Durbin vs. Schumer? Battle For Future Senate Leadership Could Get Awkward

If the 2010 election doesn't go Senator Harry Reid's (D-Nev.) way, and he loses his reelection race to ol' what's her name -- that Chicken Lady -- the Democrats will have to find themselves a new leader in the Senate. And that's where things get interesting!

See, the two leading contenders, Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) are housemates. Awk-ward! I've been hoping for a definitive story on this and am only too happy that it's been delivered by Salon's Mike Madden:

That's the situation Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin could find themselves in this year. Both men may want to take over as Senate majority leader if Harry Reid loses his reelection campaign in November. And both men, when they're not in their respective home states (Illinois for Durbin, New York for Schumer) live together in a Capitol Hill house owned by Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., along with Rep. Bill Delahunt, D-Mass. Which means an already delicate situation could wind up being truly weird.

Neither Durbin nor Schumer wants to seem like he's after Reid's job, or to discuss the prospect of seeking it. "They're still friends, and they will be when Harry Reid is reelected, too," Durbin's spokesman, Joe Shoemaker, told me Thursday -- just after saying he was about to hang the phone up, once I started asking questions about a leadership race. At least he answered it; Schumer aides, for their part, didn't even return phone calls.

Is the game afoot? Well, neither senator seems to have positioned himself as a campaigner. While both men have been taking on leadership roles on key issues, Madden reminds us that "it's worth remembering that both Durbin and Schumer already have Senate leadership posts and natural constituencies that can also explain what they're up to."

(My colleague Ryan Grim points out, however, that the potential rivalry was a subject of mirth at the Washington Press Club Foundation dinner, where Senator Claire McCaskill joked about Schumer, calling her night and day. Grim paraphrases: "Fine, she said, you can have my vote for leader. Just stop calling, my husband's getting suspicious.")

Obviously, each man comes with some built-in selling points. Schumer is the ultimate in camera-seasoned politicians, and has assimilated himself pretty seamlessly within the panoply of cable and network news shows. Durbin, of course, enriches the Axis Of Illinois that runs through the White House.

But Durbin definitely emerges as the more sympathetic roommate, especially when you consider Schumer's dietary habits include a sandwich that is, essentially, a Superfund site on a sub roll:

It's the most famous sandwich in New York politics.

Roast beef, banana peppers, pickled jalapeños, extra onions, extra tomatoes, two layers of pickles, mayonnaise and mustard on hearty Italian bread -- it's known as "The Schumwich."

So, yeah: Durbin is definitely the "Felix Ungar" and Schumer is the "Oscar Madison." Happily, neither man seems to be the "Eric Massa."

[Would you like to follow me on Twitter? Because why not? Also, please send tips to [e-mail] -- learn more about our media monitoring project here.]

Comments

[OneConservative]

09:14 PM on 04/25/2010

Dick Turbin and Up Chuck Shumer. Two of the most detestable people not only in the Senate but in the entire world.

[CabinGuy]

12:09 AM on 04/26/2010

It is actually Chuck U. Schumer

[MBWinters]

08:34 PM on 04/25/2010

Greetings Citizens,

The Three Stooges Go to Washington­.

Moe is steping aside as the Senate Majority Leader. Larry and Curly are doing head butts on one another to decide which one will lead the illustriou­s Senate....

Warm regards,

Michael Winters

[OneConservative]

09:12 PM on 04/25/2010

That is hilarious.

[Okieborn]

12:17 PM on 04/25/2010

Dick Durbin is a man that would look after the poor and what is left of the middleclas­s !
Schumer is in the same box as Blanche Lincoln Conrad, Baucus and the rest of the pay me off and I will be there !!

[Dr Jimmy and Mr Jim]

12:09 PM on 04/25/2010

Battle? Did you just use the word "battle" in the same sentence with the words "Harry Reid"? These words just don't go together well.

Harry Reid: The many who holds the keys to FORCING the Republican­s to actually filibuster INSTEAD OF ACTUALLY MAKING THEM DO IT. Harry Reid has the power to make these Repub nuht-jobz stand up in front of a camera and
argue FOR the health care industry.
argue FOR the pharmaceut­ical industry.
argue FOR Wall Street and AGAINST Main Street

Harry won't even consider it. He won't "battle" Republican­s. They simply threaten to filibuster and Harry runs for the hills.

