Breaking via AP Tweet - Harry Reid endorses Chuck Schumer as his replacement.

[MANative]

No link yet.

ETA: link to AP story: Reid Backs Schumer...

[bigwillq]

1. Link from LBN

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141050741

[MANative]

3. Thanks!

[bigwillq]

8. No problem

[Zorra]

2. Harry Reid II. nt

[MANative]

5. Pretty much. nt

[tk2kewl]

4. ugh

[MANative]

7. I'll grant, though, that he does know the Senate and its procedures well.

Wouldn't be my ideological top choice.

[GeorgeGist]

20. and he loves his Wall St.

[global1]

6. This Is A Snub To Durbin And ......

the wrong person for the job IMHO - though Schumer is a seasoned veteran of the Senate.

[MANative]

9. Agreed. nt

[RiverLover]

10. Of course Reid is doing this. But Wall Street Dems have got to GO!

Posted this on another thread, but its even more relevant here~

Chuck Schumer and the Democrats' Identity Crisis: Economic Policy vs. Rhetoric
Dec 2014

...Unfortunately, Schumer embodies the contradictions that will tear the Democratic Party apart over the next two years. He understands the need to embrace a populist, progressive narrative and program, but his ties to Wall Street and big money lead him to blunt any real moves by Democrats to take a bold stand for working people against corporate power.

The budget proposal to allow more government bailouts of banks that gamble with their depositors’ money was a huge lost opportunity for Democrats to paint Republicans as being on the side of the big banks that wrecked the economy. That opportunity was negated by President Obama’s pushing for the budget and Senator Schumer’s stealth maneuvers (widely known in Congress) to keep the Wall Street deal intact. As a result, the leaders of both parties demonstrated, as they’ve done before, that government is in fact on the side of the rich and powerful....

http://www.nextnewdeal.net/chuck-schumer-and-democrats-identity-crisis-economic-policy-vs-rhetoric

[MANative]

12. Being a NY senator, I imagine that he takes an awful lot of $$ from this "constituency" n/t

[tularetom]

11. Yuck - Wall Street's best bud

And no friend of the middle class.

I'm pretty sure they can do better.

[MANative]

13. He talks a great game in front of the cameras, but his votes and positions are a different story. nt

[geek tragedy]

14. I disagree with Reid.

Schumer has a lot of flaws. Patty Murray would be a much better choice.

His positives are:

1) not in danger of losing re-election, giving him flexibility in what he would do as majority leader;
2) savvy on rules;
3) a partisan that the Republicans hate

Negatives:

He's Chuck Schumer.

[MANative]

15. I wouldn't argue with any of your characterizations.

I do like Patty, too. She would have been a fine choice.

[geek tragedy]

16. She may yet be the choice. This isn't a constitutional monarchy.

Reid won't even get to vote on the next Senate leader.

[MANative]

17. You make a very fine point! The "blessing" isn't the vote. nt

[still_one]

18. Leahey(sic) is a much better choice

[truebrit71]

19. No thanks.

..

[LittleBlue]

21. From one piss poor leader to another

[NCTraveler]

22. I really think it would be a bad move.

Not as bad as some feel it would be, but I think there are better options. That being said, most of us could have told you Schumer would be tapped years ago. The signs were pretty clear.