I got cold called by the DSCC earlier this evening, and I was pissed because I was taking a nap after driving all afternoon, but once he started his spiel I felt a lot better. I basically interrupted him once I knew where he was calling from, and to9ld him “We can stop right now. Do you have something to write with? I need you to pass along this message to the higher ups who can get this to the DSCC, because I know you are just some guy being paid to do a job. Tell them not one more dollar for the DSCC until Schumer is no longer in the running for leader.”
It felt good. Meanwhile, Schumer is not feeling any heat:
Schumer’s opposition to the Iran deal also does not seem to have had any impact on his standing as the presumptive Democratic leader-in-waiting. Support for Schumer inside the Democratic Caucus remains strong, despite longstanding complaints about him from the progressive wing of the party.
“[Schumer] called me for that purpose. The news got out kind of ahead of his planned announcement,” said Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), who has not taken a public stance yet on the Iran deal. “He wanted to tell a bunch of us that he meant to call us first, but the news got ahead of him, and now he was calling to just explain and apologize not to have called first.”
Whitehouse added that Schumer would not suffer any backlash when Democrats pick a replacement for Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. Reid is retiring at the end of this Congress.
“We’ve all got a lot of admiration for Chuck’s skills,” Whitehouse said. “And we’re a caucus that has a lot of divergent views on some very important issues. That doesn’t bother other members of the caucus on other issues, so I don’t see this as a problem for Chuck on this one.”
Whitehouse said he expects to make a decision on Iran “sometime next week,” and wants to consult with fellow Rhode Island Democrat Jack Reed before any announcement. “If I had to make a guesstimation, I would say there will be enough senators to sustain the president’s veto, and there’s a chance — just a chance — of keeping the number below 60,” Whitehouse said. “I wouldn’t say there’s a big chance, but there’s an outside chance.”
Sen. Joe Manchin (W.Va.), a close Schumer ally and another Democrat who is undecided on Iran, said he actually reached out to the New York Democrat first. Like Whitehouse, Manchin said Schumer was careful not to whip him on the nuclear agreement. Manchin described himself as “leaning yes” on the agreement.
“I called Chuck Schumer and when I heard all the crap going on, and all the dialogue back-and-forth,” Manchin said during a Tuesday interview. “Chuck is a professional, and he understands that on these extremely personal, important decisions, each senator has to come to their own belief, their own inner peace if you will, about that decision.”
“I called my friend and said, ‘Buddy, I want to re-sign up my [previous] commitment to you to be the leader of our caucus,” Manchin added.
It’s a country club with a solid us versus them mentality. Reminds me of this:
At least Manchin is right on this deal and may get himself some personal political power to help WV down the road.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
You think he’s solid on this?
ETA: a little, very little surprised at Whitehouse being so effusive, but as you say, there is a club. ETAgain, it’s Manchin, not Whitehouse, waving away Schumer’s critics
Emma
Some days I hate them all equally.
raven
no buck chuck
beltane
These are not “personal” decisions, at least they shouldn’t be. These are questions related to US foreign policy. Why is this so personal for Schumer anyway?
dr. bloor
Whitehouse needs to consult with Jack Reed? Does he think Reed is going to tell him anything other than to get his head out of his ass and back the deal? This fucking state.
Oh, and Fuck Chuck.
beltane
I hope you called Manchin’s office to offer encouragement on his probable Yes vote. My congressional delegation is all in the yes camp. Sometimes I wish I still lived in NY so I could call Schumer’s office and scream like a teabagger.
Schlemazel
Thanks for the heads up. I’ll be ready when they call
beltane
Obama will have the last laugh anyway. Even if the deal gets spiked, there is next to nothing the US can or will do to stop everyone else from lifting sanctions. The only thing an veto override would do is prove to the rest of the world that the mighty United States is nothing but the hapless plaything of Israel.
It looks like Hillary agrees with me: cnn.com/2015/08/11/politics/hillary-clinton-iran-nuclear-deal/index.html
Judge Crater
Brilliant piece of work by Carlin. Sums up the entire post-Ronald Reagan political and economic world we live in. It’s no wonder that Bernie Sanders is drawing huge crowds. You have to wonder whether there will finally be a tipping point when the 47 percent becomes the 60 or 70 percent and a huge majority of Americans finally realize that Fox News and talk radio and Donald Trump are at the other end of that red, white and blue fist that’s being shoved up their ass. When will the scales fall from the eyes of our benighted citizenry? When, dear God, when?
Tree With Water
“[Schumer] called me for that purpose. The news got out kind of ahead of his planned announcement,” said Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.)..”
What utter horse-shit. That announcement was timed to be released the day of the GOP circus last Thursday on FOX. It’s insulting to every democrat in the country to say otherwise. Again, I call on senator Warren to maintain her batting average by withdrawing her support for Schumer as leader. For the sake of Massachusetts, the democratic party, and the planet.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
I would’ve thought Whitehouse more likely to go along with the deal than Reed?
beltane
@Tree With Water: I’ve read that Schumer had planned for the announcement to be part of the Friday news dump. It was Team Obama that leaked the information.
