Dems look beyond Daschle (new leader in 2005?)

[NewJerseyDem]

http://www.thehill.com/news/060204/daschle.aspx

Close polls and an intense GOP drive to reclaim a prized South Dakota seat have presented Senate Democrats with a dilemma — they may have to find themselves a new leader next year.

Although no Democrat is predicting that Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle will lose his re-election battle, the fault lines of a potential leadership struggle within the Democratic Caucus are already visible. A Daschle loss would set off a scramble to succeed him as leader, as well as contests for other leadership posts.

Key Democrats say they believe Daschle will prevail in November and brushed aside one recent poll that showed the race in a virtual dead heat.

“It is totally inconsistent with any of the polls that have been out,” said Sen. Jon Corzine (D-N.J.).

[cjbuchanan]

1. Always good to have a plan B

But I don't think they will need it. Daschle and Herseth will both be re-elected.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

2. How about a leader in a safe district so that he/she doesn't have to

pander? It's not rocket science. It's fine that Dascle's meassage reflects his constituency, it's not fine that it doesn't reflect the broader Liberal message.

[tkmorris]

7. Exactly

That has always been the problem with Daschle. He isn't often free to actually argue a Democratic position; keeping his seat means being a moderate at best. We need someone who can actually argue from the Left without fear of angering his/her constituency.

As you say, it isn't rocket science. I still wonder how he ended up in the position in the first place. Someone MUST have brought up his geographical handcuffs at the time. What were they thinking?

[kysrsoze]

14. It'd be nice if he actually opened his mouth once in awhile

I hear from Nancy Pelosi much more often than Daschle. He might as well not exist.

[Democat]

3. Daschle should be replaced whether he wins or not!

He has been a weak Democratic leader since 9/11.

We need someone who isn't afraid of the Republicans.

[belle]

12. Agreed.

[dansolo]

4. Dick Durbin

He has not been intimidated by the Republicans one bit. I wonder if his being named co-chair of the DNC by Kerry would position him as the favorite to replace Daschle.

[Democat]

5. What about Senator Tom Harkin?

Is he too "proud liberal" for our national leadership?

[wicket]

6. Harkin would be AWESOME!

Nothing against Daschle personally, I just think it's time for a change.

[kysrsoze]

15. I like Durbin. He actually has some guts

I think he's great.

[MGKrebs]

8. Yes, do the right thing Senator Daschle...

Let someone else take the helm!
Harkin? Feingold?

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

9. It sounds to me...

... like many here are against free elections and would do anything they could to knock Daschle off. The Dems are on a roll, the backlash is here, so what exactly has Daschle done wrong? Have you read his book and understood all the behind the scenes work he has done to keep the GOP machine in fits? Don't forget, the White House LIED to Kerry, too, about Iraq, 9-11 and who knows what else. It is too bad that none of you have Daschle as your senator and do not have the opportunity to visit his local offices and see the results he gets for those having problems with the federal government.

This is getting old. If you want the Democratic Party to have more power, then get out and get the democrats in your districts elected.

[GOPBasher]

13. You make good points.

I think Daschle has done a good job, overall. However, I'll echo what some of the other posters have said. I think our senate leader should be from a safely Democratic state, so that s/he can really push a left wing agenda. Daschle needs to be a centrist in order to be re-elected in South Dakota, which is fine. It's just that being a moderate in a conservatice state is not the ideal Democratic senate leader.

[David__77]

10. Democrats must stand by Daschle. Change in leadership can come later.

I agree that someone else would be better suited to the party leader role. Daschle has had too precarious a position to be leader in the most effective sense. It would be like Norm Coleman leading the GOPers--he's too high a target. But we mustn't give any sense that his role is endangered, because that would possibly negatively impact his re-election.

[JayS]

11. Let's get McCain!!!!

---running away now....