I’m sure that Tom Friedman will approve of Independent former Governor Angus King’s entry into the battle to replace Olympia Snowe in the Senate, but I’m tired of listening to bullcrap. Remember when Charlie Crist refused to tell us who he would caucus with in the Senate if Floridians elected him? That was just an insult to our intelligence. Now it is King’s turn to treat us like idiots.
Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, said that as an independent senator, King would have to pick a party to caucus with if he wanted good committee assignments and maximum influence. Independents Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Joe Lieberman of Connecticut now caucus with Democrats.
King said he could envision himself caucusing with either party, depending on the issues at the time, or neither party at times.
It isn’t hard to know who he’d caucus with. While he supported Bush in 2000, he was disenchanted with his partisanship and warmongering and went with Kerry in 2004. He’s donated money to Obama. He’ll caucus with the Dems for a simple reason, helpfully explained by David Nir:
That’s just simply not how it works. You can only get assigned to committees if you caucus with a particular party, and if you aren’t on any committees, then there’s nothing for you to do in Congress except write back to constituents’ emails and hang around waiting for the occasional roll call vote. A senator who refuses to join a caucus would be a joke of a senator, and what’s more, the Senate isn’t some kind of parliament. You don’t just get to randomly switch sides as it suits you.
You know, Charlie Crist tried this ridiculousness last cycle, saying he’d “caucus with the people of Florida.” He was roundly mocked for attempting to have it both ways, and in the end, it got him nowhere.
I don’t mind the prospect of Angus King joining the Senate and becoming a fairly centrist member. But don’t come out of the gate lying to me.
saying you’re not sure who you’re going to caucus with these days is like saying you’re not sure if you’re going to drink battery acid or apple juice.
I’d rather have a dem but as long as he votes for the Dem senate majority leader fine.
And you’ll get more BS out of the Senate like we do now.
Huh?
King is not an idiot; he knows how the caucus system works. This is political posturing, pure and simple. And beyond his somewhat unique home turf (where, as with Vermont, Connecticut, and Alaska, there’s a long political tradition outside the two major parties), there are sure to be Village people like Freidman willing to reward him handsomely for it.
Absolutely. Clearly, political posturing and Village approval is job one for him.
I’m disappointed, but at least it’s better than Snowe.
Mission accomplished: his presence in the race caused Chellie Pingree to drop out.
The bipartisan 1% are now safe.
Her dropping out means that the DSCC must be funding him. Otherwise, 2012 is a different election. Mittens is going to get smoked there. So why be afraid of a 2010 scenario if you know you can run a good campaign?
I wouldn’t jump to conclusions. The high price tag of the Presidential races is going to suck the air out the DSCC and DCCC fundraising. Democratic candidates for Senate and Congress are likely going to be on their own. (No doubt a lot of them will like it that way.)
There is so much money flying around that most candidates don’t need the national committees.
That could be a problem for progressives.
Angus is the only one who can carry the whole state. Chellie will hold the 1st district but I don’t think she could carry the state. Michaud is in for a very tough fight especially since CD2 was redistricted. Many of us who live in CD1 will spend all our time campaigning in CD2 where it will be a very tough slog to keep Michaud and to keep our 1 electoral college vote from CD2 (Maine divides electoral college votes).
We also have marriage equality on the ballot which I support completely–but it is going to be tough in the 2nd district.
I don’t want Angus to say a word about who he will caucus with. People can say he is just BSing or lying or whatever they want. Those of us who are actually here trying to win know what we are dealing with.