Rockefeller: Speech not a sign I'll retire

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

Source: Politico

My colleague Manu Raju caught up with Sen. Jay Rockefeller today, one day after the speech-heard-'round-West Virginia sparked talk about his political future.

Rockefeller flatly denied to him that his vote Wednesday against an effort to derail Obama administration rule targeting mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants and his floor speech should be taken as a sign he won't run in 2014.

"This speech has been building in me for about 3-4 years, and the last year-and-a-half it really, really built. It was a speech that I had to give," Rockefeller told POLITICO.

Asked if he was concerned that it would imperil his re-election bid, Rockefeller said: "You can’t worry about all that stuff. I’m getting some good feedback. There’s always a first reaction, which is predictable, often there’s a secondary and tertiary reaction, which is more thoughtful."


Read more: http://www.politico.com/blogs/charlie-mahtesian/2012/06/rockefeller-speech-not-a-sign-ill-retire-126958.html

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[elleng]

1. 'Brave' of him to expect a 'thoughtful' reaction in WV, imo.

[oldhippydude]

2. too a lot of guts

to give that talk in that state... more power to him

[maddiemom]

4. Well, West Virginia is the state...

that's elected him to the state congress and the Senate, and also elected him Governor. Seems pretty thoughtful to me.

[elleng]

5. Yes, for a long time,

Last edited Fri Jun 22, 2012, 11:58 AM - Edit history (1)

and also had Senator Byrd from 1959 - 2010.
NOW they've got Manchin.

[maddiemom]

6. Despite the KKK thing in his past,

Byrd served the state long and well. Rockefeller has held various offices since the seventies and has never used those offices as a springboard to run for president. Having lived in West Virginia for years, I know why both of them are/were well regarded and voted for countless times.With the Congress we have to put up with now, it's pretty churlish to complain about W.VA.'s choices. (Manchin, not so much...but it's early days for him).

[JDPriestly]

3. We need more legislators acting with the courage Rockefeller is bringing to

this issue.

Mercury causes serious health problems.