Note to Harry: For the love of Jeebus and everything that is holy and good: GET OUT OF THE WAY. DO SOMETHING OR GET OUT OF THE WAY. YOU CAN'T EVEN CARRY YOUR OWN STATE.

[riverhouse]

09:57 AM on 04/25/2010

I'm a NYer and I would support Durbin over Schumer any day of the week on any issue. Schumer is all about Schumer. Following that, he's all about Israel. I found his chastising of Obama over the Israeli settlement­s on Palestinia­n land in East Jerusalem deplorable­. If he wants to put Israel's best interests over those of our own country, then he should move to Israel. I hope Reid wins. He's done his job. But should he not, I think Durbin should lead the Senate.

[TheCactusLand]

01:03 AM on 04/25/2010

After Schumer backed Isreal in the fued with Obama, I think he is finished, he is not to be trusted with such power and dubios allegiance­s. Check out his piece on the Lieberman http://www­.thecactus­land.com/2­010/04/joe­-lieberman­s-family.h­tml

[StevelK]

01:06 AM on 04/25/2010

Personally­, although he's been straying a bit in recent days, he's a bit too cozy with Wall St. for my liking, too. I hope we Reid wins (and the chicken-ba­rterer loses), but if he doesn't, I'll certainly be hoping for Durbin.

[terry63]

12:39 AM on 04/25/2010

Future ? What Future?

[CabinGuy]

11:47 PM on 04/24/2010

Three Stooges
Turbin Durbin
Chuck U.
and Granny from Beverly Hillbilly'­s

[Littlewords]

12:21 PM on 04/25/2010

All far better than any of the 41 m0ronic Republican Senators with their turkey DNA cross Senate leader McConnell recently lavashed in money and hugs from the bankers as he has just been caught trying to block finance reform just after the biggest economic calamity visited upon this nation and robbing us of our tax revenues and jobs since the great depression­!

So while st0oges they may be, they are far superior to the Republican alternativ­e, the whack0s from the libertaria­n herd, or the conflicted right wing k00ks and c1an members of the teabagging ranks.

[helloboyd]

09:19 PM on 04/24/2010

What KIMPEACH said!

[IrishLover]

08:46 PM on 04/24/2010

Reid is GOING to WIN versus the chicken lady ...

nothing to see here ..move along

[terry63]

12:42 AM on 04/25/2010

That was so funny, In Naked Gun (I dont know if youve seen that), where the perp. crashes into a fire works factory, and all of these fireworks are going off, Then Leslie Neilson says , Move along nothing to see here. Just sayin.

[StevelK]

01:04 AM on 04/25/2010

I hope you're right, but it looks like chicken-la­dy has a double digit lead and is destined to be senator chicken-la­dy.

[Jim Elkins]

04:08 PM on 04/24/2010

I believe y'all are over reaching..­. After they are sworn in in January, one of your fellows will be looking for the title "MINORITY WHIP"...

[Littlewords]

12:30 PM on 04/25/2010

Thanks for the insight and crytal ball reading Nostra-mor­onamongus.

Try joining reality where the rest of us live and post.
You are miles off the mark and an obvious fan of fantasy. I suppose the new party will be led by Senator Unicorn from the state of South Teabagolin­a.

[FACTISFACT]

03:32 PM on 04/24/2010

The comments of a commenter had been placed before the Political Strategist­s and Political Analysts for their considerat­ion as the comments were in reply to their analytical views opined by them and FACTISFACT reproduced their analytical opinions for the readers.

FACTISFACT informed the commenter that he would place the views of the commenter before the proper forum for considerat­ion of the concerned for their perusal and comments if any or for future reference. The Political Strategist­s and the Analysts read the comments and without saying anything pushed the paper to one side.

They opined that It seems that Commenter on the article under considerat­ion having links with the article where in the above mentioned commenter commented, seems to have agreement with the Analytical opinions of the Political Strategist­s and Political Analysts

Then they added that the article under considerat­ion has very eloquently highlighte­d the issue on which Senator chuck Schumer criticized the administra­tions and the government policy and the reply delivered by the Administra­tion to his criticism.

The Political Analysts after having gone through the entire developmen­t encircling Chuck Schumer created issue opined the congressio­nal Representa­tive's activity stand highly controvers­ial.

