues, but not all Republicans in the chamber agree. One senator, who chose to remain anonymous, used an expletive to describe the New Yorkers' occasional behavior as they enjoyed the power of majority status.

"You can't get help if you don't give help or you're not considerate," the senator said.

But, said Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-Vt.) - whose jump from the GOP put Democrats in power last year - Schumer and Clinton are "both superb" at building bipartisan relationships.

[FairOpinion]

It just breaks my heart! LOL

[bayareablues]

I always have used expletives to describe Hillary Clinton's behavior.

[petuniasevan]

Err - preview is our friend... She...

[jerod]

When Rudy runs against Chuckster in 2004, New York will have a new GOP Senator.

When Pataki runs against Hitlery in 2006, they'll have 2 GOP Senators.

In both cases, the Republicans will retain control of the Senate, so NY will be well represented after 2004.

[Political Junkie Too]

...Schumer and Clinton will move up 10 rungs on the seniority ladder...

This whole seniority thing assumes that the voters will keep sending them back election after election. Senators have six year terms, so that's a long time between elections. I wonder, if the state legislature of New York got to choose the senators, who would they send?

-PJ

[PJ-Comix]

Will Hillary also lose her ultra-large Senate office?

[G.Mason]

"But, said Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-Vt.) - whose jump from the GOP put Democrats in power last year - Schumer and Clinton are "both superb" at building bipartisan relationships."

Excuse me?

Mr. Jeffords we are not all from Vermont.

Some Americans can still read, write, and understand the meaning of words.

[BMC1]

Schumer and Clinton insisted the pain of the power shift will be softened by quirky Senate rules that give every senator key powers - and that the GOP's narrow majority will keep them relevant.

"Look, the bottom line is you'd rather not" relinquish power, Schumer conceded. "But fortunately, [in] the Senate, energy [and] hard work mean more than being in the majority."


NEW SPIN. I guess they feel their pain. I sure DON'T

[woofer]

Err - preview is our friend... She...

And preview's buddy is ieSpell. Available for free from www.iespell.com

[FreedomPoster]

You mean http://www.iespell.com ?

[punster]

Feel any sympathy for Hitlery? Feel any sympathy for Chuckie Schumerde, aka Senator Putz?

They're both irrelevant, and deserve to be ridiculed at every opportunity!!!!

[Randjuke]

[in] the Senate, energy [and] hard work mean more than being in the majority."
"I'm going to have to work hard to get some moderation on judges."
Both say they've worked hard to bond with GOP colleagues

Can't these two come up with some new cliches?

[JZoback]

And there's a chance that Clinton, the state's junior senator, could be booted from a committee to make way for a Republican.

That would be sweet!!!

Oh, but for Trent Lott, I'm sure he will capitulate to her demands

[Libloather]

Great news...

[nypokerface]

Don't despair my fellow New Yorkers, we'll have Rudy and Pataki representing us within 4 years.

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

Oh, but for Trent Lott, I'm sure he will capitulate to her demands

Lott has nothing to do with it. The Leadership decides how many Republicans and how many Dins will be on each Committee and sub-committee. Each party then fills their assigned slots.

[The Wizard]

getting an endorsement from benedict jeffords is tanamout to have your throat cut with a razor

[jrlc]

Hellary should resign and go away. What ever happened to the people she ran over with her car at Westchester Airport? Can't anybody sue this b*tch?

[notdownwidems]

And there's a chance that Clinton, the state's junior senator, could be booted from a committee to make way for a Republican.


I think it's important that they expend as much political capital as necessary to ensure this happens. Hillary must be discredited as much as possible between now and 2004,2006, or when any-damn ever! Just my $.02

[Slyfox]

Oh, now I know what they were saying...

"Look, the bottom line is you'd rather not" relinquish power, Schumer conceded. "But fortunately, [in] the Senate, energy [and] hard work mean more than being in the majority, bitch"

"I don't think it'll change much at all," Clinton echoed. "The margin is still very tight and we have to build coalitions and relationships on both sides of the aisle to get anything done, you @$$hole"

[Doctor Raoul]

I'd just feed her a pretzel. You're down with that, right?

