I do not want Elizabeth Warren to replace Harry Reid and here's why

[LynneSin]

Don't get me wrong, I adore Warren and on paper she would make an amazing Minority Leader but in the end it is a shitty thankless job that I would rather have someone else to take.

First, if Warren is even thinking of running for President then the last place she should be is in Reid's position. Either she wants to be a senate lifer or she wants to run for higher office - can't do both. Reid and McConnell were perfect to run their teams for the senate because they had no other aspirations other than being senators.

Also, the leadership positions are usually the ones that get the most grief from their supporters. Who do you think the republicans hate the most in their party - it's Boehner and McConnell. They feel those two are the ones that end up giving up the most to the democrats. Do they? Probably not, but with her hands free from top dog leadership position I think Warren can get more done than if she has to negotiate her way as Senate Minority/Majority leader. She can do better as an independant senator than as a leader of the group in this particular instance.

But it would be great to see a woman in the position. Shame that Barbara Mikulski from Maryland is retiring - I always thought she was amazing. How about Patty Murray out of Washington? I think she is awesome, great progressive values, probably a lifer in the senate and a figher herself.

And I'd always like to toss my favorite senator in there which is my own guy Chris Coons. He's pretty progressive (unlike Carper) but underrated since he's pretty quiet (might be a drawback) and doesn't get as much attention as some of the other progressives like Sanders or Warren. His vote has been pretty good. There was one judge that he went against it mainly because he wanted to support the police unions. I was annoyed but figured 99.9% of the time he has a great voting record I can let one bad vote slide.

[RiverLover]

1. President Elizabeth Warren can't be Senate Leader as well. :)

What about Sherrod Brown?

[upaloopa]

2. She is not running for President and certainly not

Majority leader in the Senate. I guess we have to put up with this stuff until after Nov 2016.

[LynneSin]

3. Please realize I am NOT a Warren for President supporter (nor am I not a supporter either)

I didn't mean the comment like that.

She could change her mind and if she did being senate leader is not a good choice for her.

But if she wasn't running I still think it's not a good choice. I think she would end up being in a position of compromise as a Senate Majority leader and it would not be a good place for her. I'd like for her to be a leader for the Senate Democrats but in a way that she is NOT compromised. I think that would be a committee leader or perhaps 2nd in line for the Senate.

As for who I am supporting in 2016 my official stance is this - Should Biden run I'll probably be on Team Biden cause let's face it 'Go Delaware' but outside of that I look forward to an amazing primary season where I will keep an open mind during the primaries since my primary is pretty late in the season and in the end I work work my ass off to vote for the eventual Democratic Nominee but my opinion may at any time change should the right candidate make an announcement to run and I feel so inspire to campaign for them in the primaries but at this time I'm just not at this point at declaring myself for anyone so that's that.

[spin]

4. My bet is on Chuck Schumer. ...

It's the obvious next step in his career. He also seems to want the job.

That doesn't mean that I am all that fond of Schumer by any means.

[LynneSin]

5. The problem with these Majority/Minority leaders and the Whips

They aren't meant for someone who wants to win popularity contests.

Look at Eric Cantor - he had GOP Majority Whip position and to us he seemed like a right-wing lunatic as they come. But he lost in his own primary to even a crazier right-wing lunatic because to the voters in his own district he seemed like he was still compromising to the democrats.

These positions tend to be the scapegoats of the party and a big reason why I wouldn't want Warren to have the job, I think she is poorly fit for it. She has an amazing voice and therefore there are other leadership positions she is better suited to do such as committee leadership positions - less compromise and a chance for her voice to really be heard.

[spin]

7. Hillary would probably love to see Warren get the job. ...

If Warren runs she might just win the primary. She would get my vote.

[LynneSin]

8. I don't think Hillary would care

or would think like that. She knows Schumer, they both served together as senators from NY and he's on the senority list. Why would she not want to support her former co-senator from New York just to scheme to push someone out of the way. I know we all want to think of Ms. Clinton as some evil shrew but sometimes we just buy too much into the way the media portrays her. I'm not saying she's Saint Hillary but I'm also doubting she's the spawn of Satan either.

[spin]

10. Well put. I agree that Hillary is somewhere between a saint and the span of Satan. (n/t)

[LynneSin]

14. Aren't we all?

[spin]

15. No doubt about that. (n/t)

[rock]

6. I believe you're correct

The leader's jobs lead nowhere.

[KittyWampus]

9. I'd enjoy watching the usual suspects on DU eventually turn on her.

[Nye Bevan]

11. I was interested to see how many Senate minority leaders have ever become president.

The answer is 1: Lyndon Johnson. (Bob Dole tried and failed).

[brooklynite]

12. You DO know that Chris Coons is a Third Way member?

http://www.thirdway.org/about

[TheKentuckian]

13. I'm throwing Whitehouse for that spot, great use for him and is a goodfella.