[Roci]

02:54 PM on 04/24/2010

You can't get rid of "The Gentleman from Nevada" fast enough for me.Over all he's been a disaster. You could give his "Leadershi­p" role to the most senior page on the Hill and get a more savvy politician­. Do I think "Chicken lady" deserves the job? Heck No. Do I think the people of Nevada are stupid enough to elect her? I've lived in Clark County on and off over the years, and I'd like to think not. But I cannot say that stranger things have not happened. I've said before that November is going to be bad. REAL BAD. But this is one seat (Both Nevada Seats need changing. Both are occupied by political hacks) that I will be glad to have filled by anyone else. The good folks of Nevada deserve better than both of their Senators. I'm naive enough to believe, even after all these years, that the Idea of election by popular vote is supposed to bring out the best a group of people have to offer. Best and Brightest, and all that stuff. The people of Nevada can do much better, and I for one look forward to watching them do it. There's no place to go from here but up.

[riverhouse]

09:59 AM on 04/25/2010

Obama has the most successful first year legislativ­e success of any president and that could not be were it not for Reid. And Pelosi. Where has Reid failed the White House? He gets the president what he wants and that is his job in a nutshell. He's done it quite well according to statistics­.

[Roci]

12:30 PM on 04/25/2010

The job of the Majority Leader is to craft and keep a Majority together, and (not to be impolite about it but..) to screw up the opposition where ever possible. Who runs the Senate? Reid or McConnell? There is a lost art in knowing how to use a majority, and part of that is Reid''s leadership style. I can remember when men like LBJ, Mike Mansfield, and yes, Robert Byrd ran the Senate. Deft men who made the penalty for failure to compromise to awful for the opposition to contemplat­e. The reason the Senate is the problem child of this day and political age is men like Reid, who can't play poker worth a darn, and whose one and only move when called is to fold. Democrats were handed a mandate for change, not only in the White House, but in both Houses on the Hill. A lot changed, all right, and that's why we Democrats have effectivel­y lost our majority in the Senate. Each and every time someone in the minority in the Senate blocks legislatio­n, or holds a nomination­, it isn't the fault of the White House.They do so with impunity because there is no political cost.There is no political cost because Senate "Leadershi­p" fails to exact one. Democrats don't look, sound, or act like the Majority Party in either house of Congress. The fault isn't with the other end of Pennsylvan­ia Avenue. It lays in the elected "Leadershi­p" in both houses of Congress.

[TheRLeePost]

01:07 PM on 04/24/2010

Schumer? No way. New York state should replace him with Jon Stewart, or at least someone with a social conscience and an IQ above 115.

Durbin? Don't know his IQ, not as familiar with him, but a telling indicator is that he had the conscience and/or intellect necessary to know that Iraq was NOT a clear and present danger to the U.S.; he was not a dupe to the obvious attempts of deceit by the White House, and a sufficient judge of character to know that George W. Bush was insidiousl­y driven to win re-electio­n at any costs, i.e. suffering to others, and was less trustworth­y than the 'upfront' dictator his used in his plot.

-RLee
http://the­rleepost.b­logspot.co­m

[oldgeek1]

05:26 PM on 04/24/2010

Let's see. Schumer's IQ? I don't know. However perfect SAT scores, perfect LSAT's, straight A's in college and law school I suspect his IQ is reasonably high.

The vote to give the President authority to use the Military to deal with Iraq was prudent. No one including the Republican­s thought that authority would be abused nor did anyone know the nature of the threat. Everyone looks like Albert Einstein with hindsight.

Back on point, either Schumer or Durbin would be good choices and it will be interestin­g to see if Harry goes, even if he wins reelection­. BTW, can you give the list of US Senators who voted not to give the authority to use Military power. I know Byrd and Obama but hard pressed to know who else. I am not a hawk but given 911 and the constant middle finger from Iraq, Bush was right to ask and stupid to engage in a ground war. I would have just leveled the capital and made the point. War sucks but its war, if not your just jerking around.

[Kimpeach]

01:02 PM on 04/24/2010

Shumer works for Wall Street and Israel. He should NOT be in a powerful position because he is not loyal to Main Street or America. He is not even loyal to his president.­..forget him!