Senator Schumer Won't Run for Governor in '06

[Freddie Stubbs]

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 - Senator Charles E. Schumer today ruled out running for governor of New York in 2006, saying that he would instead help lead the Democratic Party's effort to regain majority control of the United States Senate.

Mr. Schumer's decision not to seek the governorship leaves the field open on the Democratic side to Eliot Spitzer, the state's attorney general, who has been warily watching Mr. Schumer in recent months as Mr. Spitzer himself gears up to run for governor in two years

Mr. Schumer, who was just re-elected to a second term with a 71 percent of the vote, a state record in a senate race, had been thinking about making a leap to the state Capitol, in Albany, reflecting the frustration that many Democrats in Washington feel at a time of Republican dominance.

But Mr. Schumer ruled that out after Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the No. 2 Democrat in the upper chamber, who is expected to be elected minority leader later this month, persuaded him to head up the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee through the midterm elections of 2006. Mr. Reid also gave Mr. Schumer a seat on the powerful Senate Finance Committee, apparently in exchange for Mr. Schumer's commitment to stay in Washington through the 2006 elections.

more: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/15/nyregion/15cnd-schu.html?ei=5094&en=3ffe5f4c6a801c72&hp=&ex=1100581200&adxnnl=1&partner=homepage&adxnnlx=1100552831-9Nk3UcX7s9R+PzecC6PC+Q

[cjbuchanan]

1. Paging Eliot Spitzer

Time to run for Governor.

[tk2kewl]

2. Good...

no point in risking the Senate seat when we have a great cadidate in Spitzer

[MADem]

3. I agree

...and I think part of the reason Schumer passed on the opportunity is that the "Governor as President" concept is finally dying a slow, tortured and well deserved death. Ever since Jimmy Carter, there has been this foolish rule that the road to the White House runs through a governor's office, and people have BOUGHT it--you either have had to have been a governor, or VP to a former governor (GHWBush), to get the Presidential slot. Why? Because the MEDIA told us so.

There is this bit of bullshit fiction that some clown, because he has run a crappy state with limited authority and absolutely no control over Armed Forces or substantial diplomatic experience, can somehow be a "better" president than a Senator, who actually WORKS the laws and deals with foreign relations issues, because they have had to deal with a budget and a bunch of government agencies--it's all HORSESHIT. If you can balance a checkbook, you can manage a budget. You can HIRE someone to manage both your budget and your subordinates--and smart people DO that, anyway. I'd rather have a leader who stayed awake in World History class!

Al Gore, by actually WINNING and getting cheated, proved that a Senator can win the Presidency. And Kerry, if not cheated (and I am not convinced that he was not cheated) made a strong showing in any event.

I don't know that Schumer wants to run for the White House or not, but it crosses the mind of everyone in the Senate, whether they admit it or not. And he surely likes the prestige of being the SENIOR senator from one of our most important states. Also, I have to wonder how well he would play upstate for governor. I think they like his cosmopolitan flair when they are sending him down to DC to advocate for them, but they might not like it so much in the State House.

So, assuming Spitzer gets the nod, who is his oppo? Guiliani? Now THAT would be a frighteningly interesting match-up!!!

[Moderator]

4. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=991564