Best minority leader for Senate

[genius]

[DebJ]

1. Byrd: nice to have ONE senator who has read the Constitution

[LamedVov]

2. It's going to be Harry Reid

[ReadTomPaine]

4. Sadly, this does appear to be the case.

[genius]

6. Time to say no. NO MORE DASCHLES to sell us out to Bush

[Zorra]

7. If Reid gets the job, the Democratic party is dead. Guaranteed. n/t

[Bucky]

13. Oh please.

Reid is not the antichrist. Jeezum, I get tired of people screaming about the sky falling every time there's a little set back to their pet causes.

[ReadTomPaine]

He's not a treasure either. No better than Daschle, probably worse.

Just what we need at this time, a shift further to the right with a GOP-lite Dem.

I can understand the feelings of some here, it would be nice if we had some real leadership from our party, and if we started moving back toward our traditional platform and our voter base.

RTP

[pmbryant]

3. Harry Reid

Given that he has the job, this is a moot question.

Byrd is too old. Kennedy is too old.

Durbin will be the Whip.

--Peter

[genius]

5. Reid apparently believes it's okay for the CIA to spy on us

He backed Porter Goss. He also backed anti-environmentalist, anti-choice nominee for his own circuit - Jay Bybee.

[pmbryant]

18. Reid is a partisan fighter

Picking individual votes, we can disqualify almost every single Democratic Senator. No one is perfect by arbitrary standards such as these.

How about other standards like these:

Is Reid an effective strategist? Is Reid a partisan fighter? Is Reid a solid, respected Democrat (i.e., no Zell Miller)?

The answer is yes to all those questions.

And, to respond to other posts in this thread, Nevada is not a "red" state. Bush won it by less than he won the country as a whole. A little extra work on our part, and Nevada can swing to our side. Nevada is no South Dakota.

--Peter

[ReadTomPaine]

19. I sure hope that your analysis is correct.

As we really don't have any say or any choice in the matter. It's done. Lets hope he comes out fighting.

RTP

[genius]

22. Anti-environmental, anti=choice, pro-CIA in U.S. in his voting record

not a good choice.

[pmbryant]

27. In calling Reid "anti-environmental", you risk losing credibility

His score from the League of Conservation Voters last session was 84%.

And going further back:

108th, 1st Session (2003)  	84%
107th Congress (2001-2002) 	92%
107th, 2nd Session (2002) 	94%
107th, 1st Session (2001) 	88%
106th Congress (1999-2000) 	75%
105th Congress (1997-1998) 	67%

--Peter

[genius]

31. He backed a justice with a hist of gutting the environment for corporation

interests. He can no longer claim to be an environmentalist after making sure the environment on the West Coast would be destroyed. He was the number one reason that the Senate didn't fillibuster. BTW, that same justice was involved in the torture memo along with Gonzales. Gonzales will be torturing us, with Reid's approval, if Reid becomes min leader.

If we get the Yucca neclear project into court, Reid's friend Bybee will rule that it's okay to make CA a radioactive wasteland.

[pmbryant]

36. That's overwrought hyperbole

I have plenty of problems with the Yucca Mountain project, but to claim it is "the biggest threat to the West Coast" and "could make CA a radioactive wasteland" is entirely false.

And anyway, you'd be hard pressed to find a single other U.S. Senator more opposed to the Yucca Mountain project than Harry Reid.

--Peter

[genius]

42. The majority of Dems opposed Yucca. Bybee is really bad news

and Reid went to bat for him and convinced the other Dems to put aside their concerns about Bybee's position on choice and the environment and civil rights. As a result, Bybee is on the court.

[Beacho]

8. Boxer

having chosen other. Byrd should be allowed to be the 'consience' of the senate.

[hippiechick]

9. Feingold ?

:shrug:


:hippie:

[genius]

32. Yucca Mountain - the biggest threat to the West Coast

Just look at his environmental numbers. They are not good. I admire him for what he did with USA-PATRIOT. But Yucca could make CA a radioactive wasteland.

[LaPera]

10. !!!

[LaPera]

11. LAST THING WE NEED IS A MINORITY LEADER FROM A RED STATE!!!!

DASCHLE FROM SOUTH DAKOTA WAS ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT HIS FUCKING JOB...THE REPUBLICANS WANT ANOTHER KISS ASS DEMOCRAT FROM A RED STATE.

THERE ARE TWO SENATORS EACH FROM THESE STRONG BLUE STATES IN CA, NY, IL, MA...

WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER SPINELESS LEADER!

[Cuban_Liberal]

12. No question--- DURBIN!

He's head and shoulders better than Harry Reid.

[shawn703]

14. Wasn't Dodd being floated around for the position? n/t

[obreaslan]

15. Maybe it's unpopular...

But What about Kerry? He's from a strong blue state, really has no worry about keeping his job, and I still believe he has our best interest at heart.

Maybe I'm delusional...:shrug:

[Zinfandel]

16. Any of the eight Senators from either... IL CA NY or MA

(Hard core blue states)!

[genius]

21. No way on Boxer, Feinstein, Clinton and Shummer. Too much caving

to the Republicans.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

17. i voted Durbin but i changed my mind>>>>Kennedy

[genius]

20. Durbin looks really strong.

[Turd Ferguson]

23. I like Feingold

How bout him?

[genius]

25. Feingold has a really bad environmental record

He had one really good vote but the rest of his record doesn't look so hot.

[Lenape85]

37. Uh, Feingold had an 89 last time

And going back further...
108th, 1st Session (2003) 89%
107th Congress (2001-2002) 84%
107th, 2nd Session (2002) 88%
107th, 1st Session (2001) 75%
106th Congress (1999-2000) 100%
105th Congress (1997-1998) 100%

[ever_green]

44. not true at all! His record is outstanding.

His environmental record is very excellent!! League of Conservation Voters give him an overall rating of 95%!! That's awesome. Feingold for President!

[CalebHayes]

24. Patty Murray!

[genius]

26. Tell me about Patty Murray's voting record. I'm not familiar with it.

[CalebHayes]

30. More liberal than most. Voted against IWR and ANWR drilling...

Ask about specific votes.

[genius]

33. How did Murray vote on Homeland Security, bankruptcy bill , & Yucca Mount?

Also how did Murray vote on Goss. I won't back anyone who backed Goss.

[Bush was AWOL]

28. i'd love to see Teddy get the job

cause we know he'd give the Republicans hell. But the problem with him would it would be used against his fellow Democrats when they run for reelection for agreeing with him.

[genius]

34. He's my favorite.

But the Republicanns have so libeled him that it's hurt his credibility.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

29. Other.

the best minority leader would be any Republican.

[genius]

35. Make it happen

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

39. Abbra-cadabra!

[Lenape85]

38. These are my top 5 picks in order

Russ Feingold
John Corzine
Dick Durbin
Pat Leahy
Barbara Boxer

[69KV]

40. I'm backing Reid on this one

He's a consistent 100% in AFL-CIO ratings and just got re-elected by a wide margin.

There are no DINOs in my book, except for the occasional Zell Miller who declare their allegience to the enemy.

[genius]

43. He backed anti-labor Bybee., And he voted to end the ADA by backing Sutton

Sutton believes that the ADA should be gutted. When it comes to appointments, Reid is really bad news. So if we get Reid, we'll also get Gonzales and a stacked Supreme Court.

[Sleepysage]

41. I vote for Byrd...

But only because Pelosi's holding down the fort in the House. Heh.