Zinsky
That is the greatest George Carlin video EVER!
Tree With Water
@beltane: Even better. My call stands.
PeakVT
So Machin is saying that Schumer thinks senators should vote for the Iran deal based on what the vote does for their fee-fees? Is objective analysis too hard for Schumer? Or does it lead him to an answer that is at odds with his fee-fees?
Joshua James
Oh man, yeah… THIS. I’m a New Yorker and I call Chuck’s office all the time, for what little good it does, and he really screwed the pooch with this.
SteveinSC
I don’t know, maybe it is all Kabuki on an international scale: If Schumer, Netanyahu’s sock puppet, and Netanyahu selbst likes the deal, the Iranians will think they got skinned. Schumer knows we will all hate him if he were to actually fuck the deal, so they counted the votes on this set-up to make sure his opposition won’t fuck it up. Schumer needs to have some cover wrt AIPAC. Just the fact that the Israeli security services are speaking up for the deal is a translation/subtitles to the audience about what’s really going on. Also too I never give to the DSCC, only mainline to the candidate.
calling all toasters
Schumer’s doing exactly the bare minimum of what he has to do to not entirely alienate his biggest donors and the power structure in NY. The fact that he’s not whipping the vote means that the fix is in (in a good way) and the other Democratic senators are just deciding who’s going to be in the 34 that vote to sustain the veto.
The logic and facts of the agreement have nothing to do with it– it’s just a matter of who can most afford to alienate the Likudniks in the US. Schumer isn’t someone who can.
beltane
@PeakVT: It really bothers me that a Senator, a public official. representing millions of people should get a pass for voting for personal reasons. This is not how votes on major foreign policy issues should be decided.
beltane
@SteveinSC: Netanyahu really does not like the deal. Being a slightly more rabid version of Dick Cheney, he hates the idea of any kind of deal being made with Iran under any terms that do not include Teheran reduced to a smoking pile of rubble.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@calling all toasters: I suspect and hope you’re right, but Schumer gave the Republicans a month of “Even liberal New York Senator Chuck Schumer says…” For that alone (to say nothing of his bizarre tantrum about health care of a couple months back, and all his rubber stamping of Bush-shite) I hope Warren, Durbin and a few other figure out a way to make him grovel before he officially gets his promotion. I shan’t hold my breath.
mtiffany
Stating your displeasure and its consequences and the corrective action that can be taken, while simultaneously remembering the basic humanity of the person you are talking to and that they didn’t cause the problem and are in no position to fix it? Swoon…
PeakVT
Leaving aside the stupidity of Schumer, why does anyone give to the DCCC or DSCC? AFAICT they’re nothing more than incumbent protection rackets, except when they’re supporting super-solid Dems like Parker Griffith.
Downpuppy
Schumer is borderline treasonous, touting a BS hypothetical that would make an Israeli sympathizer more against the deal.
The scenario is moronic, of course, but if you ignore that what you get is that he’s forgot that he’s a UNITED STATES senator. I get that there are 3 levels of loyallty – US, world, Home state.
I do not accept Likud as a valid loyalty for a United States Senator.
Tree With Water
@mtiffany: That caliber of sensible and courteous behavior with people comes with age. Usually. Or in my case, after being disconnected after waiting (no kidding) for 7 hours to speak with a rep whose English skills I criticized at the top of our short lived conversation.
guachi
Democrats can vote for Schumer for Minority Leader, or they can vote for a different Democrat for Majority Leader.
ms_canadada
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Senator Warren gives this Canadian hope.
Kropadope
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: let’s primary his political career to death. A nationwide effort of small donations could probably make a huge difference. Senate leadership is very nearly as important as the presidency.
Ruckus
@PeakVT:
When I give, it’s only directly to candidates. I’m not seeing any reason to give to any political groups who profess to work for me, while they really work to keep the machine well oiled. Fuck that, the machine is broken, oil won’t help but a complete overhaul might.
bg
John, do call or email Manchin and encourage him to do the right thing.
And good on you for not taking it out on the hapless plebe on the other end of your phone line
Tree With Water
@Joshua James: It does my heart good to hear that. Frankly, it doesn’t surprise me all that much, though. People in this country realize the stakes concerning that treaty are incalculable, and that Schumer’s behavior by contrast is trifling. He should pay a steep political price for his conceit, and the price should be the leadership of the senate’s democrats. And if they don’t agree, they should likewise pay a steep political price for their misbehavior.
Elie
@beltane:
Si
Obama and Kerry and their teams set this up brilliantly. The US cannot do anything but pass this. We will do the right thing, the best thing because we truly do not have a choice.
Meanwhile, over in the lunatic asylum of what remains of the once grand GOP, everyone is lining up to lick the balls of a large pink pig with a wig on its head. The pig said ” Can you lick a little to the right … uhm uhm, that feels so good”…
I hear that pigs are pretty smart
sdhays
Sent an email to my two Senators, one of whom is a strong supporter of the deal and the other who is “reviewing the deal”. Thanked the supporter and told the other to get off his ass and support the deal. As I wrote the email, it just astounded me what a no-brainer it is. As you say, Congress can hold its breath all it wants, but they can’t kill the deal, just make sure we can’t participate in the inspections. Idiots!