[Doctor Raoul]

Let's see if you can remember all the "Send Pretzels To The White House" jokes you and your liberal friends made not so long ago.

Your kind are scum to think you have some kind of moral superiority when you make the same kind of jokes.

[Doctor Raoul]

Bet you are such a good Christian.

Why do you hate Christians (other than it's part of being a liberal)?

How do you know the poster is not a Jew or a Muslim?

Because you are a liberal BIGOT acting in HATE on an irrational stereotype of another group. That's what makes you a BIGOT.

[mr.sarcastic]

It's called HUMOR. If you can't get a chuckle out of that, then why are you here?

Go back to DU.

[NYCVirago]

But, said Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-Vt.) - whose jump from the GOP put Democrats in power last year - Schumer and Clinton are "both superb" at building bipartisan relationships.

Well, if Jumpin' Jim says it, it must be true!

[BullDog108]

Carrowsboy signed up 2002-05-26.
This account has been banned.

[Liz]

To fully convey my feelings about Hitlery's post-Nov 5
position in the US Congress, I will simply paraphrase
the famous Mark Antony eulogy (from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar).....

..........."I come to bury Hitlery, not to praise her"..........

[reformed_democrat]

Though it may happen, Clinton aides said it is highly unlikely she will lose her seat on one of her three committees.

This is what I'm waiting to see. If Trent Lott becomes Majority Leader again < shudder >, will he grant her the same sort of "respect" she showed him?

One can only hope.

[Doctor Raoul]

YOu have to wonder about people who claim that StrangeCosmos, The Leftersons and Malllard Filmore are all put out by the same people.

[Doctor Raoul]

Of course it's humor. They have no feel for context. This one is obviously a goof. What charity would collect for a plane? It's an obvious parody.

Funny how they're the first to hide behind "HUMOR". I saw Alec Baldwin's rant and the context in which he called for the death of Hyde and his family was pure anger and pure HATE. Killing the families iof your "enemies", it's so, so,....well.....democratic, communist even.

[Trajan88]

Looks like a cluster ****.

Trajan88; TAMU Class of '88

[timestax]

bump

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

The rabid hateful Leftists think they can do or say anything (call for anyones death) like their savior Bill Clinton- who acts on his death list-(SEE CLINTON BODY COUNT) and get away with it.

[Monty22]

Here come the calls for bipartisanship and needing to get along.. Please Republicans, don't do another newt!

Fight these bastards!

[Libertina]

Aides insisted Clinton's strong relationship with FEMA chief Joe Allbaugh will compensate.
Tight with this guy from FEMA are you? Perhaps we should ge rid of him too!

[wtc911]

Oh Canada.....Rudy will likely not be in a position to run/win Schumer's seat. Here's why (just my opinion as a life long observer of NY politics)

1. NYC is in head long slide down the notorious slippery slope. We're broke and getting broker. Crime is rising and getting worse. The DEMS will position Rudy as the architect of the city's decline. It is a position that will be hard to argue even in the light of 9.11. People will hate Bloomberg but they will blame Rudy. This will cost him downstate

Rudy does not play well upstate, rubs them wrong.

Rudy is a one man show, an executive. Being the junior senator to Hillary's senior, and only one of 100 doesn't fit his personality, his view of himself.

4. Be ready to forget 1-3, I've been wrong before....just some thoughts.

[Doctor Raoul]

Lots of people enter the orbit of someone like a President, CEO, or celebrity. So some of the names on the death list I tend to discount as Bubba's doing.

The thing about Clinton, is that most people don't think he did it, but wouldn't be surprised if he did.

[BooBoo1000]

Why don't the Repubs quit using the word "Bipartisan" They the Repubs, were elected to lead, not confer with the Dems. It is time for Lott, to say, "Hey we won, so live with it and let's get on with the Country's business"

Bipartisan my fanny.

Get a grip Lott.

[Doctor Raoul]

Tell the dems to "Move On?"

If it was not stealing someone else's idea and saying it's your own like Biden did, I'd say use it.

[timestax]

Why don't the Repubs quit using the word "Bipartisan" They the Repubs, were elected to lead, not confer with the Dems. It is time for Lott, to say, "Hey we won, so live with it and let's get on with the Country's business"

DITTO !!!