Posted on 11/12/2014 7:02:55 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Senate Democrats want to enlist a progressive firebrand as a member of their leadership: Elizabeth Warren.
The incoming Senate minority leader, Harry Reid, is engaged in private talks with the Massachusetts freshman to create a special leadership post for the former Harvard professor, according to several people familiar with the matter. It’s unclear exactly what the new job would entail — but luring the populist liberal into leadership could inject fresh blood into a team reeling from significant midterm election losses.
Adding Warren, Democrats say, would bring in a nationally known name who could help sharpen the Democratic message as it goes toe-to-toe with the new Senate Republican majority. The move would likely be viewed favorably by an increasingly liberal caucus.
But elevating Warren could also be seen as an indication that the new Senate Democratic minority is less interested in bipartisan compromises than the White House or Senate Republicans.
The position may be unveiled at a closed-door Senate Democratic Caucus meeting on Thursday. At that meeting, Reid — along with his chief deputies, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Chuck Schumer of New York and Patty Murray of Washington state — are all expected to be elected, respectively, to the top four posts in the new Democratic minority. Montana Sen. Jon Tester, a second-term Democrat, is expected to be named chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, sources say.
Reid, however, could face some ‘no’ votes from Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, who won’t say whether they will back Reid and have been critical of his hard-nosed leadership style. Other Democrats, including West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, both declined to endorse Reid in separate interviews on Wednesday.
“I’m open to change,” Manchin said.
But Reid, who has been Democratic leader since 2005, still has overwhelming support within his caucus, which will likely have 46 members in the next Congress. Many of them benefited from his aggressive fundraising during their campaigns in recent years, and he has awarded a number of Democrats with key committee positions over the years. No Democrat is expected to challenge him for the post.
Still, opening up the lame-duck session of Congress Wednesday, Reid said his goal was not to obstruct the new majority.
Citing his time as minority leader under President George W. Bush, Reid said, “I have been able to strike compromise with my Republican colleagues, and I’m ready to do it again.”
People in Hell want ice water.
It’s just amazing to watch these old Democrat bulls doubling down on their hard left agenda - right after the American people gave them the unequivocal order to “STOP IT!”
They are truly irrational, and utterly blinded by their cockamamie philosophy. So blinded, in fact, that they’re likely going to drag their party into a political abyss from which it won’t recover for decades.
Talk about a tough choice.
The Party gets its butt kicked for being too socialist so it goes out and finds a communist to reshape its image.
Oh my...Mr Rogers has returned from the dead as her husband?
Fresh blood??!! She's 65 years old for God's sake! Another old liberal hag.
Harry! We won, you lost. Get over it!
They are gonna set Squaw Lizzy up to steam roll Wide In The Squat Hilly. Once again she will be flattened wide enough to fill a two lane highway.
Conference Chairman? Reid’s holding that position now as well as Majority-soon to be Minority-Leader. Has it been this way the whole term or did someone lose?
Either that, or they’ll create a new position like Pelosi did for Clyburn.
Either way, I don’t see it as raising her visibility all that much.
a clear slap at the hildebeast....
That woman is a shrill, hate America leftist, and a fraud.
IMHO the RAT party is now led by the CPUSA. The average Joe 6-pack couldn’t name the VP let alone most members of Congress, and they get their voting direction from their union leader, their boss, or their church. Independent thinking is old fashioned and requires more research time than the millenials have on their smart phone.
LOL great comment.
If she runs, you’ll see that image everywhere.
How could this loving grandma be a raving commie? will be the MSM line of reasoning.
Don't let Laz see this title...
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/11/elizabeth-warren-harry-reid-senate-leadership-112847.html
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