McConnell, Schumer elected this morning to top spots in Senate ahead of battles with Trump CNN report here.
Instead, for what should have happened, if the powers that be had learned ANYTHING from the recent drubbing the Democrats took and the millions who exited the Democratic party, please read Rob Kall's article here, and please comment here also:
I don't know what the vote was precisely or who voted for Senator Schumer, and will find out as soon as I can, to later post an update to this article.
I do know that Bernie never said precisely that he did or did not want the job. although he is without the title the actual head of the Minority Leadership and maybe being free of administrative tasks is best for him promoting a progressive agenda.
I wrote yesterday to my own two Democratic Senators, Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich. They haven't responded.
In a saner, better functioning Democracy, the will of the people would mean more than it obviously didn't in the United States Senate in this vote. Such a repudiation of everything WE have learned from last Tuesday.... I shall refrain from any harsher criticism. I just called Bernie's office and they couldn't (or wouldn't) say whether he had had an interest in the position.
He certainly should have, and what better bully pulpit would there be for him than Minority Leader? He deserved the job, and more important, WE THE PEOPLE NEEDED HIM IN THAT JOB.
Otherwise, we are back to very opaque Senatorial politics, roughly akin to the cumulative sweep-under-the-rug procedures that led to the recent Presidential debacle. That has not always been the modus operandi of the United States Senate.
From the Hill yesterday: "Asked whether he will serve in leadership, Sanders said it "remains to be seen. We're thinking about it," he said. Sanders's statement put a damper on speculation that he might take a role in the upper ranks of the leadership after the Democrats' dispiriting losses at the polls last week."
Sanders' strongest supporters argued the very obvious facts that he was able to connect with white working-class voters and that this is precisely what the party needs in the horrifying aftermath of its losses last week, particularly in the key blue-collar states like Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Sanders told media last Wednesday evening that he is not interested in serving as chairman of the Democratic Policy and Communication Center (DPCC), a job now held by Sen. Charles Schumer (N.Y.).
One unidentified Senator said last week that he had recommended to Schumer to put Sanders in charge of coordinating the floor and messaging strategies. "I think Sen. Schumer should accommodate him; he's shown that he has a message that resonates with working-class voters."
A spokesman for Sanders told The Hill Monday that his boss was "in the process of talking to people" about a role in leadership.
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) endorsed Sanders over Clinton during the primaries and urged Schumer to appoint Sanders to whatever leadership slot he wants. "I'd support him for anything he wants to do," Merkley said. "I certainly would be happy to weigh in with Sen. Schumer in that regard."
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