Kropadope
@beltane:
Given that Schumer is in line for D Senate leader, you are certainly an interested party with respect to his votes in the Senate.
bluehill
Too bad George isn’t around to comment about the Citizens United ruling. At least we could have had a laugh to lessen the pain.
Heliopause
Well, why would he? Recall, after being arguably the biggest party traitor of all time Joe Lieberman got to decide what would go into the health care bill. If Lee Harvey Oswald survived, got out of prison, and ran as a centrist Dem, the party would’ve have supported him. Schumer’s only a minor traitor by comparison.
Benw
@calling all toasters: I agree with this. It’s annoying, but it’s all inside-ball politics, and I guess the D’s know that they can protect the veto without Schumer, so he can use this to strengthen his support from pro-Israel NY voters.
The question is, which D senate leader will get the most support for a D president (heaven send!): who can get the votes? If it’s Schumer, ok. I mean, I was pissed at Reid plenty of times, but in the end he carried a LOT of water for Obama and got the votes for some important laws, so I’ve come around on him.
SenyorDave
The day I see Schumer lean on Israel about settlements will be the day that I believe for a second he was ever sincere about the Iran deal. As it is now, Israel can do pretty much anything they want and Schumer will be silent (or actively backing them, but of course that is pretty much all the dems). I will never give a penny to the national Dems if this unprincipled POS becomes top senate dem.
Bobby Thomson
@Zinsky: Meh. George is pretty BothSidesDoIt in that.
kindness
John, come on. If Joe Manchin ever had it handed to him he’d switch parties in a moment for power. He’s your old prototypical Southern Democrat who goes Republican. Having said that I’ll thank him when he votes yes on the Iran deal.
brendancalling
I’m neither surprised nor worried about Schumer’s opposition.
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
Meh.
Just about every month I get dozens of e-mails from the DCCC and DSCC. The last day or so of the month I get screaming e-mails about “triple match!!1′ from the DSCC. I send them a little money then, if I’m in the mood. I figure if they’ve got someone (or some groups) willing to do a match, then I’ll help.
I can’t recall ever getting anything from the DSCC with Schumer’s name on it. He may be the nominal head, and he may somehow get credit when the money is passed around, but he seems to just be a figurehead. I’ve seen no indication that either the DCCC or DSCC has any idea of how to do on-line small-donor fundraising or voter mobilization.
It’s ridiculous that the national parties feel the need to ramp up campaign stuff and fundraising so far in advance of any voting. But that’s the world we live in. If you have candidates that you want to give to at this time – great. If you think that the Democrats should be proactive in trying to prevent a federal government shutdown and guiding memes about the battle, then there are worse things to do than give a donation to the DSCC.
My $0.02.
Cheers,
Scott.
(Who, at the moment, is more worried about the elections in Virginia this November than what happens in 2016. He’s not worried about the Iran deal at all.)
Cervantes
@I’mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet:
Schumer hasn’t been head of the DSCC in years. Since his second term ran out in 2009, there have been four successors — which may just go to show how much of an impression they have made.
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
@Cervantes: Ah. It looks like JC said some things that caused me to conflate them in my mind.
Thanks.
Cheers,
Scott.
Tree With Water
“Schumer and other renegade Democrats opposing their President have talking points filled with nuclear jargon. But no matter how they spin it, they are claiming that Democratic foreign policy leaders who they support on every other subject are wrong– and that Dick Cheney, and the Republican Presidential candidates for President are right”.
There it is. Dan Goldberg at Down With Tyranny.com wrote those good words.
If Warren (D-Mass) continues to support Schumer as senate democratic leader, she will be siding with Dick Cheney (et.al).
Groucho48
translates as–he raises a TON of money and shares some of it with us. (me.)
manyakitty
I showed this video the first day of every Freshman Composition class I taught. It set the tone for the rest of the semester.
NorthLeft12
@Benw:
Really? Exactly where do you think that support would go if not to Schumer? This response by Schumer is cowardly and stupid at the same time, and is a harbinger of what his leadership in the Senate will look like. Clinton/Sanders beware…..this man is no ally of yours. He is in it for himself and his owners.
Hopefully, he is one of those type of leaders that nobody follows.
phein39
@SteveinSC: My thoughts, too. If Schumer were actually against the Iran deal, he’d be lobbying other Senators to vote against it, and he’s very openly not doing that.
Stomach churning? Yes. But then I remember that politicians orchestrate votes for public consumption that have nothing to do with what they really want to happen on a fairly regular basis.
Just Some Fuckhead
Schumer is with us on everything except the war.
On us.
A guy
For the first time in life i am proud of schumer. Just wish he’d lobby a bit harder to end this horrible deal Barack Muslama cut.
tones
Today’s Joe Lieberman.