Schumer's gambit may motivate Ford
It's widely known in D.C. and Manhattan that if a camera is anywhere in the vicinity of senior New York Senator Charles Schumer everyone around needs to brace themselves for Chuck's lowered shoulders and sharp elbows. It must have been extremely difficult to have the media magnet Hillary Clinton as junior senator, upstaging his need for attention. With the appointment of Kirsten Gillibrand by the hapless Governor Patterson, Schumer rushed to embrace her, seek to convert her to being a real member of the Democratic Party, and secure her tenure as a real "junior" Senator.
Now, along comes Harold Ford with talk of running against Gillibrand. The intelligent and well spoken Tennessee transplant and five term congressman from that state is attracting support, in fact aggressive encouragement, from some prominent Democratic Party powers and fund raisers. There's chatter that Mayor Bloomberg would be inclined to support him. Schumer of course is apoplectic --- a competitor for the limelight is not wanted. He's got every Democratic functionary he can touch warning off Ford, including some apparently from the White House. It's an all out effort to stop Ford's possible ambition to be a new Democratic power in New York.
As a representative in Congress, Gillibrand was often a faux Democrat whose views on many issues were more aligned with the Republicans. With Schumer's counsel on electability, she has repositioned herself but who's to say what course she will take once, or if, she has won a Senate seat in her own right. Coming from a family with a local political heritage, her potential for gamesmanship cannot be underestimated and it makes sense that thinking Democrats would embrace an alternative to this creation of Patterson and Schumer.
With his Southern Democrat background, Ford is no cookie cutter New York Democrat but opinion here is that he has the charisma and capacity to represent the state and the nation with a constructive and creative style. He is capable of being a participant in the legislative process that attracts national attention and has wide influence. No one would say that about Gillibrand, which is just the way Schumer wants it.
Maybe his transparent meddling will fire up Ford and his early advocates, and lead to an interesting primary.
Now, along comes Harold Ford with talk of running against Gillibrand. The intelligent and well spoken Tennessee transplant and five term congressman from that state is attracting support, in fact aggressive encouragement, from some prominent Democratic Party powers and fund raisers. There's chatter that Mayor Bloomberg would be inclined to support him. Schumer of course is apoplectic --- a competitor for the limelight is not wanted. He's got every Democratic functionary he can touch warning off Ford, including some apparently from the White House. It's an all out effort to stop Ford's possible ambition to be a new Democratic power in New York.
As a representative in Congress, Gillibrand was often a faux Democrat whose views on many issues were more aligned with the Republicans. With Schumer's counsel on electability, she has repositioned herself but who's to say what course she will take once, or if, she has won a Senate seat in her own right. Coming from a family with a local political heritage, her potential for gamesmanship cannot be underestimated and it makes sense that thinking Democrats would embrace an alternative to this creation of Patterson and Schumer.
With his Southern Democrat background, Ford is no cookie cutter New York Democrat but opinion here is that he has the charisma and capacity to represent the state and the nation with a constructive and creative style. He is capable of being a participant in the legislative process that attracts national attention and has wide influence. No one would say that about Gillibrand, which is just the way Schumer wants it.
Maybe his transparent meddling will fire up Ford and his early advocates, and lead to an interesting primary.
posted by John Borden at 3:31 PM
1 Comments:
Ford's OP-ED piece in today's New York Times shows that he is a refreshingly enlightened Democrat who would be a welcome contrast to President Obama's self-righteous and insular attitude. New York would be fortunate to have the chance to elect him, both for our state and the nation.
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